Spiritual Gifts and the Meeting of the Church

We finished studying 1 Corinthians 12-14 on Sunday, March 19, 2006. For six weeks we examined spiritual gifts and their use within the meeting of the church. Here are some of the important conclusions:

• Spiritual gifts are given by the will of the Holy Spirit.
• Spiritual gifts should be used to benefit others (not the one using the gift).
• All believers and their gifts are important to the body of Christ.
• Love must motivate the exercise of every spiritual gift.
• Spiritual gifts should be exercised in the meeting of the church only if the church will be edified.
• All believers should participate in the meeting of the church.

What do you expect when you gather together with the body of Christ? Do you expect to be entertained? Do you expect others to use their gifts to serve you? Do you expect God to only work through the "leaders" of the church?

Paul says that when we gather with the church, each one should expect the Holy Spirit to work through them in order to edify (build up, bring to maturity) the church.