Rev. David Holwick B We Are Gifted, #2
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
January 18, 2009
Romans 12:6
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I. Words have power.
A. Was it inspired?
Dr. Martin Luther King's speech at the March on Washington in
1963 has become one of the most famous in history.
"I have a dream..."
Less known is that the actual speech he had before him on the
podium that day had no mention of a dream at all.
Now for years Dr. King had been writing and speaking about his
dream.
He dreamed that one day racial oppression would no longer
threaten the American creed that all are created equal.
He spoke so often of having a dream, in fact, that his inner
circle was afraid the phrase had become overused and trite.
Most Americans recognized the name, face, and voice of Martin
Luther King, Jr.
He had appeared on the nation's front pages and TV broadcasts,
having led major protests and movements in Montgomery,
Birmingham, and other cities.
And yet, King was an enigma to many white Americans.
What would he say?
The night before the March on Washington, Dr. King and his
closest advisors got together in the Willard Hotel.
They worked together to come up with an entirely new message.
They titled it "Normalcy -- Never Again."
The word "dream" did not appear in the manuscript at all.
The following day, before a quarter of a million people, King
began to outline the troublesome history of black men and
women in America.
Several minutes into this speech he paused and he turned the
manuscript over.
And then he launched into the words that were closest to his
heart:
"So I say to you today, my friends, that even though we must
face the difficulties of today and tomorrow,
I STILL HAVE A DREAM."
Even non-religious people have wondered if that speech was
divinely inspired in some way.
The imminent inauguration of our first black president makes
his words all the more poignant.
#5397 and 34216
B. Everyone wants to have an impact.
1) We want to stand for something significant.
2) Speaking for God is the ultimate impact.
3) Is this possible? Or even desirable?
4) The Bible says it is.
II. The gift of communication is one of the highest gifts.
A. Sometimes it is described in ways we are familiar with.
1) Pastors or preachers is one category.
2) They communicate the truth of God and his word to people.
(1 Cor 14:6 - "word of instruction")
3) At the same time, Peter says when they speak, they should
speak as if the words came from God.
a) Paul certainly considered his own teaching to have
this level of authority.
B. At other times the communication seems to be more supernatural.
1) Prophesying. Rom 12:6, 1 Cor 12:10
a) Many ordinary Christians were considered prophets.
1> The church in Antioch has five people named as
prophets. Acts 13
2> Acts also mentions the Deacon Philip having four
daughters who prophesied. Acts 21
b) Prophecy was a typical feature in worship. 1 Cor 14
1> Two or three prophets speak, then others evaluate. 14:29
2> One prophet can interrupt another. 14:30
3> None of them were speaking God's very words.
4> Paul mocks their attitude without rejecting them. 14:36
2) What makes prophecy different from teaching or preaching.
a) What a prophet says is the result of a particular
revelation from God.
b) It is characteristic of prophecy that it is directed
to a particular concrete situation.
1> It might be a prediction about the future of the
community. [Agabus predicted a famine] Acts 11
2> It might be a prediction about an individual.
[Agabus predicted Paul's arrest) Acts 21
3> It might be an announcement of something God
required to be done. Acts 13
3) Giving a message of wisdom and knowledge. 1 Cor 12:8
a) "Wisdom" is somewhat ambiguous.
b) A message of knowledge is usually understood to be
having supernatural knowledge in a situation.
Wayne Grudem gives this actual example from a Baptist church:
A missionary speaker paused in the middle of his message.
"I didn't plan to say this, but it seems the Lord is indicating
that someone in this church has just walked out on his wife
and family.
If that is so, let me tell you that God wants you to return to
them and learn to follow God's pattern for family life."
The missionary did not know it, but in the unlit balcony sat a
man who had entered the church for the first time just
moments before.
The description fit him exactly, and he made himself known,
acknowledged his sin, and began to seek after God.
#1298
In 1 Cor. 14:24, Paul says the conviction of sin is one of the
main effects of genuine prophecy.
Genuine prophecy is a sign that God is at work among us.
III. What gifts of communication can - and cannot - do.
A. They are intended for the good of the hearers. 1 Cor 14:6
1) Paul says we should always sound a clear call.
a) God does not intentionally want to confuse people.
2) The gift of communication draws attention to God, not the
speaker.
3) They should build up the church.
B. They cannot replace the Bible.
1) Scripture is more important than prophecy.
a) The apostles pointed the churches to Bible, not prophets.
b) They were concerned who would speak for God when they
were gone.
2) In New Testament, prophecy must always be evaluated in
light of the Bible, not other way around.
a) This may be the meaning of "let him use it in
proportion to his faith."
Literally, it is "use it in proportion to THE faith."
b) Everything we say must jive with what we know of
Jesus' mission of salvation.
We do not need to improve on him.
C. They are not always really from God.
1) When anyone says "I speak for God" we are naturally cautious.
a) It's a rather dramatic claim.
b) And plenty of goofballs and heretics have claimed it.
c) This is why the Bible tells us to assess people who
say God has given them a message.
2) Not everyone has the gift of speaking words for God.
An elder of the church was talking to a young mechanic
who thought he had a call to give up his garage
and go into the ministry.
"I feel," said the young enthusiast, "that I have had
a call to preach."
The elder knew the young man wasn't very good as a
speaker.
He shrewdly asked him, "Have you noticed whether people
seem to have a call to hear you?"
#21465
IV. God has a message for today.
I came across a story about a pastor of a storefront church called
"Almighty God Tabernacle."
On a Saturday night this pastor was working late, and decided
to call his wife before he left for home.
It was about 10:00 p.m., but his wife didn't answer the phone.
The pastor let it ring many times.
He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to
wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again she answered right away.
He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said
that it hadn't rung at their house.
They brushed it off as a fluke.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church
office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man on the other end wanted to know why the pastor had
called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about.
Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer."
The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing
him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story.
You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night,
but before I did, I prayed:
'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this,
give me a sign now.'
At that point my phone started to ring.
I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'.
I was afraid to answer!"
#19707
I think this is more of a story than an actual event, but it
does highlight what the gift of communication is all about.
Some of us on a regular basis, and many of us occasionally, will
be used by God to get his word across.
You'll know it has happened because lives will change.
Has God given YOU this gift?
Use it!
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Section II relies on the commentary "Romans, Volume II" by C.E.B. Canfield
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 1298 "Why Christians Can Still Prophesy," by Wayne A. Grudem,
Christianity Today magazine, 9/16/88, p. 29.
# 5397 "The Content of Our Character: 40 Years After 'The Speech'," by
Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., President of Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Baptist Press, http://www.baptistpress.org,
August 28, 2003.
#19707 "God On Caller ID," email submitted by Col. Herman White,
Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 10, 2001.
Http://www.Snopes.com has not been able to locate the church
and suspects the story is a legend.
#21465 "Do People Have A Call To Hear You?," Fredericksburg Bible
Illustrator Supplements, Gerald Rodgers Collection.
#34216 "Last Minute Revision," by Charles Colson, BreakPoint Commentary,
February 26, 2007.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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