Sunday Morning Service

ICorinthians 12 (Click scripture reference for audio access)

“Gifts!” • 12.09.12 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- Paul is addressing the Corinthians about the disorder that they found themselves in, beginning with authority they were to recognize and the proper receiving of communion.

- Today, we begin dealing with the issue of spiritual gifts. To be concise about it, the Corinthians were outrageous in their perspective and ostentatious in their practice of the gifts.

- As much as they had been wrong in the other areas of their church life, they equaled or even exceeded that in this area, prompting Paul to address the problem over 3 chapters!

- In a world where the gifts remain a dividing line between churches, Paul's instruction here, prayerfully, will help us get back to the center where God wants His people to dwell.  

Text

• I Corinthians 12:1-3 : "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." : Essentially, the gifts of the Spirit are empowered actions whereby the Spirit moves through human vessels in continued ministry to the church.

- Paul did not want them to be ignorant or agnostic about this subject. The Lord does not want us in that condition either, regardless of our negative or positive experiences.

- From the beginning, understand that spiritual gifts emanate and originate from a God who is vastly different to their dumb, or mute idols.

- They were repeatedly led away, literally marched like prisoners, after these idols which made no sound. Conversely, the real God of the Universe speaks and breathes through human vessels.

- What is the Spirit's message? It will always be centered on the person of Christ. Therefore, the Spirit of God cannot be operating in a person who calls Jesus "accursed."

- "Accursed" comes from the word "anathema" referring to something or in this case, someone, which is devoted to destruction. The person can never say that and be led of the Spirit.

- Since that is true, nobody can call Jesus Lord unless they are moved upon by the Spirit!

- Becoming a Christian is an act of God's grace and mercy upon an individual. Certainly a person can say the word "Jesus is Lord." Those are monosyllabic English words.

- However, to actually proclaim this truth as the centerpoint of your existence takes a work of God's Spirit in you, producing the power to believe. The gifts begin here with this confession.

- Every confessing believer then possessed by the Holy Spirit has been given a gift in order that they might do the same thing that the Spirit does: Bring honor and attention to Jesus!

• I Corinthians 12:4-6 : "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." : There are varieties of gifts that the Holy Spirit gives. He does not simply give one gift to all people.

- For every diverse gift, there is just as much variety in their service. Prophecy will be performed by several people and it's execution will look different with every person.

- The Lord is still the Lord over that varied use. Finally, Paul says that there are a variety of activities or operations.

- This is the effect produced by the gift employed. The gifts given effect people in different, but it's not the gifted one who effects anything in another person. It is God!

- God takes the gift that is used and makes it effective in different ways. By the way, did you notice that the Trinity is again referenced here. The Spirit, the Lord and God the Father.

- They are all mentioned as being responsible for giving the gifts and making them work toward their redemptive goal. When you submit to God and employ His gift, He will work through you!

• I Corinthians 12:7 : "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:" : Lord, why did you give us gifts? He did it so that all within the "blast radius" of His gifted one would benefit!

- The words "profit of all" in English could also be translated, "to bring together." The NIV and the ESV both employ the phrase "for the common good."

- God looks upon a church and assesses what gifts it needs. He makes sure that the gifts are tailor made for that church, bringing people who will express them in an appropriate way.

- That is what He intends for you. You have a gift that this church needs in order for it to be what He intends it to be! Sadly, the Corinthians viewed their gifting as benefitting themselves.

- Their gifting was a venue for their own promotion, which is a vile abuse of God's intention.

- Your gift is meant to be a blessing to others. Paul mentions a few that you might have.

• I Corinthians 12:8-11 : "for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." : Paul lists off 9 different gifts. These are given to men through and by the Holy Spirit, giving them to each person as He wills.

- The gifts originate in the Holy Spirit. They flow to men through His agency. Their distribution is under His direct supervision.

- He divides or cleaves out this part or that part, not according to the will of the individual, but to the individual that He wills to give them! Hold that in mind as we examine these gifts.

- The list here is not meant to be exhaustive. There are other lists in Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and I Peter 4. Mentioned first is the word of wisdom.

- This is the sage advisor with the apprehension of biblical facts and the wisdom for their application to a given situation. It's getting the right piece of the puzzle at the right moment.

- The word of knowledge refers to something that is not previously known, but that is revealed  by God to a person possessing this gift. The words "How could you have known that?" follow!

- Faith is next on the list. This is not saving faith, but faith to believe God in tremendous ways, when belief is beyond human comprehension.

- The gift of healings. The Spirit of God heals people at various times through certain individuals. God is doing the healing, but the person has the cooperative faith to participate.

- Another has the working of miracles or power. God still does miraculous things, which is not a statement that is hard to believe if you believe Genesis 1!

- Prophecy occurs when a person stands in front of people and declares to them the intention of God's heart. At times, it might also include a predictive element.

- Some will point to the prophets of the Old Testament, whose prophecy was often predictive in nature. Yes, but for what purpose? To draw people back to the heart of God!

- Then there is the discerning of spirits. Listen to the NLT translation of this verse: "He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit." This person can see through a presentation and access God's judgment.

- We come at last to tongues and their interpretation, which will appear again in chapter 14.

- It's interesting that Paul mentions this last among the gifts. I believe that he does so to show that the other gifts, which the Corinthians may have devalued, were just as spiritual as tongues!

- When you are involved in any of these gifts, you are experiencing life in a God gifted way!

- Each of these gifts were given to God's church, in order that we might operate in them. There is no way one can diminish another gift's importance. This brings us to Paul's illustration.

• I Corinthians 12:12,13 : "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." : The church is much like a human body. It's an organism, not an organization. It's corporeal, not corporate.

- A human body is interconnected by singularly identifiable parts, but consist in one being. The church, in it's localized way is the same. That is how God sees the church.

- Until we see the church that way, with the rights and responsibilities necessary, it won't be much of a body!

- Just as individualized body parts are organized into a human body, so also is Christ's body formed of varying member from every nationality and economic reality!

- All that have enjoyed the baptism or the initiation into the body by the Holy Spirit are a part of His body. You play a part because you have been made to be a part!

• I Corinthians 12:14-18 : "For in fact the body is not one member but many.  If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,' is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,' is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." : It cannot be ignored that while there are differing parts, none of the parts of any given body are indispensable.

- The hand has a function within the body that cannot be performed by the ears, but the ear is just as unique and necessary.

- The Corinthians only wanted to have certain gifts, having no appreciation for what they deemed to be "lesser gifts."

- They wanted each to be what they wanted to be! They might have said, "I only want to participate if I get to play this particular part." Therein lies the argument of the body.

- The eyes say, "You should see what I see!" The ears call out next, "You should hear what I hear!" The nose retorts, "My job stinks!"

- To which the feet reply through the muted shoes, "YOUR job stinks!? Try walking in my shoes, where it stinks AND you get walked on every day!"

- This contention is unnatural and that is Paul's point. There needs to be an appreciation for every gift, seeing that it is God Himself who establishes each gift among the body!

- The concept is simple: There is a divine prerogative that must be recognized in our life. We don't simply go to any church that we want and become what we want.

- God establishes you in a place and then causes His gift to be released through you for the benefit of the body. Why? Because it pleases Him!

- The word speaks both to a resolve that centers in His will, as well as an enjoyable fond activity. One could say that He wants you where He wants you because it's enjoyable for Him!

• I Corinthians 12:19-22 : "And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary." : A body composed of one part would be a horrific monstrosity to observe! A church with only one gift would be the same.

- No, God wants as diverse a body as our physical bodies are. The eye, the feet, all of our members would never look at each other with such disparagement.

- Yet, the Corinthians seemed to look that way toward their spiritually gifted brothers and sisters. But those that seem to be weaker are necessary!

- Notice that Paul says that they always seem to be weaker or without strength. They seem as though they can be done away with or that they serve little purpose, but they are absolutely essential.

- Try doing church without Children's teachers. Try sitting down without the gifted people who put your chairs there. Try singing without a band.

• I Corinthians 12:23-26 : "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." : The body parts that are less honorable receive greater honor, the unpresentable, greater modesty.

- The presentable parts though have no need. They already receive enough attention. This is how God has designed HIs body, giving greater honor to the part that lacks it.

- This point is really fabulous. Our unpresentable parts are given the honor of being hidden!

- By virtue of the fact that clothes must cover them, we are recognizing their special quality. A servant of God who is in the background where nobody notices, is assured by God's knowledge!

- He celebrates them, noting their deeds, promising that what they lack in this world in terms of honor, they will get in His Kingdom!

- He does that so that there is no schism, no division in the body. One part of the body will receive the same care as another.

- This works itself out this way: When one member suffers, all suffer. When my little toe is stubbed, that pain flows through my whole body and my mind won't leave the source of pain.

- Conversely, when that pain is healed, every member rejoices!

• I Corinthians 12:27-31 : "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way." : You. You people right here, like the Corinthians then, are the body of Christ! If you are a Christian and you attend here weekly, you are a part of God's body here!

- If this church is your home church and God has fit you here soverignly, you are a part of this body that this body cannot function without!

- In that early church, God had put the following leaders in place, in the order of their appearance. First, there were Apostles who were sent by God to preach and establish.

- Prophets came next to speak out God's word to that group of people. Then came the teachers, those who sat with the text open, reading and explaining.

- Then came the workers of miracles or deeds, those gifted with healing. Helps speaks of a divine work in a person to come alongside of another individual. It's right next to healing!

- Administrations, those with the gift to govern and organize things well. And varieties of tongues, or the ability to speak in a language known only to God.

- None do the same function. Not all are Apostles. Not all speak in tongues. Not all interpret. That didn't matter. They were to desire the best of the gifts.

- What are the best gifts? The best gift is the gift that you possess. The best gift is the gift that is needed and yet, Paul will show us something greater than them all!

- We'll wait to discover that when we come to chapter 13.

Conclusion
- As we close, understand that it is God who gives gifts that benefit the entire body. He sovereignly distributes them because He delights to see them in use.

- You might think that if you open yourself and ask God to use your gift, that you will explode into some uncontrollably strange set of actions. The gift is subject to the gifted one.

- God has designed your personality in such a way, that your gift will exercise naturally!

- Trust Him as you trusted Him with your salvation. Trust Him to express Himself through you!