Maximize Your Gifts

ACTS 3 使徒行传 3 Hechos 3• 3 Peter and John went to the Temple one

afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

• 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and, walk!”• 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right

hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

• 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

I. You are gifted

• Acts 3:6 “I’ll give you what I have….”

• Rom 12:6 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us”

• 1 Cor 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good”

• 1 Pet 4:10 “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another”

The Yates Pool

• 1 Cor 12:1 says “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant

Types of spiritual gifts• The ministry gifts (Doma)—Eph 4:11—

apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers• The motivational gifts (charismata)—Rom

12:6-8—leadership, teaching, service, encouragement, giving, mercy• The manifestation gifts (phanerosis)—1 Cor

12: 8-11—word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirit, etc

II. You are gifted to give

You are gifted to give

• “What I have I give to you…”

• Now to each one the manifestation (Phanerosis) of the Spirit is given for the common good. (NIV)

When you begin to use your gifts

• Amazing joy

• The Greek word for spiritual gift is “charismata”, which is derived from the word, chara, which mean joy

• Accelerated growth

• Yourself—use it or lose it

• The church—1 Cor 12:27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed in the church. First are apostles, second are prophets….”

• Eph 4:16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love

• For the kingdom of God—many were saved through the healing of the lame man

Your gifts must be matched with characterYour gifts must be matched III. Your Gifts must be matched with character

Peter’s character transformationSimon—reedReed speaks of weakness, fragility, hollowness, instability but also potential.

• But Jesus told him, You will be Peter—a rock• Rock—prepared and placed• You are living stone that God is building into

his spiritual temple”

•Gal 2:9 加拉太书 Gálatas• “James, Peter and John…were known as

pillars of the church”

I. You are gifted

II. You are gifted to give

III. Your Gifts must be matched with character