In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul described the church as the body of Christ. He talked about how we belong to the body of Christ, we have value in the body of Christ and we have different functions in the body of Christ. With that knowledge we also strive to be one body, by accepting one another, valuing one another, and working together with our different strengths for the good of the whole.
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul wrote about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and in particular he listed nine manifestations of the Spirit. This is a Pentecost Sunday sermon looking at these nine manifestations highlighting their incredible value to the church.
In 1 Corinthians 12:1 the apostle Paul said that he does not want us to be ignorant of spiritual gifts. Prior to salvation we had no access to the nine gifts that he mentions in this passage, which are supernatural manifestations of the power of God to edify the body. We need to be thankful for these gifts, desire them eagerly, and allow ourselves to be open channels through which they can flow.
Jesus promised that signs and wonders would follow the preaching of the gospel. Today, the church should expect signs and wonders - God keeps His promises!
This sermon looks at the importance of the Word of God but also considers it in its different forms: Jesus as the embodiment of the Word, the written Word and the spoken Word.
In Luke 11:13 Jesus told His disciples that our heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit when His children asked Him for it. Today, we need to be filled with the Spirit, and to go on being filled with the Spirit if we wish to retain our spiritual vitality.
The book of Ezra is a great lesson on the importance of beating discouragement. To serve God and enter into the fullness of the blessing that He has planned we need to persevere in the face of all forms of attack. Do not be discouraged and do not give up!
