SAME QUESTION – ROUND 2

city [Jerusalem] until you have been clothed with power from on high" and added, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Power for witness also flows from the Spirit’s gifts (charismata) for the work of the ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:7-13; 1 Peter 4:10,11).

The Father (Operative Gifts) Romans 12:6-8 Prophecy
· Ministry Teaching Exhortation Giving Leading Showing mercy (Compassion)

The Son (Administrative Gifts Ephesians 4:11) Apostleship Prophecy
· Evangelism Pastoring Teaching

The Holy Spirit (Charismatic Gifts)1 Corinthians 12:1-14 · Wisdom Knowledge Discerning of spirits (Human, Angelic, Demonic)
· Speaking in tongues Interpretation of tongues Prophecy
· Faith Working of miracles Healing



ANOTHER VIEW OF THIS EMPOWERMENT TO SHARE OUR TESTIMONY IS FOUND IN 1 COR. 2:1-5
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

UNLIKELY AS IT MAY SEEM THE APOSTLE PAUL EXPERIENCED ALL OF THE SAME DIFFICULTIES WE FACE WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING OUR FAITH.
IN VERSE 1 HE WAS NOT ELOQUENT NOR DID HE HAVE SUPERIOR WISDOM.

IN VERSE 3 HE CONFESSES HE CAME TO THEM IN WEAKNESS, FEAR AND WITH MUCH TREMBLING.

AND HE BEGINS VERSE 4 BY SAYING “MY MESSAGE AND MY PREACHING WERE NOT WITH WISE AND PERSUASIVE WORDS…”

CAN WE SEE THAT PAUL COULD IDENTIFY WITH EVERY OBJECTION WE HAVE FOR NOT SHARING OUR FAITH?
AND IT’S ONLY BECAUSE YOU AND I ARE NOT QUALIFIED THAT WE ARE GIVEN THE SPIRIT’S POWER TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS.
“MY MESSAGE AND MY PREACHING WERE NOT WITH WISE AND PERSUASIVE WORDS BUT WITH A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER.” (V4)


IF WE CAN ONLY BELIEVE VERSE 4 IT WILL SET US FREE TO SHARE OUR FAITH IN THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION: WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? THE SAD TRUTH TODAY IS THAT WE PUT OUR TRUST AND OUR CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES AND HOW SMART WE ARE OR HOW CLEVER WE ARE OR WHAT METHOD WE USE. IF WE ARE DRAWN TO THE FATHER AND ALLOWING THE SPIRIT FREE ACCESS TO ALL OF WHO WE ARE THEN HE WILL DIRECT US AND HE WILL GUIDE US AMEN?

VERSE 1 SAID THAT PAUL HAD NOT COME WITH A GREAT GAME PLAN OF GOOD SPEECH OR GREAT WISDOM, BUT IT SAID HE CAME TO DO WHAT? PROCLAIM TO YOU THE TESTIMONY ABOUT GOD.

CAN WE SEE WHO THE MAIN FIGURE AND CENTRAL THEME OF OUR TESTIMONY SHOULD BE? GOD!

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF PUTTING SOMETHING ELSE AT THE CENTER OF OUR TESTIMONY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO SHARE WITH SOMEONE IS ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US.

GOD HAS DONE A LOT FOR US BUT WE SEE THAT IN VERSE 2 THE APOSTLE PAUL GIVES US THE ANSWER TO WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING GOD HAS DONE FOR US.

“FOR I RESOLVED TO KNOW NOTHING WHILE I WAS WITH YOU EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED” (V2)
ACCORDING TO THE APOSTLE PAUL,