Theme: Living a life of sacrifice & service
Topic: Serving each other as One Body in Christ
Main Texts: 1 Corinthians 12: 4-26;
Key verse:1 Corinthians 12:7 “…But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” (NKJV)
Introduction:
David Pawson once observed that the two biggest battles for any church concern how to keep the church in the world (i.e., evangelism) and how to keep the world out of the church (i.e., holiness). The Corinthian church was losing the second battle badly – the immoral, drunken, and litigious culture that dominated the city was pervasive in the church. Yet it was a church in which “spiritual gifts” were abundant. In his letters to the churches, Paul named three specific things that believers should not be ignorant about: God’s plan for Israel (Ro 11:25); spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:1); the second coming of Jesus, and the eternal state (1 Thess 4:13). So, knowing about spiritual gifts is significant, using them for the benefit of the church is essential, and using them in love as God intended is vital. In chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul begins to address spiritual gifts in response to a question from the church. He spends three chapters (12,13, and 14) correcting their ignorance (and ours!). One of the key points he makes (mainly in chapter 13) is that an abundance of spiritual gifts is not a reliable indicator of spiritual maturity. Having the gifts without the fruit leads to “charismatic carnality,” which can be dangerous and divisive.
Q1. (1a) Read Ro 12:6-8 (AMP);1 Cor 12:1,7-10(AMP), and 1Pt 4:10-11 (AMP). What do you understand by “spiritual” gifts? (1b) Give some examples of spiritual gifts. How do they differ from “natural” talent? (1c) Why are spiritual gifts given to believers?
Paragraph 2:
There are “diversities of (spiritual) gifts but all are from the same source, the Holy Spirit and all are given with the same intent – to build God’s church and give Him glory. The Bible makes it clear that all believers are given spiritual gifts, and all are expected to use them for the benefit of fellow believers. The gifts vary according to the grace that the Holy Spirit has given to each one. Since the gifts are given as He wills and to achieve His purposes, it seems a bit silly to rank gifts in order of importance, celebrating some and ignoring or putting down others. Yet that is precisely what the Corinthian church was doing and what we too often do today. Paul goes to great lengths to counter the “celebrity culture” that can be associated with the operation of spiritual gifts (see Ro 12:3-8; 1Cor 12:12-26). In both passages, he uses the physical body as a metaphor for the church to illustrate that every believer, and every gift, is equally important if the church is to function as a healthy body. There is a unity in the diversity of gifts that can only be maintained through humility and genuine love (i.e., without hypocrisy)
Q2.Read 1Cor 12:4-11 (2a) Can you identify some categories of gifts? (2b) Have you discovered your spiritual gift, or gifts? (2c) Read Romans 12:3-6, 1Cor 12:15 -26 What is the danger of thinking that some gifts are more/less important than others?
Paragraph 3:
Some Bible teachers categorise spiritual gifts into groups such as speaking, serving and miraculous gifts. There is a great deal of agreement that the speaking and the serving gifts continue to operate but some argue that miraculous gifts have ceased. What is important to note is that the Bible does not say that any of the gifts have ceased. However, spiritual gifts can be abused, and the gifts themselves should not be the focus. Spiritual gifts point to Jesus and His sacrificial love for us. We are called to follow Jesus and walk in love. Serving others with our gifts is a critical part of our walk.
Q3.Read 1Cor 12:30-31; 13:1-3 (3a) What do you think Paul means by ” a more excellent way”? (3b) If the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to individuals as He wills, how can they be abused? (3c) Does anything need to change in your thinking or behaviour because of today’s study?
Prayer: Father put in us the desire to serve one another as one Body in Christ with love, in unity despite our diversity in Jesus Name, Amen.