The importance of mutual love in end-times living - part 2

First Peter 4, so I have someone read 4, 7 through 11 and this is entitled The importance of mutual love and end times living. But the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober and walk into prayer. And of all fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received a gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as in the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise. Amen.

Alright, well Peter's now in this section kind of addressing a subject that's on a foundation of suffering and we're going to return to the suffering aspects of this epistle next week. Roger, are you up or is Jeremy? Jeremy's up next week. So Jeremy will begin in verse 12 next week to get back into fiery trials and suffering which is really If you had to give a one-line answer what 1 Peter is all about, it's actually living under trials and tribulations. And so we're returning to that theme next week. But here we're continuing in this importance of our behavior in the setting of these earthly sufferings and trials that we all exist within.

So first verse. As each one has received again, this is an important verse, actually, as we drill down into the specifics of this verse. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." Wow. This is a theological stronghold, this verse. It has a lot of information in it, and I'm not sure we can actually do justice. It's only one of two verses I'm covering this week, but it's really a profound verse that has tremendous implications in terms of our day-to-day walk. So notice this important phrase, each one has received a gift. Every one of you has a gift. You may not know what it is and it may change over time, but we all have a gift. And by the way, this is where scripture is clear that everyone has a gift. You don't find that in 1 Corinthians 12. You don't find that in Romans 12. You don't find that in Ephesians 4. And those are the sections of scripture that deal with the spiritual gifts. This is the only place that tells us that each one of us has a gift. So let's build on that theme.

In Greek, as, as each one has received, it means in whatsoever quantity, if you interpret the Greek literally. So you may have a gift that's manifested modestly or moderately or extremely. I mean, this gift can be in all sizes and all shapes and all forms. It also respects the quality of the gift, which may differ. All it says is each one of us has one gift.

Now, has received, here is indicative, it's factual. Happened at one point in time, but could happen again in the future at one point in time with continuing circumstances and outcomes that relate to that specific gift. Now, the important time for class discussion.

Everyone, so everyone, each one of us, how do we know this gift I like actually the translation enablement. Because we think of gifts as something you open up under the Christmas tree or at birthdays, you know, you have something that you don't deserve but you're getting and maybe sometimes you don't even want. But enablement really represents, I think, what these gifts are all about. It's a better translation.

So I'm going to use these terms interchangeably, gift and enablement, going forward today. So how do we know what this one gift might be and a question that's going to follow is it only one gift or is it possible that we can have many gifts? So, thoughts, how do we know what this gift is? That was my question, how do we know what it is?

Winnie, do you want to come up here and teach the class? You're on the same page I'm in. I've got some thoughts on this and bear with me because I don't think God has written it down for us, looking for Easter eggs, at Easter time we uncover the rock and we find the egg.

It's not that kind of deal. I think one thing is this enablement or gift is not necessarily a natural attribute of the flesh. Why isn't this, some people may be great teachers, others are great helpers, others are great encouragers, all these gifts, you know, can speak in other tongues at one time they did anyway, maybe others, or prophets. I mean, the point is that these gifts really differ.

Tom, your thoughts? Yeah, I'm just thinking that since it already includes that word manifold as part of the verse there, it means it's more than one gift that's ultimately involved, and therefore it could all interlink, and suddenly you find out that you've got the gift. Well, is that something that's apparent to you? Not right away. Does it need to be apparent to you, Jack?

I'm noticing here that it is the gift, not a gift, not the gifts. Each one has received the gift. Well, my translation says a gift. Do you understand the? I'm not sure how important that is, the or a. So what we're saying if it's the gift, that would imply that there's only one gift at one point in time and that's your gift. The Greek does not include the definite order. Yeah, I can come back to the inner linear. I didn't pay attention to that, so that may or may not be an issue. I don't really think it's an issue here.

I think the gift could be different at different times. This is a manifestation of the spirit and the life of the believer, is it not? I mean, that could change. We could be, in fact, ultimately responding to the Spirit's leading to have that gift be manifested differently at different times. It says here, in my translation, has received gift, whether it's a gift or the gift.

I don't know how important that is. But what I'm pointing out here is that this is, why isn't this a natural attribute of the flesh? I was going to say, well, because it says it's the manifold grace of God. It only comes from God. Alright, we'll return to that. True, but what's the problem if in fact it's a natural attribute? I mean, think about this now.

If you look at human behavior, don't you see actually good things being done by non-believers? How do unbelievers get through trials like death and illness and disability? I mean, sometimes they triumph over it better than the believer does. And that may be God's gift, if you will, in that individual, but ultimately the problem in the flesh is you tend to take credit for this.

I mean, everything we do in the flesh that we acknowledge is ultimately something that we can pat ourselves on the back for and say, gee, my self-righteousness has played out again. Aren't I wonderful? I don't think that's what God's gift is all about. Actually, you used the right words because played out means there ain't nothing left. And I think back to the manifold grace of God. You know, the manifold grace of God is something we're going to return to and drill down on in a minute. But yes, that implies that this is a different type of enablement.

This is not something we just feel that we're doing a good job of and we take credit for. So let's not seek this gift by our own performance, but life in Christ will declare it without our even noticing. The life that's lived from above is a life that's generated by identification. Our condition is based on our position and when these attributes of our position play out in our day-to-day life, ultimately that gift is being manifested. And I would contend that these gifts are something that we should allow to go unnoticed.

Because if we notice them, we're taking credit for what we're doing. Just a thought. Yes, Winnie. I just say, sometimes we get this gift in the moment that you need it. And you don't have it all the other time. I'm sort of a lay back. I'm not forward with my whatever.

But when Jack was ill, the Lord made me a tiger. And I pursued it with the doctor and I just, you know, I just marked him like you and Margaret would do. Well, I mean, I just, I was a tiger and I went in and pursued it and got answers. I think this is potentially exemplary, but I think, you know, I love what Hal said. I've said it here before, but, you know, you may be the Bible, the only Bible people ever read.

And that's by walking in God's grace. And that's walking positionally, transforming our condition. Day in, day out. When we walk by grace in God's truth, ultimately those gifts are manifested. And we don't take credit for those. We may not even acknowledge Well, if it's Christ living his life through us, what do we need to acknowledge a gift for? We don't. He's giving the gift through us. I don't really know what my gift is. I don't really care what it is. I want to live by faith in who I am in the Lord Jesus Christ and let him do the work. That doesn't mean that we don't have something to be proactive about. What are we to be proactive about in our Christian walk?

Isn't faith a gift? Faith. Faith is, it was called a gift, but in fact faith is not really listed in the Galatians list of gifts of the spirit. The point is that I think that as we walk by faith, and what's faith? Believing what? Believing what God has revealed.

You can turn to Hebrews 11.1 all you want and there is nothing wrong with that verse. It is a long complicated verse. But basically faith is believing what God has revealed.

Did anyone read Memphis the Hungry Heart today? Nobody? Today talks about comparing the Psalms to the epistles of Peter and Paul. And what it says, the Psalms make us a nice pill for a tired head. It appeals to some of the emotional trials we go through. There's prophetic value in the Psalms. The Psalms have a lot of value.

But if that's the basis of our faith, kind of what David has, for the most part, recorded in the Psalms, we're missing it. So do we not believe that God? wrote the Psalms through the power of the Spirit? Yes, we believe it, but everything that is for us is not what is about us. So I think the simple point there is walking by faith is believing everything God has revealed, but let's put it into dispensational perspective. We live in a church age, and the Psalms, although comforting in many ways at times, is really not the basis of our faith. We are the church age.

Other thoughts about the gift, a gift, but is there only one? What the scripture says here is we all have one gift, but it doesn't say we don't have two and three and those gifts could change over time. Let's turn right now to Romans 12. This is just exemplary of some of the gifts. So whoever gets that, please read it slowly and loudly so we can all hear that. Romans 12, 6 through 8.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or ministry, let us use it in our ministering. He who teaches in teaching, he who exhorts in exhortation, he who Who shows mercy with cheerfulness? I think that's instructive in the fact that you can show a gift by mercy, you can show it by ultimately teaching or leading or many of these other gifts I think are manifestations of the Holy Spirit working in us. So although here it says everyone has at least one gift, I think at times the way the Spirit manifests in our life it could be ultimately exemplified in many many ways.

So we don't want to put one, each of us have one gift, what's my gift? The problem here I think a little bit is while we focus in on what is our gift, who's taking credit for this gift then? Gee, I think I'm good at this, that must be God's gift for me.

That's nothing but vanity and pride. Or pretending you're a baseball card. baseball card, not depending on the baseball player. That's true, each baseball card shows you all the attributes of each player. Yeah, okay, so batting average, slugging percentage, scoring basis, everything. So that's a good analogy. We were actually the game last time since Maggie Redskins, so I'll tell you great, it's a nice game. All that aside, back to the lesson. Alright, well I don't know how much more justice we can give this yet.

I was just wondering, I noticed in my translation it actually has a special gift, but it's something that the translators added, so I don't know, so let's come back to it, is it speaking of one gift in that passage at least? Well I don't think in this passage we can answer one gift, it just says eight, well we're seeing no articles, so gift, it's the gift. And it's just my opinion that this gift can be different at different times. And we should not spend a lot of time seeking this gift out.

Let's walk by faith. And one additional thing is it seems like that many times our fellow believers will notice that they're a better judge. of the gift that we are because we tend to look at ourselves. So looking outside, you would see like our brother Hal or other people we see in the body of Christ. We probably have a better idea of their gift than they might even have because we've interacted with them. In fact, we might even put a name to it, but we know that person has a certain quality that it's like going to the hospital and visiting somebody.

Personally, I have a hard time. What do I say to this person? But some people walk in and they just They do it just from the heart. They don't even think about it. They just start talking to that person and they just love them. And they love them in Christ. They're not trying to exercise their gift. They're just living their life in Christ.

So I think that other believers can judge better on the body's spiritual gifts than an individual person can. Well, keep in mind the foundation for this is the manifold grace of God. And secondarily, ultimately, the outcome is to God's glory. So if this is something we're identifying in ourselves, we're missing the mark. This is not what the Lord is talking about in terms of spiritual gifts. Everybody okay with that? So let's not really dwell on which gift do I have. I think that's really ultimately self-righteousness to a large extent.

Okay, let's move on. And I just mentioned earlier that the enablements are listed in a wide variety of places. 1 Corinthians 12, actually even 13 is a continuation of 12. 14, Romans 12, 6 through 21, Ephesians 4, 7 through 16, Galatians. I mean, there are passages that deal with this extensively.

We don't need to look. See, if we go to those verses today, we're going to kind of look at all the individual gifts. Let's analyze this one and that one. That's not the purpose here. We all have one gift. And God's made no mistake in terms of how he manifests that. And the manifestation to the gift is simply by our faith walking in the new creations we are in Christ Jesus. All right. And first, Corinthians 12 verses, Sumerian verse.

Now, there are diversities of gifts, diversities, many different types, but the same spirit. So the Holy Spirit is ultimately the energizer for the manifestation of these gifts. different gifts, and that's got to be walking by faith, isn't it? What else could that be? The Holy Spirit is manifesting the gift.

It's got to be by faith. No room for cockiness here. Whatever the source of this gift is, we need to minister it to one another. Minister is present active. That means we're doing it by faith, and it means now. And don't think you're failing here. It's a matter of living by faith. God's going to give you plenty of opportunities to utilize that gift or gifts, Jim, whatever that may be. And speaking on Oneseros, I like this.

Paul states, and we're going to go to a verse here, 1 Timothy 1.18, the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. So here's just an example of Paul recognizing the outreaching nature of an empress in terms of ministering to Paul in many different ways. So that implies that this brother of the Lord ultimately wasn't just manifesting gifts in one way, but he ministered to Paul in multiple different ways, presumably representing different gifts that the Spirit was waiting him unto. All right, and this ministering is an acknowledgment of being good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Stewards, what's a steward? Well, the literal translation is one who governs a household. Now, describe for me what the manifold grace of this role as a steward is in context of a household in relationship to what this verse says. What's the household?

Ministering, as stewards of the manifold grace of God. Believers, right? Okay. So the household is the brethren, the body of Christ. And how are we good stewards of that household? Showing them grace. Okay. Any other thoughts? And sharing our gifts, whatever they are. Again, we walk by faith, right? Our gifts are manifested as the Lord sees fit. Alright. Alright, so this is kind of the Bible believers, if you will, as the household and God's grace is shown through us is really how this is ultimately carried out on a day to day basis.

Manifold, going back to what you were kind of indicating before, multi-faceted and unmeasurable. Manifolds, a big term in terms of the breadth and depth of this role of stewards that we are in terms of the word of God. And grace, let's be like Mike Dorff for a second, the toughest term to define, even within the body of Christ, much less outside it. What's grace?

Unlimited. Unmerited. He's stating the definition that Mike's using. Unlimited, unmerited, based on the... Totally adequate work of Christ. Yeah, right. Grace is something that is a poorly understood term. Think of all the other religions of the world other than bible-based Christianity. Grace is a term not known to any of these other faiths. It's all works. You boil all other religions down, you find works is the entire metric by which people are measured. Mercy is what? Define mercy? Just punishment not delivered? But grace is a whole different principle of getting something we don't deserve through no merit of our own.

All right, so that we're stewards of the manifold grace of God. That means that basically as we walk by faith that this is really an exemplification of God's great grace. So we don't walk cockily. We don't walk with overindulgence and self-confidence. We walk humbly. looking for the Lord to continue to work out His manifold grace in us. Tom? We are not pumps, we are conduits. If we had to put our excess energy into it, it would all be spoiled. Alright, we're branches, right? We're not the source, but the branch. Alright, good. Barnes, I kind of like this, although it's kind of a clumsy commentation on this verse.

The grace or favor of God evinced in many ways or by a variety of gifts. His favors are not confined to one single thing as, for example, to talent for doing good by preaching, but one extended to a great many things by which we may do good to influence property, reputation, wisdom, experience. All these are to be regarded as his gifts, all to be employed in doing good to others as we have the opportunity.

So what's missing from here? I mean, I think it's good in giving an example of this broad base, being good stewards for the manifold grace of God. What's missing is faith. I mean, we need to walk by faith, that what God has told us, that we're all inhabiting one gift at least. And it's by our faith that this is manifested in our life and our walk.

That's what Barnes misses, but otherwise I think gives you an idea of that manifold grace and how we're good stewards of that grace, relating to influencing property, reputation, wisdom, and experience in the body of believers. Second Peter 3, 18, the grown grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Do those two imperatives really differ much? Do we need to grow in grace before we, in fact, get to know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Or are these conjunction? These are very much related, are they not? So as we get to know him, hang out with him, really have direct access to our Lord and Savior, ultimately the principle of grace continues to pour out. It's an infinite property of God.

But we've got to go there. And that's how we react by faith. Bob, I was just thinking that verse 10 is kind of telling us the operating principle in the body of Christ that these gifts are going to be, because it said, and mine actually has the word employ it in serving one another. Right, well there are two, we'll talk about quality, there are two aspects, the one is the teaching and the other is the serving. We'll get to that in verse 10.

Alright, good. So that's 1 Corinthians 15, 10, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain. But I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me. I mean, it's not you and me. It's God's grace that allows the message to be seen and encourage both the brethren and also the unsaved. Tough to define, but it's our act by faith entering into that principle of grace that God manifests in each and every one of us.

All right, 1 Peter 4.11. If anyone speaks, I think this is, you were referring to verse 11. No, actually I was referring to 10. I was just saying verse 10 in my mind kind of set the stage for, you know, probably for verse 11.

But it talks about that this special gift or this gift is is employ it in operating with one another. So that the operating principle between believers is we're each exercising our gifts for the benefit of the body. And that's stated in other verses of scripture as well. The body operates as like a physical body, a toe and a head and hands and feet, and we all operate with one common goal, to glorify God. And he's giving us the enablement to do that.

How do we stay in verse 10? OK, good. Thank you. Verse 11, then. If anyone speaks, let him speak as oracles of God. No article here for sure, and we'll come back to that. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Boy, a lot of redundancy in this verse, but obviously the Lord had a reason for that. Two categories of enablement, speaking and ministering, are noted in verse 11. OK, speaking oracles of God, what's that all about? It's truth, and truth, and truth. You know, it's interesting.

If you think about faith, hope, and love, what's the greatest among these three? They're all trumped by truth. If we're not speaking and living the oracles of God, in fact, love, faith, and hope have no place. So truth really is the most important thing, is it not?

I came to salvation by realizing that the word of God was truthful. That's maybe the science of it, but ultimately seeing myself as a decrepit sinner, meaning a savior ultimately brought me, and the truth finally bore out that now I accept the Word of God is totally valid and true. So, speaking of the rules of God, by the way, isn't it an embarrassment?

It's interesting the return of Matthew 7.29 where it says, for he taught, meaning the Lord Jesus Christ, them as one having authority and not as the scribes. Let's interpret that verse for a second.

As we walk by faith in God's great grace, how does Matthew 7.29 relate to us? First of all, do we need to be embarrassed about defending God's Word and speaking the Oracles?

That doesn't mean we slam it down people's throats, but this isn't something we need to be embarrassed about. When doors are cracked open and we have an opportunity to share, we have to share with confidence of who we are and what the Bible says. Well, the cool part is that we're sharing, it's not our words, it's God's word. And that's the mindset we're going to have. This is not my message that I kind of ginned up. This is God's message. And I'm just a messenger to you with that message.

But when you or Jeremy or I teach or whether Mike teaches or Vern or Randy, whoever teaches, we really want the word of the Lord to be presented truthfully. Absolutely. And that's why before every lesson I pray, this is Spirit led. When it's my opinion, I'll tell you when it's my opinion.

We're trying to do our best in revealing God's word for what it says. And sometimes we don't have the final answer. There's not a simple answer to everything that we address here in this class or in any other class. But we do the best by God's spirit teaching and leading us in presenting the oracles of God not in an embarrassment or not sheepishly. that consciently when in fact the spirit leaves.

I like the verse, it kind of connects up with your truth. Speaking the truth in love. So you tell them the truth, but you don't take the sledgehammer. You tell them the truth, but love is involved in that process, in that process of getting out the truth.

Well keep in mind that's true within the body too. Not like sharing the Lord with people that are unsaved, but within the body. We want truth to be dominant in what we believe and how we live our lives. And if truth isn't there, then ultimately we're in fault.

Notice the second implication of this verse. He taught them as a living authority. I mean, we walk by faith in God's grace, but we're living authorities of God's word. He's in fact made that possible for us as believers. But secondly, and not as the scribes. How did the scribes teach? Well, this person said this, and that person said that. I mean they were always in an argumentative sense, there was disagreement, there was some of the scribes, the pharisees all came about the view of the word of God with different opinions and directions. They also did what? What self-righteousness? I mean they took credit for that, didn't they?

If you look at the Jewish faith even today, those orthodox or very conservative Jews really, their metric is intellect. And that's how you aspire to ultimately the highest level of Jewish faith, by being smarter. And everybody goes to the rabbi for advice. It may be totally unrelated to the Hebrew language or the word of God. But they're looking at this person as the ultimate in intelligence and wisdom. That approach reminds me so much of that interlude, today's message is mighty important. Bullwinkle is a dope on my board.

Not that message. I didn't deny it. You can always count on me with an analogy of bowling. Thank you very much. Hey, Rockies, watch them pull a rabbit out of their head. That happened in 007. He's got a good memory. I don't know you remember all that. Don't try to figure this out. Could this be a gift of God? Cast down false imaginings and lean imaginations. I didn't see cartoon memories listed among those. It's wonderful, Tom. Keep it up. We love that. OK, so where are we here?

We're in the fact that we're speaking to articles of God. We're doing that constantly without being forceful or taking credit for it. For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. So it kind of gives you an idea of where the source of this is. Just us sharing the word of God and saying how wonderful I am. Because ultimately many were corrupted by this and they shared it the wrong way. But we present this as we would in the new nature led by the Spirit. And you know what? This still, I mean if you think, I was just thinking about a lot of these television ministries that you just, and I don't watch any of this, but you know when you're changing channels or something, you come across this.

And that's exactly what they are doing. They're not telling the truth? I mean, they're not speaking the truth? Well, they're partial truths. That's the problem with a lot of the ministries. They're partial truths. Oh, sure, they throw God and Christ in there on occasion, just for effect. But really, if you listen to any of it, it's pretty scary.

Well, speaking oracles of God. Remember, this is a kind of an authoritative, non-cocky approach to what the scriptures really say. And again, there are places in scripture where we all have some discussion. but the basic ABCs of the gospel are pretty clear.

Alright, ministering with the ability which God supplies. Remember two manifestations here, one is speaking and the other is serving. So Romans 12, 6-8 we've read already is an example of the enablements that God provides. in the interlinear that the word ability is translated strength, which God gives. And from a prior lesson, a study of this, I have a note that says God never uses our ability, that's why he gives us gifts.

That's good, that fits in with the theme here today, doesn't it? He gives strength, not ability. That's good. I didn't pick up on that ability being strength. Okay, that's good. And that fits in too with the idea that it's not us, but by him that this is manifested.

Alright, what's the purpose of ministering with the strength which God supplies? I like that better than ability. Ability sounds like something that we're too involved with. It's his strength that ultimately manifests it. That's good, thanks. What's the purpose of us ministering? To bring glory to the earth. Absolutely, that's what the verse says, right? That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Lesson after lesson after lesson on God's glory and how our walk here is to bring glory to Him. And that's really true but keep in mind bringing glory to God is not again us recognizing how we're contributing to that. He's going to give us sometimes a glimpse of what's happening.

I mean it's not that that's wrong to say gee that was really neat. where that strength came from. It's kind of fun to wake up to the fact that you're actually doing something that you weren't really realizing you were doing. You do realize it afterwards. That's not something you need to confess.

To recognize what's happened, but yet the idea of walking by faith is to bring glory to the Lord, not to ourselves. So if we begin by thinking about how well we are doing in our attribute then we are off in left field some place. When afterwards something has happened that you see an outcome of God's grace in your life, I think it is ok to realize what you have been through, but to focus in on that and taking credit for it is not what Peter has in mind here. And while we are about our heavenly business here on earth, And until his coming, to whom does the glory and power belong, and for how long? Well, it seems like a pretty simple question, doesn't it?

No credit to the servant. The purpose here is God's glory. God gets the glory and true glory of Jesus Christ by the way in whom we have been resurrected and made new creations. Without the resurrection, the Bible is worthless. And when we look at, again, the Lord's Table like we did last week, thinking about the bread and the cup and what they represent, ultimately we're risen with newness of life, and that's the bread, I believe, and that newness of life is really walking in righteousness. He hath made him who knew no sin to be made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5.21. He made him who knew no sin to be made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness in God. So, to God be the glory. We don't take credit for this. Remember, back to your comment you made last week, this is just our business address here. This is not our home. Heaven's our home.

Forever and ever. Wow. Think about eternity. I mean, Al is really experiencing that right now, and we should be experiencing it here. Our place in eternity, past, and present, and future is identical to what it is for Al right now. We just only realize this particular time in eternity's presence. Remember, eternity, there's no timeline there. We tend to think so temporally. That's actually quarter of 10. We've got to wrap it up here. That's what we're going to do, actually. Forever and ever is an overwhelming principle.

Revelation 1.6, and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Let it be. You don't see Peter use that very often, but he used it here. In other words, bottom line, amen. To God be the glory forever and ever.

As we think of heavenly metrics and we think of rewards, you may be thinking he's called us to work for our rewards, but ultimately, I think simplistically, our rewards internally are going to be based on how much walking in the new creation energized by the Holy Spirit has been accomplished in our lives. And that's not something we intellectually or in the power of the old man of flesh accomplish. It's our walk by faith. that brings glory to God, that ultimately relates to the reward.

So, as I thought about how to close this message today, I'm also going to state the book of Revelation. which really, I think, brings in the concept of glory and power, which is dominion and the birth and forever and ever. So Revelation 12, 12 and 13, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the land that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I say, blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever. So that's the way all creatures for all time will respond one day. thoughts of that versus 10 or 11 today.

I just want to begin with wow and thank you. Seriously, kind of going back to everything that you all sort of said. All my years, do I need to name how old I am, but you know, all the different churches, what I've always heard and kind of felt guilty about was, you know, and all while meeting, the classes I'm learning are spiritual gifts, and I don't know what my spiritual gift is. You said at the beginning of class, I don't care what my spiritual gift is, it's my faith. And boom! The light bulb went off. So I'm saying thank you. And yet it's a puzzling thing for me too.

Why is it only at Holly Hills after all the different denominations? And there's many good things, but how come this is so missed? Because it's so true. It's only by Christ in me that the good stuff And as soon as I start trying to figure out what I, then I become prideful and it's me instead of, you know, so just all I'm trying to say is I hope this encourages you.

Yes, the Holy Spirit spoke to me loud and clear today. So thank you. Well, you're welcome. You know, there's a rest for the people of God. And in that rest, we fall back and become entirely dependent. And that doesn't say we don't have a role in our Christian walk. We do. We live by faith. The role is faith. The role is to live by faith. What has God revealed? And how has God's revelation applied to my life? And when we see what he's revealed, it's not God, but it's the Lord Jesus Christ within me. Crucify me, Christ, nevertheless I will, but not I, but Christ who liveth in me.

Right? And that's nebulous and poorly understood, but also puts us in the place where God wants us to be totally dependent. We have responsibility, that's to live by faith. And this area of gifts is only a stumbling block for many people. Keep in mind, I think it's always good to remind ourselves that Christ to the Jew is a stumbling block. But to the Gentile, all this stuff is foolishness.

And as I think I've said in the class before, I've had much more opportunity to share the Lord Jesus Christ with Jews than I have with Gentiles. Because in academic medicine, there are a lot of Jewish people, I can assure you. But often with the Gentile, there's just a view of biblical Christianity as non-evolutionary, non-scientific, and unfounded, not validated, and it's all foolishness to the world system, basically. Or as a Jew, at least he or she has some foundation in God from just their ethnicity, their Jewish race, and their teaching.

But thank you for that comment. We'll give that to the Lord, for sure. And let's not worry about what our spiritual gifts are. God's going to be manifesting those in your life if you live by faith. And I think they can differ at one point in time from another. And I also think we know we all have at least one gift and that means, I think it basically means you're saved. You're saved because he said all of us have one gift and he will manifest it.

It's only an after class comment, but the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. And those who may seemingly be stuck in Judaism, that's what they seem like if they understand what the New Testament is all about.

Okay, without our buzzer today, maybe, Rob, did you have any further questions? There's a typo there, that's actually Revelation 5, 5, 12, and 13. Oh, it is fine. Yeah, it's fine. Sorry, Megan. Actually, Megan got it. Good for you. I don't know. Well, anyway, correct that, please. It's Revelation 5. I promise. And we'll blend the flesh on that one. Not the Holy Spirit, right? No, we'll blend your bad typing. I agree totally with her about that, but 5 and 12, that's a little bit... I'm not a two-finger type. Anyway, never mind.

We'll talk Friday. We'll talk Friday in a minute, all right? Tom, with that closing... Actually, it closes in prayer. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for showing us what was there in the Old Testament all the time, but hidden, and now it's shown full-blown through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. May His work in and through us as we trust and rest in His presence in us, individually, through more and more each day that's coming with Him. Amen.