Year B. 2nd Term. Lesson 9. The gifts of the Holy Spirit

Scripture: for teacher background:  1 Corinthians 14:1-12     Romans 12:4-8 

 Ephesians 4:11-13

Making contact:

What is the difference between a fruit tree and a Christmas tree? 

Have one of each there.

The sap inside the branches gives food and water and minerals to the plant and the fruit grows naturally. 

Christmas decorations are tied on.

  Exploration:

When Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to be on and in and around each Christian, not only does He want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in each person’s life, but He wants to give each person a gift or more than one gift to help the Church to function and grow.

So God puts the gifts “ON” us just like we hang gifts on a tree at Christmas time.

The Church is like His body and each person is a different part of that body. So we don’t all look the same or function the same.

So He gives different gifts to different people.

For example He gives one person the gift to be the leader of the Church – an apostle, a minister, a pastor.

He gives people the gift to teach His Word – to be Scripture teachers, Sunday School teachers, Bible class teachers.

He gives someone the gift of faith; this is extra faith, to believe in miracles.

He gives the gift of service – to do lots of work for Jesus and His church.

Someone else might get the gift of encouragement, and they build up the people of God.

There is the gift of administration – to run the church well.

There is the gift of prophecy – to speak God’s Word and the gift of praying in tongues – in another language to give a message from God, which needs the gift of interpretation, so that we understand the message.

Some people have the gift of evangelism and they love preaching the Gospel to people who have never heard the message, they may even go to foreign countries.

These gifts are spiritual gifts.

They are different to talents like art and music. 

But talents can also be blessed by the Spirit and used to build up the church too. So they become spiritual talents and God uses them to bless the church – e.g. flower arranging, banners music etc.

Application 

Even though you are still young, if you have Jesus in your heart and you want to serve Him more, you can ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and to give you a gift you could use to help the church. 

You could also give Him your talents and ask Him to bless them and make them into spiritual talents and use them in the church.

 Challenge to Mission

Just as God gives us spiritual gifts to build up the church, let’s give gifts to someone else.

Teachers provide sweets to put inside decorated toilet rolls.

 Consolidation

There is a worksheet showing presents – they can be coloured in and a list of different spiritual gifts.

Memory Verse:

 “Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God’s message.” 1 Cor 14:1