Revelation Gifts – Part 1          

                             

Bible Passage:  1 Cor. 12 :1-12.

Memory Verse: “He called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”  (Matt. 10:1.) 

 

Lesson’s Aim and Objective

We want to focus on the kinds of the gift of wisdom in this lesson. 

 

Lesson Introduction

1 Cor 12:8a lists “word of wisdom” as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But earlier in 1 Cor 1:24, the Lord Jesus Christ is described as the “wisdom of God” to the believer. So He indeed is our source of wisdom. If we do not possess the Owner of wisdom, we cannot possibly receive the gift of the word of wisdom.

A number of passages emphasise the value of wisdom to the believer:

• Prov. 4:7 says “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.”  No wonder Solomon asked it of God.
• Prov. 16:16 tells us wisdom is better than gold. Again Solomon sought it instead of riches. 
• Prov. 19:8 tells us, “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul.”  It will do good to your very life.
• James 3:17 lists a number of the characteristics of the wisdom from heaven. The first is it is pure and the last characteristic is it is sincere – there is nothing shady, underhand or “hanky-panky” about it.
• In the mad rush to get rich, Prov.23:4 cautions us to use wisdom to apply restraint instead of wearing ourselves out. In this area of life, man’s type of wisdom will come to nothing in the end, Isa. 29:14.

       

Lesson Outline 1:The Gifts of the Holy Spirit  are in Categories  

q       How many kinds of Spirit do you find in 1 Tim. 4:1?

o         The Holy Spirit is there.

§          But who else is mentioned?

o         There are also deceiving spirits out there.

q       What warning do we have in 1 John 4:1-3 and why?

o        Do not believe, but test every spirit.

§         But how and why?

o         Check them out in the light of God’s word, and particularly their understanding/teaching about the Person and work of the Lord Jesus, because “many false prophets have gone into the world.”

q       9 Gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in 1 Cor. 12:8-10. Categorize them into

o        Revelation Gifts: word of wisdom; word of knowledge; distinguishing between spirits.

o        Inspirational Gifts: prophecy; speaking in different kinds of tongues; interpretation of tongues.

o        Power Gifts: faith; gifts of healing; miraculous powers.

 

Lesson Outline 2: There are three kinds of Wisdom  

q       What is the type and nature of “wisdom” described in 

§          James 3:14-16?

o        A “wisdom” that is earthly & unspiritual. It is “devilish” wisdom. It certainly is not from heaven.

o         Its nature is that it is marked by envy and selfish ambition.

§          Luke 14:28-32?

o        Just pure human wisdom is described here.

o        Its nature is “common sense”.

§         James 3:17?

o        This is heavenly or divine wisdom.

o        It possesses the most desirable qualities. Even when men consider it foolish and not smart, God’s verdict is that “the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength”, 1 Cor.1: 25.

Summary:

“Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.”  (Prov. 4:7)