Stir Me Up! Stirred Gifts

 

Stir Me Up! Sermon Notes Pastor Brad Myers

Stirred Gifts! August 18, 2024

Today: Stirred Gifts!

If God stirs, He has already equipped us to do whatever He is stirring us to do.

• Every believer has been equipped!
• You all are gifted!!

1 Timothy 4:14-16 (NLT)

Gifts of the Spirit: Given to fulfill the mission of the church. What is that mission?

1. To glorify God
2. To evangelize and to save the lost,
3. To make disciples of Jesus.
4. To meet human needs.

The gifts do not exist so we are in awe of them or astonished. Especially some of the gifts that have very supernatural connotations to them. But the gifts are designed to fulfill a mission.

• Jesus had all the gifts but not all displayed

Jesus gifted the church!

Ephesians 4:8 (NLT)

First: Gift of eternal life!

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

Second: Gift of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 2:38 (NLT)

Once we’re passed those initial gifts of entry into the Christian life we have a whole gift catalogue that is open to us. The gifts that the Spirit brings are because of Christ’s benefits.

There are three major gift passages. We will look at all the gifts of the Spirit which are listed in the New Testament for the mission of the church which is the glorification of God, the reaching of the lost, the discipline of the saints, and the serving of human need.

Motivational Gifts Explain the motivation to minister to one another.

Romans 12:6-8 (NIV) 7 gifts

Spiritual Gifts: Spirituals or Charismatic Gifts

• The Corinthians had a lot of carnalities, so Paul is saying in opposition to the carnalities let me talk to you about the Spiritualities.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV) 9 Giftings that are Spiritualities

Ministry Gifts: Coincide with an office in the church.

• Office of Apostle, office of teacher, etc..

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NIV)

Ministry Gift Description

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)

Every Christian Possesses Gifts

Ephesians 4:8 (NLT)

Timothy believed in the Lord Jesus Christ through God’s gift of saving faith and evangelical repentance, but he also had ‘charisma’, a gift of the grace of God. Not only was he a recipient of God’s grace in a general sense, but he also possessed a specific gift. God had endowed him with the ability to teach and pastor a church.

• Charisma: Enabled him to encourage and guide Christians. They accepted his leadership and listened. Prompted the gifts of teaching…

Paul “stirred” Timothy of His giftings!

1 Timothy 4:14-16 (NIV)

Every Christian is given a gift with some receiving divine charisma. We may not be evangelists, or teachers, or rulers in the church but God has given us something distinctive and individual in the service of his name and for the extension of his kingdom.

Your gift is crucial to the church and if you’re not using it the church is weaker.

• Sometimes you don’t recognize a gift you have but someone else does so they ask you for help and that’s when your gift is confirmed.

The asking is the stirring your action will do the confirming.

You have no right to say, “I have nothing to offer.” That actually says, “ I don’t believe God’s word.”

Gifts Get Neglected.

1 Timothy 4:14a (NLT)

Unless we take immediate and urgent action then the gift which God has given will disappear into a sea of neglect.

Gifts Need Stirred Up!

2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV)

1 Tim 4:14

“fan into flame the gift of God”

• Command: You have a duty, a responsibility to Heaven!

God saved us and gave us gifts. We once had potential. We had promise. We were contenders. We were builders but now we are laid aside. We need to find our first love and stir up the dormant gift within us.

How? The Action! Paul describes four ways our gifts can be fanned into flame Stirred!

1. Diligence

1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV)

• Paul is telling us to feed the gift with the word of God.
• Means: “Constantly stoke the fire”

Matthew 5:6 (NIV)

The second way we stir our gifts into a flame!

1. Total Dedication: Commitment!

1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV)

• Priority, the greatest thing in life!
• Fanning into a roaring fire your gifts!

Philippians 1:21 (NIV)

• Giving wholly to the cause

What I’m saying is let’s get on with it! Whatever God has for you, and whatever your role that may be, just do it!

The third way we stir our gifts into a flame!

1. Watch your Life and Doctrine Closely.

1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)

• You and what you teach! You can’t neglect either.

The first qualification to be a church elder.

Titus 1:6 (NIV)

Failure to watch your own life will result in failure in watching over the lives of others.

The fourth way we stir our gifts into a flame!

1. Persevere in Them

1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)

There are two great principles taught in the Bible: the first, is that all that are saved are joined with the Lord Jesus Christ and are preserved by his power for his everlasting kingdom. The second is that only those who persevere in faith, holiness, and obedience have any grounds to believe that they are being preserved.

Matthew 24:13 (ESV)

Paul’s Observation

1 Timothy 4:14-16 (NIV)