Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing an extensive study of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here are notes to Session in this study. In Session 2 we start to look at the Ministry Gifts of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. The ministry gifts serve to reveal the plan of God. They are characteristic of a full-time office or calling. To hear an audio recording of the session click the YouTube link at the end of the notes.
Spiritual Gifts we are studying are in:
Romans 12:3-8 NKJV For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
I Corinthians 12:1-12 NKJV Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-15 NKJV And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ--
Peter mentions them at;
I Peter 4:10-11 NKJV As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Here are twelve principles that relate to God's design for spiritual gifts:
1. Every Christian has one or more spiritual gifts.
To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 ESV To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
2. Some believers have received more than one spiritual gift.
3. Spiritual gifts are given at the salvation, but they may lie undiscovered and dormant for a long period of time. Multi-gifted Christians often discover their combination of gifts through a gradual process.
4. Spiritual gifts can be abused and neglected, but if they are received at salvation, it would appear that they cannot be lost.
The Corinthian church illustrates the fact that believers can be highly gifted but spiritually immature. Read 1 Corinthians 12.
5. Spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit, but the fruit of the Spirit, especially love should be the context for their operation.
6. Spiritual gifts are not the same as natural talents.
7. All Christians are called to a ministry, and their gift enables them to perform their ministry.
Ministry is determined by divinely given gifts and opportunities.
8. Gifts are God's spiritual equipment for effective service and edification of the body.
They are not given for the self-promotion of the recipient, but for the profit and edification of the Body of Christ. The possessor is only the instrument and not the receiver of the glory (J. Oswald Sanders).
9 Spiritual Gifts without love do not accomplish God's intended purpose. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians he was writing to a church where all the spiritual gifts were in operation. God had given them for the edification of the body and each of them, but they were misusing them, they were abusing each other, they thought one gift was superior to another, they were puffed up with knowledge.
CATAGORIES:
Most Bible scholars classify these gifts into three categories: ministry gifts, manifestation gifts, and motivational gifts.
Ministry Gifts- The ministry gifts serve to reveal the plan of God. They are characteristic of a full-time office or calling, rather than a gift that can function in and through any believer.
Manifestation Gifts - The manifestation gifts serve to reveal the power of God. These gifts are supernatural or spiritual in nature. They can be further subdivided into three groups: utterance, power, and revelation.
Motivational Gifts - The motivational gifts serve to reveal the personality of God. These gifts are practical in nature. They describe the inner motivations of the Christian servant. Prophecy, Ministering/Serving/Helps, Teaching, Giving, Exhortation/Encouragement, Administration/Leadership, Mercy
Spiritual Gifts we are studying are in:
Romans 12:3-8 NKJV For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
I Corinthians 12:1-12 NKJV Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-15 NKJV And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ--
Peter mentions them at;
I Peter 4:10-11 NKJV As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Here are twelve principles that relate to God's design for spiritual gifts:
1. Every Christian has one or more spiritual gifts.
To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 ESV To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
2. Some believers have received more than one spiritual gift.
3. Spiritual gifts are given at the salvation, but they may lie undiscovered and dormant for a long period of time. Multi-gifted Christians often discover their combination of gifts through a gradual process.
4. Spiritual gifts can be abused and neglected, but if they are received at salvation, it would appear that they cannot be lost.
The Corinthian church illustrates the fact that believers can be highly gifted but spiritually immature. Read 1 Corinthians 12.
5. Spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit, but the fruit of the Spirit, especially love should be the context for their operation.
6. Spiritual gifts are not the same as natural talents.
7. All Christians are called to a ministry, and their gift enables them to perform their ministry.
Ministry is determined by divinely given gifts and opportunities.
8. Gifts are God's spiritual equipment for effective service and edification of the body.
They are not given for the self-promotion of the recipient, but for the profit and edification of the Body of Christ. The possessor is only the instrument and not the receiver of the glory (J. Oswald Sanders).
9 Spiritual Gifts without love do not accomplish God's intended purpose. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians he was writing to a church where all the spiritual gifts were in operation. God had given them for the edification of the body and each of them, but they were misusing them, they were abusing each other, they thought one gift was superior to another, they were puffed up with knowledge.
CATAGORIES:
Most Bible scholars classify these gifts into three categories: ministry gifts, manifestation gifts, and motivational gifts.
Ministry Gifts- The ministry gifts serve to reveal the plan of God. They are characteristic of a full-time office or calling, rather than a gift that can function in and through any believer.
Manifestation Gifts - The manifestation gifts serve to reveal the power of God. These gifts are supernatural or spiritual in nature. They can be further subdivided into three groups: utterance, power, and revelation.
- Utterance - These gifts say something: Prophecy, Speaking in Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues
- Power - These gifts do something: Faith, Healing, Miracles
- Revelation - These gifts reveal something: Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of Spirits
Motivational Gifts - The motivational gifts serve to reveal the personality of God. These gifts are practical in nature. They describe the inner motivations of the Christian servant. Prophecy, Ministering/Serving/Helps, Teaching, Giving, Exhortation/Encouragement, Administration/Leadership, Mercy
MINISTRY GIFTS
Ephesians 4:11-15 NKJV And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ--
Christ is the focus of this passage. In fact, Christ “measures” the gift;
Ephesians 4:7 NKJV But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Christ is the “measure” of the maturity of these gifts
Ephesians 4:13 NKJV till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
And he “measures” each person with the gift’s part
Ephesians 4:16 NKJV from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
In fact in these instances Christ is the one who gives the gifts.
Ephesians 4:9-11, 17 NKJV (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
So, the focus of this verse is not on the individuals, but on Christ.
So, again, the focus is not on these specific spiritual gifted individuals, but instead the focus is what Christ does through them.
According to this passage, when gifted individuals exercise their spiritual gifts, the church is built up to maturity in Christ Jesus. That maturity is demonstrated when the church is not carried away by false teaching and when the church works together – each person working as Christ gifts them – to build up itself in love. Again, love is brought into the working of spiritual gifts. This is not an add-on, but an important aspect of working together.
Again, the focus is not on individuals, but on Jesus working through individuals to mature his church.
MINISTRY GIFTS: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher
Prophet
Although they are second in the list in Ephesians I am going to start with the prophets. You’ll see why in a minute.
The people with this gift are not the same as the Old Testament prophets like Moses, Ezkiel, Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Hoesa, and the others. These men and there are some women in the Old Testament who were identified as prophets like Moses sister Miriam. These people spoke the authoritative Word of God directly. Their words were recorded as Scripture as they proclaimed, “Thus says The Lord,”
Exodus 32:25-27 NKJV Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord ’s side— come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ”
Or
II Kings 20:1 NKJV In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord : ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ”
The Prophet has the divine enablement to proclaim God's truth with power and clarity in a timely and culturally sensitive fashion for correction, repentance, or edification.
There is New Testament evidence which indicates that future foretelling may accompany this gift, although some caution needs to be exercised.
Scripture Example: Agabus
Acts 11:27-28 NIV During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
Acts 21:10-11 NIV After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
The Bible tells us how to make sure what the prophet says actually comes from God;
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NIV But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.
Characteristics: The focus is on correcting behavior and applying biblical truth to culturally sensitive issues. These people identify and try to correct deception and sin. They often seem blunt and opinionated. Generally they can cause one to be uncomfortable. The results of this gift cause strengthening, correction, encouragement, and ultimately comfort. It helps if the person using this gift has built up a credible reputation.
Those with the gift of prophecy are sensitive to both the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the needs of the church body. They should be humble and continually study the Scriptures in order to test these revelations before speaking them. When they do speak, they should allow and even expect others to weigh what is said against the Scriptures and interpret the message accordingly.
1 John 4:1 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Matthew 24:22-25 NIV “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Cautions: These people can lack compassion and may not keep love, unity, and the building up of others as their goal. This leads to discouragement and disharmony. A person with the gift of mercy helps to balance the prophet. We talked about that gift week before last the person with this gift reflect the heart and compassion of God, they love and assist those who are suffering, and walk with them until The Lord allows their burden to be lifted.
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