Living for the Right Thing Meadowbrooke Church
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- Christianity
Some time ago I read a quote from Charles Misner about Albert Einstein regarding what he thought about church and religion. Listen carefully to what Misner said about one of the smartest men who lived:
The design of the universe is very magnificent and shouldnt be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions hed run across did not have proper respect for the author of the universe.[1]
It was in John Pipers book, Let the Nations Be Glad that I read that quote over 20 years ago, and I have never forgotten it. We were made to know God and it is the reason Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the body of Christ by showing them the real thing. It is hard to show the body of Christ the real thing if you are not looking at the real thing.
Last week, we spent our time together in Ephesians 4:7-10. My goal was to show you that one way to be, diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (v. 3), is to use spiritual gifts, your talents, and your time to, encourage one another in love and good deeds (Heb. 10:19-25). Hopefully, I was able to show you that you cannot do that if you are not physically present and active with fellow Christians who gather regularly as the local expression of the body of Christ.
Some of you are unsure of what spiritual gifts Jesus has given through His Holy Spirit. You may be unaware of the supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit that are listed in the Bible. Two places in the Bible list spiritual gifts that are still given today; all that I want to do today is to list them for you just so that you are aware of what they are:
Romans 12:6-8
1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 28
Prophesy
Word of Wisdom
Service
Word of Knowledge
Teaching
Faith
Exhortation
Healing
Giving (Generosity)
Miracles
Leadership
Prophesy
Mercy
Discernment (distinguishing of spirits)
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Administration
All of these spiritual gifts are supernatural in nature and given through the Holy Spirit for the edification of Christs body and to participate in His mission. This is the point of Ephesians 4:7, But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christs gift. Of all the gifts given by Christ through the Holy Spirit to His people, they can be categorized into two groups: Gifts of speaking and gifts of helping; I believe this is what the apostle Peter described in his epistle: Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Pet. 4:11).
You Have Been Gifted to Live for Jesus in Partnership with His People
If you are a Christian, you are the recipient of Gods rich mercy, great love, and all-sufficient grace that has been lavished upon you when you were dead in your offenses and sins and stood as before the God who is holy as a child of His infinite wrath. Christian, we have been forgiven much! Not only have we been forgiven much, but we were chosen and redeemed for, good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (2:10)!
Your redemption was not meant only for your benefit, but the benefit of every person in your worldespecially those who belong to the body of Christ. Your spiritual gifts, your talents, your stuff, and your time are all blood-bought gifts from the God who created everything and owns it all: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is f
Some time ago I read a quote from Charles Misner about Albert Einstein regarding what he thought about church and religion. Listen carefully to what Misner said about one of the smartest men who lived:
The design of the universe is very magnificent and shouldnt be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions hed run across did not have proper respect for the author of the universe.[1]
It was in John Pipers book, Let the Nations Be Glad that I read that quote over 20 years ago, and I have never forgotten it. We were made to know God and it is the reason Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the body of Christ by showing them the real thing. It is hard to show the body of Christ the real thing if you are not looking at the real thing.
Last week, we spent our time together in Ephesians 4:7-10. My goal was to show you that one way to be, diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (v. 3), is to use spiritual gifts, your talents, and your time to, encourage one another in love and good deeds (Heb. 10:19-25). Hopefully, I was able to show you that you cannot do that if you are not physically present and active with fellow Christians who gather regularly as the local expression of the body of Christ.
Some of you are unsure of what spiritual gifts Jesus has given through His Holy Spirit. You may be unaware of the supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit that are listed in the Bible. Two places in the Bible list spiritual gifts that are still given today; all that I want to do today is to list them for you just so that you are aware of what they are:
Romans 12:6-8
1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 28
Prophesy
Word of Wisdom
Service
Word of Knowledge
Teaching
Faith
Exhortation
Healing
Giving (Generosity)
Miracles
Leadership
Prophesy
Mercy
Discernment (distinguishing of spirits)
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Administration
All of these spiritual gifts are supernatural in nature and given through the Holy Spirit for the edification of Christs body and to participate in His mission. This is the point of Ephesians 4:7, But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christs gift. Of all the gifts given by Christ through the Holy Spirit to His people, they can be categorized into two groups: Gifts of speaking and gifts of helping; I believe this is what the apostle Peter described in his epistle: Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Pet. 4:11).
You Have Been Gifted to Live for Jesus in Partnership with His People
If you are a Christian, you are the recipient of Gods rich mercy, great love, and all-sufficient grace that has been lavished upon you when you were dead in your offenses and sins and stood as before the God who is holy as a child of His infinite wrath. Christian, we have been forgiven much! Not only have we been forgiven much, but we were chosen and redeemed for, good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (2:10)!
Your redemption was not meant only for your benefit, but the benefit of every person in your worldespecially those who belong to the body of Christ. Your spiritual gifts, your talents, your stuff, and your time are all blood-bought gifts from the God who created everything and owns it all: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is f