We Are Society, pt. 7—How We Grow

Co-laboring. We encourage, develop, and equip every person to serve their faith family in their unique gifting and grace, affirming the call of God for both men and women of all ages and backgrounds.

Koine Greek to “know”

1. Oida —to be aware of; to be informed; to become acquainted with.

2. Ginosko —to fully perceive and understand through Eexperience.

Ephesians 4:1-2 NIV
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2 NLT
Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:3-8 NIV
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

About Spiritual Gifts—

1. Spiritual gifts are any ability that is given by and/or empowered by the Holy Spirit to be used to to and serve others.

2. All gifts must be exercised in .

3. can receive or operate in any gift at any time, but gets to have them all.

4. Gifts are given to the church without of gender, class or spiritual maturity. 

Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

The purpose of spiritual gifts is to , strengthen, enable, and comfort one another in being faithful to Christ and His until he returns.

>List of Spiritual Gifts

5. The focus is not on what gifts we have, it’s on how we can a gift.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

QFR—
How is the Spirit of God functioning through my life to strengthen the body of Christ?

Ephesians 4:5-7 NIV
… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

Ephesians 4:13 NIV

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:14 NIV

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Characteristics of Spiritual Infants

Lack of and

Growing in Grace—

1. Don’t be by the immaturity of other believers.

2. Don’t be with prolonged immaturity in your own life.

Growing in the Gifts—

1. Pray for and spiritual gifts.

2. Be a gift by your faith family.

Q: How Do We Mature?
A: By living out Biblical Community, growing in the grace and gifts of God to serve one other.

Answer Key: minister, love, discrimination, build , up, mission, be, Discernment, Stability, surprised, satisfied, desire, serving