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Sermon of the Week
Look up the passage

17/8/03

Discovering Spiritual Gifts 3 - Identifying my Unique Shape 1 Peter 4:7-11

Adapted from "Discovering My Ministry, Baptist Union of NSW, from work by Rick Warren, Saddleback Valley Community Church and "Heartbeat" by Drew Mellor, Deep Creek Anglican Church, Melbourne

Over the next two weeks we'll be using a number of tools to help you discover and think through the five factors that make up who you are.

This week:

"10 Truths" will summarise what the Bible says about Spiritual gifts.

   "Cautions about Spiritual gifts" will do just that.

   "Get Started" will help you begin to explore your giftedness

   "Unwrapping your Gift" will give you an overview of spiritual gifts and help you identify which ones you may have been given by God.

   Next week a practical exercise to complete the process:

   "Monitoring your Heartbeat" will help you clarify what you really love to do.

   "Applying your Abilities" will help you appreciate the natural talents and vocational skills you have.

   "Plugging in your Personality" will help you see how your God-given temperament can best be used in ministry.

   "Examining your Experiences" will help you review your history to discover how God has prepared you for a unique ministry that only you can fulfill.

   Remember:
1. Have fun! These are not "tests"! There are no right or wrong answers. The purpose is to show how you are a unique blend!

   2. Each one is self-evaluating. No one is "rating" you on this. We're interested in your feelings, not others. However it may be helpful to ask for additional input from those closest to you after you've filled in your own responses.

   3. The value of each of these tools will vary depending on your age, how long you've been a Christian, your background, your honesty, and how much time and serious thinking you're willing to invest in them!

   4. As you complete each tool, transfer your results to the form called "Personal Ministry Profile". You will bring this profile with you to your interview with a ministry guide or Pastor.

   WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS

   - a condensed overview

   "Now about spiritual gifts I do not want you to be ignorant." 1 Cor.12:1

   A Spiritual Gift: is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the Body of Christ.

10 Truths

   1. Only believers have spiritual gifts. 1 Cor.2:14-15: "¹⁴Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny."

   2. Every Christian has at least one gift. 1 Cor.7:7

   3. No one receives all the gifts. 1 Cor.12:27-30: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?"

   4. No single gift is given to everyone. 1 Cor 12:29-30 NRSV: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?"

   5. You can't earn or work for a spiritual gift. Eph 4:7: "But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."

   6. The Holy Spirit decides what gifts I get. 1 Cor 12:11: "All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses."

   7. A gift from god can't be taken away from you. Rom 11:29: "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

   8. I am to develop the gifts God gives me. 1 Tim 4:14-15: "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. ¹⁵Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress."

   9. It's a sin to waste the gifts God gave me. 1 Cor 4:1-2: "Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. ²Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. (Mat 25:14-30 NRSV) "'²¹Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' ... ²⁶But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.'"

   10. Using my gifts Glorifies God and blesses me. John 15:8: " Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

   The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts (a reminder)

   A. Not for my benefit, but for others

   "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." (1 Pet 4:10)

   "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Cor 12:7 NRSV)

   B. To produce maturity and stability in our church family.

   "The gifts he gave were [so] that ...all of us [would] come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, ... no longer ... children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine." Eph 4:11,13-14.

   Cautions about Spiritual Gifts

   1. Don't confuse gifts with natural talents.

   2. Don't confuse gifts with the Fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5:22-23, 1 Cor 13

   • "Fruit" shows my Maturity.

   • "Gifts" show my Ministry.

   3. Don't confuse gifts with Christian roles.

   4. Be aware of the "gift projection" tendency. (Expecting others to serve theway you do and have similar results)

   5. Don't feel my gift makes me superior to others. 1 Cor 12:21: "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

   6. Realize that using my gifts without love are worthless!

   "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels ... if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing ... I gain nothing." (1 Cor 13:1-3 NRSV)

   7. Recognize that I may have both Primary and Secondary ministries in my church:

   My primary ministry commitment should be in the areas where I am gifted.

   My secondary ministries may include serving in another area of the Body where I am needed

   How to discover your gift - 'Get Started!'

   Study

   Ask Chris or Ruth for books you could read. I mentioned briefly last week the importance of being transformed by the renewing of our minds and one of the ways we renew our minds is by study, by reading the Bible and good Christian books that fill our minds with good things. Now I'm happy to recommend some books to read. There are numbers of good books in the Church library. Or ask Ruth Kernebone for books that she'd recommend.

   Trial and error

   Experiment with different areas of service. See what you're good at; where you get results; where you feel fulfilled and fruitful

Analyse

   Use the "Unwrapping My Gift" tool.

   Request

   Ask others what gifts they see in you.

   Ask God for gifts that you'd like to have

   Take training

   Take advantage of training opportunities when they arise. E.g. small group leaders training course coming up in October at St Timothy's Bulleen.

   Three Ways God Wants You to Use Your Gifts

   Through an ongoing ministry

   Through short-term projects

   Through spontaneous situations

   "It's easier to discover your gift through ministry than to discover your ministry through your gift."

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	Sermon of the Week	Look up the passage
	17/8/03
	Discovering Spiritual Gifts 3 - Identifying my Unique Shape	1 Peter 4:7-11
	Adapted from "Discovering My Ministry, Baptist Union of NSW, from work by Rick Warren, Saddleback Valley Community Church and "Heartbeat" by Drew Mellor, Deep Creek Anglican Church, Melbourne

	Over the next two weeks we'll be using a number of tools to help you discover and think through the five factors that make up who you are.
	This week:
	"10 Truths" will summarise what the Bible says about Spiritual gifts.
	"Cautions about Spiritual gifts" will do just that.
	"Get Started" will help you begin to explore your giftedness
	"Unwrapping your Gift" will give you an overview of spiritual gifts and help you identify which ones you may have been given by God.
	Next week a practical exercise to complete the process:
	"Monitoring your Heartbeat" will help you clarify what you really love to do.
	"Applying your Abilities" will help you appreciate the natural talents and vocational skills you have.
	"Plugging in your Personality" will help you see how your God-given temperament can best be used in ministry.
	"Examining your Experiences" will help you review your history to discover how God has prepared you for a unique ministry that only you can fulfill.
	Remember: 1. Have fun! These are not "tests"! There are no right or wrong answers. The purpose is to show how you are a unique blend!
	2. Each one is self-evaluating. No one is "rating" you on this. We're interested in your feelings, not others. However it may be helpful to ask for additional input from those closest to you after you've filled in your own responses.
	3. The value of each of these tools will vary depending on your age, how long you've been a Christian, your background, your honesty, and how much time and serious thinking you're willing to invest in them!
	4. As you complete each tool, transfer your results to the form called "Personal Ministry Profile". You will bring this profile with you to your interview with a ministry guide or Pastor.
	WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS
	- a condensed overview
	"Now about spiritual gifts I do not want you to be ignorant." 1 Cor.12:1
	A Spiritual Gift: is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the Body of Christ.
	10 Truths
	1. Only believers have spiritual gifts. 1 Cor.2:14-15: "¹⁴Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny."
	2. Every Christian has at least one gift. 1 Cor.7:7
	3. No one receives all the gifts. 1 Cor.12:27-30: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?"
	4. No single gift is given to everyone. 1 Cor 12:29-30 NRSV: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?"
	5. You can't earn or work for a spiritual gift. Eph 4:7: "But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."
	6. The Holy Spirit decides what gifts I get. 1 Cor 12:11: "All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses."
	7. A gift from god can't be taken away from you. Rom 11:29: "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
	8. I am to develop the gifts God gives me. 1 Tim 4:14-15: "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. ¹⁵Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress."
	9. It's a sin to waste the gifts God gave me. 1 Cor 4:1-2: "Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. ²Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. (Mat 25:14-30 NRSV) "'²¹Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' ... ²⁶But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.'"
	10. Using my gifts Glorifies God and blesses me. John 15:8: " Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
	The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts (a reminder)
	A. Not for my benefit, but for others
	"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." (1 Pet 4:10)
	"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Cor 12:7 NRSV)
	B. To produce maturity and stability in our church family.
	"The gifts he gave were [so] that ...all of us [would] come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, ... no longer ... children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine." Eph 4:11,13-14.
	Cautions about Spiritual Gifts
	1. Don't confuse gifts with natural talents.
	2. Don't confuse gifts with the Fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5:22-23, 1 Cor 13
	• "Fruit" shows my Maturity.
	• "Gifts" show my Ministry.
	3. Don't confuse gifts with Christian roles.
	4. Be aware of the "gift projection" tendency. (Expecting others to serve theway you do and have similar results)
	5. Don't feel my gift makes me superior to others. 1 Cor 12:21: "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
	6. Realize that using my gifts without love are worthless!
	"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels ... if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing ... I gain nothing." (1 Cor 13:1-3 NRSV)
	7. Recognize that I may have both Primary and Secondary ministries in my church:
	My primary ministry commitment should be in the areas where I am gifted.
	My secondary ministries may include serving in another area of the Body where I am needed
	How to discover your gift - 'Get Started!'
	Study
	Ask Chris or Ruth for books you could read. I mentioned briefly last week the importance of being transformed by the renewing of our minds and one of the ways we renew our minds is by study, by reading the Bible and good Christian books that fill our minds with good things. Now I'm happy to recommend some books to read. There are numbers of good books in the Church library. Or ask Ruth Kernebone for books that she'd recommend.
	Trial and error
	Experiment with different areas of service. See what you're good at; where you get results; where you feel fulfilled and fruitful
	Analyse
	Use the "Unwrapping My Gift" tool.
	Request
	Ask others what gifts they see in you.
	Ask God for gifts that you'd like to have
	Take training
	Take advantage of training opportunities when they arise. E.g. small group leaders training course coming up in October at St Timothy's Bulleen.
	Three Ways God Wants You to Use Your Gifts
	Through an ongoing ministry
	Through short-term projects
	Through spontaneous situations
	"It's easier to discover your gift through ministry than to discover your ministry through your gift."