INTRODUCTION…

- Today we’re stepping into a topic that can stir both excitement and confusion—the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit. When the Bible speaks of sign gifts, it’s talking about those supernatural moments where God breaks through the natural: miracles, healings, prophecy, and tongues.

- These gifts have often been elevated, debated, and sometimes misused. Our goal this morning is to seek understanding. We want to know what Scripture teaches, how these gifts pointed to Jesus, and what they mean for the church today.

- You know, one of the things I love most about following Jesus is that He didn’t just save us — He equipped us. When you came to faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit didn’t just forgive your sins and move in — He brought a toolbox with Him. Every believer is equipped. No one is gift-less. The Holy Spirit never saves without also sending. And He never sends without also supplying what’s needed for the mission.

- When the Holy Spirit came to dwell in believers, He didn’t come empty-handed. He brought gifts. Spiritual gifts. And these aren’t just personality traits or natural talents. They’re supernatural empowerments — evidence that the living God is active in His church today.

- Last week I gave Wayne Grudem’s definition of spiritual gifts, he says: “A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.” That means if you are in Jesus, you are gifted — not for your ego, not to prove your spirituality — but to serve. We read last week in 1 COR 12:7 Paul said: “A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.” Every believer has something the Spirit wants to do through them for the good of others.

- Last week we talked about what the gifts are and why they’re given. This week, we’re talking about how to think biblically about some of the miraculous gifts[tongues, prophecy, miracles and healing] and how to discover and use your spiritual gift(s). Let me start with this thought:

UNDERSTANDING THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS...

- Christians have disagreed for centuries about the miraculous gifts—and it’s okay to talk about that openly and not be in complete agreement on this and not get stressed out about it!

- At Creekside, we approach this topic with humility, recognizing the diversity of perspectives and the complexity of theological interpretation. Yet, we want to be anchored in our commitment to the authority of Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit, we seek to discern God’s will for our congregation with grace and compassion.

- To fully understand these spiritual gifts, I’d like to put them in THREE BROAD CATEGORIES…Three perspectives/interpretations regarding this area of theology…

1. CESSATIONIST
The term cessationist is taken from the word cease. The cessationist believes that these particular gifts ceased in the first century due to an exhaustion of purpose. These “sign gifts” were evidentially miraculous, serving as confirmation that the message of the one performing them was truly from God. They believe that once the New Testament was completed, there was no longer a need for these gifts…because the gospel message had been firmly established. They use 1 COR 13:9-10 as the basis of this interpretation (“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.”). They interpret the word “perfect” to refer to the finalizing of the New Testament and the firm establishment of the gospel message. There are ranges of this interpretation: Soft Cessationist are open to these gifts appearing when an unevangelized group needs a miraculous sign.

2. CONTINUATIONIST
The term continuationist is taken from continue. Continuationists believe all the gifts of the Spirit have continued throughout the church age. While these gifts may serve as signs to the world, their primary function is to build up the church. Continuationists point out that nowhere in the New Testament does it say the gifts would end before Christ’s return. They interpret “the perfect” in 1 COR 13:9-10 as referring to the return of Christ and the fullness of His kingdom.

3. CHARISMATIC
Every charismatic is a continuationist, but not every continuationist is a charismatic. The charismatic interpretation agrees with the continuationist’s position but often add that speaking in tongues is a gift that all spirit filled believers should seek and possess. Some believe it is a sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a separate filling that is different from the moment of salvation, and necessary for salvation. Even others believe that there are new Apostles who are like OT prophets, speaking authoritatively God’s commands and their words have equal authority to the Bible. (NAR New Apostolic Reformation)

- At Creekside Church, we have people who are cessationist and people who are continuationist, and possibly some who would hold to charismatic interpretations of the sign gifts. (I personally hold a moderate position—I’m a cautious continuationist.)

- So, at Creekside, from a place of order and unity, we would be in the cautious continuationist realm in regards to how these gifts are recognized and used in our large and small group gatherings. Central to our approach is the recognition of God’s sovereignty and His unchanging character.

- We affirm the biblical precedent for the operation of sign gifts, acknowledging their role in authenticating the gospel message during the formative years of the early church (HEB 2:3–4). And, we also recognize the need for discernment and humility as we seek God’s will for our congregation today.

1. THE GIFTS OF MIRACLES AND HEALING…

— GOD’S POWER DISPLAYED IN MIRACLES
From the opening pages of Scripture, we see a miracle-working God. He parts seas, rains down manna, closes lions’ mouths, and raises the dead. Every miracle shouts one message: God is sovereign, compassionate, and worthy of glory.
- [1] In EX 14, the Red Sea splits—not to make Moses famous, but to display God’s salvation.
- [2] In 1 KINGS 17 (Elijah: God provided food miraculously, stopped the rain except on command, raised the widows son from dead) and 2 KINGS 4, (Elisha: Widows oil multiplied, barren woman given a child, that child raised from the dead)…Elijah and Elisha performed miracles that revealed the compassion and authority of God. Each miracle is a divine signature—God saying in essence…“This is My work, this is My Word, believe in Me.”

— MIRACLES IN THE LIFE OF JESUS
When Jesus walked this earth, He brought heaven’s power with Him.
-[1] In MK 2:1-12 His Healings showed His mercy—He restored the sick and forgave the sinner.
- [2] In MK 5:1-20 His Exorcisms displayed His authority over demons and darkness.
- [3] In MK 4:35-41 The Nature miracles proved His rule over creation.
- [4] In JN 11 Jesus raised the dead to demonstrate His power over the grave. Every miracle was a sermon in action, revealing that the Kingdom of God had arrived.

— MIRACLES IN THE EARLY CHURCH
When Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit empowered His followers to continue His mission. In Acts, we see miracles that confirmed the apostles’ message and opened doors for the gospel.
- [1] ACTS 2 — Pentecost: The Holy Spirit arrives, Peter preaches, and thousands are saved.
- [2] ACTS 3 — A lame man walks, and Peter points the crowd to Jesus.
- [3] ACTS 9, 12, 16 — Healings and deliverances draw attention to Jesus, not the apostles. Miracles were never the goal; the gospel was. The miracles served the message, not the other way around.

— MIRACLES AND HEALING TODAY
Now let’s bring that home: Does God still heal today? Absolutely—God still heals. But here’s the key: We believe in divine healing, but not divine healers.
- Pastor Chuck Swindoll once said,“I believe in divine healing. I do not believe in divine healers. I believe in faith healing. I do not believe in faith healers. There is a great difference. I believe that God in His sovereign grace and power will in fact reach down in some cases and change a condition. And I am of the conviction that God does that apart from any individual who claims to have certain powers.”
- Wayne Grudem emphasizes that the gift of healing is not the ability to heal at will, but rather that God sometimes gives faith or power for healing in specific moments. The power is God’s; the gift is simply being the channel. I believe that God, in His sovereign grace, will at times reach down and change a condition—apart from any individual who claims to have certain powers.” That’s Creekside’s heart too. God’s power hasn’t changed, but His purpose is always His glory, not our fame. So we pray with boldness and we trust with humility.
- JAMES 5:14-15 tells us,“14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
- We pray in faith, and God is the one who heals! We ask, believing God can heal, but we also rest in His will if He doesn’t. Sometimes God heals instantly, sometimes gradually, and sometimes eternally—when He calls His children home. HE is the healer.

— DISCERNMENT IN THE AGE OF SENSATION
Let’s be honest: in our media-saturated world, miracles sell. You can find preachers promising power, crowds chasing signs, and movements equating emotion with anointing. But listen: We don’t follow signs; signs follow those who follow Jesus. Our faith isn’t built on spectacle—it’s built on Scripture. True miracles exalt Jesus, not the performer. Miracles lead to repentance, not applause. And that’s where we must use discernment. If it glorifies God and lines up with His Word, celebrate it. If it glorifies man or contradicts Scripture, reject it.

2. THE GIFT OF PROPHECY...

- Now, let’s move to another sign gift that often raises questions—prophecy. Paul includes it in his list of gifts in 1 COR 12 and urges believers to “earnestly desire” it (1 COR 14:1). But what exactly is New Testament prophecy?

- Wayne Grudem defines it this way:
“Telling someone something that God has spontaneously brought to mind.”
It’s not equal to Scripture. It’s not new revelation that adds to the Bible. It’s a Spirit-prompted message meant to build up, encourage, and comfort (1 COR 14:3). So, prophecy is not Scripture-producing, it’s Spirit-prompted.

- In the Old Testament, prophets spoke with absolute authority—“Thus says the Lord.” But in the New Testament, prophecy is different—it must be tested. Paul said in 1 THES 5:20-21, “20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.”

- At Creekside, we take that seriously. Any word that claims to be from God must align with the Word of God. We measure it by Scripture, confirm it in community, and submit it to church leadership. And when believers sense God prompting them to encourage or comfort someone, all must speak carefully. Not, “Thus says the Lord,” but, “I believe the Lord may be showing me…” That posture keeps humility and accountability front and center.

— Prophecy in the Early Church
In Acts 2, when the Spirit came at Pentecost, Peter said, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy.” Prophecy became widespread—not limited to a few, but shared among believers.
- We see examples in Acts 11 & 21 with Agabus, and in Acts 13, where prophets and teachers received direction for mission work. The purpose was always the same: to edify the church and exalt Christ.

— Prophecy and the Church Today
- As I said at the beginning of my talk today, there are different views about whether prophecy continues. Some believe the gift ceased with the apostles; others believe it continues under the authority of Scripture.

- At Creekside, we take a balanced position: God still speaks through His Spirit. Everything must be weighed against the Bible. We would take the position that no one today speaks with inerrant prophetic authority today. The collection of books in the Bible is closed (the canon). God’s Word is complete. Yet, we also believe the Spirit may impress truth, conviction, or encouragement on a believer’s heart to build others up. That’s not new revelation—it’s illumination and application of God’s unchanging truth.

3. THE GIFT OF TONGUES...

- Now let’s tackle one of the most talked-about—and often misunderstood—sign gifts: the gift of tongues. In recent decades, some movements have elevated tongues as the ultimate mark of spirituality, as the church in Corinth mistakenly had done. But Paul calls us back to perspective.

- In 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, he quotes Isaiah 28, saying,
“1 It is written in the law, I will speak to this people by people of other tongues and by the lips of foreigners, and even then, they will not listen to me..."

- Tongues in Scripture were never random or chaotic—they had purpose and structure. Every time tongues is referred to in the NT, it is a language. And that is what I still believe it is. A miraculous ability to speak a language that you have never studied.

— Tongues in Acts
Every instance of tongues in Acts served as a sign confirming God’s work:
-- Acts 2 — Pentecost: Jewish believers heard known languages proclaiming God’s works.
-- Acts 10 — Gentiles (Cornelius’s household) spoke in tongues, languages, confirming salvation had come to all nations, not just jewish believers.
-- Acts 19—Disciples of John received the Spirit and spoke in tongues/languages, showing the full gospel had arrived.
- Every example happened in a Jewish context, verifying that the gospel had broken barriers.

— Tongues in the Corinthian Church
- Now, the Corinthian church was gifted but chaotic. Paul spends 3 entire chapters to explain them and brings correction in how they were using them.
- [1] In 1 COR 12:7 he says Gifts are for the common good.
- [2] In 1 COR 13 he says Love must govern every use of gifts.
- [3] In 1 COR 14:27–28 he says Tongues must be interpreted, and limited to two or three speakers.
- [4] And, If there is no interpreter, one should keep silent and speak to God privately.
- [5] In 1 COR 14:40 he says everything must be done decently and in order. Paul’s heart was to give guidelines and put these gifts in their proper place. He even said prophecy is greater, because it builds up the body directly.

— Creekside’s Perspective
At Creekside, we are non-charismatic but Spirit-led.
- We recognize that God used tongues to authenticate the gospel in the early church.
- We also recognize that most modern expressions in churches today differ greatly from the biblical pattern.
- So while we don’t condemn everyone who claims the gift, we also don’t practice tongues publicly or teach it as normative here at Creekside…for the sake of unity, gospel clarity, and biblical order. We are okay with our church family holding moderate positions, but we believe our teaching aligns with Scripture’s call for edification, order, and love.
- Paul listed tongues last among the gifts (1 COR 12:28), and we would follow in his steps—not as unimportant, but as secondary to the mission of Jesus.

4. WHAT ALL THE SIGN GIFTS TEACH US...

Here’s what ties it all together:
- [1] God still works supernaturally—but always for His glory and His gospel.
- [2] The Spirit’s gifts are given for service, not status.
- [3] Love and unity outweigh any display of power.
- [4] The ultimate miracle isn’t tongues or healing—it’s transformation.

- When God takes a sinner and makes them a saint—that’s the greatest sign gift of all.
- God still does the impossible. But He doesn’t need us to manufacture miracles to prove He’s real.
- He’s already proven it at the cross and the empty tomb.

5. HOW DO WE DISCOVER AND USE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFT...

Sometimes people think discovering your gift is like taking a personality test, an assessment…and honestly throughout my ministry years I have used many and recommended many…I took 5 last week! But I find there are some inherent flaws with assessments (spiritually lost people taking them).

- But the New Testament doesn’t say, “Take a quiz and find out your gift.” Instead, it shows believers discovering their gifts in community, in service, and through prayer.

- With that in mind, writer and leader Tim Challies makes this suggestion…
--- Instead of surveying yourself, survey Creekside.
--- Instead of assessing your own strengths, assess Creekside’s needs.
--- Instead of focusing on the gifts God may have given you, focus on the gifts that God may want Creekside to have.
--- Where you spot a need, consider meeting it.
--- Where you spot a weakness, consider strengthening it.
--- Where you spot an opportunity, consider taking it. You may just find that as you move forward, even with trepidation, God bestows the gifting.

- The way to properly exercise spiritual gifts is not only to be willing to do what you’ve determined is your gifting, but to do anything that the church needs to have done, and to do it with joy and excellence. - And as you do that, you may find that God gifts and equips you for something far outside your comfort zone.

- Wayne Grudem writes, “Though the lists of gifts given in the New Testament are not exhaustive, they certainly provide a good starting point for churches to ask whether at least there is opportunity for these gifts to be used.”

FIVE PRINCIPLES...

- For those who continue to struggle with identifying how they have been gifted, here are FIVE PRINCIPLES that will prove helpful:

[1] BEGIN WITH PRAYER…
[Ask God to reveal how He’s gifted you]
-- God promises to give wisdom to any who ask for it. In JAMES 1:5 “5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God ​— ​who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly ​— ​and it will be given to him”.
-- We should begin our search for gifting by asking God to make it plain to us how he has gifted us and how he desires that we serve him by serving others. We must ask for wisdom in seeing how God has gifted us and in opening our eyes to opportunities to serve him.

[2] SERVE FAITHFULLY AND THE GIFT WILL EMERGE…
[Look for Passion]
ROM 12:6 says, “According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts...”
-- Experiment — Serve in different areas; gifts are discovered through use, not just introspection.
-- Where God has given a gift, we can expect that he will also give passion. -- A good place to begin when considering spiritual gifts is to see where God has given desire and passion. A person who is passionate about having people into her home may well have a gift of hospitality; a person who loves to organize events may be gifted with a kind of leadership; a person who is passionate about the truth of God may be gifted with discernment.
-- Those who look for their gifting should look to what interests them and what makes them feel passionate. As they look to their passions they may just find their gifts. Here’s a question to ask yourself: “Where do I see consistent fruit when I serve?” When you step out to help, teach, encourage, or lead — do people get helped? Do they experience Christ through you? The fruit reveals the function.

[3] LISTEN TO OTHERS…
[Listen for feedback]
-- Another way of discovering your gift is to ask other believers, especially those in spiritual leadership over you. Simply ask other Christians, those who know you best and who lead and guide you, where they feel you should serve within the church. Sometimes, others will see your gift before you do.
-- You might hear things like, “You explain the Bible in a way that makes it clear.” “When you pray, it feels like heaven moves.” “You have such a heart for the hurting.”
-- That’s the body recognizing the Spirit’s work in you. So pay attention to how mature believers affirm what they see in your life. Ask them to prayerfully consider your gifting. Their wisdom and guidance may surprise you.

[4] TRY THEM!…
[Look for fruit]
-- Does your serving build others up? Bring joy? Strengthen faith? Pay attention to that…and it may not be in areas that seem obvious or natural to you…we need to be careful to not only do the things that we are comfortable with or serve only in the ways we think we are most talented.
-- God does not always gift us in ways we are comfortable with or in ways we might expect. By trying different gifts we can look to those where God brings blessing and success and perhaps see that we have a special gifting in these areas.

[5] KEEP TRYING!
-- The Bible does not tell us that all spiritual gifts are given at the time of conversion or that, once given, they are given permanently. As we grow in our knowledge and love of the Lord, we should continue to seek ways of serving him. We may be surprised to find that our gifting changes along with the needs of our local church. We may find that God wishes us to emphasize different gifts now from those we emphasized in the past. So keep serving God and keep searching for his gifting in your life. If confusion continues, take heart, wait patiently for God’s wisdom and guidance, and serve him whenever and wherever possible. He will answer your prayers.

6. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER...USE YOUR GIFT IN LOVE...

- Paul intentionally puts 1 Corinthians 13 right between chapters 12 and 14 — the “love chapter” in the middle of the “gift chapters.” He’s saying: “Don’t pursue the gifts apart from love, or you’ll miss the whole point.”

--- Love is the environment in which gifts thrive.
--- Love is the boundary that keeps gifts healthy.
--- Love is the evidence that the Spirit truly fills us.
--- If the Holy Spirit’s gifts are the instruments, love is the music. Without it, the church just makes noise.

--- Once you begin to sense what your gift is, the next step is simple but vital: use it in love.
--- “In Essentials UNITY, in Non-Essentials LIBERTY, and in All Things LOVE”

1 PET 4:10 says,
“Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”
-- Let’s notice those two words: serve and steward.
---> To SERVE means your gift is not about you — it’s about others. Your teaching isn’t to show off knowledge; your mercy isn’t to prove compassion. It’s to display the grace of Jesus to others.
---> To STEWARD means you are caretaker of something that doesn’t belong to you. The gift is the Spirit’s — you are simply managing it for His glory.

- And Paul reminds us in 1 COR 13 that love is the guardrail for all spiritual gifts. Without love, even prophecy or miracles are noise.
- So the mark of a mature, Spirit-led believer is not the flashiness of their gift but the fruit of their love.

7. PRACTICAL STEPS TO WALK IN YOUR GIFT...

[1] Commit to being a part of Creekside Church
Gifts only make sense in community. You can’t discover, test, or use your gift in isolation. Find your people — commit to being an active part of this church family where you can serve consistently.

[2] Start Small and Be Faithful
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Serve at Creekside specifically [Lead a Missional Community, Serve in Kids, Students, Welcome, Men’s/Women’s, Creative Arts, Serve behind the scenes]. Use your gift to bless your ONE. Pray for someone who’s hurting. Faithfulness in the small things leads to fruitfulness in greater things.

[3] Seek to Bless, Not Impress
The goal is always to build up the body, not to be noticed. Ask: “Who can I serve? Who can I encourage?” That’s when the Spirit moves through you the most powerfully.

[4] Stay Grounded in the Word
Every experience and prompting must be tested by Scripture. The Spirit will never contradict what He inspired in the Word.

[5] Keep a Posture of Dependence
The Holy Spirit is not a force to control; He’s a Person to walk with. || Stay humble, stay teachable, and stay open to how He wants to use you.

8. CLOSING: ONE SPIRIT, MANY MEMBERS...

Let’s finish how we started…with Paul’s words from 1 COR 12:4–7:
“4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. 7 A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good…”

-- The Holy Spirit gives the gifts…Jesus directs the ministry…And the Father receives the glory.

-- So here’s the invitation, Creekside family:
--> Don’t just attend church — be the church.
--> Use your gift. Encourage someone. Pray boldly.
--> Let the Spirit work through you to make Jesus known.

RESPOND, REFLECT & COMMUNION

I would like to give you a chance to respond to God…

-- What did God reveal about who he is to you today in our time in God’s word?
-- What did God reveal about what he has done or is doing in our time in God’s word?
-- What did you learn about who you are as we looked at these stories today?
-- What did you learn about what you are supposed to do?

—> Let's take a minute to thank Him, respond to Him, confess our sins to Him, examine our hearts before we take communion...

—> WHAT IS JESUS SAYING TO YOU TODAY?
—> WHAT IS JESUS ASKING YOU TO DO?