Spiritual Gifts – discussion 2
Pray
Pray together for the group meeting, and any pressing needs within the group.
Review
Each week you’ll spend some time reviewing the previous week’s lesson. Did anything happen last week that brought the lesson to mind, and what did you learn from it?
Watch
Watch the following discussion-starter video. It’ll set the topic of discussion for the group.
Read 1 Cor 12:7-11
Jesus taught that after His ascension, the Holy Spirit would come to dwell within the hearts of believers. The Holy Spirit is the “Helper” or “Comforter”. In the original Greek this title is parakletos, which literally means “one called alongside to help,” that is, a helper, consoler, or advocate.
One of the ways that the Holy Spirit helps is through spiritual gifts.
With these spiritual gifts there is an ultimate purpose for them as well as an immediate purpose.
Unpacking Question:
- Why do you believe God uses Spiritual Gifts?
- What do you believe is the intentionality behind them?
- Has there been a time when God used someone with a spiritual gift to minister to you?
Read John 14:26, 15:26, 16:13-14
The ultimate purpose of the spiritual gifts is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14:26 “…bring to remembrance what I said”
John 15:26 “…He will testify of me”
John 16:13,14 “…take what is mine and declare it to you”
The Spirit testifies of Jesus and glorifies Jesus. He confirms the identity and work of Jesus Christ; proclaims the reality of the Incarnation and the Atonement; demonstrates the saving, delivering, transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ; promotes worship of Jesus Christ as Lord and God; and guides believers into the future, preparing them for the return of Jesus for His church. This ultimate purpose is the foundation for the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
The immediate purpose of the spiritual gifts is to edify, or build up, the church.
By building up the church, they glorify Christ, because the church is the body of Christ on earth. This building process occurs both by adding new believers and strengthening existing believers.
Discussion question:
- How does this ultimate purpose apply to us today as a church?
- How does the immediate purpose bring glory to Christ?
Unpacking Question:
- Do you believe the gifts are given more to benefit the individual or the church as a whole?
Immediately after listing the nine spiritual gifts, 1 Cor 12 proceeds to describe the church as the body of Christ. The body has many members, and each of them has a different function, but they are all designed to work together for the benefit of the entire body.
Vs 12 “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…”
Vs 21-22 “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary…”
Vs 24-25 “But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.”
God does not bestow the spiritual gifts primarily to benefit individuals but to benefit the body as a whole. While the gifts do bless individuals, the focus is on what these individuals can then contribute to the church. Moreover, God does not intend for the gifts to work in isolation but to operate together in order to achieve the desired objective
In discussing the proper use of the vocal gifts, Paul explained, “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men” (1 Cor 14:3). While this verse refers specifically to the gift of prophecy, there is a broader principle: The exercise of spiritual gifts should be governed by a consideration of how they benefit others.
Discussion Questions:
- Why is it important to consider the benefit to others as it pertains to the operation of spiritual gifts?
The supernatural gifts are NOT meant to..
- Replace the written word of God
- Replace spiritual leadership in the church
- Replace the daily guidance from God that we receive through prayer and submission of heart, mind, and will to Him.
The supernatural gifts ARE meant to..
- Glorify Jesus Christ
- Draw unbelievers to Him
- Strengthen and encourage believers
Those who attempt to exercise a spiritual gift outside these scriptural purposes are in error. The gift is therefore misunderstood and misused.
Unpacking Question:
- Do you believe we should actively seek the gifts of God?
- Do you believe there are certain gifts that are better than others?
We should actively desire and seek all the gifts of the Spirit.
“Earnestly desire the best gifts…” 1 Cor 12:31
“…Desire spiritual gifts” 1 Cor 14:1
While 1 Cor 12:31 speaks of “the best gifts,” it does not identify which gifts are the best. Some may suppose that only a few of the nine gifts are superior and therefore desirable, but would God present us with a list on nine gifts and then tell us to seek only a few of them? Would the Spirit grant some gifts that are not desirable? In the only indication that a specific gift is better than another, 1 Cor 14 describes prophecy as superior to tongues in public meetings. It also underscores the value of tongues in private devotion, however, and it discloses that tongues is equal to prophecy in public meetings when there is an interpretation.
From this, it appears that the “best” gift can vary depending on the circumstances. The best gift is the one most appropriate and needed at the moment.
As needs arise and as God impresses us, we can believe and pray for specific gifts. When we yield to the Spirit, God will work through us as He sees fit. If He chooses not to act miraculously at a given time, we continue to walk by faith, recognizing that God knows things we do not and makes plans beyond our understanding.
Discussion Question:
- In what scenario would each gift be considered the “Best” gift?
– Faith
– Gifts of healing
– Working of miracles
– Prophecy
– Different kinds of tongues
– Interpretation of tongues
– Word of Wisdom
– Word of Knowledge
– Discerning of Spirits
Unpacking Question:
- What do you think is necessary to be used in the gifts of the Spirit?
In order to effectively be used in the gifts of the Spirit we must be completely reliant on the Holy Spirit.
Relying on the Holy Spirit requires humility, brokenness, and yieldedness.
Humility – Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:5-6
Brokenness – The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
Yieldedness – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:1
In being used in the spiritual gifts we should be neither proud nor self-rejecting, but simply unconscious of self. Remember the ultimate purpose of the gifts is to bring glory to Jesus.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some of the qualities we can cultivate in ourselves to be better positioned to be used by God in the spiritual gifts?
- Is there a correct way to exercise the spiritual gifts? How can we be assured we are doing so?
Next Week: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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