Edifying the Body Through Spiritual Gifts

Happy Sabbath, everybody! Hope you've had a good week. You know, we've had a wonderful one.

Last week, we were able to, you know, besides going to the general conference of allers, we were able to go and see my brothers back in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and good to report that all is well so far. Back that way, everybody's getting older, of course. And, you know, we had a, one of the topics covered at the conference reviving, what was it? It was motivating generation exers. Next year, we're going to have a riveting discussion of reviving the Gerrital generation. So anyway, I don't know if any of you want to cover that, but anyway, everybody's getting older, aren't they? But we do have to move forward. No question about that. One thing I did want to mention about is that regarding our website, we got a report from Mr. Eddington on the topic of our website, and you may be pleased to hear that we are, we are now about 12th or 13th, as the top, among the top websites in the world.

Now, that is amazing. You know, by the way, right now, we're walking among the big boys, as they say. You know, we're walking in high cotton if you're down south, you know. But, anyway, and by the way, there are no other churches of God even close.

If you look for another church of God group, they're about, I don't know, I can't give you the numbers off the top of my head, but they're, I mean, they're way down the line. But we are, we're up, I think we're 12 or 13, we're rising still. People are just really captivated by what we have to say, and I think it's going to happen more and more. Like Mr. Nelson was talking about, we're moving forward. We're, you know, like Mr. Evasco said, we're a small flock, but we certainly have faith that God is a lot more ahead for us in the future. And, of course, we don't know how many will be a part of the church before, you know, the time of the tribulation comes upon us. Only God knows that because He's the one that calls. But, you know, at the same time, we expect to accomplish a lot. You know, the main job that we have is to preach the gospel to the world as a witness. And by doing that, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to have droves of people come to the church prior to the, you know, the time of the tribulation. But many people will be, of course, responding during the time of the tribulation, you know, as Mr. Evasco was pointing out in his message. In 31 A.D., the apostle Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, which only numbered 120 people after Christ's ascension into heaven. And after all of the miracles that took place, after all of the healings that took place, up and down, you know, the length and the breadth of Judea and Israel of the time, only 120 people believed. So I think that should tell us something about how many people, you know, once they are called, are willing to commit and to follow God's way of life. And even though, you know, we did have, of course, also many that were converted on that first day of the church in Pentecost, very small by comparison to the number of people that were there at that time. Let's go to Acts 2 to begin with in the message here today. In Acts chapter 2 and verse 1, it says, and when the day of Pentecost had fully come, and next week, of course, we're going to have the Feast of Pentecost. It says they were all with one accord in one place. And I think it's just exciting, by the way, when people are together and they're friends with each other, they love each other, and that there is a oneness that is there. I think we have that more now at the conference, you know, in Cincinnati than we've ever had. There is a oneness there. Is there a friendliness, a camaraderie, and a love? Well, you know, when the church began, you know, in 31 A.D., they were all together in one accord in one place. And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind. And it says, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire, and one sat upon each of them. So in all 120 that were there, you know, the Holy Spirit, as we know, rested upon each one. But notice in verse 4, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. You know, what is striking about this particular description here of the first Pentecost of the church is that day apparently all shared in speaking and uttering. All that were there were involved in some sort of speaking.

And, you know, they all, of course, did so in a very orderly manner. It wasn't bedlam, it was not confusion. And they were not speaking in an unintelligible language, because you can read on over here, and it says that people heard them in their own language.

Everybody heard them, in what was said, in their own language. You know, I won't go to some of those scriptures for the sake of time, but apparently all 120 were involved in some way that day. I think it's very striking. But on down here in verse 5, let's notice this, and there were dwelling Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven.

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in its own language, as it says here. Then later on, down in chapter 2, we find that Peter, in verse 14, he rises to give his famous sermon.

Probably the most famous sermon that has ever been given. Certainly the most productive sermon that has ever been given. You know, in all time was given by Peter here, when so many people, you know, committed their lives to follow God's way of life. But the church, I think, is very clear when we read—I'm not going to go through many of the scriptures that show us this—the church began a very close and a very cohesive group working together to build the church, sharing whatever they had. Remember, they sold their property. Some of the people sold their property and other things to assist here at the very outset of the beginning of the church.

Remember, they brought their money and they laid it before the apostles' feet. And the only sour point was Ananias and Sapphira, who, remember, sold a property and held back information about it and came and supposed to lie to Peter.

You know, they're in Acts chapter 5, but it was a cohesive, close group of people that were sharing in what needed to be accomplished and what needed to be done. And later, we find that deacons were ordained. And it was the people who set forth these deacons, these men who were full of God's Spirit.

And so the church was even involved in setting forth these men who were going to be ordained, of course, by the apostles. The apostles were the ones that ordained these men who were full of the Holy Spirit.

And the purpose, of course, of the deacons was to serve the Greek widows, the Hellenic widows, as it mentions in Acts chapter 6. But, you know, we see again that even with this, the whole church was involved in some way.

This is why, by the way, when we ordain a deacon or we ordain an elder or a deaconess in the church, it's kind of a speak now or forever hold your peace. You know, it's your time to come and talk. We want to have, of course, a public discussion about those kinds of things, but we want all of you to contribute. If you feel you have something to contribute with regard to who should be ordained or even if you feel somebody should not be ordained, the whole church is involved in it. You know, the United Church of God has always strived to utilize every member of the church in every way we can.

You may notice that when we give men an opportunity to give sermonettes, we have many that are doing that. We have as many people as we can that are giving sermonettes. As long as somebody can present a cogent message to the congregation, and of course it's needed for us, we want to give people the opportunity to serve. We want to do that as much as we can also with others within the church and other different responsibilities. And, you know, whenever we do something, we want to be a collaborative effort.

In other words, all of us working together. In other words, we don't deal from the point of view of being a dictator, but of working with a family of God. It's a family that we have. And, you know, in families, you have to live together, don't you? And we want to live together in peace, and we want to work together in a collaborative way. As we prepare a people, as that is one of the major things that we're doing, is God's people.

Preparing a people, not just a pastor's job. It is the job of all of us involved in that process of preparing a people. And, of course, we have also the major job of carrying the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the whole world. And this year's conference, by the way, as has already been mentioned, focused on edifying the body through spiritual gifts. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 4 over here. Ephesians chapter 4, in verse 16.

And so we are to edify. The word, of course, edify means to teach. Teach the body through spiritual gifts. And teaching the body, we're preparing a people, right?

Preparing a people. In edifying the body, we are also preparing the bride.

And before Mr. Armstrong died, he said that that was the major thing that we had to do as a church. Prepare the bride of Christ for the groom. But in Ephesians chapter 4, in verse 16, let's notice here, and it says, speaking about the body of Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies. Every joint supplies, every part of the body supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself and love. And so we work together, brethren, but all of us share in that responsibility. All of you, brethren, have a responsibility within the church. When God called you, he didn't call you just to sort of sit on your hands and, and as we used to say, pray and pay. That's all you do. Just, you know, pray for the church and give your tithes to the church. No, it's more than that, brethren. We are to give of ourselves and sacrifice ourselves, and every member fits in and shares in some way for the edification of the whole body of Christ. And, you know, our Constitution mentions spiritual gifts in the church and utilizing the spiritual gifts. And quite frankly, you know, in years past, quite frankly, in the worldwide days, oftentimes we did not utilize the spiritual gifts of the congregation as much as we need to do now. You know, of course, we had more people, you know, in worldwide days, but quite frankly, I think the church is much more active now. All of us are more active in the church, doing something in the church in some way more than we did in the time of worldwide. It seems that during the worldwide Church of God period, it seems more that, you know, things were done by a few people and not by everybody. Not everybody's sharing in roles and responsibilities and to do the work. Our late President, Denny Luker, by the way, as was mentioned, also, you know, Mr. Luker was quite a remarkable man in so many ways, but he often instructed the ministry to, quote, teach the brethren so that they can teach others the truth. Teach the brethren so they can teach others the truth. And brethren, this involves edifying the body through spiritual gifts. You know, Mr. Scott actually talked about some of the things we're going to talk about here today in the keynote address. And he asked the question, what are spiritual gifts? Did somebody ask you that question, brethren, and sort of put you on the spot? Would you have an answer for that? What are spiritual gifts? Well, let's give a definition of it. Spiritual gifts are specifically bestowed by God for the edification of the whole community of the church. And they are especially bestowed by God upon us. Now, why are they referred to as spiritual gifts? You know, why are they called gifts? Period. Why are they called gifts?

Well, the reason they're called gifts is we don't receive them by our own efforts.

You know, we don't... it's not because of necessarily what we have done.

Now, we can develop those gifts, by the way, that God has given to us. But we don't...

you know, the gifts are given to us by God. Now, often we're given physical gifts of presence, which are given by others to us, and they're quite visible to us, aren't they?

Now, I haven't celebrated Christmas for, I don't know, how many years?

But the last time I remember that I received a gift, you know, from my family, it was cologne. I guess they thought I smelled bad or something. I don't know. But, you know, it seemed like the most popular thing. Then, of course, when I ceased keeping Christmas, I told them I didn't want to receive gifts anymore because I was not observing Christmas. And, by the way, my brother, oldest brother, who's about 10 years older than I am, he's beginning to come to see these things. He's beginning to, in fact, see some other things, too. I don't want to speak too soon. But, you know, and through the years, we all get different presents, don't we? And we have Mother's Day tomorrow, and we'll have Father's Day later.

But tomorrow on Mother's Day, mothers will receive visible gifts, or at least that's what they hope. But they'll be visible from their children. You know, and if you don't get a visible gift, you can say, I carried you for nine months, you know, and I labored 24 hours for three days.

You know, indeed a miracle. But anyway, you'll hopefully receive visible gifts. A call is a gift, I suppose. However, God bestows on us non-visible gifts that we don't earn, which we have inherently that are within us. And although some of us feel like we got cheated in the looks department, you know, I suppose we could say even what we look like is a gift from God.

You know, sometimes people get vain, don't they, by how handsome they may be, or how beautiful. Sometimes, you know, a young lady can, she knows she's beautiful, and boy, she will milk it for all it is worth. But what did she do to receive that? Nothing, it was bestowed as a gift from God.

But non-visible gifts are inherent and are not something you necessarily see. You can see the impact of it, you can see the effects of that gift, but you cannot see the gift.

You know, because the gift is not visible, you know, just to the naked eye, it's something that's inherent in us. So, in other words, that, rather than this, why it's called a spiritual gift. It's not a physical, visible gift, but a spiritual gift. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 14.

And concerning that, I'm not talking about looks, I'm not talking about these things, I'm talking about, you know, things that are inherent within us. But in 1 Corinthians 14, here, of course, is a very important chapter when we talk about gifts. I'm in 2 Corinthians, that's no good. Obviously, I don't have a gift for finding things in my Bible.

But chapter 14, chapter 14 and verse 4, you know, here Paul writes in verse 4, in chapter 14, in 1 Corinthians, it says, "...he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church." Now, some people want to get, you know, they want to be prophets.

But, brethren, when we see a prophet in prophecy mentioned, talking about not somebody's going to give you a prognostication for the future, but someone who's speaking under, you know, inspiration of God through the Holy Spirit. Hopefully, brethren, what has been said to you today is from that point of view. In other words, it is through the Spirit that things can be said. And in fact, without the Spirit, they could not be said, could they? It would be impossible, because you wouldn't know the truth. To present it has come through the Holy Spirit. But in verse 5, it says, "...I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied, that you spoke under inspiration. For he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues." Now, I think we would tend to think the other way around. I remember when I was a kid growing up, I had an aunt who could speak in tongues at the drop of a hat. She would go into a trance. And really, what it was, I believe, you know, was gibberish. You know, and I guess you can sort of go bonkers up in your head, and you could say a lot of things. I've heard some people say that when people speak in terms of tongues, and that oftentimes, if there were to be somebody there, that they are cursing.

You know, they're cursing and taking God's name in vain. That, you know, and certainly you would expect that, wouldn't you? If it was a demonic spirit, that they, of course, demons hate God.

But it says, going on, it says, unless indeed he interprets that the church may receive edification.

So, in other words, he's saying tongues would be good as long as the church received edification. But prophesying, or speaking under inspiration, is much more important than tongues.

You know, unless somebody thinks somehow that, you know, importance, the strive to speak in tongues. Now, I've been in circumstances where I wish I knew, you know, another language. But always, there's been somebody who could come to the rescue and help in cases like that. I suppose if there was a need that God would cause, he could cause any one of us to speak in another language, if there was a real need.

But going on in verse 6, You notice here, Paul says, unless I'm going to teach something, unless I'm going to convey something, it's not going to be of any benefit or profit. And so, you know, in terms of, you know, the church, spiritual gifts are not given, brethren, for the purpose of aggrandizing an individual. They just aren't. But the profit of everybody, the edification of everyone.

Such as that happened in Acts 2 there, where people were hearing in their own language.

They were hearing the truth. They needed to know those things. There was no other way.

And so, God made it possible for them to be able to do that, to speak.

And, you know, he talks about here distinctions of sound in verse 7 and 8. In verse 9, he says, so likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

There are, it may be, it says, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. In other words, it won't be of any benefit whatsoever. But in verse 12, notice this, he says, even so you, since you are a zealous for spiritual gifts. So here the Corinthians, probably one of the most confused churches in the world at that particular time, they had a zealousness, you know, for gifts, spiritual gifts. You know, Paul is not trying to kill that enthusiasm in them, but he's trying to direct that enthusiasm in a right manner. In other words, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. In other words, make sure that you are edifying the church, that you're teaching the church.

He's not saying it's wrong to desire spiritual gifts, but it must be for the right reasons.

And the only right reason that Paul is saying here, that gifts are ever given, is for the edification of the church. In other words, preparing a people as we are in this end of the age with God's guidance, His Spirit leading us and showing the way. Let's go to Romans chapter one. Romans chapter one.

You know, we find again spiritual gifts talked about throughout the Scriptures. And I think it's already been expressed, God is giving those gifts to all of us, not just to some of us, but to all of us. All of us have something to offer. I don't want to call what we do individually a ministry, but you know the word ministry, you know what it means, don't you? It means to serve. That's all. Somehow we've got this spiritual oogie boogie kind of shivering up down. Oh, my ministry! But it's serving! That's all it is.

I know the Protestant churches have made it into a spiritual word.

My ministry is such and such, you know, but it's just serving. Get over it. It's just serving.

But Romans 1 and verse 11. All of us have a ministry in that sense. We all should be contributing in some way to the edification of the church. This is why, again, we try to give as many opportunities to as many as we can. In fact, we try to use everyone. If you come to me and you say you want to do something, you go to one of the elders, you know, they'll give you something to do if you want to do something. If you don't want to do anything, don't come to me, because I'll draft you. In fact, the very thing you suggest you'll be doing. But that happens with the elders, too. But you know how it is in the military.

You don't ever volunteer for anything. You know, the young guy goes off to the war, and the dad before he leaves, he says, son, I want to tell you one thing that will help you.

You're going in the military. Never step forward and never volunteer for anything. And that is the advice that oftentimes fathers give, because, I mean, you'll be doing things. You'll be peeling potatoes. You'll be doing all kinds of walking, guard duty. You'll be doing all those things. Now, I've never done that. My dad never told me to go to the military, and I, by the time I was old enough to go in the military, I had already come to the conclusion it was wrong to go in the military. Although I almost got drafted, you know, when I was sophomore in college. I was at Northeastern State University.

Some of you who around in those days may remember they had a lottery that year.

How many of you remember the lottery for the draft? See, now look around, brother. Right here. Okay. You know, I don't know what your number was, what you drew, but you know, how did they do it? Was it by the days of the year, I think, or something like that?

But I grew number 68, and I was a surefire. I was headed to Vietnam. I mean, pack up your bags and head off. In fact, I had a friend of mine who was he was in pre-law. I was in pre-medicine.

Now, I'd never seen him drink before.

But that night, after we found out our numbers, and I've never forgot my number. It was 68. Because I knew I was bound for Vietnam. And anyway, my friend, who was the pre-law, unfortunately, because of this tragedy happening to him, he knocked on the door. He had been drinking.

Knocked on the door. Banged on the door, I remember. And he said, I won! I won! I won! I said, what did you win? He said, I won the lottery! I drew number one.

And so, he was a shoe-in for Vietnam. There's no question about it. Now, I've never seen him since that time. So, I don't know if he's even alive. What happened to him? But, you know, like I said, in terms of, you know, God's people, though, I can't even remember why I started talking about that. But I'm sure there was a reason for it. It'll come to me in about, probably when I'm in bed tonight. And, you know, there's a rhyme to my, what I'm saying. Romans 1, verse 11. Here Paul writes to the church, he said, For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established. I know why I was bringing that up, by the way. I've brought up about, you know, not volunteering for anything in the military. But what I was going to do, you know, is exhort you, brethren, not to have that philosophy about the church. In other words, that you do volunteer.

That we do want to contribute in any way that we can. That we do not hold back as God's people.

But here Paul was talking to the Romans, and he said, you know, I desire to be with you, that I can impart to you a spiritual gift, so that you may be established.

So you may be established. So here Paul wanted to go to Rome, and talk to the brethren there, to pass on a spiritual gift. What did he mean by that? Did he mean he was going to go to Rome, and said, okay, you take healing, you take miracles, you take encouragement. No, I want the healing one. You know, no, what was the gift he was going to pass on? Well, read verse 12, and you get some idea about it. In verse 12, it says, that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith, both of you and me. In other words, that he would have a firmer faith, and that Paul would be encouraged by that. You know, sometimes being the Apostle Paul was not all it was cracked up to be. I mean, it was, he didn't live a very pleasant life in a lot of ways, but I'm sure he enjoyed in the job that God had given to him. But it, you know, it couldn't have been pleasant to be, you know, beaten three times with 40 or 39 lashes. Couldn't have been pleasant to go through that. Couldn't have been pleasant to be shipwrecked, and you know, all of the things that the Apostle Paul went through. Being let down in a basket. You know, these things would not have been a pleasant thing for him, and he needed the encouragement. He needs someone who believed as much as he did about it, brethren. And all of us, you know, we need others in the congregation to have that firm faith so that we can have that encouragement for one another. It's like we don't want to go to a rain cloud that doesn't have any rain in it. You know, we want somebody, in other words, that has faith and believes in the work of God. You know, like Mr. Evasco was talking about, the Scripture there in Romans 8. We know. We know. You know, do we know, brethren? Do we have a faith, a belief, a confidence in the work that God is doing? Let's go over to chapter 12 over here. Chapter 12 and verse 5. Faith is a gift, brethren, and Paul wanted to somehow boy that faith up in the Roman church. Chapter 12 of Romans, and down in verse 5 here, and we'll read down to verse 8, it says, so it says, we being many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

So we have gifts that differ according to the grace that has been shown to us. Let us use them.

If prophesied, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or ministry? Let us use it in our ministry. He who teaches and teaches. He who exhorts and exhortations.

He who gives with liberality. He who leads with diligence, and he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.

So whatever gift you may have to use it, you know, to the benefit of others without partiality.

It's not a time to show favoritism when you've got given a gift you share with everybody.

If it's ministry, in other words, serve others. You know, it's not self-serving. In other words, it's serving others. Unfortunately, brethren, in the past we've had men who have been self-serving, even in the ministry, sadly, who have been self-serving. You know, they've used the church, unfortunately, and this has, of course, been too true going all the way back to Judas.

You know, Judas used the church, didn't he? And through many centuries, probably, there's always been somebody who took advantage of the church and used the church. Well, brethren, let's not use the church for our own benefit, but let's, brethren, rather share the spiritual gifts God has given us and serve within the church. Like you said, every one of us has, you know, a ministry or a service that we can offer the church. Exhortation means to impart encouragement to other people. And, by the way, in order to be encouraged, what you say needs to be encouraging. You ever know that? That's what that word means. Got to be encouraging.

And some people have a knack for being able to encourage other people.

Some, not so much, you know, in terms of encouragement in that way, in that manner. Some people can not only exhort to encourage, but they can exhort to correct. I mean, they're so good with exhortation that they can correct you and you don't feel like you've been correct.

That's a gift, brethren, to be able to do that. You know, sometimes we as human beings lack the tact and the sensitivity. But somebody who knows how to do things can exhort and give general direction and correction through love to other people and make them like it.

Make them like it. Some have the ability to give. Some, frankly, have been given more and blessed more than others with physical accoutrements of life. And, you know, we know, again, that all of us are not the same. God is bestowed upon us different abilities, different gifts. Verse 30. Let's go down to verse 30 in here. In, let's see, where am I? I'm sorry, I'm in the wrong place, I think. Oh, I'm Romans. That's where I was. But why I thought I was in 1 Corinthians, I guess the 12, you know, sent me the wrong direction. Except that's not the place I... Yeah, that's where I want to be. No, that's not where I want to be. I must be...

Last night I must have written down the wrong scripture here. Let's see if I can find it.

Yeah, yeah. Verse 5 of 1 Corinthians. I'm sorry.

1 Corinthians 12, verse 5 through 8. Here Paul says there are differences of ministries.

And again, differences of services within the church.

But the same Lord, we all work together. There are diversities of activities.

But it is the same God who works all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all. This is what the scripture says over and over again. In other words, we don't become a one-man show, but we work together. We work to profit everyone. It says, for one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit. Some, again, have a special knack for wisdom. Although we all can pray for wisdom. And the Bible says that God will not correct us if we ask for wisdom. And he, of course, wants to give it to us liberally. He mentions that in the book of James. But going on into another, the word of knowledge through the same Spirit. Some people have the knack to be able to accumulate knowledge. I think of Dr. Hay. You know, he just had the ability to pull things. You know, he would go to church, by the way, and he would ask people when he came in.

He said, well, I have a number of subjects. What would you like to hear?

You know, some people just have it up here. They've got the brain power to remember.

I can't remember my name right now. But some people just have that ability.

On down here, let's notice in verse 30. Here, Paul says, do all have gifts of healings?

No. His answer is, of course, this is a rhetorical question. Do all speak with tongues?

No. Do all interpret? Of course, he's talking about languages here. I don't have a gift in languages. Sometimes I feel embarrassed when I talk to people from Europe, though. They talk about, well, I only speak three languages.

Yeah, I have to say, well, I'm working on English. But going on, but Paul says, but earnestly desire the best gifts. Uh-oh. Wait a minute. He just took away the ones that most of us think are the best gifts. Tongues, healings, and miracles, as he mentions in verse 29 there. Now, I thought those were the best gifts. Well, not so. Not so. And yet, I show you a more excellent way. Do you notice here, he says, earnestly desire the best gifts. How many of us, brethren, desire the best gifts with all of our heart and soul and mind?

You know, how many of us really desire them from our hearts?

Paul goes on to show in chapter 13 that the greatest gift of all, that excellent way that he's talking about is love. That's why you have the whole chapter talking about love. Showing, in fact, that having other gifts, speaking in tongues, he says even if you can speak with the tongue of an angel, if you don't have love, nothing. Nothing whatsoever.

It's of no value unless there is love. Even if you know all mysteries, he's saying, if you don't have love, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I think we understand more in this time, in this day and age of God's church than any previous generation of God's people. You and I have been given a lot. We really have. The prophets of old would desire to look into what we know. You know, sometimes we think, oh, it would be so great to see Elijah, but you know what they're gonna, as soon as they understand what God has revealed to us, they're gonna want to sit down with us and chat with us. You know, we're gonna say to Elijah, hey, tell us what it was. What was it like when you you called down fire there?

And the Elijah is gonna say, well, don't worry about that. You got it. Let's talk about what you've been doing and what God has revealed to you. You know, it's like many of you may remember back in the sixties when God opened up the understanding of the church concerning the spirit of man. Dr. Hay related this. I don't know if Mr. Warm, you remember this, some of the other elders here, but Dr. Hay mentioned, unfortunately, one time he was talking of man who was demon possessed. And he said that the demon said to through this man, he said when, when the, you know, the demon said, when God revealed the spirit of man to you, it blew our minds. It blew our minds. It was a great truth that God opened up to us because we came to understand, many of you remember back, you know, in the sixties that we used to think that when a child was born, they were good or bad. But when we began to understand the spirit of man, we realized then that when a child is born, they're neutral. They are, as they say in psychological terms, a tabula race, I think is how it's said, an erase tablet. And so when you write on that tablet, it becomes what you write on it. And so that we began to understand it was important for us to teach our children God's way of life. And in teaching God's way of life to our children, they become sanctified that way by the truth from their parents who teach them. And so we understand, like I said earlier, things in this age that men of old are going to be ecstatic to hear about.

They're going to want to hear these things. I believe some of those men back in those days wrote things under God's inspiration, and they didn't have a clue. They didn't understand what it meant. Remember with Daniel, he wrote down, and he didn't understand what he was writing in the book of Daniel. And God said, no, go your way, Daniel. You know, it's going to be understood in the time of the end. Well, brethren, we're in the time of the end when that knowledge has been opened up to us and we can see. And so, you know, mysteries, great mysteries, I think we understand is God's people. But if you don't have love, you don't have anything.

Because you can understand all those things that still miss out on the kingdom of God. And so, this is why Paul says desire, you know, those the more excellent way and desire the greatest gift of all, which is, in fact, you know, love and hope. And, you know, the other things he mentions here, you know, down in verse 13, faith. Those are the three greatest things that we need to have as God's people. But notice this also in verse 8, brethren.

Here Paul says love never fails.

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail. They will cease. Whether there are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Here he says, though, the permanent thing is always going to be around. You can count on it like the rising of the setting of the sun. And, in fact, it's surer than that, than the rising of the setting of the sun. Love is permanent. Love is here to stay. Hope and faith are here to stay.

And the fruits of God's Spirit are here to stay.

Understanding mysteries, not so much. You know, speaking of tongues, again, it's not something that's permanent but temporary for the time. And I think God, at different times, has given the church gifts to carry out its work. I think when the church began in 31 A.D., that's why you see so many miracles taking place as the church was beginning to be established.

And I firmly believe that toward the end of the age, we're going to see a revival of many of those things in astounding ways in the future. Of course, it all depends on what God wants to accomplish, what God wants to occur. But, you know, different gifts, in other words, come and go within the church, is what I'm saying. But love endures forever. Love is there all the time. There are things that are eternal. Love endures forever and is permanent, and all of us should be desiring to have more love for one another. We ought to be able to, again, have more love for each other, and when we do, we'll have a more cohesive group glued together. And every part of the body is supplying and edifying itself in love. You know, Peter made this statement. He said, as each one has received a gift. By the words saying, God has given us all a gift.

Minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. In other words, these gifts are multifaceted. Nanofold means multifaceted. God has been graceful, very graceful to the church. And God, through His multifaceted, manifold grace, has given gifts throughout the church to make it possible for the church to thrive and to grow spiritually. Let's go to chapter 12 here from where we are, verse 7. Chapter 12 and verse 7.

It says, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all, against the benefit of every one. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another word of knowledge through the same Spirit. And so God's Spirit is given for this purpose to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gift of healings by the same Spirit.

To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, again inspired speaking, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. And so these gifts are bestowed upon the church.

And notice in verse 28 it says, And God has appointed these in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers. After that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and varieties of tongues. Do you get what he's saying here, brethren? Is that these sometimes gifts that we think are the most important are secondary to those jobs and responsibilities and gifts. And in fact, brethren, it is a gift when somebody has the ability to teach and to guide and to lead. It is a gift that God bestows upon his people. But miracles and healings do not take precedence over teaching and edifying the church. But they have a secondary role. And again, teaching is a gift. One quality of an elder, in fact, is what? He must be apt to teach. He needs to have that ability to teach. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Let's go back over here to Ephesians 4.

Touch on some other things. We see again that these are gifts that God has given.

But here in Ephesians 4 and down in verse 7, Paul says, But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. So it's through God's grace that he gives certain gifts.

Therefore, he says, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to man.

And so he gave gifts to men, as it mentions here. And of course, not just men, but men and women, but God has given certainly certain gifts within the church that God has given. When Christ ascended, you know, from the Mount of Olives, remember the angel said, Why do you stand here gazing? You know, the same Jesus you saw ascending is going to return in light manner. So when Christ ascended in the heavens, he did impart certain gifts to the church and then he goes on. Let's go down through here in verse 8.

No, we read verse 8. Let's go down to verse 11.

And he gave, and he himself gave some to the apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.

You notice here, brethren, that these are gifts that God has given.

We used to think, by the way, that these were ranks.

You know, that if you were a pastor, that was a rank in the church. It is a gift, brethren.

It is a job within the church. You know, we, of course, realize now that, yes, you can be a pastor, but all elders certainly have different roles in the church. We have some elders that are pastors, some elders that, you know, fulfill other roles. They might be associate pastors, they might be assistant pastors, they may be, you know, teaching elder as well, whether they speak, you know, in a local congregation. Some may have other roles of teaching. You know, at ABC, we have teachers there that teach and instruct. But these are gifts, you know, that God gives and He bestows upon the church.

Verse 12. What's the purpose of the gifts? For the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the perfect man, to the measure and the stature of the fullness of Christ. Till we arrive to that point, we still have a lot to grow in, don't we? And so we have gifts of responsibilities within the church to assist brethren in fulfilling their potential. We have an apostle, which is one cent-fourth of God. We have a prophet, who again speaks under God's inspiration. We have an evangelist, and the word properly means a messenger of the gospel.

We have a pastor, who is a shepherd, has the ability to shepherd God's people, God's flock, a teacher, who can accurately explain the Word of God.

And as 1 Corinthians 12 says, not many within the church carry these roles and responsibilities.

Not all have the same gifts, either. Now, why are the spiritual gifts given, though? Again, if I have not made that clear, let's notice here again what it says. Verse 13, till we all come to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man. None of us have arrived yet to that goal, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That's a tall order, isn't it? And none of us have arrived, or will arrive, quite frankly, before Christ returns and were changed out of the flesh.

That we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.

Yeah, there are some that out there are laying plans to gain your following.

They're hoping to boost their income so they can go out and do more of plotting of how to do that. Well, brethren, we are not to be children, but to be impacted by people that way and carried out about by everything that sort of blows the trees of a concerning doctrine. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things unto Him who is the head of Christ. That is what we ought to be growing to, from whom the whole body joined and knit together again in a cohesive group of people, a cohesive community, by what every joint supplies according to effective working by which every part does its share. Brethren, are you doing your share? You're pulling your load? Are you striving to do what you can do to serve within the church, to contribute to the church, as it goes on to say, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. So, brethren, it's important for all of us to pitch in. I think that's the message we got from the conference. All of us need to share in the responsibility that we have of number one of preaching the gospel to the world as a witness and number two of preparing a people of God. And so, brethren, let's make sure that all of us are there. Let's make sure that all of us are contributing in some way. Let's make sure that what we do, that we think through what we do, so that what we do is edifying to the body of Jesus Christ through whatever gift God has bestowed upon you.

And let's make use of that gift. Don't take it and bury it, as one unwise man did in the parable Christ spoke. Brethren, let's use the gifts that God has given us.

I trust God has not just given you one gift, but probably a number of gifts. Some of them have to be tapped. Some of them have to be mined. Some of them have to be developed. But, you know, those gifts need to be applied to the edification of the whole body. So, let's move forward, brethren, and let's make sure that all of us are contributing to the edification of the whole body of Jesus Christ.