The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts (Spiritual Gifts Part One)

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Connect

Have you ever wished God made you with a different personality, abilities, or strengths? If so, who would your perfect self be like?

Cultivate

Summary: God has given every believer spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. Every gift and every unique believer is significant and needed by the body to be healthy and grow.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 and ask the following questions:

1. What do you like about this passage?

2. What do you find uncomfortable or difficult to understand in this passage?

3. What appears to be the main idea emphasized in this passage? (Look for repeated words or ideas.)

Consider how the following passages increase our understanding of this topic:

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

• Why do you think Paul adds this section about love right after the above passage about spiritual gifts?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,28-30, Romans 12:6-8, and Ephesians 4:11.

• How diverse is the body of Christ in term of spiritual gifts?
• List as many spiritual gifts as you can.

4. What are the beliefs and values promoted in these passages?

5. What do  they reveal about our human condition and God’s response?

6. How are these beliefs and values similar or different from those that have influenced you? (such as your family, culture, peers, church, etc.)

7. How might our faith increase and our lives change as we embrace what is true and important?

8. In light of what we’ve discussed, how can we pray for each other right now?

Care

Since we last met, what happened as a result of expressing Christ’s love to others?

How can you, or we, express Christ’s love to others this week?

Here are a few ideas:

• Pray God would meet their deepest needs.
• Help meet a felt need they have.
• Encourage them with a text, note or verbally.
• Give them a thoughtful gift or buy them coffee.
• Invite them to do something fun or meaningful.
• Listen to their story.
• Explore their thoughts on the gospel.