1 Corinthians 12:3b-13. Gifts for the community 11/05/08
{3) No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. {4} There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. {5} There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. {6} There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. {7} Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. {8} To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, {9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, {10} to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. {11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. {12} The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. {13} For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Today we are reminded of the wonderful gift that has been given to the Church: the gift of the Holy Spirit. His coming and activity was and is vital for the ongoing welfare of the Church, and therefore of us as individuals. Now it is interesting to note that he is God's gift to us; but also comes bringing gifts; gifts to help us. Many gifts - different gifts - great gifts – small gifts: all given to us – to you and me, his Church. And through that gift, life and growth occurs.
Now when we go back to that first Pentecost, we can see what this Spirit did through Peter and those other disciples and their standing up and telling other about Jesus and the importance of his death and resurrection. Thousands of people became Christians: Life was turned upside down: People then and ever since, around the world have been given life and hope; and especially the poor, widowed, disadvantaged and the guilty, because they were willing to accept what God had to offer. God's power to change life was greatly evident; Even, and remarkably so, in the midst of great persecution. Through, and as a result of, the Holy Spirits activity, immense growth has taken place, right through to this very day.
But therein lays a danger that has arisen again and again within the Church. It happened in the congregation at Corinth, and it is occurring in our own country today. The power and growth that was and is available and at work through the activity of the Holy Spirit, can be taken away and even reversed, and so instead of unity, there is division: and the growth is reversed. Troubles, difficulty and wrong thinking and living abounded as a result. At Corinth and down through history the Holy Spirit has been at work and his many gifts have been apparent amongst the people. We can see the evidence of this: the Church has grown and spread across the world. But when we look at the church in Corinth and around us today, we see what problems can and do arise; and also of Paul's reminder of the way it is meant to be.
Now in Corinth, as a result of the Spirits work, the Church came into existence and grew. Many people came to faith in Jesus Christ. But then the focus shifted from Jesus and what he has done for us, to the person who had the gift: and in particular those with the spectacular gifts. ‘Look what I have got: you had better listen to me and follow me’. The Spirits gifts were then used to highlight self and for selfish purposes, and as a result divisions and all kinds of practices which were not in accord with what God would have us do became more and more evident in the church. That is why Paul sat down and wrote this letter to them. The focus shifted from Christ to the individual, and troubles, disunity and a lack of growth was very much a part of life as a result. The church was no longer what the Spirit was seeking to build.
Now it is interesting to see how the same sort of thing occurs in our everyday world. Let us take football or some other team sport as an example. The team grows and wins as it works together and focuses on playing football or what ever the sport. The coach is very much at the heart of bringing about good results as he works with each of the players and the team to focus on what they are there for. However when the captain and players start to focus on themselves as individuals, and play that way, disharmony grows and the team goes downhill very quickly.
As an aside, it is interesting to see today how team sports are becoming less and less popular as the individualism of our nation grows. It is only because of the big dollars involved that they are kept popular.
Now sadly in the church we have come under the same influence. More and more we are tempted to think of faith as being something that is between me and God. More and more the focus shifts from Christ and what he has done for us, to me and what I must do and what I think. For the church to be effective we look to our giftedness: to the charismatic individual and leader: our feelings become more and more the determining factor in what is truth and whether we are on the right track. You see, we are looking inward – here – instead of to Jesus, and the results are not and will not be good. This is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now with that being the situation about us, we need to listen again, very carefully, to Paul here in our reading. We need to look again at that which God himself has given to us to help us in this regard. We need to consider again what the Spirit's primary work is and what really works in the Church.
Now the first thing we are reminded of here is that it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to say ‘Jesus is Lord’. ‘JESUS IS LORD’. That is to say, that he is our Master; our Boss; the one who is all important. In other words, he is the focal point of life for us. He is what life is all about. He is the one who saves. He is the one who has the right directions for living. He is the one who makes it possible for us to live, and move, and have our being, as Christians. Here, take very careful note of this point. Jesus is the one who is all important for us and our existence.
And that is what the Spirit enables us know and live by. That is his work in our lives. He wants us and all people to know that Jesus is Lord and Saviour: that he is the one who made it possible for us to know that we are forgiven and brought back into God's family: He unites us with Christ and each other, here and in eternity: and it is through him we are brought into and kept in the body of Christ – the Church.
To do this he gives gifts to his Church – through his people – you and me. Different gifts! Different services! Different workings! All activated by the same Spirit, with the same purpose in mind. Yes, many different gifts - our reading only mentions a few. But they are all given by the same Spirit, to different people, as he determines. Not all, or many, of the gifts, to this or that individual. But to one this gift - to another, a different one; to another a different one again. Spectacular gifts - ordinary gift - small gifts! And he gives them in a small way or in abundance. But to each of us he gives. All of us are given gifts to be used.
The Spirit gives these gifts to the Church through you and me, which are all to be used for the common good. And that in many ways is the key point here for us. All the gifts are given for the good of the body: the Church – for others and not simply for ourselves. The gifts that have been given to me are for your benefit - not mine. They are for you to be enabled to know and grow in the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord and saviour of us all. So also are your gifts for benefit of the Body: each and every one of us are gifted for the good of us all, as a whole; with the same basic objective: Jesus Christ is Lord: The small and insignificant gifts, being just as important as the great and spectacular ones. They are all given by the one Spirit for the benefit of the whole congregation: for the Church: the body of Christ.
Here again the football team is a wonderful example. As each player uses their talents together, as a team: using their various strengths, ball abilities and the like: as well as looking out for each other, supporting, protecting, and encouraging each other they can achieve an enormous amount. It is what gives them the edge.
Now when we think of the Spirits gifts to us, we see the same thing working. As the gifts we are given, are used for the benefit of the whole, with the focus on Jesus Christ, great things happen: the congregation is drawn together and built up: more people come to know Jesus as Lord, and joyfully and thankfully confessing it: and the more we will live and be the people of God.
All of this has, and can happen in a greater way, because the Spirit has given you gifts: because he has given us, as Church, gifts: all sorts of gifts: all given by the same Spirit for us to use for the common good: for the benefit of others. So again we are reminded to not look here: not to my gifts, for my benefit, and for me looking out for myself. But instead to see that everything we are and have, comes from God himself. That he is the giver of his Spirit who gives us every gift we have, and that he has given them to us, to benefit others - us all. In so doing the body is built up and we all win, and all glory goes to Jesus Christ our Lord. After all to him alone will go all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Toowoomba
{3) No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. {4} There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. {5} There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. {6} There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. {7} Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. {8} To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, {9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, {10} to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. {11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. {12} The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. {13} For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Today we are reminded of the wonderful gift that has been given to the Church: the gift of the Holy Spirit. His coming and activity was and is vital for the ongoing welfare of the Church, and therefore of us as individuals. Now it is interesting to note that he is God's gift to us; but also comes bringing gifts; gifts to help us. Many gifts - different gifts - great gifts – small gifts: all given to us – to you and me, his Church. And through that gift, life and growth occurs.
Now when we go back to that first Pentecost, we can see what this Spirit did through Peter and those other disciples and their standing up and telling other about Jesus and the importance of his death and resurrection. Thousands of people became Christians: Life was turned upside down: People then and ever since, around the world have been given life and hope; and especially the poor, widowed, disadvantaged and the guilty, because they were willing to accept what God had to offer. God's power to change life was greatly evident; Even, and remarkably so, in the midst of great persecution. Through, and as a result of, the Holy Spirits activity, immense growth has taken place, right through to this very day.
But therein lays a danger that has arisen again and again within the Church. It happened in the congregation at Corinth, and it is occurring in our own country today. The power and growth that was and is available and at work through the activity of the Holy Spirit, can be taken away and even reversed, and so instead of unity, there is division: and the growth is reversed. Troubles, difficulty and wrong thinking and living abounded as a result. At Corinth and down through history the Holy Spirit has been at work and his many gifts have been apparent amongst the people. We can see the evidence of this: the Church has grown and spread across the world. But when we look at the church in Corinth and around us today, we see what problems can and do arise; and also of Paul's reminder of the way it is meant to be.
Now in Corinth, as a result of the Spirits work, the Church came into existence and grew. Many people came to faith in Jesus Christ. But then the focus shifted from Jesus and what he has done for us, to the person who had the gift: and in particular those with the spectacular gifts. ‘Look what I have got: you had better listen to me and follow me’. The Spirits gifts were then used to highlight self and for selfish purposes, and as a result divisions and all kinds of practices which were not in accord with what God would have us do became more and more evident in the church. That is why Paul sat down and wrote this letter to them. The focus shifted from Christ to the individual, and troubles, disunity and a lack of growth was very much a part of life as a result. The church was no longer what the Spirit was seeking to build.
Now it is interesting to see how the same sort of thing occurs in our everyday world. Let us take football or some other team sport as an example. The team grows and wins as it works together and focuses on playing football or what ever the sport. The coach is very much at the heart of bringing about good results as he works with each of the players and the team to focus on what they are there for. However when the captain and players start to focus on themselves as individuals, and play that way, disharmony grows and the team goes downhill very quickly.
As an aside, it is interesting to see today how team sports are becoming less and less popular as the individualism of our nation grows. It is only because of the big dollars involved that they are kept popular.
Now sadly in the church we have come under the same influence. More and more we are tempted to think of faith as being something that is between me and God. More and more the focus shifts from Christ and what he has done for us, to me and what I must do and what I think. For the church to be effective we look to our giftedness: to the charismatic individual and leader: our feelings become more and more the determining factor in what is truth and whether we are on the right track. You see, we are looking inward – here – instead of to Jesus, and the results are not and will not be good. This is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now with that being the situation about us, we need to listen again, very carefully, to Paul here in our reading. We need to look again at that which God himself has given to us to help us in this regard. We need to consider again what the Spirit's primary work is and what really works in the Church.
Now the first thing we are reminded of here is that it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to say ‘Jesus is Lord’. ‘JESUS IS LORD’. That is to say, that he is our Master; our Boss; the one who is all important. In other words, he is the focal point of life for us. He is what life is all about. He is the one who saves. He is the one who has the right directions for living. He is the one who makes it possible for us to live, and move, and have our being, as Christians. Here, take very careful note of this point. Jesus is the one who is all important for us and our existence.
And that is what the Spirit enables us know and live by. That is his work in our lives. He wants us and all people to know that Jesus is Lord and Saviour: that he is the one who made it possible for us to know that we are forgiven and brought back into God's family: He unites us with Christ and each other, here and in eternity: and it is through him we are brought into and kept in the body of Christ – the Church.
To do this he gives gifts to his Church – through his people – you and me. Different gifts! Different services! Different workings! All activated by the same Spirit, with the same purpose in mind. Yes, many different gifts - our reading only mentions a few. But they are all given by the same Spirit, to different people, as he determines. Not all, or many, of the gifts, to this or that individual. But to one this gift - to another, a different one; to another a different one again. Spectacular gifts - ordinary gift - small gifts! And he gives them in a small way or in abundance. But to each of us he gives. All of us are given gifts to be used.
The Spirit gives these gifts to the Church through you and me, which are all to be used for the common good. And that in many ways is the key point here for us. All the gifts are given for the good of the body: the Church – for others and not simply for ourselves. The gifts that have been given to me are for your benefit - not mine. They are for you to be enabled to know and grow in the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord and saviour of us all. So also are your gifts for benefit of the Body: each and every one of us are gifted for the good of us all, as a whole; with the same basic objective: Jesus Christ is Lord: The small and insignificant gifts, being just as important as the great and spectacular ones. They are all given by the one Spirit for the benefit of the whole congregation: for the Church: the body of Christ.
Here again the football team is a wonderful example. As each player uses their talents together, as a team: using their various strengths, ball abilities and the like: as well as looking out for each other, supporting, protecting, and encouraging each other they can achieve an enormous amount. It is what gives them the edge.
Now when we think of the Spirits gifts to us, we see the same thing working. As the gifts we are given, are used for the benefit of the whole, with the focus on Jesus Christ, great things happen: the congregation is drawn together and built up: more people come to know Jesus as Lord, and joyfully and thankfully confessing it: and the more we will live and be the people of God.
All of this has, and can happen in a greater way, because the Spirit has given you gifts: because he has given us, as Church, gifts: all sorts of gifts: all given by the same Spirit for us to use for the common good: for the benefit of others. So again we are reminded to not look here: not to my gifts, for my benefit, and for me looking out for myself. But instead to see that everything we are and have, comes from God himself. That he is the giver of his Spirit who gives us every gift we have, and that he has given them to us, to benefit others - us all. In so doing the body is built up and we all win, and all glory goes to Jesus Christ our Lord. After all to him alone will go all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Toowoomba
posted by Roger at
9:32 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home