Acts 6. | Thru the Bible. The Book of Acts.

Hello and welcome Mercy Church family to our week 6 of Journey through the Bible.

We are still in our first book, the Book of Acts.

We are on Acts 6 and we have already learned so much about the early church.

I would like to begin this week on a topic that we have been touching on quite a bit over the last few months spiritual gifts.

When the Holy Spirit came upon the people in Acts 2, and when the Holy Spirit fills people today, he gives each believer spiritual gifts.

Let's begin in Acts 2.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Thanks to the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit now comes to dwell within each believer at salvation.

But there is a second part, the filling of the Holy Spirit, that typically comes at a different time.

That comes with supernatural gifts.

We see the gifts in this passage because on the day of Pentecost, for the believers in the upper room, both the indwelling and the infilling came at the same time.

The Holy Spirit came to dwell within the believers and filled them with His Spirit and power and boldness and gifts.

Let's turn to Acts 4.

Really quick, acts 4, verse 23,.

Acts 4:23

On the release, peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.

Sovereign Lord, they said you made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

You spoke by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of your servant, our Father David.

Why did the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up together and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed one.

Indeed, herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant, jesus, whom you anointed.

They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

Now, lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant, jesus.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

On the day of Pentecost, all believers had both experiences at the same time the indwelling and the infilling.

Today, the indwelling, where the Holy Spirit comes to live with us, comes the day we make our decision to follow Jesus.

The infilling comes most often at a different time.

On the day of Pentecost, all believers received the indwelling, but only those in the upper room received the infilling.

The evidence of the infilling was speaking in tongues and boldness.

So it acts for.

The believers at the meetings already had the Holy Spirit within them, dwelling within them the indwelling but they needed to be filled with His Spirit the infilling.

These are two separate experiences and during the prayer meeting, the place where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.

There are several times in the book of Acts where believers already have the initial deposit of the Holy Spirit within them.

Second Corinthians, 5-5,.

Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.

Now let's turn to Ephesians 2, verse 13.

Ephesians 2:13

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

When you believed, you were marked in Him with the seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possessions, to the praise of His glory.

So all of us have the initial deposit of the Holy Spirit that sills our salvation upon salvation.

But for most of us, the filling of the Holy Spirit, where he bestows gifts and boldness, happened sometime after salvation.

Acts 8, verse 14,.

Acts 8:14

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.

When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them.

They had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Let's jump ahead to Acts 19, verse 1.

Acts 19:1

While Apollos was at Corinth, paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.

There he found some disciples and asked them did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

They answered no, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

So Paul asked then what baptism did you receive?

John's baptism, they replied.

Paul said John's baptism was a baptism of repentance.

He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

There were about 12 men in all.

Paul said were you filled with the Holy Spirit when you believed?

The believer said no.

Paul placed his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues.

Here's the evidence they spoke in tongues and immediately they get a gift.

They prophesy.

What is prophecy?

Prophecy is simply speaking, a message from God to the people.

So the evidence of being filled with the Spirit are boldness and gifts gifts we talked about how the Holy Spirit gives us our own personal prayer language and boldness, most often speaking in tongues in the form of our own personal prayer language, is the initial evidence of the Holy Spirit, in combination with the boldness and power to share the Gospel.

These are our own individual gifts, but we are also given corporate gifts.

Corporate gifts build up the corporate body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12, verse 1.

1 Corinthians 12:1

Now about the spiritual gifts, the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit.

Brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.

Paul says in other versions don't be ignorant of the spiritual gifts.

It's very important that you know and understand them.

Verse 2.

You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols.

However, you were led off whether by impulse or habit.

Therefore, I want you to know that no one speaking by the power and influence of the Spirit of God can say Jesus be cursed and no one can say Jesus is my Lord except by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.

Paul is saying these spiritual gifts come from God.

No man can claim Jesus as his Lord except by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.

So this means that these men are legitimate men of God who claim Jesus as his Lord and have the Holy Spirit inside of them, dwelling in them and filling them.

All spiritual gifts will exalt Jesus.

If they don't, these gifts are not from God, verse 4.

Now there are distinctive varieties of spiritual gifts, special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers, but in the same spirit who grants them and empowers believers.

Paul says there are a variety of spiritual gifts, special abilities given by and operating by the Holy Spirit within each believer.

The same spirit empowers all people but gives them different gifts Verse 5.

And there are distinctive varieties of ministry and service, but it is the same Lord who has served and there are distinctive ways of working to accomplish things, but it is the same God who produces all things and all believers, inspiring, energizing and empowering them.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit, the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit for the common good.

Each believer is given at least one manifestation of the Holy Spirit, at least one gift for the edifying, the building up of the body of Christ.

This is the corporate anointing.

Verse 8.

To one is given, through the Holy Spirit, the power to speak the message of wisdom and to another the power to express the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit.

To another, wonder working faith is given by the same Holy Spirit and to another the extraordinary gift of healing by one Spirit and to the other a working of miracles, and to another prophecy, foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people and to another.

Discernment of spirits, the ability to distinguish sound godly doctrine from deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults.

To another various kinds of unknown tongues and to another interpretation of tongues.

All these things, the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering, are brought about by one and the same Holy Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as he chooses.

There are multiple gifts, nine to be exact.

Now he lists them out word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, the gift of faith, the working of miracles, the gift of healing, prophecy, diversity of tongues and the interpretation of tongues.

Let's continue verse 12.

For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form only one body, so it is with Christ, for by one Holy Spirit we were all baptized into one body, spiritually transformed, united together, whether Jews or Greeks, gentiles, slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Holy Spirit, since the same Holy Spirit fills each life.

For the human body does not consist of one part, but of many limbs and organs.

If the foot says because I'm not a hand, I am not a part of the body, is it not, contrary, still a part of the body?

If the ear says, because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, is it not, on the contrary, still a part of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?

If the whole body were an ear?

Where would the sense of smell be?

But now, as things really are, god has placed and arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as he willed and saw fit, with the best balance of function.

If they were all a single organ, where would the rest of the body be?

But now, as things really are, there are many parts, different limbs and organs, but a single body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you, but quite the contrary.

The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are absolutely necessary.

And as for these parts of the body which we consider less honorable, these we treat with great honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty, while our more presentable parts do not require it.

But God has combined the whole body, giving greater honor to that part which lacks it, so that there would be no division or discord in the body, that is, lack of adaptation of the parts to each other, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.

And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering.

If one member is honored, all rejoice with it.

Now you, collectively, are Christ's body and individually you are members of it, each with its own special purpose and function.

So God has appointed and placed in the church for its own use first, apostles chosen by Christ.

Second, prophets, those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people.

Third, teachers.

Then those who work miracles.

Then those with gifts of healing, the helpers, the administrators and the speakers and various kinds of unknown tongues.

Are all apostles, are all prophets, are all teachers, are all workers of miracles, do all have the gift of healing, do all speak with tongues, do all interpret, but earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts if acquiring them is going to be your goal.

And yet I will show you a still more excellent way.

One of the choicest graces and the highest of them all unselfish love.

God gives all believers spiritual gifts designed to play their part within the body.

If a believer doesn't become a part of the corporate body, then the gift God has given them goes to waste.

By giving us all gifts to build up the body, that means we are all designed to be a part of the local body so that we can use the gifts God gave us.

Paul explains the importance of building up the body.

First, corinthians 14, verse 1, pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the spirit.

On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy.

The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets so that the church may be built up.

When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, your priorities begin to change.

As his disciple, we begin to want the things that God wants.

Jesus says in Matthew 6, verse 33, seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33

So, as his disciples, his kingdom begins to become important to us.

The Holy Spirit puts this boldness, this desire to preach and tell the world about him within us.

All of us are designed to play a part within God's story, to help further God's kingdom.

Let's continue.

He's going to talk about the difference between the individual anointing and the corporate anointing.

He says one who speaks just to God in his own personal prayer language speaks to God himself and only builds himself up.

But if he has a corporate gift, like prophecy, it is greater because he speaks to more people than just himself and builds them up and encourages them.

Verse 6.

Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

If even lifeless instruments such as the flute or the harp do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?

And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?

So, with yourselves, if with your tongue, you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said, for you will be speaking into the air.

There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning.

But if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

So with yourselves, since you're eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

As believers and his disciples, we should strive to excel in the building up of the church.

Praise our job as his disciple, verse 13,.

Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

What am I to do?

I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also.

I will sing.

Praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say amen to your Thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

For you may be giving thanks, well enough, but the other person is not being built up.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Nevertheless, in church, I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others than 10,000 words in a tongue Brothers, do not be children in your thinking, be infants and evil, but in your thinking, be mature.

In the law.

It is written by people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners.

Well, I speak to this people and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.

Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

But if all prophesy and an unbeliever outside or enters, he is convicted by all.

He is called to account by all.

The secrets of his heart are disclosed and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

So speaking in tongues is a gift for the individual believer, unless you have the diversity of tongues and the gift of interpretation.

Those are two different gifts by two different people.

The gifts of the spirit are used to build up the body.

What happened when the people heard the tongues on the day of Pentecost and they had the interpretation?

Acts 2.

, verse 4,.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now they were staying in Jerusalem, god-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound.

A crowd came together and bewildered them because each one heard their own language being spoken.

Utterly amazed, they asked Aren't all those who are speaking Galileans, and how is it that each of us hear them in our own native language?

Parthians, medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, judea and Cappadocia, pontus and Asia, phrygia and Pamphylia, egypt and parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, cretans and Arabs.

We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

These gifts of the Spirit attracted thousands of unbelievers and, along with the preaching of the Word, with the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

If you jump down to verse 41 of Acts 2, it says 3,000 were saved.

If you look at the gate, beautiful.

Healing is also a spiritual gift.

The gifts of the Spirit attract the person and confirm within them that they are sent from God.

Acts 3, verse 6.

Acts 3:6

When Peter said, silver or Gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk, taking him by the right hand.

He helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk.

Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God.

When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate, called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened.

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them.

In the place called Solomon's Colonnade, the healing works the exact same way.

We see the spiritual gift of healing and it attracts the unbelievers.

They see God's power working through his people and these gifts, in combination with the Word of God that Peter preached again, thousands more came to believe.

Paul tells Timothy to grow his gift.

Second Timothy 1-6,.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

The New Living Translation says it like this stir up the gift of God, the one that he gave you.

Then he says seek the greater gifts.

Paul says again in 1 Timothy 4, verse 14, do not neglect your gift, which has been given you through prophecy.

1 Timothy 4:14

When the body of elders laid their hands on you, he's telling Timothy do not neglect his gift, stir it up, fan it into flame.

Peter says this 1 Peter 4-10,.

As for each of us has received a gift.

Use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very grace.

Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever.

Amen.

This marks the end of day one Part, two signs and wonders.

So when the Holy Spirit first came upon Jesus, he had gifts too.

1 John 1, verse 29,.

The next day, john saw Jesus coming towards him and said look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

This is the one I meant when I said a man who comes after me has surpassed me, because he was before me.

I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing him with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.

Then John gave his testimony.

I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven as a dove and remain on him, and I myself did not know him.

But the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

I have seen and I testify that this is God's chosen one, and Luke 3, verse 21 says this when all the people were being baptized, jesus was baptized too, and as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove, and the voice came from heaven you are my son with you.

Luke 3:21

I am well pleased From this moment on when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove.

Just like the Holy Spirit descends upon the believers with tongues of fire, jesus is now guided by the Holy Spirit and filled with the Spirit.

How do we know?

Let's look for one.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

Let's move down to verse 14.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

So Jesus began, by the power of the Spirit, to perform miracles, healing signs and wonders.

Let's look for a minute at some.

Matthew 4, verse 23,.

Matthew 4:23

And he went throughout all of Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

So his fame spread throughout all Syria and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures and paralytics, and he healed them, and great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and from Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Let me ask you this what is the reason for the healings, signs and wonders?

After Jesus did his first miracle, he turned water into wine.

John says this.

John 2, verse 11,.

John 2:11

This is the first of his signs.

Jesus did it at Cana, in Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Nicodemus says this John 3, verse 1.

John 3:1

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

This man came to Jesus by night and said to him Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher.

Come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.

When Jesus spoke to the lady at the well, what was the result of the miracle?

What did he do?

Was it a miracle?

Let's look real quick.

John 4, verse 16,.

John 4:16

Jesus said go call your husband and come here.

The woman answered I have no husband.

Jesus said to her you are right in saying I have no husband, for you have had five husbands and the one you now have is not your husband.

What you have said is true.

The woman said to him sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

Jesus exercised the gift of knowledge with the Lady at the Well.

He said You're right, you have had five husbands.

Jump down to verse 28.

So the woman left her water jar and went away into the town and said to the people Come see a man who told me all that I ever did.

Can this be the Christ?

They went out of the town and were coming to him.

The Lady at the Well told everyone she knew because of the spiritual knowledge of Jesus.

Verse 39, many Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.

He told me all that I ever did.

So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them and he stayed two days and many more believed because of his word.

They said to the woman it is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.

So Jesus began to attract crowds John 6.

After this, jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias, and a large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

It is the signs and wonders that attract the people's notice Matthew 4, verse 22.

Matthew 4:22

And he went throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every inflection among the people.

So his fame spread throughout all Syria and they brought all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures and paralytics, and he healed them.

And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and from Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

First the signs and wonders would attract the people to Jesus and then Jesus would teach them Matthew 7, verse 8.

Matthew 7:8

And Jesus finished these sayings that crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes.

Also, after Jesus met their needs, he would teach them Matthew 9, verse 35.

Matthew 9:35

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

When he saw the crowd, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples the harvest is pudiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Jesus gave his disciples the same authority Matthew 10.

And he called to him his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction.

Let's skip down to verse 5.

These 12 Jesus sent out, instructing them go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and proclaim as you go, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leopards, cast out demons.

I want you to understand that spiritual gifts are not just for the disciples.

Jesus doesn't just give spiritual gifts only to his 12 disciples Luke 10, and this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.

He told them the harvest is pudiful, but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Let's skip down to when the 72 returned, verse 17.

The 72 returned with joy and said Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.

And he said to them I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Now let's look at Mark 16, verse 14.

Mark 16:14

Afterward he appeared to the 11 themselves as they were reclining at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

And he said to them go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Whoever believes in his baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

And these signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up serpents with their hands and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them.

They will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.

He says whoever believes in his baptized will be saved and these signs will accompany those who believe.

He didn't say these signs will accompany the 12.

These signs are only for the 72.

He didn't say these signs might.

He said these signs will accompany those who believe, which means all of those who believe.

Now let's look at the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the believers.

Acts 2, verse 1,.

Acts 2:1

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.

All of them, not just the disciples, not just the 72.

And this is the case for all who believe.

Last week we read that all the disciples had gifts of the Spirit.

We saw the Holy Spirit heal through Peter and John, a lame man at the gate.

Beautiful, but that wasn't the only miracle.

Acts 5, verse 12.

Acts 5:12

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and all of the believers used to meet together in Solomon's colonnade.

No one else dared to join them, and even though they were highly regarded by the people, nevertheless more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats, so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by, crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

All the apostles performed signs and wonders, and so did many others.

In fact, two of the guys we saw in today's reading be elected to deacon at the church of Jerusalem performed many miracles.

Stephen, who is described as a man full of faith in the Holy Spirit In chapter 6, verse 8, says Now, stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Opposition arose, however, from the members of the synagogue of the freedmen, as it was called Jesus, irene and Alexandria, as well as the provinces of Silica and Asia, who began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

And then Philip, who followed Stephen in his election to the church in Jerusalem, also performed many signs and wonders.

Acts 8, verse 4,.

Acts 8:4

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.

When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said, for, with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

So there was great joy in that city, but so did many other believers.

The disciples saw someone that wasn't a disciple performing miracles and tried to stop him.

They take this information to Jesus.

Mark 9, verse 38,.

Mark 9:38

Teacher said, john, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us.

Do not stop him.

Jesus said, for no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.

Truly, I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Paul performed miracles as well.

Acts 28, verse 7,.

Acts 28:7

There is an estate that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island.

He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days.

His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery.

Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.

When this had happened, the rest of the sick of the island came and were cured, and Paul was healed himself.

Acts 9, verse 10,.

Acts 9:10

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias.

This is a different Ananias, not the same one.

The Lord called to him in a vision.

Ananias yes, lord.

He answered.

The Lord told him Go to the house of Judas on straight street and asked for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

In a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.

Lord Ananias answered I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem, and he has come here with authority from the chief priest to arrest all who call on your name.

But the Lord said to Ananias Go, this man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it, placing his hands on Saul.

He said Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and he could see again.

He got up and was baptized and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Beginning in this week's reading, we began to meet believers outside of the circle of Jesus and they began to do things in Jesus's name as well.

This marks the end of day two, part three spiritual gifts and ministry gifts.

As the kingdom begins to grow, the administration of God's people begins to get bigger and bigger, to where the 12 apostles can no longer do all the work without spending all their time taking care of the people, which is taking time away from their preaching.

Let's look at the reading today, acts six, starting at the top.

In those days, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained about the Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

So the 12 gathered all the disciples together and said it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word of God in order to wait on tables.

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.

We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer in the ministry of the Word.

This proposal pleased the whole group.

They chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Spirit.

So Philip Prochorus, nikannar, timon Parminius and Nicholas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism, they presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the Word of God spread.

The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

We talked about spiritual gifts endowed to us by the Holy Spirit.

There are gifts for the individual, like the speaking of tongues and guidance, and power and boldness, and there are spiritual gifts for each believer that are for the building up of the body.

These gifts are words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy, diversity of tongues and interpretation, discerning of spirits, working of miracles, faith healings.

God also gives ministry gifts.

Let's begin in 1 Corinthians, 12.

Verse one now, about the spiritual gifts, the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit.

Sisters and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.

You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols.

However, you were led off whether by impulse or habit.

Therefore, I want you to know that no one speaking by the power and the influence of the Spirit of God can say Jesus be cursed and no one can say Jesus is my Lord except by the power and the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Now, there are distinctive varieties of spiritual gifts, spiritual abilities given by grace and the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers, but it is the same spirit who grants them and empowers believers.

And there are distinctive varieties of ministries and services, but it is the same Lord who has served.

And there are distinctive ways of working to accomplish things, but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers, inspiring, energizing and empowering them.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit, the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit for the common good.

To one is given, through the Holy Spirit, the power to speak the message of wisdom and to another the power to express the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit.

To another, wonder working faith is given by the same Holy Spirit and to another the extraordinary gift of the healings by the one Spirit, and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy for telling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people, and to another discernment of spirits, the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults.

To another various kinds of unknown tongues and to another interpretation of tongues.

All these things, the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering, are brought about by one and the same Holy Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as he chooses.

For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form only one body, so it is with Christ, for by one Holy Spirit we were baptized into one body, spiritually transformed, united together.

Whether Jews or Greeks, gentiles, slaves, are free and were all made to drink of one Holy Spirit.

Since the same Holy Spirit fills each life.

As we continue into Acts and even into this week's reading, we begin to see the body working together as a whole.

Let's keep reading in verse 14.

I would like us to skip down to verse 28.

Paul begins to list out the ministry gifts.

So God is appointed and placed in the church for his own use.

First, apostles chosen by Christ.

Second, prophets those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people.

Third, teachers and those who work miracles.

Then those with the gifts of healing, the helpers, the administration and speakers in various kinds of unknown tongues.

The ministry gifts here are apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, those who work miracles and healings.

Helps.

What, yes, helps is a ministry administrators, pastors and directors of churches and speakers in various tongues.

This isn't your average person.

This is the person that has the gift of diversity of tongues and interpretation, which is a prophecy gift.

Paul continues talking about ministry gifts and spiritual gifts Verse 29,.

Are all apostles, are all prophets, are all teachers, are all workers of miracles, do all have gifts of healing, do all speak with tongues, do all interpret.

But earnestly desire and strive for the greatest gifts if acquiring them is going to be your goal, and yet I will show you a still more excellent way.

One of your choices, graces and the highlights of them all unselfish love.

He tells us to earnestly desire God's gifts, but even greater than all of these is love.

Now let's turn to Ephesians 4, verse 1,.

Ephesians 4:1

I therefore, prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace.

There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all but grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

God gives gifts to each of us according to the measure of Christ GIFT.

Let's switch to the amp, verse 11.

And his gifts to the church were varied, and he himself appointed some as apostles, special messengers, representatives, some as prophets who speak a new message from God to the people, some as evangelists who spread the good news of salvation, and some as pastors and teachers, to shepherd and guide and instruct, and he did this to fully equip and perfect the saints, god's people, for works of service, to build up the body of Christ, the church, until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing spiritually to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ, manifesting his spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity, so that we are no longer children, spiritually immature, tossed back and forth like ships on a stormy sea and carried about by every wind of shifting doctrine, by the cunning and the trickery of unscrupulous men, by deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything for personal profit.

But speaking the truth and love in all things, both our speech and our lives, expressing his truth, let us grow up in all things into him, following his example.

Who is the head, christ, from him, the whole body, the church in all its various parts, joined and knitted firmly together by what each joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in unselfish love.

I like the amplified because it explains the ministry positions we are going to study in depth spiritual and ministry gifts coming up in our gifted series starting next week.

I just want to point out the reason for ministry gifts is that individual spiritual gifts are for the strengthening of the individual.

If you want to know more about them, go back to our Holy Spirit series last year and listen also to the seven series, which is specifically on the Holy Spirit's help to the individual.

After individual gifts, you have spiritual gifts that are corporate gifts that help build up the body.

When Paul talks about spiritual gifts, this is what he's talking about.

What does it mean to build up the body?

For example, the gift of healing.

The gift of healing brings attention to the needs of the people.

The use of the gift of healing might attract new people to the body or it might strengthen them by meeting their need.

Or perhaps, in the case of the gift of the word of knowledge or wisdom, is designed to edify, build up, exhort.

The diversity of tongues, in combination with interpretation, might bring a much needed message or direction from God.

These corporate spiritual gifts from God are designed to convey the power, the wisdom, the direction, a message from God to his people For the common good of the people as a whole, and only works as God wills.

You might have the spiritual gift of healing, but that doesn't mean that you can go around healing whoever and whenever and wherever you like.

Elijah only raised one widow's son.

They were in a severe drought.

There were a lot of people dying.

It was only in God's will for him to raise the one.

You might have the gift of a word of wisdom or knowledge, or maybe both gifts, but that doesn't mean that you have a word for every person you meet.

God only gives you words for those he initiates.

God may have given Moses the ability to bring water from a rock, but that doesn't mean he has the spiritual gift to get water from every rock.

God's anointing and his gifts only work in combination with his will.

If you step outside of his will, it won't work.

But sometimes there are bad consequences, like the seven sons of Sceva.

Have you heard this story?

The seven sons of Sceva did not have spiritual gifts.

They were not workers of miracle, they did not even know Jesus.

But they had seen an exorcism and they saw the formula and thought, hey, I can do this.

So they took it upon themselves to go around exercising demons.

Bad idea.

Let's look at Acts 19, verse 13.

Acts 19:13

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits, tried to evoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon possessed.

They would say in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.

Seven sons of Sceva, a chief Jewish priest, were doing this One day.

The evil spirit answered them Jesus I know and Paul I know about, but who are you Then, the man who had the evil spirits jumped on them and overpowered them all?

He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.

A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly.

When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came out to 50,000 drachmas.

In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

When you use your spiritual gift in combination with the will of God, the body is built up, the person's faith is strengthened or a need is met.

Ministry gifts are different than individual and corporate spiritual gifts.

Ministry gifts are not given to all believers.

Let's look back at Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4 tells us their purpose in verse 11.

So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and the teachers to equip His people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ministry gifts are given to the believers so that they can help people grow and reach maturity in Christ, the fullness of Christ.

Verse 12 in the King James Version says For the perfecting of the saints, and the Amp says it like this verse 12.

And he did this to fully equip and perfect the saints, god's people, for works of service, to build up the body of Christ, the church, until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing spiritually to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ, manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity, so that we are no longer children, spiritually immature, tossed back and forth like ships on a stormy sea and carried away by every wind of shifting doctrine by the cunning and trickery of unscrupulous man, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything for personal profit, but speaking the truth and love in all things, both our speech and our lives, expressing His truth, let us grow up in all things in Him, following His example.

Who is the head?

Christ For Him, the whole body, the church and all its various parts, joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in unselfish love.

Many people say today that they don't need to go to church.

I can feed myself.

God gave you a gift for a purpose.

If you never step foot into a church and you never use that gift, you are not in God's will for your life.

God gave you a calling and that calling includes your part within the body of Christ.

We all play a role and when you don't go to church and you are not in the body, you are depriving the body of a part a foot, a hand, a head, an eye.

And that gift God placed inside of you was designed to strengthen, build up, inspire, grow and mature someone else.

Romans 12-4,.

For just as one physical body, we have many parts and these parts do not all have the same function or special use.

We, who are many, are nevertheless just one body in Christ and individually we are parts one of another, mutually dependent on each other.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly.

If someone has the gift of prophecy, let them speak a new message from God to his people, in proportion to the faith possessed.

If service in the act of serving, or if he teaches in the act of teaching, or if he encourages in the act of encouragement, he who gives with generosity, he who leads with diligence, he who shows mercy and caring for others with cheerfulness.

Also, if you never step foot into the church and never use the gift God gave you, then you will never reach the level of maturity God has for you, because you have stepped out of God's will for your life.

The only way we will ever reach full maturity is if we submit to him all areas and say not my will but yours, and that means residing within the church body and using the gifts God placed inside of us.

1 Peter 4, verse 10,.

1 Peter 4:10

Just as each of you has received a special gift, a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God, employing and serving one another as is appropriate for good stewards of God's multifaceted grace, faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God's unmerited favor.

Whoever speaks to the congregation is to do so as one who speaks the oracles, the utterances, the very words of God.

Whoever serves the congregation is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God abundantly supplies.

Other than all things, god may be glorified, honored and magnified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen.

I know that this might hurt a little bit.

People have been hurt by people at the church.

If each believer stepped into what God has for them, his will for their life, then they would, over time, grow into complete maturity.

The Holy Spirit is within us and is sanctifying us, making us better year after year, but in order for him to do that, we have to be walking out his will for our lives.

Any area that we do not submit to him is causing a door to open to sin.

We don't go to church because we like the people, though I hope you like the people.

We go to church because God calls us to be a part of the body, and this is how we are able to use the gifts God has placed inside of us.

This is how we fulfill our calling.

This is how we worship him and how we too are edified, lifted up, strengthened and grow into the maturity God has called us to.

The Holy Spirit is a gentleman.

He will not make us become mature.

We have to want to grow into maturity.

We have to make a choice to do it, which means submitting all areas of our lives to him.

Maturity is hard.

It means being a grownup and battling through the hard stuff that comes and doing what God has asked us to do, which is to be a part of the body and to employ those gifts as a part of the body.

2 Timothy 1, 6 and 7.

For this reason, I remind you to fan and to flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit, not a fear, but a power and love and self-control.

We always quote the scripture.

Right, god has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind or self-control.

But how many of you know that it's part of the scripture that talks about your gift of God.

Paul tells Timothy to fan and to flame his gift that God placed within him when he was filled with the spirit.

We shouldn't be afraid of it or afraid to use it.

God gave us power to control it, love and self-control, a sound mind.

In fact, god is inside of us.

Let's stop here for the end of day 3.

Part 4, spiritual Gift Basics Revelation Gifts.

I just want to discuss some of the spiritual gifts we have seen so far and will continue to see.

Throughout Acts, all believers receive a spiritual gift.

1 Corinthians 12, verse 7.

1 Corinthians 12:7

Now, to each one, the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good.

To one, there is given, through the spirit, a message of wisdom.

To another a message of knowledge by means of 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 spirit to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and still to another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same spirit and he distributes them to each one just as he determines.

So there are nine spiritual gifts, broken up into three categories the Revelation Gifts, the Power Gifts and the Inspirational Gifts.

The Revelation Gifts are word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits.

The Power Gifts are the gift of faith, the working of miracles and the gifts of healing.

The Inspirational Gifts are prophecy, diversity of tongues, interpretation of tongues.

Often gifts grouped together in a category work together.

The Revelation Gifts reveal something, the Power Gifts do something.

The Inspirational Gifts say something.

Let's begin today with the Revelation Gifts, the first one being the word of knowledge.

The NIV calls it the message of knowledge.

The King James Version says the word of knowledge.

We don't call it the gift of knowledge.

We call it a word or a message of knowledge because it is just a piece of what God is revealing to us.

Remember when we talked about the seven manifestations of the Holy Spirit back in the fall.

The Spirit of Knowledge brings to us revelation about the mind of God.

He just gives us a word or a part of what he knows.

It is important to understand that all of these gifts are supernatural.

So is the word of knowledge.

This is a knowledge that we get by studying the word of God, but by supernatural revelation.

An example of the word of knowledge is when Jesus calls Nathaniel, john 1.28.

Nathaniel said to him how do you know me?

Jesus answered and said to him Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

Another example of the word of knowledge is the Lady at the Well.

We have talked about this passage over and over.

Jesus told her you don't have one husband, but five.

Word of knowledge is supernatural revelation from God.

The second revelational gift is word of wisdom.

Our passage in 1 Corinthians 12 says this, for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, because these are spiritual gifts, we are only talking about spiritual things.

A word of knowledge is a fragment of God's knowledge.

A word of wisdom is a fragment of God's wisdom.

This is not wisdom found in studying the word or through human means.

The word of wisdom is not general wisdom to deal with the things of life.

The word of knowledge is supernatural facts in the mind of God, facts that God knows, and people and places or things in past or presence.

The word of wisdom is more.

The word of wisdom is supernatural revelation about God's divine purpose and plan.

The word of wisdom is a better gift than the word of knowledge.

The word of knowledge talks about facts that have happened or are happening.

The word of wisdom tells us what is in the mind of God.

The easiest way to discern the two is that the word of knowledge is present or in the past.

The word of wisdom concerns topics in the future.

The manifestation of the spirit of wisdom, as we talked about in 7, is how the Holy Spirit brings to light and pulls up the word in application with a particular experience.

So the word of wisdom is when the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives a believer a word for the body of believers that applies to a certain situation.

God gave Jonah a word of wisdom for Nineveh, jonah 3, verse 1, then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.

Jonah 3:1

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.

Now, nineveh was a very large city.

It took three days to go through it.

Jonah began by going a day's journey into the city, proclaiming 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown.

The Ninevites believed God.

A fast was proclaimed and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

The third revelation gift is discerning of spirits.

So the word of wisdom gives us insight into the revelations and plans and purposes of God.

The word of knowledge gives us facts and knowledge of the past and the present.

Discerning of spirits gives us knowledge and insight and guidance into the spiritual world.

This is the same as seeing and hearing in the spiritual world.

To discern means to perceive by seeing or hearing.

In Luke 13, 11, and behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and was bent over and could not in any way raise herself up.

Often people say I have the gift of discernment and they mean discerning of faults or problems.

This is not discernment.

Discernment of character faults is not real.

Even non-believers can do this.

Discernment is anything in the spiritual world, not just evil spirits.

It could also be God.

Isaiah 6, verse 1,.

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.

Other people say that they have discernment and it's just their inward witness, the Holy Spirit inside the individual trying to keep them out of trouble, telling them to get up and get out.

If you have the spiritual gift of discernment, it is for the building up of the body.

Every believer can be led by the Holy Spirit in their individual walk.

Also, discerning of spirits help us to know if a word or a prophecy is from God or not.

The Bible tells us that there will be false prophets.

That was just a brief overview of the Revelation Gifts.

We will go deeper in our upcoming series Gifted.

This marks the end of day four, part five spiritual gift basics the power gifts.

In addition to Revelation Gifts, god bestows believers with spiritual gifts, which I am going to classify as power gifts.

The first one we're going to talk about, which is gift number four as a whole, is the gift of faith.

The gift of faith can be a confusing one, because there are different types of faith in the Bible.

I'm going to explain them by category.

They're saving faith, faith that we have to become saved, faith that comes by hearing of the word.

There's also general faith.

God has given an allotment of faith to all believers.

This is the faith we use to navigate our lives.

There is also the fruit of the spirit, faith which the word actually means, faithfulness.

And then, last, there is the gift of faith, which is the spiritual gift to be able to receive a miracle or a healing.

Next, look at the healing at the gate Beautiful, acts four.

One day Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon.

Now a man who was laying from birth was being carried to the temple gate called beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

Peter looked straight at him, as did John.

Then Peter said look at us.

So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from him.

Then Peter said silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk.

Then he went with him into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God.

When all the people saw his walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Let's skip down to verse 11.

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to the place called Solomon's Colonnade.

When Peter saw this, he said to them Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you?

Why do you stare at us as if, by our own power or godliness, we have made this man walk?

The God of Abraham, isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant, jesus.

You handed him over to be killed and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.

You disowned the holy and righteous one and asked that a murderer be released to you.

You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.

We are witnesses of this.

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man, whom you see and know, was made strong.

It is in Jesus's name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him.

As you all can see, by faith the man was made strong and that faith that comes through him has completely healed him.

This is the gift of faith.

The man had the gift of faith as a supernatural gift in order to receive his healing.

The gift of faith also works in tandem with the next power gift, the working of miracles.

So what's a miracle?

A miracle is a supernatural intervention from God when Moses put his staff in the water and it parted the Red Sea.

That is a miracle.

Let's look at Jesus's first miracle, john 2.

On the third day, a wedding took place at Cana, in Galilee.

Jesus's mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

When the wine was gone, jesus had said to them there is no more wine.

Woman, why do you involve me?

Jesus replied my hour has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants do whatever he tells you.

Nearby stood six stone jars, the kind used for Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding 20 to 30 gallons.

Jesus told the servants fill the jars with water.

So they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned to wine.

He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

Then they called the bridegroom aside and said Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after.

The guests have had too much to drink, but you have saved the best till now.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him.

The power gifts often work together.

For example, the working of miracles actually goes together with the spiritual gift of faith.

One is active and one is passive.

The gift of giving of miracles is giving the miracles.

The gift of special faith is receiving the miracle.

Let's look at the storms in the Bible to get a little bit of an understanding of the gift of miracles.

Paul slept through the storm.

This is the special gift of faith.

Peter walked on the water until he began to doubt special gift of faith.

However, jesus initialized the miracle by telling Peter to come to him.

So Jesus worked the miracle and Peter received the miracle through the special gift of faith until he began to doubt.

Jesus calms the seas by saying peace, be still.

That's a working of a miracle.

Also, note that the working of miracles is separate from healing.

We have seen dozen of miracles in the Bible Anything that is outside the ordinary course of nature Water from rocks or staff into serpents and evil spirits cast out and the sun standing still and killing of a thousand men with a bone and bones that bring people back to life, and multiplied loaves and fishes.

All of these are gifts of miracles.

Now let's talk about the last power gift, the gift of healing.

The gift of healing and the gift of faith also goes together and we saw it at the gate Beautiful.

Let's go back, acts 4, verse 4.

Acts 4:4

Peter looked straight at him, as did John.

Then Peter said look at us.

So the man gave his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said silver and gold I do not have, but I do have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

Did you catch that?

What I do have, I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

So Peter has the gift of healing and the man has the gift of faith.

How do we know?

We know Peter had the gift of healing because he said what I do have, I give you.

And we know the lame man had the gift of faith because Peter also said that he had the gift of faith.

The gift of healing is active and the gift of faith is passive.

Peter's gift of healing works in combination with the lame man's gift of faith.

Gifts of healing are manifested through another person to you.

Jesus gave the disciples the authority to heal, and healing is actually part of the Great Commission Mark 16, verse 15.

Mark 16:15

He said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Whoever believes in his baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

And these signs will accompany those who believe In my name.

They will drive out demons.

That's the working of miracles.

They will speak in new tongues.

They will pick up snakes with their hands and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all.

They will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.

The gift of healing often confounds the medical community.

It is not done according to natural remedies, but is a supernatural occurrence.

Supernatural healing doesn't come by treatment Now.

We will talk more about this in depth later.

You can also be healed solely through the gift of faith.

You can believe and through your own faith.

God can heal you without someone manifesting the gift to you, and we will touch more on this as we get into our gifted series.

This is the end of day five, part six spiritual gift basics inspirational gifts.

So the last set of spiritual gifts that we are going to talk briefly about are the inspirational gifts, also called the gifts of utterance.

Basically, all these gifts are prophecy and even though all three gifts are technically prophecy, you have the gift of prophecy and then you have the gift of the diversity of tongues and interpretation.

That equals prophecy as well.

So you have two gifts that equal one.

We'll explain.

Let's start with the gift of prophecy.

The definition of prophecy means to flow forth.

It means to speak for God or to be his spokesperson.

This is not the same thing as the office of the prophet.

The gifts of prophecy is when we speak words from God that are beyond our own head and reasoning and intellect.

The believer just speaks from God.

The simple gift of a message that provides edification, exhortation or comfort.

The gift of prophecy is not a prediction.

The spiritual gift of prophecy by a believer does not make them a prophet.

The same way, having money doesn't make someone rich Verse Corinthians 14, verse 3,.

But he that prophesies speaks unto men edification and exhortation and comfort.

I want to be clear that supernatural gifts are not used to save people.

They are to get their attention.

Over and over again, people came to see Jesus because of the miracles he did.

On the day of Pentecost, none of the people who were initially attracted by the speaking in tongues and the interpretation didn't get saved by the speaking in tongues and the interpretation.

The people did not get saved until Peter preached the word.

The gift of prophecy does not have revelation to it Acts 21, verse 8,.

Acts 21:8

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven.

He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

The gift of prophecy is simply speaking a word from God.

It's that simple.

The gift of diversity of tongues and the interpretation of tongues works like the gift of prophecy.

The second inspirational gift is the diversity of tongues.

We have already talked about speaking in tongues, how God has given each believer our own personal prayer language.

The diversity of tongues is actually a spiritual gift For building up the corporate body.

It is a prophetic gift that delivers a message from God.

Let's go back to Acts 2.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now you might be wondering how do I know that this is the gift of the diversity of tongues, instead of a believer's own personal prayer language?

I know that this is the gift of the diversity of tongues because of the message that Jews heard and interpreted what they were saying.

Let's continue reading Verse 5.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem, god fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment because each one of them heard their own language being spoken.

Utterly amazed, they asked aren't all these who are speaking Galileans?

Then how is it that each of us hears them in our own native language?

Parthians, medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, judea and Cappadocia, pontius and Asia, phyrgia and Panphilia, egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, cretans and Arabs.

We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another what does this mean.

So the contents of the message is this we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

The first group spoke in the diversity of tongues.

The second group heard it and interpreted it and understood it.

The last gift of inspiration or utterance is the interpretation of tongues.

The diversity of tongues works in tandem with the interpretation of tongues.

In fact, you can't really have one without the other.

God gives a message to the speaker, the one with the gift of the diversity of tongues.

That person utters it.

It is the same as prophecy.

He is strictly uttering a message from God that is for the edification, exhortation or building up or to comfort the body.

The thing about the diversity of tongues is that unless there's someone with the gift of interpretation, you don't know what the message is.

And the same as with the interpretation of tongues you might be able to interpret, but if no one is speaking a message through the diversity of tongues, there could be no interpretation.

No message or no interpretation, then you have nothing.

The response of the people on the day of Pentecost was both gifts working together as a whole One group speaking and the other group interpreting.

You can't have one or the other, you have to have both.

We have finished up the basics about spiritual gifts.

It's nice to have an elementary basic knowledge of the gifts of the Spirit so we can continue our reading.

We will really dive into depth on this in the upcoming series Gifted.

This marks the end of day six, part seven church administration.

Let's look at this week's passage.

In those days when the number of disciples were increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

So the twelve gathered all the disciples together and said it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word of God in order to wait on tables.

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be the full of the Spirit and wisdom.

We will turn this responsibility over to them and we will give our attention to prayer in the ministry of the Word.

This proposal pleased the whole group.

They chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Spirit.

Also Philip Prochorus, nicanor, timon, parminius and Nicholas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the Word of God spread.

The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

As we have seen in each chapter so far, jesus's believers were increasing by large amounts.

It is important to note upon Jesus's death in the month after there were a lot of Jewish people in the city.

Jesus died on Passover John 12.1.

Six days before the Passover, jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Here a dinner was given in Jesus's honor.

Martha served while Lazarus was among those reclining on the table John 13.1.

It was just before the Passover festival.

Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father John 18.28.

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.

By now it was early morning and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness, they did not enter the palace because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.

So Pilate came out to them and asked what charges do you bring against this man?

There were three times a year that the Jews were required to go to the holy city, to Jerusalem, for religious purposes, and that means Jews from everywhere would make the pilgrimage.

Jerusalem was the holy city.

It was the only one, with the temple and the Spirit of God inside.

They were required to go to Jerusalem on the Feast of Tabernacles Passover, which is the celebration of the Spirit of the Lord passing over the blood painted on the doorposts of the Israelites home in Egypt, the last plague, which is actually the day that Jesus died, and then on Shavuot, which we talked about in the first week or two.

Shavuot is the celebration of the giving of the law to the Israelites, which is also the celebration of the first fruits and is also the day of Pentecost.

So there were Jews from all over the world in the city on the day Jesus died and on the day of Pentecost and the days following, and they were broken into two groups, and these groups caused divisions.

Some were Hellenistic Jews and some were Hebraic Jews.

What does this mean?

Weren't all Jews the same?

The Hebraic Jews are Jews that lived in the land of Israel since the patriarch's minus a few years during the Babylonian exile.

These Jews spoke Hebrew and lived in the land in traditions of their forefathers.

They dwelled near the temple and closely observed the Jewish religion as it had always been practiced.

And there were the Hellenistic Jews that had been dispersed by the separation of the tribes, or the Assyrians or the Babylonians, but the Hellenistic Jews were basically known as Greek Jews who lived in Alexandria or other parts of the world at this time, which had been conquered by Greece before the Romans.

They were Jewish and followed the Jewish faith, but they spoke Greek and read the Greek form of the scriptures and even were immersed in some Greek culture.

Also, amongst the Hellenistic Jews were quite a few outsiders that were not Jewish racially but Gentiles who had converted to the religion.

So, as a whole, the Hebraic Jews are insiders and the Hellenistic Jews are outsiders and foreigners.

You had two groups of Jews at the times of the festivals and now at the time of Jesus, and there's this dissension between them, and now they've become believers.

So this tension between them wasn't automatically erased because they became Christian, and I want you to pay attention to the different groups of believers as they begin to present themselves.

It's very important.

The Hellenistic Jews are important because the Hellenistic Jews, when they go back to their homelands, they begin to reach the other areas outside of Israel and the Gentiles.

This marks the first internal conflict within the church.

It's growing and there are bound to be growing pains.

People are people.

There's going to be things that need to change as the church gets bigger.

The disciples had to come up with a solution to manage the believers, so they came up with an outline of administration Acts 6, verse 1.

Acts 6:1

Now, about this time, the number of disciples was increasing.

A complaint was made by the Hellenists Greek speaking Jews against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

So the 12 called the disciples together and said it is not appropriate for us to neglect teaching the word of God in order to serve tables and manage the distribution of food.

There were two types of ministries in the church the spiritual ministry and the physical ministry.

People have two types of needs from the church.

The gifts and the jobs of the disciples wasn't to administer and take care of the physical needs of the people.

Their gifts and jobs were to be responsible for the spiritual needs of the people, to share the word of God and to pray, and they needed help.

The group was becoming so big that they couldn't handle them all and still do what God had asked them to do.

So they had to put some of the first church government and administration into place.

They put the people in place who would care for the physical needs of the people.

This is the first example of what church care should look like.

They said choose seven men to devote to your care so that they can give attention to the mission God asked us to do Share the gospel.

The word used for their positions could be deacons or ministers or servant.

Therefore, brothers, choose from among you seven men with good reputations, men of godly character and moral integrity, full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task, but we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and to ministry of the word.

The suggestion please the whole congregation.

So both the Hellenistic and the Hebrew Jews were pleased by the solution.

They chose to put men in the place of ministry.

They selected Stephen, a man full of faith in Christ Jesus and filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, and Philip Procuraus, nicanor, timon, parmenus and Nicholas, a proselyte, gentile, convert from Antioch.

They brought these men before the apostles and, after praying, they laid their hands on them to dedicate and commission them for this service.

So these leaders were in charge of the daily administration of the needs of the people.

Did you notice that Nicholas was put in place?

A leadership and he was a Gentile convert from Antioch.

Things are starting to change.

Actually, every one of these people put into leadership were Hellenistic Jews.

Also, note that the decision please the whole congregation.

This is the beginning of the expansion of Christianity into the whole world.

It began with the Jews, then with the Jews that live in Greek lands and keep an eye out.

Almost in every chapter.

For the rest of Acts, the Gospel expands further and further out into the world.

And did you catch verse seven of our reading this week?

And the message of God kept on growing and spreading and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem and a large number of priests were becoming obedient to the faith, accepting Jesus as Messiah and acknowledging him as a source of eternal salvation.

The priests are coming over.

The number of lower ranking priests were in the thousands and many were poor.

I am going to stop here for this week.

I know we only got to half of the passage of this week's reading.

Next week is a big one.

So for next week we are going to focus on Stephen, who will be the main character and is the main character in the second half of Acts six and the entire passage of Acts seven.

So I would like to take this moment and close in prayer.

Dear Lord, we thank you for your word, a manual for us to follow and get to know you better.

It says in your word to ask for wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you.

We do this today, lord.

We ask for wisdom, we ask for knowledge, we ask for discernment, we ask for understanding.

Help us to get to know you better and to be able to see the truth.

We thank you, lord, for all of your blessings and goodness in Jesus name Amen.

Thank you for listening to our Mercy Church podcast.

If you would like to find out more about us, you can go to our website, wwwmercychurch, or you can find us on social media under Mercy Church, colorado.

We love you, mercy Church family, and we hope that you have a wonderful week.