(#415) Romans 12 - Your Spiritual Gift: You Have to Give It to Receive It

Class Outline:

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/Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher\

 

 

/Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher\

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…a Christian Church that makes a difference worldwide courtesy of the internet…Barah Ministries…a Christian Church that makes a difference locally in the Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler, AZ communities.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  At Barah Ministries, our God is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we teach the Word of God from God’s perspective…not from man’s perspective.  

 

Self-sufficiency.  It is defined as a state of not requiring any assistance…or support…or relationship for survival…it is a type of personal autonomy… it’s the thought that we can provide for ourselves without any external help.  In Revelation, Chapter 3, Verses 17 to 19, the Lord sent a strong message to the church at Laodicea…

 

/REVELATION 3:17

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked…\

 

/REVELATION 3:18 

…I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich…and white garments so that you may clothe yourself…and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed…and I advise you to buy from Me eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.\

 

The Word of God is an eye salve that opens our spiritual eyes so that we might see ourselves as we really are.

 

/REVELATION 3:19 

Those whom I (the Lord Jesus Christ) love…I reprove (express displeasure with) and I discipline (train in a righteous character pattern)… therefore be zealous and repent.\

 

The Laodiceans were materially wealthy but they were spiritually bankrupt.  If theses verses were a Carlos Santana song…it would be, “You’ve Got to Change Your Evil Ways!”  Why?  In John, Chapter 15, Verses 4 and 5, a command from the Lord…

 

/JOHN 15:4

You abide in Me…and I indwell you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine…so neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.\

 

None of us is self-sufficient.  That’s a lie. And when we think we are self-sufficient, the Lord always brings us to the end of our self-sufficiency so we know how much we depend on Him.

 

/JOHN 15:5 

I (the Lord Jesus Christ) am the vine…you believers in Christ are the branches…he who abides in Me and I indwelling him…he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.\

 

Apart from the Lord, whatever we do is nothing.  We do well as believers in Christ to take an inventory concerning our spiritual wealth. Welcome to a place where the Word of God provides a mirror to assess the quality of your spiritual life and your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

/TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Your Spiritual Gift:  You Have to Give It to Receive It\

 

What are the spiritual gifts?  How do you discover yours?  Well like my banking friend Amber says, “You’ve got to give it to receive it!”  When we share ourselves with other believers in Christ, through our service, God will make it abundantly clear to us our spiritual gift.

 

Why?  It is because our God is awesome.  Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 31 and 32… 

/ROMANS 8:31

What then shall we believers in Christ say face to face with all these things? If God is for us, and of course He is, who is able to prevail against us?\

 

Of course, we know that Satan and the kingdom of death and darkness are against us, but God will not let them win.

 

/ROMANS 8:32

God the Father who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will the Father not also, now that we are in union with Christ, freely give us all things?\

 

Here’s Chris Tomlin to sing his song about OUR GOD…the one who is for us.

 

/MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

OUR GOD

Chris Tomlin\

 

/OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...\

 

Almighty God and Father…thank you for letting us wake up every day…and every day we wake up we struggle to learn who we are and what our purpose is in this life…and we listen to learn what You want us to do with the gift of life that You have given us…and one of the ways You help us to discover our purpose in this life is the spiritual gift that You have given us at the moment of salvation…

 

…help us to look deep inside of ourselves to find that thing you have given us…and then help us to give it away…this spiritual gift…and in giving it away help us to find the fulfillment that leaves us feeling closer to You and that helps us to know we are doing Your will…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

/TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Your Spiritual Gift:  You Have to Give It to Receive It\

 

When we give our spiritual gift to other believers, we imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and what we receive as a result is almost indescribable. 

 

We’re studying spiritual gifts…we’ve been studying Romans, Chapter 12, Verses 4 to 8…which is one passage on spiritual gifts…here is the other biblical passage on spiritual gifts…First Corinthians, Chapter 12, Verses 1 to 31…

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:1 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I (Paul) do not want you to be unaware.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:2

You know that when you were pagans (unbelievers), you were led astray (by false teachers) to the lifeless idols, however you were led away.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:3

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Holy Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”… and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the agency of God the Holy Spirit.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:4

Now there are varieties of spiritual gifts, but the same God the Holy Spirit (works behind the scenes in all of them).\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:5 

And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord, Jesus Christ (works behind the scenes in all of them).\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:6 

There are varieties of effects, but the same God the Father who works all things in all persons.\

 

All three members of the Godhead are involved in our spiritual gift, making it a supernatural gift.

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:7 

But to each believer in Christ is given the manifestation of the Spirit (a spiritual gift) for the common good (for the benefit of believers in Christ).\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:8 

For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit…\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:9 

…to another faith by the same Spirit…and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit…\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:10 

…and to another the effecting of miracles…and to another prophecy…and to another the distinguishing of spirits (discernment)…to another various kinds of tongues…and to another the interpretation of tongues.\ 

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:11 

But one and the same God…the Holy Spirit…works all these things, distributing to each one individually a spiritual gift just as He wills.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:12 

For even as the body is one and yet has many members…and all the members of the body…though they are many…are one body...so also is Christ (as the Head).\

 

We depend on each other.

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:13 

For by one God the Holy Spirit we were all baptized into one body…whether Jews or Greeks…whether slaves or free…and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.\

 

We are in unity, as believers in Christ, placed there by God the Holy Spirit.

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:14 

For the body is not one member…but many members.\

 

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:15 

If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:16 

And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:17 

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:18 

But now God the Father has placed the members…each one of them…in the body…just as He desired.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:19 

If they were all one member…where would the body be?\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:20 

But now there are many members…but one body.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:21 

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you” … or again the head cannot say to the feet, “I have no need of you.” \

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:22 

On the contrary…it is much truer that the members of the body that seem to be weaker are (even more) necessary…\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:23 

…and those members of the body which we deem less honorable…on these we bestow more abundant honor…and our less presentable members become much more presentable…\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:24 

…whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.  But God the Father has so composed the body…giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked…\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:25 

…so that there may be no division in the body…but that the members may have the same care for one another.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:26 

And if one member suffers…all the members suffer with it…if one member is honored…all the members rejoice with it.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:27 

Now you are Christ’s body as a whole, and individually you are members of the body.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:28 

And God the Father has appointed in the church…first apostles…second prophets…third teachers…then miracles…then gifts of healings…gifts of helps…gifts of administrations…gifts of various kinds of tongues.\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:29 

All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:30 

All do not have gifts of healings…do they? All do not speak with tongues…do they? All do not interpret…do they?\

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:31 

But earnestly desire (to take advantage of) the greater gifts (apostle, prophet and teachers).  And I show you a still more excellent way.\

 

Let’s take a music break.  Before the break we’ll hear Chris Tomlin sing about God’s RESURRECTION POWER. 

 

/MUSIC BREAK                              

RESURRECTION POWER

Chris Tomlin \

 

/TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Your Spiritual Gift:  You Have to Give It to Receive It\

When we think about our spiritual gifts we must think of them as a ministry.  Giving is a ministry as well.  Ministry means service…and service means relieving a need… and a need is a lack of something that we cannot do well without.  In Second Corinthians, Chapter 8, Verses 1 to 4, the apostle Paul brags about the giving done by the Macedonian Church…

 

/SECOND CORINTHIANS 8:1

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God that has been given in the churches of Macedonia…\

 

/SECOND CORINTHIANS 8:2 

…that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality (they were giving freely).\

 

/SECOND CORINTHIANS 8:3 

For I (Paul) testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord…\

 

/SECOND CORINTHIANS 8:4 

…begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints…\

 

Let your love for the Lord guide your giving…let your giving overflow with liberality…at Barah Ministries, we appreciate your contribution that allows us to spread the gospel message and the Word of God all over the world.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with the offering message.

 

/THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall\

 

/OFFERING VERSE

 

ROMANS 8:38

For I (Paul) am convinced that neither death nor life…nor angels nor principalities…nor things present nor things to come…nor powers…\

 

 

 

ROMANS 8:39

…nor height nor depth…nor any other created thing…will be able to separate us believers in Christ from the unconditional love of God the Father…nor can it thwart His purpose for those of us in union with Christ Jesus our Lord. \

 

/OFFERING

FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

Dave McClure, Instrumental\

  

/TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Your Spiritual Gift:  You Have to Give It to Receive It\

 

Welcome back! 

 

When we give, we imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  And it’s a guarantee that we will receive from Him as a result.  John, Chapter 15, Verse 12 tells us what powers our spiritual gift…

 

/JOHN 15:12

“This is My commandment, that you love one another unconditionally, just as I (the Lord Jesus Christ) have loved you unconditionally.”\

 

Since our spiritual gift is something we give to others…it is powered…it is driven…by unconditional love. First Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 13…

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:13

But now faith (in God), hope (in a certain future for self), and unconditional love (for others)…believers in Christ are to abide in the sphere of these three…but the greatest of these is unconditional love for others.\

 

Some things we have learned about our spiritual gifts...

 

God the Holy Spirit gives believers in Christ a single spiritual gift at the moment of salvation.  He is the source of unity in the body of Christ.

 

The spiritual gift is for use among the brethren...it is for the benefit of believers in Christ.  Unity is the purpose of a spiritual gift.

 

Your spiritual gift is supernatural, and because it is powered by the enabling power of God, it has a supernatural effect on others.

 

Your spiritual gift comes with an almost insane supernatural desire to use it.

 

You don’t learn what your spiritual gift is by wondering about it.  Like everything else in the spiritual life, God reveals your gift to you from action and experience and not from analysis paralysis.  In other words, you’ll learn what your spiritual gift is from serving.  As you give your gift to others, you’ll receive an obvious indication from God what your spiritual gift is.  

 

God considers it His responsibility to illuminate your spiritual gift for you.

 

God the Holy Spirit unifies the body of Christ.  He placed us into union with Christ, and it is a unity we can never lose.  We can’t lose our unity with Christ (which is called fellowship), and we can’t lose our unity with each other (which is called fellowship).

 

The spiritual gift of another is not to be envied. There is no division in the body of Christ.  Satan, the enemy of God, loves to introduce false teachers, false teaching, debauchery (an overindulgence in sensuality), disunity and selfishness to confuse us about spiritual gifts...to neutralize our gift.

 

An omniscient God carefully and intentionally arranges a set of spiritual gifts in a location according to His perfect will...He is not haphazard in His approach to spiritual gifts.

 

Spiritual gifts create a supernatural mutual dependence between believers.  We need each other.  None of us are self-sufficient.

 

Spiritual gifts create a supernatural mutual concern.  

 

When we stop to think about it, we have to ask ourselves, “What is the Christian Way of Living? What does the Christian Way of Living really look like?  What distinguishes Christians from others in the world?”

 

Frankly, Christians who are living their spiritual lives reject what the world has to offer.  If the world says, “Do it on your own,” Christians say, “Let’s stick together.”  If the world says, “Medicate yourself to face your problems,” Christians say, “Let’s turn our problems over to the Lord.”  If the world says, “If it is to be it is up to me,” Christians say, “Ask the Spirit to do the work, especially as it involves the lusts of the flesh.”  If the world tells us to play it safe, especially in the matter of people, Christians say, “Put yourself on the line for people… be authentic…and be vulnerable.”

 

The First Corinthians passage we looked at today, we’ll study in detail next week.  But I’ll tell you this.  There is a danger in cataloguing spiritual gifts.  The spiritual gifts in this passage are the gifts that were necessary to build the first century church.  Our Romans, Chapter 12, Verses 4 to 8 passage has a short list of the key spiritual gifts for today, and we’ll take a deeper look at those in the coming weeks.

 

Remember…your spiritual gift is for the common good…it is for the building up of the members of the body of Christ…it is for the edification of the believers in Christ around you.  You would do well to ask yourself how you are building up the people within Barah Ministries. 

 

/GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life\

 

The closing moments of our study are for the benefit of anyone who does not have a personal relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU. 

 

The bad news is that all of us are born in a state of unrighteousness.  We are born physically alive and spiritually dead as ungodly unbelievers.  It’s not our fault, but it is our circumstance.  In First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22, the bible says…

 

/FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a

For all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…\

 

But there’s good news amidst the bad news!  It’s an easy decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved…you can do it anytime and anywhere… let’s see what happened in a prison in Rome in Acts, Chapter 16, Verses 25 to 34…

/ACTS 16:25

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them…\

 

/ACTS 16:26

…and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken…and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.\

 

/ACTS 16:27 

When the jailer (a prison guard) awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.\

 

/ACTS 16:28 

But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”\

 

/ACTS 16:29 

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas…\

 

/ACTS 16:30 

…and after the prison guard brought Paul and Silas out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”\

 

/ACTS 16:31 

And Paul and Silas said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”\

 

There are no works of any kind necessary to be saved…simply faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone is the ticket to eternal life…

 

/ACTS 16:32 

And Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord (the gospel message) to the jailer together and to all the people who were in his house.\

 

 

 

/ACTS 16:33 

And the jailer took Paul and Silas that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately the jailer was baptized, he and all his household.\

 

/ACTS 16:34 

And the jailer brought Paul and Silas into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in THE God (the Lord Jesus Christ) with his whole household.\

 

How did our jailer friend get saved?  In a crisis, he recognized He needed a Savior.  He asked someone who knew what it took to be saved.  Believers in Christ presented the accurate gospel message. The jailer did what was suggested. Romans, Chapter 1, Verses 18 to 20…

 

/ROMANS 1:18

For the wrath of God the Father is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and against the unrighteousness of men (unbelievers) who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness…\

 

/ROMANS 1:19 

…because that which is known about God the Father is evident within them (even from inside of them) for God the Father made it evident to them (from inside of them).\ 

 

/ROMANS 1:20 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, God’s eternal power and God’s divine nature, have been clearly seen by all men, being understood even through what has been made (in nature…God’s creative work), so that all mankind are without excuse before God.\

 

God provides the good news, the gospel message, from the outside to all of us through believers in Christ…and He also puts knowledge of Himself on the inside of all of us…He even puts knowledge of Himself in nature…so that we have multiple opportunities to be saved.  God makes Himself clearly visible.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

 

 

/ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”\

 

John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

/JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”\

 

It’s a simple choice to become a believer in Christ so you can be saved for all eternity.  Don’t miss your opportunity!  Here’s June Murphy to sing the closing song…

 

/CLOSING SONG

WHAT CAN SEPARATE YOU 

June Murphy\ 

 

/CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...\

 

         THANKS- INTERCESSION- PETITION

 

/Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

www.barahministries.com\