LIVING STONES IN FELLOWSHIP
LIVING STONES IN FELLOWSHIP
1 Peter 2:5, Acts 4:42, Galatians 2:9
A. Introduction: Gifts and Hand of Fellowship
The differences in spiritual gifts began to emerge very early in the church, and it is through their activity that the growing church was kept together. The Apostles TAUGHT and GUIDED, Barnabas and co. CONTRIBUTED, the Deacons SERVED and EXHORTED (Ac. 4-8).
“and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.” (Gal. 2:9, cf. Rom. 12:6)
B. Living Stones of Different Gifts (1 Peter 2:5)
1. We are a holy priesthood (one people)
2. We offer spiritual sacrifices (different gifts)
3. We must build one another up/ 1Thes. 5:11
C. Fellowship of Spiritual Gifts
Building the church is the Holy Spirit working in DIFFERENT ways through people who are ONE to produce more of their kind. We are different only in the gifts the Spirit gives, because we have ONE FATHER, ONE SPIRIT, etc. Our different gifts make us support one another so that the whole body can do much more. We must therefore be careful to always use our gifts to bind (FELLOWSHIP) and not to divide.
How we are one (Ephesians 4:4-6):
One Body
One Spirit
One Hope of Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God
One Father
Our Different Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Apostles
Prophets
Teachers
Miracles
Gifts of healing
Helping
Administrating
Various kinds of tongues
D Start Fellowshipping by Using Gifts with Right Attitude (Romans 12:6-8)
1. PROPHESY according to proportion of faith
2. Wait on (Watch diligently or prepare well to make the best use of every opportunity) to SERVE, TEACH, ENCOURAGE/EXHORT
3. CONTRIBUTE with generosity
4. LEAD with zeal
5. DO ACTS OF MERCY with cheerfulness
Right attitude in using gifts
According to proportion of faith
With diligence, eager to serve
With generosity
With zeal
With cheerfulness
E. Remain in Fellowship by Recognizing Value of Gifts (1Corinthians 12:14-30)
1. Recognize the vital value of your gift to the body, especially when others seem not to recognize it. 12:21-25
2. Count the effective use of others’ gifts as contributing to the progress of the body, and therefore of yours.
F. Mature in Fellowship by Identifying with A Gift-Set. (Ephesians 4:11-14)
Break new grounds, defend the faith everywhere (Apostle)
Guide crucial decisions in the church (Prophet)
Drive the harvest and grounding of souls (Evangelist)
Watch over growing Christians through all the stages of life, keeping the flock together (Pastor)
Rightly divide the word of truth and ensure that sound doctrine is always the menu (Teacher)
G. Conclusion
Christians are already one, so if the building of the church means knitting us together to possess the earth, then it ought to be about how we use our different gifts to build one another up. If you do (or claim) not to have a spiritual gift, then you have no means of entering into Christian fellowship. But whoever has the Holy Spirit also receives gifts. It is important that you learn to use your gifts to serve the entire body, and steadily mature in it to become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.
#NotAshamed of Matthew 13:12
1 Peter 2:5, Acts 4:42, Galatians 2:9
A. Introduction: Gifts and Hand of Fellowship
The differences in spiritual gifts began to emerge very early in the church, and it is through their activity that the growing church was kept together. The Apostles TAUGHT and GUIDED, Barnabas and co. CONTRIBUTED, the Deacons SERVED and EXHORTED (Ac. 4-8).
“and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.” (Gal. 2:9, cf. Rom. 12:6)
B. Living Stones of Different Gifts (1 Peter 2:5)
1. We are a holy priesthood (one people)
2. We offer spiritual sacrifices (different gifts)
3. We must build one another up/ 1Thes. 5:11
C. Fellowship of Spiritual Gifts
Building the church is the Holy Spirit working in DIFFERENT ways through people who are ONE to produce more of their kind. We are different only in the gifts the Spirit gives, because we have ONE FATHER, ONE SPIRIT, etc. Our different gifts make us support one another so that the whole body can do much more. We must therefore be careful to always use our gifts to bind (FELLOWSHIP) and not to divide.
How we are one (Ephesians 4:4-6):
One Body
One Spirit
One Hope of Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God
One Father
Our Different Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Apostles
Prophets
Teachers
Miracles
Gifts of healing
Helping
Administrating
Various kinds of tongues
D Start Fellowshipping by Using Gifts with Right Attitude (Romans 12:6-8)
1. PROPHESY according to proportion of faith
2. Wait on (Watch diligently or prepare well to make the best use of every opportunity) to SERVE, TEACH, ENCOURAGE/EXHORT
3. CONTRIBUTE with generosity
4. LEAD with zeal
5. DO ACTS OF MERCY with cheerfulness
Right attitude in using gifts
According to proportion of faith
With diligence, eager to serve
With generosity
With zeal
With cheerfulness
E. Remain in Fellowship by Recognizing Value of Gifts (1Corinthians 12:14-30)
1. Recognize the vital value of your gift to the body, especially when others seem not to recognize it. 12:21-25
2. Count the effective use of others’ gifts as contributing to the progress of the body, and therefore of yours.
F. Mature in Fellowship by Identifying with A Gift-Set. (Ephesians 4:11-14)
Break new grounds, defend the faith everywhere (Apostle)
Guide crucial decisions in the church (Prophet)
Drive the harvest and grounding of souls (Evangelist)
Watch over growing Christians through all the stages of life, keeping the flock together (Pastor)
Rightly divide the word of truth and ensure that sound doctrine is always the menu (Teacher)
G. Conclusion
Christians are already one, so if the building of the church means knitting us together to possess the earth, then it ought to be about how we use our different gifts to build one another up. If you do (or claim) not to have a spiritual gift, then you have no means of entering into Christian fellowship. But whoever has the Holy Spirit also receives gifts. It is important that you learn to use your gifts to serve the entire body, and steadily mature in it to become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.
#NotAshamed of Matthew 13:12
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