Spiritual Gifts Test

There is an abundance of online material about spiritual gifts. I have taken more spiritual gifts inventory than I can remember, but there is one that I really recommend: Elmer Towns Spiritual Gifts Inventory. You can link to it here: http://www.elmertowns.com/spiritual_gifts_test/.

Knowing your spiritual gifts is an important prerequisite to using them! Your church family would benefit from you living out your gifts within your local church. So take the test today, and begin living out your supernatural abilities!!!

One of many...1 Cor. 12:12-31

Have you ever sat next to someone in church that you disliked? Did you ignore them and head for the door as soon as you heard the final "Amen"? What if God told you that the person sitting next to you was absolutely indispensable to your spiritual well-being? Would this change your attitude towards them? Please read on for some tough-to-swallow words from Scripture:

VERSE:
(remember to substitute "believer" with "part" throughout Paul's metaphor)
12. You are one of many - in the body of Christ, you are an ear, or a hand, or a mouth, or something else. FCC is collectively one body, just as Christ is one body.
13. All of us believers at FCC have been saved by the same Holy Spirit - without regard to our family background or social class. ALL of us have the Holy Spirit!
14. FCC has many "parts"
15-16. No "part" of your body can choose to leave or change its unique function
17. If our body had only one "part" - imagine how scary we would be!
18. God chose our "parts" - it is His decision, and He has no regrets
19. Could you really survive with just one "part"?!!
20. Truth: many parts, one body
21. No one "part" can live independently of another "part"
22. Amazingly, the weakest "parts" of the body are the ones you cannot live without! (imagine losing your small toe, or thumb, or eyes, or liver, etc!)
23. We are very self-conscious and protective of our "private parts"
24. God purposely designed the weaker/hidden "parts" to have greater honor/significance/value
25. This makes each "part" equal in significance
26. Since your parts are connected, pain or excitement felt by one "part" of the body is felt by all. (Have you ever slammed your finger in a door, and breathed a sigh of relief because your toes felt so good?!!!)
27. Truth: FCC is the body of Christ - each of us is a "part"
28. God has appointed "parts" with specific gifts
29-30. Do we all share the same gift/function/part in the body of Christ?(Rhetorical question expecting a NO!)
31. There is a lot of "parts" jealousy swirling through FCC - let me show you a better way! (chapter 13 is that "better way")


Some Questions:
Have you ever been jealous of the abilities of another believer at FCC?
Why do we ignore someone at church who is struggling and focus on the person who is happy?
Why is it so hard for us to accept some people in our church and not others?
Which believers in our church have the “background/private” gifts that we often don’t see? What are these private gifts?
Do you think that FCC is functioning as it should with each believer using his gifts? According to this passage, is it okay if 99% of our members are serving and using their gifts?

GIFTS! 1 Cor. 12-14

At Christmas, our minds are slightly preoccupied with gifts. Guys, we need to find that perfect gift for our wife that she will actually use. Women, you need to find that ideal gift for your husband that won't end up in the back of his closet. Parents, you need to find just the right toy for your kid - not too expensive, yet one that he can show off to his friends. It is a yearly challenge for all of us!

In the spirit of Christmas, 1 Corinthians 12 begins what hopefully will be a life-changing discussion on "gifts" of a different sort. It just so happens that God saw fit to give you some amazingly unique gifts tailor-suited for both you and First Christian Church. These gifts were hand-chosen by God to benefit all of us.

Have you unpacked your gifts yet? If not, I hope that by the end of this series of lessons you will. When you and I use our gifts, I guarantee your “blessing” circuit will blow a fuse. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of someone else’s supernatural gifts!!!

Here are the following “gifts myths” that I believe the Apostle Paul was trying to bust:
1) I don’t need to know my gift to exercise it
2) I am born with my gifts – they are my natural abilities that God uses
3) I have one spiritual gift
4) I don’t have gift “X”, so I can’t serve in ministry “Y”
5) I can choose which gift I have by praying and working real hard to get it

Somewhere underneath all this confusion lies untapped energy. There is no governmental agency that can regulate its use. So open your Bibles with me, and let’s begin digging!

no praise from paul...1 Cor. 11:17-34

What would it be like to get a hand-written letter from the Apostle Paul to FCC? With great anticipation, we read through the fairly long letter on a Sunday morning during our service. Suddenly, we reach chapter 11, verse 17: "In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good."

There is a collective gasp as puzzled faces become looks of astonishment and bewilderment. Did you really mean that Paul? Do you really think that our services are a waste of time? Or worse than a waste, they are damaging?

We try to mentally brace ourselves for a lashing as Paul continues (17-22):
1) You are missing a spirit of unity
2) You serve communion but are not actually practicing it
3) You humiliate your brothers and sisters in Christ

We listen with a wounded heart as Paul shares some truth (23-26):
1) On the night of his betrayal Jesus instituted communion
2) The bread and cup represent His body and blood given for us
3) Each time you practice communion you proclaim the act of redemption and anticipate His glorious return

We take notes as Paul explains why our church is not growing (27-32):
1) Practicing communion unworthily is a grave sin...examination before communion is a must
2) Partaking of communion wrong is like partaking of judgment...it's suicide!
3) Self-judgment prevents divine-judgment
4) Divine-discipline prevents eternal-judgment

We prepare to change as Paul offers practical solutions (33-34):
1) Be considerate of others
2) Take care of your needs at home

As we listen to this thrashing from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Church, I cannot help but wonder if I should feel convicted. Do I practice communion unworthily? Do I contribute to disunity at FCC? Do I show a lack of consideration towards others? Do I practice self-judgment and welcome divine-discipline? What about you?

Cultural Symbol or Sacred Command?...1 Cor. 11:2-16

Paul never minds stoking the fire. He realizes that FCC (First Church of Corinth) is messed up when it comes to worshiping as a community! So he writes this passage to put women...and men....in line.

Verse by verse:
2 - Obey God's words, all of them. You can't pick and choose what to obey!
3 - God-Christ-Man-Woman...in that order....obviously not significance, but role!
4 - Male head covering while prayer/prophesying = BAD
5 - Female without head covering while praying/prophesying = BAD
6 - Female head covering while praying/prophesying = GOOD
7 - Man is image/glory of God....Woman is image/glory of man
8 - Woman (Eve) came from Man (Adam), not vice-versa
9 - Woman created for Man, not vice-versa
10 - Female head covering a must, says Gabriel and pals
11 - Men and women need each other
12 - Neither can exist without other
13 - Isn't this teaching obvious?
14 - Don't you look twice at a long-haired man?
15 - Don't you look twice at a bald woman?
16 - This principle is consistent for all churches everywhere!

Alright, so that was a quick breakdown of those 15 verses in my own words. However, I haven't answered these questions:

1) What does this mean?
2) Is the Bible sexist? Are men "over" women?
3) Must women wear head coverings in the church today?
4) Are there any current symbols of male/female roles in our culture?

Looking forward to hearing your answers (or angry questions) on Sunday! :)

Women's doilies?....1 Cor. 11:1-16

Please read and think about this passage, and come to class prepared to defend your conclusions!

¹ Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. ² Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

³ But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. ⁴ Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. ⁶ For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

⁷ For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man is not from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. ¹⁰ For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. ¹² For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

¹³ Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? ¹⁵ But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

1 Corinthians 11:1-16 (NKJV)

Happy Thinking!!! :)

God's glory my only desire...1 Cor. 10:25-33

We are tackling a great passage this week! There are many nuances that make this a tad confusing. But when you unknot Paul’s argument, you will find some very rich nuggets of truth for your life. Let’s go verse-by-verse using NLT:

25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.
Paul says we are free to eat anything. Food is amoral.

26 For “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.”
God creates perfection. Humans and our sin may pollute creation, but God didn’t make anything bad!

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.
The Creator has made everything clean – feel free to enjoy your dinner! Because of the food offered to idol issue, Paul offers a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” solution.

28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.)
Someone at the meal brings to your attention that the meat was offered to an idol. Since they mentioned it, it might be important to them. As a courtesy, refrain from eating the meat. You may offend your host, but better to offend your host than cause someone to stumble. The last thing I want to do is cause someone to violate their conscience. If they are a weak brother or sister, I should build them up. Flaunting my freedom to eat the meat may harm them spiritually, and God would then hold me accountable.

For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
Great questions, Paul! Because you taught us that eating is amoral, but causing someone to stumble is immoral. So at times, I must limit my freedom for the sake of others. It is that scary attitude of SELFLESSNESS that we practice so rarely!

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
God’s glory - this is the bottom line! If I can honestly say that God will be happy by my eating or abstaining, then I am doing the right thing.

32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
Very interesting categories affirming that the church is NOT Israel! Do not cause Jews, non-Jews, or New Testament believers to stumble!

33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
Paul says that he tries to “please” or literally “accommodate” everyone! This is not about being a chameleon and walking on eggshells. It is about putting my needs last. It is about prioritizing the needs of others.
Paul did all this so that “many may be saved”. Paul cared deeply about the condition of the souls of others. The Corinthians did not. Their actions (idolatry, immorality, and division) proved they cared only about themselves. That is NOT a healthy New Testament community!

The community Paul envisioned is one where…
…preserving the clean conscience of a fellow believer is my priority
…the lost soul of an unbeliever impacts me deeply and changes my behavior
…my own preferences and desires are put on the back burner for the sake of God’s glory and other’s edification.

Head Scratcher of the week:
What are the three character traits I need the most to accomplish this?
1. _________________
2. _________________
3. _________________

To honor God and build others up – live selflessly!