Unwrap Your Spiritual Gift Part 1

This is some church's weekly duty. These people are missing out on the great adventure of finding their place in the body of Christ in learning how to serve in the power of the spirit today we want to ignite a new passion for the church you would from the Moody Church in Chicago. This is running to win with Dr. Erwin lutes or clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Master looks are today and you begin a series on developing a passion for the church. Give us a roadmap for the journey begins in a few moments and update one of the things that I discovered is that in poor countries. In countries where there is opposition and even persecution is a great deal of appreciation for the church, there's strength in having believers come together, praying together, encouraging one another here in Western culture often times we think the church is optional and that's a mistake in this series were going to be talking about spiritual gifts were going to be talking about what God expects within the church and what he expects of us. But before we go there, let me say that this is your last opportunity to receive a book that we have been offering this month in title VII snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip.

You may remember that I wrote this book. Helping people to have a roadmap, so that they recognize that they don't have to stay in the same rut. There is hope for addictions seven snares of the enemy for a gift of any amount. It can be yours.

Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and now let us explore what the Scripture has to say about spiritual gifts operating within the church today I want to be very clear in what I have to say to you, so I'm going to begin by laying it all out plunging right in without any chitchat. Sounds good. Amen.

Amen. Sounded good, I want to smash to smithereens. The idea that you can be passionately in love with Jesus Christ and at the same time not be passionately in love with his church. I want to speak to those who think that it's possible to be connected to Jesus through faith and therefore a member of Christ body but whether or not you are a member of the church and involved in the contributor is tangential and somewhat irrelevant.

That's your choice. I want to speak to you today I want to speak to those who think that 10 vacant church you know there is an expression like that sermon samplers like this sermon for the fact I read about a guy who, because there were two churches in the neighborhood. He attended one for the sermon and the other for the use he was able to work it out and stop at McDonald's on the way in between his two trips I'm speaking to you.

Who is this message for well first of all, it's for those of you who are committed to the church you are involved. You are making a contribution. You've connected with others here in the church you have friends here and and you are contributing in some way with your time, your talents and your treasure. I am preaching this to encourage you and to let you know that you're on the right track and to light a fire within you that you might be encouraged to continue on in that devotion I'm speaking to thank you little weaker than I hoped for, but they had to.

I'm just beginning. Most of speaking to those of you who think that it's possible to be a good Christian and not be involved with God's people to just simply come and to be a spectator rather than being involved in ministry also speaking to those of you who are visiting and telling you a couple of things.

First, thank you for being here. We have visitors every Sunday from all over the world and were glad that you are here.

If you're from the Chicago area would like you to think about making this your home church but that's a decision that's up to you and I hope that the message that I give you today you will take back to your home church where you are involved and committed muscle speaking to those who can no longer contribute in the sense in which I mentioned because of physical disability because you may no longer be able to function in a way that is helpful to the body want to tell you something. You also are necessary. Your necessary as we shall find out, especially next week and I'm talking to all those of you who are who are not Christians who are kind of evaluating the Christian faith and I want you to listen because you must understand that when you receive Christ as Savior. You become a part of something that is so much greater.

And so, much grander than you or I are individual want you to understand that this is this is a wonderful experience to belong to the body of Jesus Christ. I'm speaking to the young people and speaking to the old people do get the impression that I'm talking to everybody.

That's the one I want to give.

The only requirement for you to know that I'm speaking to you is for you to be alive now if your dad if your dad I call you to rise. I'm talking to everybody today I got a burden on my heart that has to be delivered what is the church. The church is not the building.

The building is where a part of the church meets the church are those that are called out by God. There is such a thing as the universal church. What that means is I can travel to the Ukraine. I can travel to China as my wife and I didn't many many years ago and we can meet Christians there and we haven't instant bond because were both connected to Jesus. Therefore, we're connected to one another. That's the universal church, but in the New Testament, the emphasis is on the local church.

All the letters were sent to the local church the local church is represented by the people who were sitting beside you ahead of you and behind you. It is, it is the local church and God says the church, I think so highly of. I call it my body. That's what I think of the church. Gentlemen, those of you who are married, you cherish your bride you love your wife. I love my wife Rebecca.

I want to protect her. I want to connect with her.

If you know my wife Rebecca. You know that she's a keeper plan on keeping her that you know my love for my wife is nothing in comparison to the love that God has for the church. Jesus laid his life down for the church. The church is number one on his agenda to take care of things in the universe church for which he die, that the church is so important that it teaches in the New Testament that angels attend worship services just to rejoice in what takes place when the people of God together in the same place. To sing his praises and they are distressed when a church is chaotic and out of control.

Talking about the church and if you are the kind of person who thinks that you can somehow be a good Christian and be disconnected just physically present, you are cheating yourself.

You're cheating the wider Christian community you're cheating the world and you're hurting Jesus's body.

Every Christmas we've ever had.

We opened all the gifts never received a gift from somebody, and the maybe you know you and out of sorts with them they send you a gift you kinda wish that they wouldn't have because it kind of obligates you to send them one to and you see the thing sitting under the tree there and you'd rather just not open well, but on the because you're a respectable person you open it anyway. Magic receiving a gift from God.

You don't unwrap it. You just simply ignore it. Imagine that. What an insult to God. The text is first Corinthians chapter 12 everyone brings their Bibles to church. Everyone brings their Bibles to church is still pastor that's not true know it's not but if the person sitting next to you doesn't have one. Would you share yours or use a pew Bible that's good teaching. Praise God, I'll need you in a few minutes brother will lead you in a few minutes I want you to notice that the apostle Paul begins.

First Corinthians chapter 12 now concerning spiritual gift, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. The Greek word uninformed is agnostic is that I want you to be agnostic regarding spiritual gifts. We have tons of people in our churches today who are agnostic regarding spiritual gift. Oh, I don't know what my gift is. I wouldn't make any effort to find out. I don't think that I can serve. I don't know what's going on.

I'm just here listening to the sermon enjoying the music and going home. Paul says I'm writing so that you will no longer be in agnostic and then he says that he refers to their pagan past. He says when you were pagans you are led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the spirit of God. Ever since Jesus is accursed and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit talking about Oracle such as Delphi not too far from Corinth, north of Corinth.

Of course, people would go there.

The idols were down, you know their lips weren't moving idols of stone, but nonetheless the Oracle was sending messages and and speaking and what Paul is implying is demonic spirits were doing the speaking and some of these oracles were cursing Christ. That's of the devil and nobody can say that Jesus is Lord and really mean it and be glad about it unless it's by the spirit now even the demons confess Jesus is Lord. They do it hatred in their heart toward him.

So Paul is saying nobody can do it and embrace it and love that truth except by the Holy Spirit. That's a whole separate message about how confusion regarding Revelation but we have to plunge into the text. Now notice that Paul says in verse four. Now there are varieties of gifts, care is my thought is the Greek word from which we of course we know the word carrots means grace in Greek so it's grace gifts. That's what Paul is talking about in the proper sense of the word every one of us should be charismatics because we believe in the gifts and you'll notice now three characteristics that Paul gives. Let's go through them. First of all, he says. Each gift has the same source I am there in verse four.

Now there are varieties of gifts, if you're in the habit of underlining your Bible look at the word saying which occurs three times. There is this same spirit.

There are varieties of service, but the same Lord. There are varieties of of activities, but the same God, what did you notice about that verse the whole Trinity is involved in gifted it's the same spirit. It's the same Christ. It's the same Lord is the same God the father. All the Trinity is watching you today seeing whether or not you're exercising the gift that they determined would be given to you. They not in the sense of plural, but in the sense of the Trinity, one God, but all of them involve and what that means is God knows what we need, how much does the Trinity know everything does the Trinity know what Moody church needs the Trinity knows what Moody church needs. What does the Trinity do if we are obedient to God by the Spirit brings to us what the for example, we know that we need here at the church. Children's workers. We need people to help with mops.

We need people to help Park on Sunday. We need people who are our shirts. We need people in a variety of experiences. You'll notice in the bulletin today and a desire on the part of Benito for kids club and the need for volunteers to think that God raises up this ministry and part of its impact is because of the volunteers and then God says well you know I'm raising it up, but I'm not providing I don't think so. The fact that we are short in all those categories. First of all, reflects on us is leadership.

We have not properly challenged you to be trained and to get involved. The other part of the equation might be some of you. God bless you who simply are so self absorbed in your little world that you are not willing to step out in the very areas in which God may have gifted you to say I'm willing to sign on the dotted line. I'm willing to be committed.

I'm willing to stop the spectators ship and begin to get into the game could well be that God by his spirit today will why drag you drag you into involvement for his glory and end when he does it. There's always unity there's always unity because them. It's the same spirit. It's the same Lord. It's the same God. Obviously there's unity and under such variety in the unit. If you're painting a picture and God paints pictures with his church. You're painting a picture. The river doesn't say to the mountain. Why can't you be like me. The mountain doesn't say to the tree. Why can't you be like me, but all of them contribute to the pick and how different our and and the more different we are, but unified the more beautiful the picture that God is paint so the first thing is that we have the same source of the gifts.

Secondly, we have these gifts have the same purpose same purpose. You'll notice it says to each is given the manifestation of the spirit. I'm in verse seven for the common good. The common good. The Greek word is assume assume Pharaoh assume Pharaoh different forms of it, but soon Pharaoh, what does that sound like to you soon Pharaoh soon Pharaoh is the word from which we get Symphony looked it up last night. The Greek text checked, Alexa can. It's that it's related to music. The making of music is may be as close as the New Testament gets to saying that music is a gift, but whether we are musical or not in the traditional sense. The intention of the gifts is that we might be as Symphony for God to make music ever heard as Symphony warm-up is that the lead violinist that begins and gives the notes to tell you that for the first few moments they sound as if they're a bunch of cats in a barrel. Everybody's crawling around Megan all this noise but then they get unified and it's beautiful and it's harmonious and you say what precision and what beauty every once in a while I need somebody in the church who says you know I'm not committed to the church. I'm just out there at me and Jesus. We've got this thing though, watch the people who say that me and Jesus. We've got this thing going.

I don't have to be committed to the church. I don't have to love the local church come when I want to leave early.

When I want to come late. I'm just here whenever I'm here give when I happen to have some money don't get when I don't happen to have any money and and I'm just not committed now. Can you imagine a Symphony in which the violinist said well you know I'm into this kind of music and I want to play this and the cello player says I want to play this and the base says I'm going to play that you been to some churches like that avenue that describe some churches half the board is in favor of this.

The other half is this. These people don't like what's going on here these other people think that we should do this in you know what happens.

People come in and they leave and they say you know what we just can't take the know why is can't take the noise. I'm appealing to you today to realize that the real purpose of your gifted is not for you it's for the common good. It's for the purpose of the Symphony. That's why we gather together my dear friend, this is Pastor Luther and of course the other reason that we gather together is virtual strength in the struggles of life.

This is the last time we are making a resource available title VII snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip. I wrote this book with the intention of helping people to understand that they don't have to stay in their ruts. They don't have to stay with their addictions. You know their shame and self-hatred associated with addiction such as gambling and alcoholism, greed, and so forth pornography. But what if we approach these addictions with compassion and with the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. Along with the body of Christ. As I've mentioned, this is the last opportunity. You will have to receive this resource.

Seven snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip for a gift of any amount.

It can be yours. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 thanks in advance for standing with us. Remember we exist to help people make it all the way to the finish line and to run the Christian race and do it successfully is time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor Luther a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

What denomination is the right one. Many people wonder about this, including James listens to running to win in Alabama.

Here's his story.

My 90-year-old mother is a member of what I'll call a certain denomination. She's being taught that only that denomination will be going to heaven I attended a Baptist church here in Alabama and I discussed this with her that the teaching is incorrect. She's continually trying to get me to attend that denomination in fear that I'll be lost if I don't I am a Christian and I know what one has to do to get to heaven. What can I show her in Scripture that will let her know the truth well my friend, your mother is 90 years old and I need to tell you up front it's very difficult for a person of that age to change his or her mind. So you do have a challenge.

Couple of things.

First of all, point out that the Bible says whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Remind her that the thief on the cross was saved, even though he didn't belong to any church, any denomination. He wasn't baptized. He didn't participate in any rituals. He never had the opportunity to do good works is faith was limited. But thank God it was in Jesus and he was saved and given the assurance that he will be in paradise.

Also, it seems to me that your mother needs some understanding regarding false religions. They always want to control their people.

They want to make exclusive claims that only they have the truth. Of course I do believe in exclusive truth but I don't think that it is limited to one church or one denomination.

It is what is found in the Bible. Third, I would really challenge her and ask her whether or not she is sure that she's going to go to heaven when she dies, and it would be interesting to find out where her faith is really placed. Is it in the denomination or is it in Christ all that I can do is to tell you that there are some ritualistic churches that tell you that if you believe then that if you calm and that participate in the rituals they'll take care of your relationship with God for you if that's what's happening in her life. Point out that error.

Bottom line my heart to yours. I'm praying for you that God will give you wisdom as you approach her and help her to see the truth. Thank you James for bringing that question to our attention. If you'd like to hear your question answered. You can go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 in the body of Christ. Everyone has a gift with which to serve others.

Knowing what that gift is and putting it to work are the keys to satisfaction and joy as each does his or her part a result is a marvelous harmony. Next time I'm running to win will learn more about the various spiritual gifts God gives his children and then point the way to identifying the ones you and I thanks for listening, or Dr. Erwin Luzerne this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the teacher