|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Stir
Up the Gift of God
II
Timothy 1:6-12
July
9, 2000 (pg. 1248)
God has been so gracious to Merriman Road Baptist Church. He has blessed us repeatedly with people and resources and opportunities to reach people. But we are to be reminded that: “to those whom much is given much is required.” Meaning: God is blessing us for a purpose, not because we are more deserving, but because he has greater mission intended for us.
If we are to continue to down the road of ministry and opportunity that God has set before us it will require that all of us work together in unity and grace.
The next three weeks we will be looking to the teachings of scripture on the gifts of the spirit. The gifts of the spirit are the key to a victorious church. You show me a church that is working together in Joy and unity and I will show you a church that is effectively using their spiritual gifts.
I believe the church in Ephesus was struggle with these
same issues under the leadership of Timothy.
The passage we just read is from Paul’s second letter to his son in the ministry Timothy. Timothy is leading the church that God had used Paul to establish in Ephesus. Paul uses a campfire analogy to help communicate what is happening to Timothy and his church. The flame of you spiritual and ministry fervor is dieing out. You’re down to the glowing embers, so stir up the flame!
Jesus said to the church in Ephesus in Revelations 2, “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name…yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first.”
It may be as you consider your service to the Lord; you recognize that the fire has been burning dim. Listen prayerful as we look as some of the causes. It might be that the fires of service are burning dim for you. You have been working in the power of the flesh and your getting tired. Or it may be that you just aren’t serving, you don’t know where to start. We will start by considering some of the things that put out the flame and require us to stir up the coals.
The Fire Extinguisher of Ignorance (I Cor. 12) Many believers are simply unaware of the spiritual gifts. There are those who think that there are no spiritual gifts. But let us look at what the Bible says… I Cor. 12. (Page 1202) vs1
· God does not want us to be ignorant concerning _spiritual_ gifts. Paul was concerned that believers were simple ignorant. For three chapters Paul works to enlighten them on the purpose, function, and abuses of these gifts. But first notice what Paul has to say about the source of these gifts, verse 4-6.
Spiritual gifts are gifts of _grace_ and every believer has at least _0ne_ gift. These are gifts from God. Meaning they are not chosen by us. Spiritual gifts are different that talents. Certainly God can use talents in ministry. But spiritual gifts are God given to the believer when they came to Christ. When you were born again, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit, you were baptized with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gifted you. Look at verse 7. “ No to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” To each one. That means you. God never intended there to be pew sitters in the church. He has gifted every one for service in the Church.
Also notice in verse 7…
· All spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of _building_ up the body of Christ (the Church). The manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the common good. This is a key teaching. Paul is dealing with problems in this church where some people though they were given certain gifts because they were more spiritual than the others. Or that there gift was for themselves. No, the gift is of no good to you. It is for the body. If you don’t use it to build up others your gift goes unused.
· Discovering your spiritual gift and putting it to use in the church is the task of _each _ _Believer_. Next week we will deal with discovering in detail, but let me sum it up by simply saying that you learn your gifting through serving. By doing and going God reveals your gift. Maybe one of the reasons you have not discovered yours yet is because you’re not serving.
· God has given to our church all the gifts our church needs to be _victorious_ in His kingdom’s work
Now that is exciting. God has gifted Merriman Road Baptist Church with all the spiritual gifts we need be victorious. Verse 18: “God has arranged the parts in the body every one of them just as he wanted them to be.” Since we are in need of workers it means we need to stir up the gifts!
The
Fire Damper of Fear (I Tim. 1:7)
· Fear comes in many _forms_ but as we read in iiTimothy “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power…” Paul challenged Tim to stir up the gift of God in him that he might have the courage to continue serving. Maybe it was fear of failure that had cooled him off. Serving God always involves risks. Risking to love, to care for someone who may not love you back, and to share your faith with some one who may laugh in your face. Don’t be afraid to serve God has gifted you and empowered you.
· To overcome fear we must be able to recognize the _enemy_. The reason we fear is because we forget whom the enemy is. We start to think the enemy is other people. We have one enemy, which is the devil. The accuser, deceiver, liar, he wants you to be afraid. We won’t fail for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. We know the end our enemy is already defeated
· You will overcome fear when you live in the power of the spirit
The
Fire Stoker called Love (I Cor. 13)
· Love casts out all _fear_
· Love is the _foundation_ for all service
· Love enables us to stir up the Gift of God in others