LAKES FREE ONLINE

Are you new to Lakes Free? Please take a moment and fill out our digital connect card.  We would love to connect with you this week and say thank you for worshipping with us.

Serve at Lakes Free: God has gifted each of us with unique abilities, gifts, and passions that can be used to glorify Him and invest in others. We encourage everyone to use those gifts and passions to serve others here at Lakes Free. Explore volunteer opportunities here.

Easter Flowers: Help us celebrate Easter by ordering flowers in memory or honor of someone special in your life. On Easter Sunday there will be a special bulletin insert listing the names of those being honored or remembered. You may take your flower home after the 11:00 service. Order here.

Family Dedication Class: Wed, April 30 | 6:30pm. This class is mandatory for those who have never taken it before and would like to dedicate their child(ren) at the Family Dedication service on May 11. Register here.

Sharing Shop Clothing Event: Saturday, April 5 | 9:00am-1:00pm. We are now accepting new and gently used clothing of all ages and sizes for our Spring Clothing Event. Please leave donations by the Bear Room (lower level Education Wing hallway off Fellowship Hall).

Summer Camp Scholarships: We are offering scholarships for our kids, Kdgn-12th grade, to attend Camp Shamineau and other Bible Camps this summer. One per child/per year. Contact the church office for details and to get a sponsorship code. Camp Shamineau is now accepting registrations and offers a discount if paid in full by April 1.

Red Cross Blood Drive: Monday, April 28, 10am-4pm. Sign up to donate here.

Save the Date!
Women’s Retreat: May 9-10. Oak Forest Retreat Center. More details coming soon!
Vacation Bible School: June 9-13. Registration will begin April 21.

Graciously Gifted
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Pastor Jason Carlson

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Graciously gifted to glorify God:

1. The goal of the Spirit (v. 1-3)

“spiritual gifts” = pneumatikos
• Spiritual gifts are abilities given to believers that go beyond our natural abilities. They are “supernatural” abilities, given by God, that enable us to exercise spiritual functions for the glory of Jesus and the edification of his church.

“uninformed” = agnoeo (uninformed, ignorant)
• Where we get our English word “agnostic” from

1 Corinthians 10:19-21
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Isaiah 45:22-25
Philippians 2:10-11

The Holy Spirit’s goal is to exalt Jesus (John 14-16):
• He confirms Jesus’ presence in our lives (14:18-20)
• He testifies to Jesus as the Prince of Peace (14:27)
• He bears witness to Jesus (15:26)
• He convicts the world of their need for Jesus (16:8-11)
• He guides us to know the truth of Jesus (16:13)
• He brings glory to Jesus (16:14)

2. The good of the Spirit (v. 4-7)

“spiritual gifts” = pneumatikos (v. 1) vs. “gifts” = charisma (v. 4)

• pneumatikos = spiritual gifts or one who is spiritual

1 Corinthians 3:1

• charisma = charis (grace) / charisma (gifts)
o The gifts of the Spirit are “grace gifts”

Varieties of gifts (charisma)
Varieties of service (diakonia)
Varieties of activities (energema)

3. The gifts of the Spirit (v. 8-11)

Utterance of wisdom
• The ability to share unique spiritual insights into the wisdom and word of God.
• The ability to bring God’s perspective to bear on a difficult situation or challenging question (ex. Solomon, 1 Kings 3).

Utterance of knowledge
• A special message of insight into a situation that a person otherwise would not or could not know (ex. Paul w/ Ananias & Saphira, Acts 5).

Faith
• A spiritually empowered confidence and assurance in God’s ability to come through.
• To see what others cannot see, to go where others will not go, to risk when others will not risk; and to inspire others to do the same (ex. David & Goliath, 1 Samuel 17).

Gifts of healing
• Both “gifts” and “healing” are plural in the Greek (There are gifts of healings).
• Spiritually empowered ways in which God brings healing to a variety of situations.

Working of miracles
• Spiritually empowered ability to accomplish feats beyond the ordinary.
• Ex. Raising the dead, casting out demons, instantaneous healing, etc.

Prophecy
• The ability to deliver a message from the Lord for the building up of the church.
• The spiritual ability to proclaim God’s truth whereby lives are transformed.

Distinguishing between spirits
• The ability to discern the presence or influence of demonic powers in a person, situation, location, or teaching.
• The ability to recognize the source of purported spiritual manifestations.

Tongues
• The supernatural ability to speak in a foreign language (human or angelic) previously unknown to the speaker for the communication of the gospel or the edification of the church.
Interpretation of tongues
• The spiritual ability to translate a supernaturally given message from an unknown language into the native tongue of those receiving it.

How do we identify our spiritual gifts?
1) Ask God to use you to exalt Jesus
2) Seek opportunities to serve
3) Observe how other believers serve and follow their lead
4) Ask those you’ve served and those serving with you to help you discern your strengths (likely your giftedness)
5) Practice those gifts even more

Sermon Discussion Questions
Questions for reflection:
1. What questions about spiritual gifts are you most hoping to have answered in the coming weeks?
2. Have you come to recognize your personal spiritual gift(s)? If so, how are you exercising that gift(s)?

Questions for discussion:
1. What does Paul say is the purpose of spiritual gifts? How does this purpose highlight some of the ways the spiritual gifts are often misused?
2. Do all spiritual gifts have the same value in God’s eyes? Why or Why not?
3. What role does the Christian community play in helping us discern our spiritual gifts? How have you experienced this in your life?

Thank you for your support! Click the button below to give online