Christ Church Evangelical Covenant christchurchec

"The Fullness" sermon discusses spiritual gifts as expressions of the Holy Spirit and God's grace within individuals, urging the congregation to discover and use their gifts in the church community for the fullness of Jesus. Pastor Vann emphasizes the importance of ongoing growth and refinement of these gifts, highlighting that they reflect the character of Jesus. The sermon concludes with the reminder that the church is called to be the fullness of Jesus who fills all things, quoting Ephesians 1:22-23.

Pastor Vann's sermon "Shorting Ourselves" explores spiritual gifts in the body of Christ, drawing parallels to DNA diversity. Using 1 Corinthians 12:14-25, he emphasizes the value of all members and their unique roles. He stresses the importance of recognizing and utilizing one's gifts for the unity of believers. By discussing spiritual gifts through a metaphor of the Old Testament tabernacle, he urges listeners to embrace their gifts and actively engage in the community for God's glory.

The sermon "In the Beginning" by Pastor Vann highlights God's invitation from creation to a new life. It mentions biblical references to "in the beginning" in Genesis, John, and 1 John. Pastor Vann discusses God's love, our choice to stray, and God's invitation back into His fullness. The sermon emphasizes the importance of making God the center of our lives for true connection and fulfillment.

The greatest and best influence on humankind over the course of our history has been, without a doubt, Jesus Christ. The way He rebuked injustice. The way He modeled kindness. The way He invited us into relationship with Him. What would be better than to see that influence continue to impact our lives and the structures of our world? That is the primary goal of the Holy Spirit; continue the work of Jesus… through us. So, if we want to understand the purpose of the gifts that the Spirit has given, we simply need to look at the purpose of the life of Jesus.

What does it mean to be gifted by the Spirit of God? Does it change situation by situation? Or is it always the effect in the same way? Are we limited to one or two expressions of grace and the Spirit working in and through us? And can we grow in our how effective we are in using the gift God has given us? All good questions. All things we need to understand as we learn to walk with the Spirit in the transforming power of Jesus that He works through us. But that is the most important thing we need to remember: these gifts are not about us; they’re about Jesus.

We can think of God’s gifts to us in many ways. He gave us this world of beauty to live in and enjoy. He gave us our abilities and personalities when He formed us in our mother’s womb. He gave us Jesus to pay a debt we couldn’t pay and reconcile us to Himself. He gave us His Holy Spirit to empower us to live a holy life. But the Bible also tells us that God has gifted each of us with a unique expression of His grace in this world. People call them ministries or spiritual gifts, but the Bible calls them “charismata,” bits of grace. And when we come together as God’s people and gather all these bits of grace together in one place, people can begin to see the full picture of who God is. They begin to see Jesus in us together. That’s the multifaceted grace of God.