C. What are some things you know about God experientially i.e. you sense this intimately, personally, in a way that comforts, gives confidence, and actually changes your life? What are some things you “know” about God in your head, but not your heart? What are some practical implications of all the above?
D. God puts gifted people like you in the church to bless people in the church and in the world JUST AS HE DETERMINES. It’s not about what we LIKE to do, what we WANT to do, what WE think our strengths are, but what HE thinks our strengths are by His gifting. It’s about what He wants to do THRU us (12:11, 18, 24). Name some things you’ve done/are doing to serve Christ and His church. What convinces you this is your gift area i.e. His choosing, not yours?
E. With someone who knows you well & you trust discuss what you need to do to DISCOVER, DEVELOP & DEPLOY your spiritual gift these ways:
1. Explore: read and talk about them
2. Experiment: try them out
3. Examine your feelings, one piece of the puzzle
4. Evaluate your effectiveness (fruit)
5. Expect positive feedback
6. Evoke the gifts of others. Gifts come full circle
F. What are some consequences of NOT using your spiritual gifts?
G. What are some benefits of using them?
I. A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100K ransom.
A. The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But what we DON’T know is how much she offered to pay. The NYTimes writer, Calvin Trillin, imagined what the negotiations must have been like. I don’t have that story, but I’m going to insert my imagination in for his: “You say you have my husband? You want HOW much? $100K?! He’s been in the living room watching football since he turned it on for Thursday night football. He’s finishing up the Sunday night game right now. and he’s finishing up Sunday night football. Let me check. You’re right he’s not there. But he could be down at the coffee shop. He spends a lot of time there w/ his buddies, or in the garden or in the bathroom, also there a lot. I’ll give you $30K, top offer."
II. The kidnappers thought he was worth much more. How much the people in my life think that I'm worth? How much do I think I’m worth? I struggle w/ grasping how high God values & loves me. I think Paul & Peter knew I would (I Pet 1:18-19; Eph 3:16-19).
Do you know how much God loves & values you? Do you sometimes feel valued like this kidnapped husband might feel when he finds out that his kidnappers valued him more than his wife?
III. (I Cor 12:7)
A. “Each one…” Remember? No false humility, only TRUE humility that understands our gift is…
B. “…A manifestation of the Spirit…”
1. It’s not about you or me. It’s about the Holy Spirit working in and through us (2 Cor 12:9-10).
2. It’s the people in the Bible, the heroes, who realized it was when they were weakest, God was strongest. When they thought it WAS all about them, God humbled them (Jas 4:6, 10; I Pet 5:5-7).
C. “…For the common good.”
IV. Gifts are to build up and bless the church so that the church can bless the world. I believe the church is the hope of the world as we bless the world in the power of the Spirit.
A. I see the values of the world destroying us, values like: “look out for number one, it’s lonely at the top because of all you’ve squished on your way up, the ends justifies means, get them before they get you, get while the gettin’s good.
B. 7 X it says: “edifies, builds up, encourages” in (I Cor 14:2-3, 5, 12, 17, 26, 31).
C. God puts gifted people like you in the church to bless the church and the world JUST AS HE DETERMINES. Again, it’s not about what we LIKE to do, what we WANT to do, what we think our strengths are, but what HE thinks our strengths are, shown by His gifting…”just as HE determines” (12:11, 18, 24).
D. He blends us together to work like a symphony, not a bunch of soloists, so the sum, together, is so much greater than the parts working individually (Eph 4:11-16).
V. Spiritual gifts are discovered, developed and deployed (used) only as we do these steps TOGETHER:
A. With someone who knows you well & you trust discuss what you need to do to DISCOVER, DEVELOP & DEPLOY your spiritual gift these ways:
1. Explore: read and talk about them
2. Experiment: try them out
3. Examine your feelings, one piece of the puzzle
4. Evaluate your effectiveness (fruit)
5. Expect positive feedback
6. Evoke the gifts of others. Gifts come full circle
B. What are some consequences of NOT using your spiritual gifts?
C. What are some benefits of using them?
VI. That’s what Paul is talking about in (Rom 1:11-12), IF you bring your ALL to the table and offer it for the Master’s use?
A. I/A Indicators;
B. RIDDLE: what they have in common? Masseys, Stephanie Craker, E Woolf, C Ralston-using gifts to end sex trafficking.
C. Communion.
