We Belong To One Another Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). We Share the Same Confession (vs 1-3)

(2). We Serve the Same God (vs 4-6)

(3). We seek to build the Same Body (vs 7-13)

(4). We Share the Same Baptism (vs 14-20)

(5). We need each other (vs 21-25)

(6). We Affect Each Other (vs 26-31)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• A man from the big city decides to spend the weekend on a country shoot.

• Wearing all the gear but not have much idea;

• He stands in a field and shoots;

• And by ‘chance’ manages to shoot a pheasant.

• The only problem is the pheasant is in the next field to him;

• And he can’t get to it because of a fence.

• Within a few minutes an old country farmer pulls up in his Land Rover;

• And he asks the city gent what was going on.

• The would be hunter said, “I shot a pheasant and I’m retrieving it.”

• The old farmer replied, “This is my property and you’re not coming over here!”

• Well, this made the hunter mad so he said,

• “If you don’t let me come over the fence I’ll call my London lawyer and I’ll sue you.”

• The farmer smiled and said, “Apparently you don’t know how we do things up here.

• We settle disagreements with the three-kick rule.

• I’ll kick you three times, and then you kick me three times,

• And so on, back and forth, until someone gives up.”

• The city gent liked this challenge;

• Because he thought he could easily take the old farmer.

• And so the contest began:

• The country farmer climbs down from the tractor;

• Asks the man to bend over and gives him a swift kick up the backside.

• He then repeats this act again and again.

• This humiliated the city gent then looks the old farmer in the eye and says;

• “Okay, you old codger, now it’s my turn!”

• To which the farmer responded;

• “Nah, I give up. You can have the pheasant!”

• TRANSITION: Like that hunter;

• Too many Christians fight over things that are not worth fighting over!

• For as long as I can remember ‘The gifts of the Spirit’

• Have always caused Christians to fall out and disagree;

• And this entirely misses the point as to why they were given to us!

Quote:

“God has given gifts to us, his people:

These gifts are not toys to selfishly play with, or weapons to fight with!

They are tools to unselfishly build with.”

• So please as we look at the gifts of the Spirit;

• Keep in mind our main aim is to build each other up in the faith;

• And not fall out over them.

Note:

• We have emphasised observe the previous studies about context;

• And once again we need to make sure we look at this chapter in its context.

• And not just pull out isolated verses to support a theological argument.

• Remember that division was a major problem in the Church at Corinth;

• The Church was spilt with members following different leaders of the Church;

• (Chapter 1 verses 10-16; Chapter 6 verses 1-8; Chapter 11 verses 18-22);

• As a result of this division, the Christians at Corinth exercised their gifts selfishly;

• They cared little for the health or ministry of the whole Church.

• We know from verses 4 to 7;

• That these Christians had received an abundance of spiritual gifts

• But they were lacking in spiritual graces;

• That is in Christian character to handle these gifts.

Ill:

• Remind me of a ‘boy racer’

• That is someone who has just passed his driving test.

• His parents buy him a supped up sports car as a gift;

• And the boy goes out on the road and shows off!

• He has the license and the flash car;

• But he does not have the experience or the road skills to handle that car and so…

• It is only a matter of time before he crashes and harms himself and other people.

• TRANSITION: “God has given gifts to us, his people:

• These gifts are not toys to selfishly play with, or weapons to fight with!

• They are tools to unselfishly build with.”

• When misused they can be destructive;

• When God gave them to constructive.

(1). We Share the Same Confession (vs 1-3).

“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to dumb idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”