R366 God’s Gift to the Church Pt.1

We all could use some encouragement and will find it together today in the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton here on The Encouraging Word today would be a two-part series and Dr. Wilton taking us to Ephesians chapter 1 with this message of God's gift to the church as we open that gift together in the Bible itself know that were here for you to pray with you and for you anytime at 866-899-WORD.the number down stored in your cell would love to pray and encourage you maybe connect with the right resources and the number is 866-899-9673 right now.

Many folks are still asking about the book from Dr. Wilton about Dr. Billy Graham. Yes, you can see Kevin on our website@dewonline.org in order your copy today. That's DEW online.org. Now today's message from Dr. Don Wilton kind enough to take a copy of God's word turn with us to Ephesians chapter 4 Ephesians chapter 4 while you turning there.

I want to say something to use the congregation is your posture. I want to say thank you to you.

We need to do a whole study in this area of giftedness God's gifts to his church. But as we begin this study to the and as I stand here with great joy and say we have every reason to be glad, because God has brought together such a special group of people into this body of Christ is your posture. I want to say thank you to you, you know, folks. Many times we pray and we also going to do something for us and then when God doesn't. We don't say thank you. We assume that we say thank we assume that we told God what we feel and we do that privately sometimes, but perhaps sometimes as a whole church. We need to do more often folks listen to me it's very significant in today's day and night. We know what we've got. We know how much we've got. We understand the parameters we only spend what God's people give and God's blessing you see when moving into a subject that talks about us God's special gifts to his church and so many times when we think of gifts we think of giving.

That's a part of it, but it's such a small little part of. It's a tiny part of that God talks about the fact that there is not one of us here today who is not gift. Did you know that I'm so glad to tell you today that there's not one person in this century. Not one person worshiping with us today who is not blessed with giftedness. Every one of you has special talents, every one of us is gifted. Everyone I know that there are some people who say well I don't do anything icon saying and I don't do this and I don't do that. The Bible says no, so no ma'am there is not one child of God who is not gifted. God has no giftedness.

Children I want us to read about it. First of all Ephesians chapter 4 I want to read the first 16 verses again because we need to place this in context as a prisoner for the Lord and I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received be completely humble and gentle. The patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is over all through all and in all but to each one of us. Garrett is every one of us individually. Grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. How is this possible. He earned the right. That's what verse eight and nine tells us this is why it says when he ascended on high, he led captives, and he's trying and gave gifts to his men. What does he ascended mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions see the same. It is the very one who asked same at higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe listen to verse 11. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers want for in order to prepare God's people for works of service. Why so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of the son of God who became mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, then what is the result of all of this, we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

God has no giftedness.

Children use dear friend, are a special gift to God's church. Did you know that I want you to keep your finger in Ephesians go to first Corinthians chapter 12 first Corinthians chapter 12 in verse one, now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

I want you to know about these things, you know that when you were pagans when you didn't know me somehow or another you would influence and led astray by mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus be cursed.

I could just pose.

They cannot because they just for a moment, this is this is just something else. I'm convinced that not any talking about the gifts of the spirit. But that passage is saying something about people who blaspheme I'm convinced of it, people who use the name of Jesus Christ as a cuss word you Garrett on movies you here at football games you hear coaches user all the time, everywhere you go people use the name of Jesus Christ or God is a cuss word is not the Bible says no one speaking by the spirit of God Tammy say Jesus be cursed and no one on the other side can say Jesus is Lord accepting by the Holy Spirit accepting the Holy Spirit.

The spirit of God enters into the believe that and it is this God who causes us to proclaim that Jesus is Lord now look at verse four.

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 all of them in all men now to each one the manifestation or the outpouring of the outworking of the Spirit is given for what for the common good of the body of Christ so that everyone might benefit to one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same spirit to another faith by the same spirit to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between the spirits, that is the spirit of discernment.

We gonna talk about that to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. All of these are the work of one and the same spirit and he that is, God gives them to each one, just as he determines not go back to Ephesians chapter 4 verse seven. Before we lose that thought, but to each one.

Grace is given to us by Christ as he determines or has he apportions it. This is a big subject, how is it possible for the church to function the way God wants her to function. Just think about. I know that schoolteachers will readily agree with me because schoolteachers and educators are constantly confronted by different people. A classroom scene is a mass of individuals is no different in the church. That's why there is so wonderful being a pasta I we ministers are in the same sense we minister God allows us to minister to a whole group of different people you would be amazed at the different opinions we have in this congregation, if I wanted to do the silliest thing that I could ever do send out a survey to first Baptist Church and simply cite what would you like to do, what would you like to see or how would you like it to be done. We could write a couple of volumes I should imagine that could be added to our new library Donya why because we all are different where individuals how is it possible according to what Paul is saying, for there to be one body.

How can there be one body. I prayed earlier on that I been to some beautiful weddings weddings are wonderful things but you know what happens in wedding smoke. You get two different people.

Individual people coming together by God's grace.

You can go talk to the average wife today and she will tell you with all the love in the heart.

It's amazing what she has to put up well. Wives do they put up with a lot. Not just because they wives and their husbands or husbands. Not just because of the male hormones in the female hormones, then just two different people. They approach life differently and yet it's so remarkable that many people say the longer you married, the more you begin to look like each other. Think about I but we've got some folks in our congregation who look like identical twins.

They been married for 50 years or so and I do things the same way they understand each other cooler saying here that when you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus does something he brings together a group of people so diverse, so completely different with all the ups and downs, the good and the bad. All the things we like and we don't plaque and heat in Amo's name. The key word here is this key in Amo's then we gonna be looking up as he doesn't in two ways. He does it by grace. And he does it through in enabling faith. The Bible tells us he in Amo's the body of believers to come together for the common good. It's the most wonderful picture that the apostle portrays for us here in this particular passage of Scripture. He talks about the complementary nature of God's people complementary with an E that we all complement one another, not focusing very carefully what that means is simply this. If you are married today. It means that if you have a gift of business administration in your marriage and you are not handling the business affairs of your home, you are lifting your home down you all weakening the fabric of your home unit in a football team, as there is in Boston holding a soccer team in a tennis team in in in any kind of athletic encounter that you have all the members of that team have to play their part for the part they are designated to play now, please forgive me because I've never played football before but I love it.

I coached rugby in the principles are the same, but I know enough about football to know that if one of those players doesn't do what he is supposed to do. He is going to be at least partly responsible for the opposition scoring a touchdown. The gaps that appear in the line when someone doesn't block with a supposed to block so it is in the body of Christ we gain to discover your beloved friends that the apostle Paul encourages and admonishes his church to pull together as the body of Christ, and he looks out across the body of Christ, and he says my friend, what are you gifted in and if you are gifted in what ever it is you gifted in why are you not exercising your gift you lifting the body down you letting the Lord Jesus down you're not playing your part. For example, if I could use just one illustration. If you have a gift of music. My ask you a question. Watch me can ask to question if you have a gift of music. If you go to voice even half a voice why you not in the choir.

If you have a gift of teaching you're able to teach others.

Others learn from you why you not teaching in Sunday school this year. If you have a gift with finances.

You don't have to be a banker or a CPA. Listen folks, I'll tell you one of the main reasons why the finances of this church are in such good shape. You know what it means for a pasta to stand up in East front of these congregation and say we know what we've got, where we got it how much we've got it right exactly what we spend.

You know what what that means to a pasta folks, you know what it means for a whole congregation to know exactly where they congregation stands. Do you know why we were able to say that because we've had them all me of men and women who are gifted in finances who have given themselves morning noon and night came to the finances of the church. When the body of Christ begins to function as the body of Christ according to the glory of God walk happens.

Please forgive the interruption will be back with the answer that question about what happens is the body of Christ functions as it's been called to with Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment the doctor done want to do, especially in the season.

The summer season, we are earnestly praying for our nation wonderful resource called free indeed. Take a peek right now at our website tewonline.org give you all the details of the program right now you can take a look TE W online.org this message to the pastor and this resource of 31 days of prayer for our nation is a wonderful book that will help us grow in these guided prayer points of unity focus on asking God to move in our nation get all the details are on our website@tewonline.org pelleted back today's message God's gift to the church from Dr. Don Wilton reason Steve Spurrier won the national title.

My friends was that he assembled together a group of men who said we are going to play individually as one man asked what he did. Didn't mean to say that I didn't lose a game, didn't mean to say that they went gaps in the defense didn't mean to say that they would touchdown is not scored against them.

It made my friends that I ended up winning the national title, and that's what the apostle Paul is saying fully sign listen church listen people in today's day and age, and in today's world. If you want to quote unquote if you please. When the national title.

The body of Christ needs to be the body of Christ not listen friend if you don't have a gift in finances. Let those who are gifted in finances. Hamlet, but you might have a gift of hospitality. You might have a gift of helps you might have a gift of healing. You might have a gift of teaching.

You might have a gift of encouragement just to be able to go up. You might have a gift of the discernment of the spirit.

You know when something is of the spirit of God. And when it is I received a letter from a lady in our church this week is one of the most fruitful ladies in our church and it was one of the most beautiful letters and it was clear he was. Suggestions about our church and I sat down and I read it and I agreed with her in my heart and soul. You know why because I believe this lady walks the Lord.

That's the body of Christ function to give, let me say a few things about this number one there is diverse of the unity and unity in diversity, there is diverse city in unity. So many people.

When we talk about the body of Christ. They think that there is no diverse of the and unity.

Listen to me folks, the more unified we all the more diverse we become and the more diverse we become, the more unified we are use the body of Christ. Please note at any time in any place at any moment you need to calm and honest questions you need to give input. There is not one person in this congregation who ever needs to fear coming to me or to the deacons order the administrator order Steve Skinner order the chairman of finances and sign. Listen, this is what God has laid on my heart. Could we do business wire a little bit better that way. That is the most wonderful thing it's not what you say it's the root of Christ who lives in you that Mike precious that's the body of Christ. There is diverse of the in unity and there is unity and diverse of the number two different talents and abilities in the church are intended for God service in a united effort. Why do we all have these gifts because God intends them for service. Paul writing to the Romans. In chapter 12 in verse one says I beg of you, that you present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable under God. Why, because this is your reasonable worship or your reasonable service call was just saying wait a minute now, folks are not safe to sit to Cyprus or if we want to know what the future holds for this church beloved friends.

It is going to be determined by the activity of God's people who are responding to the voice of God within the context of the giftedness that God has given to you. You could do so much and you are doing so much.

I hope you hearing me saying folks that God has blessed I have to thank you for this.

I'm not prepared to move on into 1997 unless it is clearly stated, God's people were faith. I look around I see K groups corn in the homes, fellowship groups everywhere. I see monster life being taught in the home is experiencing God. I see people giving of themselves in our kitchen.

I see the helping center. Those who are preparing bicycles, those who clean up the century and those you make everything ready. The people who work from ladies first Thursday to missions. We bought a church that is active and on the march, but I'm going to say to you, friends, let's understand where the root of all this lies. It is in the heartbeat of God's word number three the manifestations of God's grace through gifts are as diverse as human personalities. I've said that gifts are as diverse as human personalities, but that's why we come together. There many things I cannot do by the way, that's what your church's office here for folks I don't have time to get into that I might pick up on it next week but every one of us is here for a purpose. Every one of us can't do everything. That's why we have a youth minister. That's why we have an administrator and that's why we have a business manager, and that's why we have a single adult minister and and we could just go on and on down the road it it's it's it's the microcosm of the macrocosm.

It's what we are called to do God is speaking in God's blessing these people. That's why we have deacons and that's why we have committees and that's why we have assignments and that's why we have some people who can give a whole lot.

And some people who can give just a little bit but you know God blesses where the rich one dollar or whether it's $1 million. If you are not giving and doing according to what God has given us. That's the bottom line. That's the bottom line. I'll tell you that $505,000 that was cash gifts this year. I'll guarantee you there some people who gave $10 and there some people who gave the thousand dollars which one is more blessed in the eyes of God. Both of them all. According to the gifts God has raised up businessman and said I can trust you with money sir. He's given it to you.

He's given other people gifts and so many other areas and when we come together, he braces us.

Number four God's grace enables us.

Verse seven.

How do we bring all this together. God enables us number five exact proportions given to us the exact according to what we need exact right amount wonderful just exactly what we need Bible says that the amazing grace of God is measured out according to Christ's social movement.

What is your gift but powerful misconduct will to God's gift to the church continue tomorrow.

There's much more to come as we study the book of Ephesians, especially in chapter 4, together with Dr. Wilton. But as we have been hearing this as our pastor would say, as the Scriptures have been marinating in her own heart and her own soul. And God has been stirring our hearts to response what is the response that you feel you need to make today in my opinion and Dr. Wilson's pain that's more important. Every time we hear the word of God. Every time you read the word of God. We should be change we should come away with the decision to do something differently. It could be a major decision.

It could be a minor adjustment. Either way, which you pray with me as we open the microphone to Dr. Wilton.

Now for these next moments to talk about what we need to do next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer dear God, I know you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross so that I might be forgiven today. I repainted myself. I confess my sin. And I invite you to come in my life in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer. Let me be the first one welcome to the family of God. This is one I hope that you know how much I'm going to be held very important questions for me polis so we can hope to connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey. And in just a moment I'm in a come back to the final welcome to the family of God.

I know that some of you have made that decision to give your life to Christ to rededicate your life. Others are making course corrections. Either way, we would love to pray with you and for you want to give us a call and let us pray with you it 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-WORD 9673 or you can connect with us online@ourwebsitetwonline.org and share this prayer request and praise reports. We can also share great ministry resources like this, our nation needs prayer and our founding fathers understood everything And everything that we are is really without we are on our own.

God has a very serious message for America this month for your gift of any amount to The Encouraging Word broadcast ministry, you will receive Dr. powerful message free indeed. Along with the bones. 31 days from 90s. This resource that will provide encouragement now and for the days ahead. You will have a renewed focus on the promise and power of prayer and for your freedom and collapse at 866899 Larry, that's 866-899-9673 to request a free indeed and 31 days for supporting The Encouraging Word as we continue to programming life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to a nation in desperate need of biblical turn times on Thursday, but I hope you'll join us tomorrow for more of God's gift to the church a powerful message from book of Ephesians with our pastor and chief encourager Dr. Don Wilton on the next edition of the Encouraging Word