Questions

1. Fill in the blanks below from 1 Cor 12:7-11: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the _______ the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of _________ according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of _______ by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another __________, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
2. TRUE or FALSE: The greatest gift believers receive is spiritual gifts themselves.
3. An utterance of knowledge is best described as:
4. Human intelligence
5. Academic theology
6. Knowledge revealed supernaturally by the Spirit
7. Predicting the future
8. Prophecy is primarily forth-__________, not fortune-telling.
9. TRUE or FALSE: Speaking in tongues is the required evidence that someone has the Holy Spirit.
10. TRUE or FALSE Every spiritual gift has equal value in God’s kingdom.
11. According to the sermon, wisdom primarily involves:
12. Intelligence
13. Memorization
14. Discernment and direction
15. Public speaking
16. What does the gift of faith involve?
17. Saving faith only
18. Confidence in oneself
19. Supernatural assurance that God will act
20. Optimism
21. The ability to distinguish between spirits is a gift of spiritual __________.

Discussion

1. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link to the video: Growing up my favorite holiday was Christmas. (Timestamp Start to 8:20)
2. What comparison does the sermon make between Christmas gifts and spiritual gifts?
3. Discuss why is it important to remember that spiritual gifts flow out of relationship with God rather than earning His favor? Why does Pastor Winans emphasize that believers are on a spiritual journey regarding these gifts? Might our discernment of our gifts change over time?
4. Discuss the following questions in this link to the video: Utterance of Knowledge (Timestamp 8:21 to 11:10)
5. How did Peter demonstrate the gift of knowledge with Ananias and Sapphira?
6. Have you ever experienced encouragement that felt clearly directed by God?
7. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Utterance of Wisdom (Timestamp 11:11 to 13:29)
8. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
9. Why is relying solely on culture or technology for wisdom dangerous?
10. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Gift of Faith (Timestamp 13:30 to 15:55)
11. From the message, what effect did the elder’s faith have during the Shine Initiative discussion?
12. When have you seen someone’s faith strengthen others around them?
13. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Gifts of Healing (Timestamp 15:56 to 18:34)
14. What misunderstandings about healing did the sermon warn against?
15. Why must believers remain humble when praying for healing?
16. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Working of Miracles (Timestamp 18:35 to 24:09)
17. According to the sermon, what has this gift often involved historically?
18. Why should Christians avoid both fear and obsession regarding spiritual warfare?
19. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Gift of Prophecy (Timestamp 24:10 to 28:45)
20. How does Pastor Winans explain prophecy? What was the purpose of the woman’s prayer for Ivy Table?
21. Are your prayers limited by what seems realistic to you? Where might God be calling you to trust Him for something bigger?
22. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Distinguishing Between Spirits (Timestamp 28:46 to 30:09)
23. What is the gift of distinguishing between spirits? Why is discernment especially important in the church today?
24. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link: Gifting of Tongues (Timestamp 30:10 to end)
25. What misunderstanding about tongues did the sermon address? What caution was given regarding abuse of this gift?
26. Reflection Questions:
27. Which spiritual gift discussed today stood out to you most? Why?
28. How might the Holy Spirit want to work through you for the common good?
29. Are you open to the Spirit working outside your comfort zone?
30. What is one practical way you can become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit this week? 

Sermon Outline

 Growing up my favorite holiday was Christmas. (Timestamp Start to 8:20)  I’d like to say it was purely because we were celebrating Jesus—the coming of our Lord and Savior—and yes, that was certainly part of it. But if I’m being honest, as a kid, there was something else that filled me with excitement. I could hardly wait for Christmas morning—to open those gifts and see what my parents, family, and friends had chosen for me.

Looking back, one of the greatest blessings of my childhood wasn’t the presents themselves, but the love behind them. I was blessed with parents who knew me, cared for me, and loved me deeply. They didn’t just give gifts—they gave thoughtfully, choosing things that reflected who I was, my interests, and even the direction my life seemed to be taking.

In a similar way, as we continue in our sermon series “Gifted for a Purpose”, we are reminded that we, too, belong to a family—a spiritual family. And the greatest blessing we have as believers is not the gifts God gives us, but the relationship we have with Him. Through the Holy Spirit, we have received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry out, “Abba, Father.” To belong to God in a restored relationship—that is the greatest gift.

Yet our heavenly Father, in His love, does more than bring us into His family. He also gives each of us spiritual gifts—uniquely and individually, according to His will. Just as my parents knew me, God knows us perfectly. He formed us, knit us together, and has known us from before the foundation of the world. By His grace, we are not only brought to saving faith but also equipped with gifts—not for ourselves alone, but to bless others and build up the body of Christ.

We’re going to return to a passage we looked at a couple of weeks ago. Previously, we focused on the nature of spiritual gifts—that they are a manifestation of the Spirit, and that their purpose is for the common good. Today, we’re going back to that same passage because we skipped over the actual list of gifts found in verses 8 through 10. We want to take time now to look more closely at some of those gifts—what they are and how the Holy Spirit works through them in our lives.

It’s important to remember that this list is not exhaustive. There are other lists in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter. But as we walk through these together, our goal is to grow in awe of how the Spirit works and to better understand how He is actively blessing and revealing Himself through His people.

As we walk through this list of spiritual gifts one by one, it’s important to acknowledge that some of these—such as tongues, prophecy, and words of knowledge—have been understood differently within the church. Some believe these gifts were only active during what is often called the apostolic age, when the apostles were testifying to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to that view, once the apostles passed and that period ended, those particular gifts ceased as well.

That’s actually the tradition in which I was raised. I grew up in a church that believed gifts like tongues and prophecy had ceased, and I even attended a seminary that taught the same position. While I was there, I read all the books assigned to support that view—but interestingly, they had the opposite effect on me. Over time, I found myself on a journey, moving from one understanding to another.

Today, I would say these gifts continue—that the Holy Spirit is still actively working in these ways. At the same time, I want to leave room for the fact that we are all on a spiritual journey. Not just in this area, but in many areas of our faith, we are growing, learning, and being shaped. My hope is simply to encourage you—to help you see how the Spirit of God continues the ministry of Christ even today as we explore these gifts together.

Utterance of Knowledge (Timestamp 8:21 to 11:10)

1 Corinthians 12:8 – ⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit.

It’s important to remember that every one of these gifts is given by the Holy Spirit. They are supernatural in nature—manifestations of the Spirit given for the common good, for the building up and encouragement of the body of Christ.

An utterance of knowledge, is knowledge given by the Holy Spirit that a person would not otherwise possess—knowledge revealed by God for a specific purpose.

As an example, we can look at the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Scripture. They sold a piece of property and brought a portion of the proceeds to the apostles, presenting it as though it were the full amount, while secretly holding some back. When Ananias came forward with the offering, he appeared to be giving everything—but he wasn’t.

In that moment, the apostle Peter said to him...

Act 5:3 –³“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?”

There’s no natural way Peter could have known that. The only explanation is that the Holy Spirit revealed it to him. This is an example of an utterance of knowledge—knowledge given by God, disclosed at the right moment, so that it could be brought into the situation.

I’ve experienced this personally. There was a day in my life—if it wasn’t the worst day, I’ve ever had, it was certainly the hardest day of ministry I’ve ever faced. I knew it was coming. You know those moments when you can feel it ahead of time, like you’re about to step on a landmine? That was one of those days. I couldn’t sleep the night before, and everything unfolded exactly as I feared—it was incredibly difficult.

That morning, I received a text from someone in the congregation. They said, “God laid you on my heart. I’ve been praying for you. God wants you to know that you are not alone, and that whatever you’re about to face, He is with you.” There’s no way that person could have known what I was walking into. In fact, they didn’t know the details at all. But the Holy Spirit revealed to them exactly what I needed in that moment—that I wasn’t alone.

I had never received a message like that from them before, and I haven’t since. It was a clear example of an utterance of knowledge—God revealing something at just the right time. And while that day was still as difficult as I expected, I walked into it with confidence, knowing that God was with me.

Utterance of Wisdom (Timestamp 11:11 to 13:29)

1 Corinthians 12:8 – ⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit.

Wisdom involves discernment—the ability to understand a situation and know the right direction to take. An utterance of wisdom is when the Holy Spirit supernaturally reveals God’s will in a specific moment, guiding a decision or a course of action.

You may have experienced this yourself—perhaps in a conversation where someone spoke to your situation, and you sensed it was more than just human advice. It felt like God was speaking through them, leading and directing you. Or maybe you’ve had that experience while reading Scripture, where it becomes clear—this is what God is calling me to do, or not to do.

This is important because it reminds us that God is still actively leading His people. Yet increasingly, people are turning elsewhere for guidance. Many are looking to other sources for wisdom instead of seeking the Holy Spirit.

“...one in eight adolescents and young adults in the U.S. are turning to AI chatbots for mental health advice...” – Juan Siliezar School of Public Health

Now, technology can be useful—but let’s be clear: hard drives in data centers do not have the Holy Spirit.

God still leads, guides, and directs His people. And when we need wisdom, we should turn to the sources where the Spirit is at work—through Scripture, through prayer, and through the community of believers. We can trust that God will provide what we need, according to His riches in Christ, as the Holy Spirit works and moves within His people.

Gift of Faith (Timestamp 13:30 to 15:55)

1 Corinthians 12:9-10 – ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles.

This doesn’t mean simply saying, “I believe Jesus rose from the dead,” while someone else believes it more strongly. That’s not what this gift is. The gift of faith is something deeper—it is a supernatural confidence and trust, empowered by the Holy Spirit, that God will act in a specific situation. It’s a Spirit-given assurance, for the common good, that God is going to move in a particular way.

I’ve seen this at work firsthand. A few years ago, during what we called the Shine Initiative, we experienced both great blessings and significant challenges. God was clearly working through the people, and it was a success in many ways—but it was also a season that stretched our faith.

I remember one session meeting in particular. I went into that meeting convinced that we needed to scale back the project. Looking at our commitments and giving at the time, I thought it was only realistic to reduce the scope. I was actively advocating for that position.

But in the middle of the discussion, one elder spoke up and said, “No. God has brought us to this point. He has led us and directed us every step of the way, including the scope we have now. We need to trust that God will continue to move.”

In that moment, something shifted. Through his testimony, the tone of the entire room changed. There was a shared sense that he was right. The meeting ended with unity—we committed to moving forward without reducing the scope.

And within twenty-four hours, everything changed. The concerns that led me to push for scaling back were resolved. Looking back, it was clear: there was a supernatural gift of faith at work in that moment, strengthening and guiding the entire group.

Gifts of Healing (Timestamp 15:56 to 18:34)

1 Corinthians 12:9-10 – ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles.

Do we believe that the Holy Spirit still heals today? Scripture speaks of “gifts” of healing—notice the plural. Some scholars suggest these point to the different ways healing can occur: physical, emotional, and spiritual. That makes sense, because we are whole people, and God cares for every part of us. And the truth is, God is still at work bringing healing through the gifts of the Spirit.

Now, a couple of important clarifications. This does not mean we avoid medical care—God, in His common grace, works through doctors and medicine. Nor does it mean we tell someone, “If you weren’t healed, it’s because you didn’t have enough faith.” Those are misunderstandings we should avoid.

But I have seen and heard powerful testimonies of God’s healing. A woman in our congregation shared an experience from a worship gathering. At the end of the service, there was a woman in the back who was bedridden—unable to get up. A small group gathered around her to pray. The woman from our congregation admitted she wasn’t comfortable praying out loud—it wasn’t something she usually did. But someone encouraged her, saying, “You need to pray.” So she stepped forward in faith and prayed for healing.

They left that day, and when they returned the next day, something remarkable happened. The same woman who had been bedridden came running into the room, full of life, and embraced her. At first, she didn’t even recognize her—it was the same woman, now completely healed. And each time they returned, she continued to be well.

There are many stories like this—people sharing how others came, prayed over them, anointed them with oil, and God brought healing. People entering a worship service burdened or broken and leaving restored. God is still healing today.

So we should pray with confidence, seeking the work of the Holy Spirit to bring healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. At the same time, we remember that the Holy Spirit is like the wind—we do not control Him. But we can trust Him, and we can pray, knowing that God still heals.

Working of Miracles (Timestamp 18:35 to 24:09)

1 Corinthians 12:9-10 – ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles.

The word translated “miracles” here comes from the Greek word dunamis, which is where we get the English word dynamite. At its core, it means power. So the phrase could be understood as “the working of power.”

Throughout much of church history, there has been a common understanding that this refers to a Spirit-given ability to exercise God’s power—often connected with authority, particularly over demonic forces. In other words, it is the Holy Spirit enabling someone to act with divine authority in ways that go beyond ordinary human capacity.

Even John Calvin, writing during the Reformation, reflects this long-standing view found throughout the church’s history.

I am inclined to think that this is the power which is exercised against demons...Thus when Christ and the apostles authoritatively subdued demons or put them to flight, this was power effectively working. – John Calvin Commentary on 1^st Corinthians

In our world today, are there still demonic forces at work? And if so, as those who are united to Christ by faith, does His authority extend to us in a way that can be exercised over such powers? Scripture affirms both the reality of spiritual opposition and our union with Christ. At the same time, I want to approach this carefully. While we acknowledge that Christ’s authority is real, I find it important to be thoughtful and humble when talking about what it means for believers to exercise that authority, especially when it comes to the spiritual gift described as the working of power.

A friend of mine—a pastor now, but earlier in life involved in medical missions—once shared an experience from a trip to Ethiopia. During the day, their team ran a medical clinic where people came for physical care. In the evenings, they held worship services to share the gospel and minister to spiritual needs. They were there for several days.

On the final evening, a woman entered the worship gathering who was well known in the village. She displayed deeply troubling behavior, and people typically kept their distance from her. She came forward during the service, and it quickly became clear that something more was going on.

The team leading the service were Korean Americans, and everything was being translated through an interpreter because they didn’t speak the local language. As the evangelist began speaking to the woman in English, she responded—in English—even though she did not know the language. Recognizing that something spiritual was taking place, he began to pray. When he shifted and prayed in Korean—his heart language—the woman responded again, this time in Korean, a language she also did not know.

At that point, it became clear they were dealing with something beyond the natural. He prayed for the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom, and the woman was delivered. This is what we mean by the “working of power”—the Spirit of God bringing liberation to someone in spiritual bondage.

And this isn’t something confined to faraway places. Another friend of mine, a pastor in our own denomination, shared a very different but equally sobering experience. He is not someone who goes looking for these kinds of things. One day, while alone in his sanctuary before a service, he felt a strong prompting to pray against any demonic presence. He followed that prompting, asking the Lord to remove anything that was not of Him.

As he prayed, he saw what he described as a dark figure stand up from a seat, walk down the aisle, and leave through the sanctuary doors, which physically opened. A few weeks later, the same thing happened again—same prompting, same response, same figure rising from the same location and leaving.

Subsequently, it became apparent that the seat where the figure was observed had previously been occupied by an individual whose presence had contributed to discord within the church community. Shortly thereafter, this elder departed, and the associated division within the congregation resolved as well.

Experiences like these remind us of something important: we are not called to go looking for spiritual conflict around every corner, but we are called to be attentive and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When God prompts us, we respond in faith. As those united to Christ, we trust that His authority is real—and that the Spirit still works to bring freedom, healing, and restoration.

Gift of Prophecy (Timestamp 24:10 to 28:45)

1 Corinthians 12:10 – ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Now here’s another gift that can make some people a bit uncomfortable. For many, the word “prophecy” brings to mind things like fortune tellers or tarot cards, as if it’s all about predicting the future. But that’s not what biblical prophecy primarily is.

Prophecy is not mainly about foretelling the future; it is about forth-telling—speaking God’s Word into a present situation. Its purpose is to bring clarity, call people to repentance, encourage faith, or guide direction based on what God is doing in the moment.

To give an example from our own Reformed tradition, consider Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon was a well-known preacher in the 19th century, and his ministry continues to have influence even today. At one point, he said this about his preaching:

I could tell as many as a dozen cases in which I pointed at somebody in the hall without having the slightest knowledge of the person. or any idea of what I said was right, except I believed that I was moved by the Holy Spirit to say it; and so striking has been my description, that the persons have gone away, and said to their friends, ‘Come, see a man that told me all the things that I ever did; beyond a doubt, he must have been sent of God to my soul, or else he could not have described me so exactly.’ – The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon

This is the Holy Spirit revealing something in a way that brings conviction—often in a manner that would not be known apart from God’s intervention. In that sense, it closely relates to a word of knowledge, as both involve God disclosing truth to reach the heart. The purpose is to lead someone toward repentance, but it can also guide and open a person to God’s direction in their life.

Let me give another example from our own congregation—a story of simple faithfulness. Many of you are familiar with The Ivy Table on Grand River and the incredible ministry they’ve built. But it started right here at Cornerstone, with a few women faithfully cooking meals and serving the church.

At that time, a woman in our congregation was praying for them. She wasn’t looking for anything extraordinary—she simply wanted to pray. As she prayed for God’s blessing on their ministry, she asked that they would be a blessing here at Cornerstone. But in that moment, she sensed the Lord prompting her: “Pray bigger.”

So she did. She prayed that their ministry would bless not just the church, but the surrounding community. Again, she sensed, “Pray bigger.” So she prayed for impact across Livingston County… then Oakland County… then the entire state. Each time, the same prompting came: “Pray bigger.”

Finally, she prayed that God would use this ministry to bless people across the country—and even around the world.

When she later shared this with Barb, Jessica, and Sandy, they laughed. It seemed impossible. “We’re just making meals at the church,” they thought. But she wasn’t joking—she was completely serious.

And today, their ministry is reaching far beyond what anyone could have imagined—even impacting people around the world.

God is still working. God is still speaking. The question is—are we open to listening?

Distinguishing Between Spirits (Timestamp 28:46 to 30:09)

1 Corinthians 12:10 – ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Is it possible to have spiritual discernment—to recognize whether something or someone is from God, walking in the light, or not from the Lord, influenced by the world or darkness? Scripture speaks of the ability to distinguish between spirits, and for some, this is a Spirit-given gift.

I’ve seen this at work personally. My wife, for example, has at times shown a strong sense of discernment as the Holy Spirit leads her. In a previous church, there was a pastor on staff who, on the surface, seemed likable—friendly, engaging, even well-regarded. I thought highly of him. But my wife sensed something was off. She couldn’t point to anything specific at the time, but she felt a clear uneasiness about him.

Years later, it was revealed that he had been engaging in deeply inappropriate and abusive behavior in counseling situations. What had once seemed hidden eventually became known.

That experience was a sobering reminder: spiritual discernment matters. The Holy Spirit can help us recognize what is truly of God—and what is not.

Gifting of Tongues (Timestamp 30:10 to end)

1 Corinthians 12:10 – ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

The gift of tongues is one that has often been misunderstood, and at times even abused or misused. I’ve personally been told because I don’t speak in tongues, I must not have the Holy Spirit. That’s simply not what Scripture teaches, and it’s not what the Apostle Paul says. Yet some have held to the idea that speaking in tongues is the necessary evidence of having the Spirit.

At the same time, we don’t want misuse to cause us to dismiss the genuine work of the Holy Spirit. We should be careful not to let abuse get in the way of recognizing authentic expressions of how the Spirit still moves today.

There are testimonies—perhaps you’ve heard some—where a person speaks in tongues without understanding what they are saying, yet someone else hears it in their own language and recognizes it as the gospel being proclaimed.

I was told a powerful story by a friend of mine who is now a pastor. Before entering ministry, he was a successful business owner—but his success came through dishonest practices. He was taking advantage of people and profiting from it, all while remaining involved in church—a clear contradiction in his life.

At one point, he attended a conference with his wife. During a time of prayer, there was a woman in the room who began laying hands on people and praying. As she moved from person to person, she prayed in tongues. When she came to my friend, however, something different happened. As she laid her hands on him, she began speaking in clear English, calling out specific sins in his life—things no one else in the room could have known. It was direct, personal, and deeply convicting.

Then she moved on, continuing to pray in tongues over others, including his wife.

Afterward, my friend was overwhelmed—ashamed and shaken. He told his wife what had happened, assuming she had heard everything. But she responded with confusion. From her perspective, the woman had been speaking in tongues the entire time—even while praying over him. She hadn’t heard any of the English words he described.

Moments like that remind us that the Holy Spirit works in ways beyond our full understanding. As Jesus said, the Spirit is like the wind—He moves where He wills.

So the question becomes: are we open to the work of the Spirit in all its various forms?

At the same time, as Pastor Tweedy reminded us, no one gift makes a person more important than another. Whether it’s tongues, administration, service, leadership, teaching, or generosity—every gift matters. Each one is given by the same Spirit, for the same purpose.

The Holy Spirit is still at work today. And as a good and loving Father, God gives gifts to His people—individually, as He wills—for the building up of the body of Christ.