12:31-14:1

Progress up to this point

The Cross & Christian Unity (1:10-4:16)

Christian Sexuality & Marriage (4:17-7:40)

Christian Freedom & Responsibility in Relating to the World (8:1-11:1)

New Essay – Good Christian Meetings (11:2-14:40) Women leading in Christian meetings The Lord’s Supper (Consuming or Serving?)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS & THE GIFT OF THE BODY OF CHRIST1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12

1 Now concerning what comes from the Spirit: brothers, I do not want you to be unaware.

“spirituals” Ignorance is unacceptable

1 Corinthians 12

2 You know that when you were pagans, you used to be led off to the idols that could not speak.

They had a history of being deceived by supernatural things

Gullibility is unacceptable

1 Corinthians 12

3 Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

They needed a teacher to inform them of how to think about this issue & avoid deception

Not every supernatural action or seemingly inspired speaker is of God!!!

1 Corinthians 12

3 Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

They needed a teacher to inform them of how to think about this issue & avoid deception

Not every supernatural action or seemingly inspired speaker is of God!!!

How do we know if a speaker is from God?

1 Corinthians 12

3 Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

They needed a teacher to inform them of how to think about this issue & avoid deception

Not every supernatural action or seemingly inspired speaker is of God!!!

How do we know if a speaker is from God?

What does the person say about Jesus?

1 Corinthians 12

4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.

There are a variety of gifts/ministries/activities

They all find their source in the same variety-loving God

1 Corinthians 12

7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial (for the common good):

Each person is gifted by God Each person’s gifting is ordained to

“produce what is beneficial”

1 Corinthians 12

7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial (for the common good):

Each person is gifted by God Each person’s gifting is ordained to

“produce what is beneficial”

The same God who loves variety also loves to bring unity through this variety!

1 Corinthians 12

8 to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits,to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages.

1 Corinthians 12

8 to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits,to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages.

This section is an illustration of Paul’s

main point!

1 Corinthians 12

11 But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.

God is behind all the gifts God wisely chooses how to distribute

them to best build up the body & draw people to Christ

1 Corinthians 12

12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many.

“Body” is an illustration “Body” is also a binding, inescapable

reality

1 Corinthians 12

12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many.

“Body” is an illustration “Body” is also a binding, inescapable

reality

Rom. 12:4-5 -- 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

These thoughts are comical…

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

These thoughts are comical…These thoughts are insane…

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

These thoughts are comical…These thoughts are insane…

These thoughts are grotesque…

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

These thoughts are comical…These thoughts are insane…

These thoughts are grotesque…

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted.

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted.If you have a problem

with your gifts or identity, your problem

is with God…

1 Corinthians 12

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

Are you living “disabled”?

1 Corinthians 12

19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body. 21 So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

This is another grotesque thought… Self-reliant individualism is a much

bigger problem than we think also! God loves individuality (variety), not

individualism

1 Corinthians 12

19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body. 21 So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

This is another grotesque thought… Self-reliant individualism is a much

bigger problem than we think also! God loves individuality (variety), not

individualism

How would your life really be impacted if you stopped being a

part of church?

1 Corinthians 12

22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. 24 But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,

1 Corinthians 12

22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. 24 But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,

Reproduction is really important!

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

Animosity & bitterness between

members

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

Comparison & envy between members

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

A lack of meaningful contribution from

members

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

A lack of dependence upon

other members

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

Hierarchical, popularity-driven

relationships

1 Corinthians 12

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

Potential sources of division?

Lack of attention given to

reproduction

1 Corinthians 12

26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

A revealing litmus test is to monitor how you are impacted by others when they suffer or are honored.

1 Corinthians 12

26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

A revealing litmus test is to monitor how you are impacted by others when they suffer or are honored.

“But I can’t do all this with everyone

in this room! This is unrealistic & ridiculous.”

1 Corinthians 12

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in other languages? Do all interpret?

Clergy

God

Laity

The TraditionalParadigm

Staff-centeredParadigm

Christ(THE HEAD)

Leaders(ELDERS)

The BiblicalParadigm

The OrganicParadigm

Servants(DEACONS)

The Rest

(MINISTERS)

Christ(THE HEAD)

Leaders(ELDERS)

The BiblicalParadigm

The OrganicParadigm

Servants(DEACONS)

The Rest

(MINISTERS)

1 Corinthians 12

31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Self-giving love is the better way & what we are to focus upon cultivating together!