Title: The Holy Spirit Part 4 SNOWFLAKES Now concerning spiritual gifts; brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. 1 Corinthians 12:1 (CSB) Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God produces each gift in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (CSB) GOD GIFTS HIS PEOPLE SO THEY WILL BE EMPOWERED, ENABLED, AND EFFECTIVE FOR MINISTRY For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body - so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and we were all given one Spirit to drink. Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (CSB) If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 1 Corinthians 12:15-16 (CSB) 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? As it is there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 1 Corinthians 12:17, 20-21 (CSB) For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Romans 12:3-5 (CSB) DIVERSITY IS ESSENTIAL EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING, BUT NOBODY HAS EVERYTHING EMPOWERED FOLLOWERS DON’T COMPETE, THEY COOPERATE But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as He wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 1 Corinthians 12:18-19 (CSB) GOD DIDN’T MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN HE CREATED YOU AND HE DIDN’T MAKE A MISTAKE IN HOW HE HAS GIFTED YOU Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:24-26 (CSB) WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COMBINE 22,400 SNOWFLAKES? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COMBINE 5 QUINTILLION SNOWFLAKES? From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part. Ephesians 4:16 (CSB) Churches will never achieve the level of maturity that Christ means for them to have until all members are actively demonstrating their giftedness by engaging in the ministries which their gifts call for. Chad Brand WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER IN UNITY THAN WE ARE APART INDIVIDUALLY Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serves others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 (CSB) ARE YOU DOING WHAT GOD HAS EQUIPPED AND GIFTED YOU TO DO? OUR GIFTING IS NOT THAT WHICH THE WORLD FINDS IMPRESSIVE… OUR GIFTING IS FOR THE CHURCH TO BE UNIFIED, JESUS GLORIFIED, AND FOR THE WORLD WILL SEE JESUS WE WANT ENCOUNTER TO BE A SPIRIT EMPOWERED, EVERY MEMBER MINISTRY