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Noon Day Bible Study
Rev. Dr. Howard L. Woods, Jr.
Rev. Dr. Howard L. Woods, Jr.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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Nurturing the Saved

Relief to Judea
Acts 11:27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. :28 Then one of them,
named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine
throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. :29 Then the
disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in
Judea. :30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Although Antioch became the center from which the gospel went out to the Gentiles, it always
maintained full and hearty fellowship with the church in Jerusalem, which was the center for Jewish
evangelism.

Certain prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch at about this time. These prophets were believers
who had been gifted by the Holy Spirit to speak as mouthpieces of God. They received revelations
from the Lord and delivered them to the people.

One of them, named Agabus, predicted that a great famine would sweep over the inhabited earth.
The famine did come in the days of Claudius Caesar. The disciples at Antioch promptly decided to
send relief to their Christian brethren dwelling in Judea. This was certainly a touching testimony that the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was tumbling down, and that ancient antagonisms were obliterated by the cross of Christ.

The grace of God was manifest in these disciples who gave unanimously, spontaneously, and proportionately. They gave, each according to his ability. F. W. Grant sadly noted, “Today it seems to be ‘every one a little of his superfluity, and the richest in proportion least of all.’ ”

The money was sent to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This is the first mention of elders in connection with the church. The idea of elders was familiar to Jews, however, since there were elders in the synagogue. No information is given as to how these men in Jerusalem became elders. In the Gentile churches, elders were appointed by apostles or their representatives (14:23; Titus 1:5). The qualifications of elders are given in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:6–9.

Impacting The World……….Discuss how God is using our church to impact the world!

Why Should I Be Involved In Church?

Ice Breaker: What is one skill you secretly possess?

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

He does not want the saints at Corinth to be ignorant in the matter of spiritual manifestations or gifts. The literal reading here is “Now concerning ‘spirituals,’ brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Most versions supply the word gifts to complete the sense. However, the next verse suggests that Paul might have been thinking not only of manifestations of the Holy Spirit but of evil spirits as well.

1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

Before conversion the Corinthians had been idolaters, enslaved by evil spirits. They lived in fear of the spirits and were led about by these diabolical influences. They witnessed supernatural manifestations of the spirit world and heard spirit-inspired utterances. Under the influence of evil spirits, they sometimes surrendered self-control, and said and did things beyond their own conscious powers.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Now that they are saved, the believers must know how to judge all spirit-manifestations, that is, how to discern between the voice of evil spirits and the authentic voice of the Holy Spirit.

The crucial test is the testimony that is given concerning the Lord Jesus. If a man says, “Jesus is accursed,” you can be sure that he is demon-inspired, because evil spirits characteristically blaspheme and curse the name of Jesus. The Spirit of God would never lead anyone to speak of the Savior in this way; His ministry is to exalt the Lord Jesus.

He leads people to say that Jesus is Lord, not just with their lips, but with the warm, full confession of their hearts and lives.

1 Corinthians 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Paul next shows that while there is a variety of gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church, there is a basic,
threefold unity, involving the three Persons of the Godhead.

First of all, there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. The Corinthians were acting as if there
was only one gift—tongues. Paul says, “No, your unity is not found in the possession of one common
gift, but rather in possession of the Holy Spirit who is the Source of all the gifts.” What are your
thoughts?

1 Corinthians 12:5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

Next the apostle points out that there are differences of ministries or services in the church. We don’t all have the same work. But what we have in common is that whatever we do is done for the same Lord and with a view to serving others (not self).

1 Corinthians 12:6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

Then again, though there are diversities of activities as far as spiritual gifts are concerned, it is the same God who empowers each believer. If one gift seems more successful or spectacular or powerful than another, it is not because of any superiority in the person possessing it. It is God who supplies the power.

1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

The Spirit manifests Himself in the life of each believer by imparting some gift. There is no believer who does not have a function to perform.

And the gifts are given for the profit of the entire body.

They are not given for self-display or even for self-gratification but in order to help others. This is a pivotal point in the entire discussion.

That leads quite naturally to a list of some of the gifts of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

The word of wisdom is the supernatural power to speak with divine insight, whether in solving difficult problems, defending the faith, resolving conflicts, giving practical advice, or pleading one’s case before hostile authorities. Stephen so demonstrated the word of wisdom that his adversaries “were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10).

The word of knowledge is the power to communicate information that has been divinely revealed. This is illustrated in Paul’s use of such expressions as “Behold, I tell you a mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51) and “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15).

Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E.E.