Same Spirit

We are continuing our series: “The Body Works.” Last week we started into 1 Corinthians 12 that talks about the fact that the Holy Spirit wants to give you a gift for you to use in the Kingdom.

 Gifts are great - especially when they're unexpected or impromptu; you feel blessed - someone has deemed you important enough to give you a gift. In the Kingdom there are a variety of gifts - the gift of salvation - we didn't earn it or work for it; it's a free gift. And eternal life is a free gift as well.

 Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Additionally, the Bible says you get a spiritual gift upon coming into the Kingdom, once your spirit is alive towards God. You receive a gift to use here and now in the church for the sake of the Kingdom.

1st Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

The Holy Spirit gives a gift to each one, every believer gets a manifestation or a display of the presence of God - they receive a gift.  What do you have to do to qualify? You have to call Jesus - “Lord” and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. So, if your spirit is made alive to the Holy Spirit then you are a recipient of a spiritual gift.

And it’s important to remember the paradigm or the pattern of the Trinity that we talked about last week. That in spite of the fact that there are three members of the Trinity, they are all co-equal; yet they have different functions and there is submission between the three. And the same pattern applies in the church; we are all equal, but we have different functions and we submit to one another in love.

 Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:

The Holy Spirit knows us intimately and knows what gift fits us best and we use it for the benefit of the body…. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “Same Spirit.”     

Blessings,                                                                                                                                            

Kevin