BBCC Bible Study Notes

GOD'S WORK - THROUGH GIFTED SAINTS

January 19th

Introduction: I think that it’d be better if Jesus were here physically working… but, Jesus disagrees.

1. Jesus' Says: It Is Better for Him to Go

"But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7, NIV)

1. Jesus says we are better off with God’s people using their gifts with the Holy Spirit than with His physical presence
2. Believers will do even greater things than Jesus did

John 14:12 (NIV) ¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

1. Jesus' Plan: The Church as His Functional Physical Body
2. Jesus' plan to change the world: The Church as His functional physical body
   
   
3. Church leaders' role: Equipping all believers for works of service

III. The Holy Spirit Empowers Believers with Diverse Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 (NIV) ⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.  ⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,  and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

1. Every believer is given the Holy Spirit for the common good
   B. Variety of spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
   C. All gifts come from God and are equally valuable
2. Practical Application: Using Our Gifts as Christ's Body

Conclusion: As Christ's physical body, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we will do greater things to make the world better than if Jesus were still here in the flesh. Let us use our diverse gifts to serve and fulfill God's mission.

BBCC Verse of the Week: 1 Peter 4:10–11 (NIV) 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Study/Discussion Guide

John 16:7 (NIV)  ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

The disciples are filled with deep grief over their impending loss: the word for grief (lypē) recurs in vv. 20, 21, 22. What they need to hold on to (for the strong Assertive I tell you the truth, cf. notes on 1:51) is this: It is for your good (same expression as in 11:50; 18:14) that I am going away. The reason for this judgment is then made clear: unless Jesus departs, the ‘Counsellor’, the Paraclete (cf. notes on 14:16) will not come to them; but if Jesus goes, he will send him to them. The thought is not that Jesus and the Holy Spirit cannot, for unarticulated metaphysical reasons, simultaneously minister to God’s people, or any other such strange notion. Rather, the thought is eschatological. The many biblical promises that the Spirit will characterize the age of the kingdom of God (e.g. Is. 11:1–10; 32:14–18; 42:1–4; 44:1–5; Ezk. 11:17–20; 36:24–27; 37:1–14; Joel 2:28–32; cf. notes on Jn. 3:5; 7:37–39) breed anticipation. But this saving reign of God cannot be fully inaugurated until Jesus has died, risen from the dead, and been exalted to this Father’s right hand, returned to the glory he enjoyed with the Father before the world began. Jesus’ valuation of what is for his disciples’ ‘good’, indeed, for our good, ought to temper longings of the ‘Oh-if-only-I-could-have-been-in-Galilee-when-Jesus-was-there!’ sort. That same Jesus insists it is better to be alive now, after the coming of the Spirit. Before the triumphant in-breaking of God’s saving reign, before the inauguration of the new covenant, millions ignored the claims of the true God. Pentecost transformed that limitation, and millions have been brought to happy submission to the Lord Jesus Christ and to growing obedience by the power of the Spirit whom he bequeathed…  The decisive battle has been waged and won. The world continues its wretched attacks, but those who are in Christ share the victory he has won. They cannot be harmed by the world’s evil, and they know who triumphs in the end. From this they take heart, and begin to share his peace. – D. A. Carson

Gift Table (with passages)

1 Corinthians 12:28

Ephesians 4:11

1 Peter 4:11

1. apostle

2. prophet

(1) apostle

(2) prophet

whoever speaks (covering several gifts)

3. teacher

14. evangelist

whoever renders service

4. miracles

15. pastor-teacher

(covering several gifts)

5. kinds of healings

6. helps

Romans 12:6-8

7. administration

(2) prophecy

8. tongues

16. serving

(3) teaching

1 Corinthians 12:8-10

17. encouraging

9. word of wisdom

18. contributing

10. word of knowledge

19. leadership

11. faith

20. mercy

(5) gifts of healing

(4) miracles

1 Corinthians 7:7

(2) prophecy

21. marriage

12. distinguishing between spirits

22. celibacy

(8) tongues

13. interpretation of tongues

                          Pastor Samuel Sutter //  sam@BBCCOnline.org

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