FOR THE COMMON GOOD (January 16, 2022)
Text: I Corinthians 12:1 - 11
1 Corinthinas 12:1-11 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (2) You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. (3) Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. (4) Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; (5) and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; (6) and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. (7) To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (8) To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (11) All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. (NRSV).
Paul was addressing a diverse group of people in Corinth who obviously were not all alike but all gifted by God’s Holy Spirit. Paul was pointing out how God brings people from all walks of life together and unites them in ministry in spite of their diversity. As someone had said, “Diversity does not prevent unity, and unity does not eliminate the differences”. (Dr. William P. Barker, ed. Tarbell’s Teacher’s Guide. 86th Annual Volume. Elgin, Illinois, David C. Cook Publishing Co., 1990, p. 197). Paul is making the point that unity and fellowship among the diverse group is made possible by the Holy Spirit!
If God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and God is because the scripture (James 1:17) says so, then how we use the gift of our salvation, the gifts of the Spirit and the gift of each day is our gift back to God! God has called us to submission, unity and service.
SUBMISSION
Why is submission such a big deal?
1) Blueprints: Submission is a big deal because, When we build something without involving God or slight the amount of involvement God should have, we make a mess! Without God, we are an incomplete mess! “Unless, the Lord builds the house, we build in vain” (Psalm 127:1). How many messes have we made when we left God out of the building equation?
2) Order: Another reason that builds on the first reason is order. We live in a world where confusion is the order of the day. People are divided. There are even divisions within those who are already divided. God’s gifts give us order where chaos once had its place before our conversion. The gifts that God gives to us cannot do any good for us if we do not align ourselves with His will for giving us those gifts.
3) False order: False order seems to be one of the main operating principles of modern day. False order brings false peace which adds to the confusion. How many modern day false prophets are running around today saying peace, peace when there is no peace?
4) Consensus Confusion: Those with whom we agree have reached a consensus. Consensus seems to be the rule that everyone goes by in the world today. Consensus becomes harder as divisions become greater. How many say “I am in line with those who agree with me or us and at odds with those who disagree with me or us?”
Does our submission come from the confession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 9:13)?
1) Master: How can we be a “chameleon” and blend in, in one group and then strive to stand out to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13 -16) in another group? (Herb Miller. Actions Speak Louder Than Verbs. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989, p. 36). How many people try to serve more than one master? What did Jesus say about serving two masters? Matthew 6:24 says “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (ESV). Mammon is is a metaphor of wealth, riches or whatever people might deceitfully put their trust in when God alone should be the object of that trust. (Borrowed Joseph Thayer’s comment in his Greek-English Lexicon on Matthew 6:24). Again, God calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world not chameleon Christians who blend in.
2) Master: Who is our Master? Does our confession of the Gospel and our profession of faith match? Submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through confession and repentance reminds us of our baptism united with Christ in our baptism into the Church. What do our actions say about who Jesus is as Lord and Savior of our lives?
UNITY
What does our unity look like?
In 1986 Lou Holtz became the head coach for Notre Dame. It was unfortunate that morale was low due to football seasons that were not so successful. Holtz brought the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame back up in morale so that eventually they were a top ranking team once again. One of the methods that he used to get team morale back up to the standard that was needed was to have his players wear shirts that said TEAM in big letters and ME in small letters. One of his linebackers at the time (Wes Pritchett) was a little skeptical of this idea at first but later admitted that the message eventually "got through" to the team. "In sports, teamwork is a key ingredient". ([paraphrased and quoted from the following resource:] William P. Barker ed. Tarbell's Teahcer's Guide. 86th Annual Volume. Elgin: David C. Cook Publishing Co. 1990, pp. 198 - 199). Fellowship means harmony for the group and humility for the individuals that make up the group.
What does our fellowship factor look like?
1)Teamwork: How is our harmony and humility? Does it illustrate unity in spite of diversity? Teamwork is to sports what fellowship is to Christians in the body of Christ!
2) Rebellion: Rebellion is a good description of those who do not work they they way that they were supposed to work. Our world is a mess in great number! James 1:17 says “Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all” (CEB). If God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and God is because the scripture (James 1:17) says so, then how we use the gift of our salvation, the gifts of the Spirit and the gift of each day is our gift back to God!
3) Peer pressure: How many people are consistently the same in each crowd? Do we give in to doing what is popular with the world versus what is right with God? Does submission become harder as divisions become greater? What does it do for one to earn the worldly approval of his or her friends , acquaintances or peer group and yet weaken or nullify the work of God’s Holy Spirit in his or her life?
SERVICE
Why did God unite us in spite of our diversity? Why would God give these nine gifts that Paul mentions?
God gave these gifts for the enhancement of the ministry and service of the members of the Body of Christ! The Lord unites us in spite of our diversity because apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). All things that are possible with God are impossible without God! obviously God did it to show that this kind of unity in spite of diversity is only possible with Him! We cannot serve God if we do not submit to God’s plans for us!
1) God’s Omniscience: The Lord knew us when we were being knit together in our mother’s womb(s) with skin bones and sinews (Psalm 139:13; Job 10:11 ESV paraphrased).
2) God’s plans for us: God predetermined plans for us with both a future and a hope, all while knowing our name, frame, faults and potential, (Jeremiah 29:11; John 10:3.; Psalm 103:14 Paraphrased).
3) Tapestry: Then God knit us together in love not only so that we would be encouraged in heart but also that we might reach and share in the riches of full assurance, but also that we might grow in understanding of God’s knowledge and mystery with overlapping gifts where we share unity in spite of diversity.
4) And we know…: Romans 8:28 in the Amplified version of the Bible reminds us that “… we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose”.
5) Indestructible construction:
A) Christ is the cornerstone and the whole building is joined together in Him (Ephesians 2:20,21).
B) We are part of God’s household (Ephesians 2:20).
C) Christ is building us into a place where God lives through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22 CEB paraphrased).
D) So is God’s word that comes from His mouth in the Bible and in the Word made flesh---Jesus Christ, whose Word will not return to God empty but will accomplish what God intended (Isaiah 55:11; John 1:14).
E) We are called to be shaped and cleaned by God’s Word that we may win disciples for Jesus Christ (Mathew 28:19; John 15:3)! Only God can put this kind of unity in spite of diversity together!
How does our fellowship and unity within effect our service without?
1) Sin is obviously a stumbling block: We all fall short of the glory of God and miss the mark (Romans 3:23) because we like sheep have gone astray from the shepherd and turned to our own way (Isaiah 53:6).
2) Hiding sin: We can no more hide our sin from God than dirt can hide from a vacuum cleaner! There were some among those that were equipped by the Holy Spirit who acted almost as if they were part of a caste system based upon whose gifts were greater.
3) Confronting sin: “A lady went to her pastor and said, “Pastor, I am terribly in need of counseling. I’ve got this sin. I can’t seem to shake it. The sin is messing with me but I can’t seem to get rid of it.”
The pastor was concerned for the apparent dilemma for this lady in his congregation. “What seems to be the problem?”
“Well, I come to church every Sunday , and I can’t help thinking I am the prettiest woman in the church. I look at all the other ladies and they can’t even hold a candle to me. What should, Pastor, do about this sin?”
He said, “Honey, that’s not a sin, that’s a mistake”. (Tony Evans. Tony Evan’s Book Of Illustrations. Chicago: Moody Press, 2009. 238). Some of the people of Corinth were a lot like this lady. Some of the people of Corinth who had the gift of speaking in tongues had a sin of thinking that they were superior and “spiritually better looking” to those who did not have this gift as well as all of the others around them.
Do we ever think that we are better than others because we are more gifted?
1) If we cannot submit to God as humble and obedient baptized believers, then we end up with too much pride and think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.
2) Pride will do the same thing that it did to Lucifer ---it will make us fall.
3) If we cannot submit, then how can we be the team player God has called us to be? Paul described how everyone has a role because we cannot all be the same to accomplish the unity in spite of diversity that God knit us together to accomplish.
4) If we cannot submit as a team player of God’s team how bad will it effect our fellowship, unity and service?
5) Are we all on team Jesus and seeking to make disciples in His name or to make our name great?
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
