From Sitting to Service

1 Corinthians 12

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NIV)

(Ephesians 4, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12)

U_nity_
D_iversity_
M_aturity_

I. The Excuse of inadequacy.

“I’ve got nothing to

.”

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works in all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)

What’s behind this excuse?

Feeling like a

.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; ?God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)

Forgetting my source of

.

the same God works in all of them in all men. 1 Corinthians 12:6 (NIV)

“Christianity, at any given time, is strong or weak depending oupon her concept of God. An I insist upon this an I have said it many times, that the basic trouble with the church today is her unworthy concept of God.” – A.W. Tozer

II. The excuse of

Reveal Answer

.

“I don’t know where to

.”

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:11 (NIV)

Richard Foster says, “There’s a difference between chooseing to serve and choosing to be a servant. Whe I choose to serve I retain control about who I serve and when I serve. But when I choose to be a servant I have given up all rights and all control” –Richard Foster

III. The excuse of

Reveal Answer

.

I really don’t

like serving.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)

How do we overcome the exuse of indifference?

Operate in the

.

Start

.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 (NIV)

IV. The excuse of

Reveal Answer

.

“I’m not really

.”

But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
1 Corinthians 12:24-25 (NIV)

Rick Warren says, “God gave me a

- not for me but for you - and God gave you a

Reveal Answer

- not for you but for me. I I don’t use the gifts that God has entrusted to me then I am

Reveal Answer

you. And if you don’t use the gifts that God has blessed you with then your are

Reveal Answer

me.” –Rick Warren

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV)