This week we conclude our sermon series entitled ‘Living the Spirit-Filled Life’. Preaching from Nathan Gordon.

Sermon Notes

We have concluded our midweek and Sunday series ‘Living the Spirit-filled life’. Prayerfully I hope we’ve all been encouraged and challenged to recognise the need for a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit both individually and collectively in the church.

Over the past four weeks we have covered a lot of important aspects of the Holy Spirit which is summarised in short below;

Who is the Holy Spirit? – God, a real divine person who is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present.

The Holy Spirit is only revealed in the New Testament? – No, The Holy Spirit is present in the creation passages and came upon individuals in the Old Testament for a specific purpose. eg. King Saul, King David, Samson, Joshua, Gideon.

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament – Acts 2 was the fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy that God would pour out his Spirit on all kinds of people. (See Joel 2:28)

What happens when we are filled with The Holy Spirit? – First, No one can come to faith in Jesus Christ without the work of the Holy Spirit. We are then sealed by the Holy Spirit and adopted into the family of God, now we can boldly call God Abba Father. (See 1 Cor 12:2, Rom 8:15) The spirit-filled believer is now able through the power of the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the spirit and receive gifts of the spirit. (See Gal 5:22-23, Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:4-11, 1 Cor 12:28, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4:10-11)

What about spiritual gifts are they for today’s church? – Yes, however, there are different views concerning the spiritual gifts throughout the global church. 1) Charismatic view (Gifts are for all generations) 2) Partial Charismatic (Some gifts have ceased) 3) Cessationist (Spiritual gifts ceased with the Apostles and early church age)

What is the purpose of the spiritual gifts? – To build up the body of Christ through edification and spiritual gifts plays an important role in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with unbelievers. (See 1 Cor 14)

Spiritual gifts in worship services – The Apostle Paul endorsed the use of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church for the edification of the body of Christ. our services include the spiritual gifts in operation each week, and we should endeavour to create space for the Holy Spirit to minister and have His way in our gatherings. It’s possible that we quench the Holy Spirit in our services, have we made room for God to move and feel comfortable in our meetings?

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul emphasises the importance of understanding spiritual gifts so that the church is not uninformed.

Today, there is still a lack of teaching on spiritual gifts due to various reasons such as lack of knowledge, interest, or relevance.

The Corinthian church had spiritual gifts but lacked the wisdom and understanding of how to use them. Their motives were focused on personal satisfaction rather than strengthening the body of Christ.

Could it be that you’re hanging on the sidelines or sitting on the bench not knowing how to use the spiritual gifts?

Some barriers may keep people on the bench (sidelines) when it comes to spiritual gifts.

Three reasons we are stuck on the bench are:

Challenge – It is crucial to learn from the Corinthian church and ensure that spiritual gifts do not cause division in the church. Spiritual gifts are meant to build up the body of Christ, not tear it down.

Three reasons to get off the bench are:

• 1. Understanding that God wants us to have spiritual gifts – 1 Cor
• 2. Recognising that everyone is on the same team despite diverse gifts – 1 Cor 12:29
• 3. Realising that spiritual gifts strengthen the church and draw people to Christ – 1 Cor 14:24-25

Challenge – Each member is important, valuable, and cherished by God. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, and God wants to equip us with spiritual gifts and fruit so that we can live effectively for Jesus every day. Are you earnestly desiring spiritual gifts?