Diverse Yet Unified

Today let's talk about what it means to be unified in Christ. Christians are a diverse group of people, even within a particular denomination, people are still different. We are different in culture, race, age, social status, skill, and personality. The only thing that can bring unity among such people is the movement of God's Spirit. He gives us a common faith and a common mission.

But just what is our common mission? Some might say that it is to form a unified church family that worships and serves together. Others might say that it is getting people to come to church. Still others may say that our common mission should be bringing others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And really, these are all correct answers.

But how can we do that if we are so different? The Apostle Paul helps us in answering that question today in his letter to the Corinthians. We will be using 1st Corinthians chapter 12 today for our text. Prayer

If I were to go down each row and ask each of you what is your spiritual gift, I would probably receive a number of answers. And again, they would all be correct. Some have the gift of music-----the gift of teaching----- the gift of working with technology-----the gift of hospitality. Others have the gift of compassion and prayer. And the list goes on.

That is what the apostle Paul was facing. As he traveled to a new city, he would first go to the synagogue and he would preach the good news of the Messiah to the Jews who lived there. That was Paul's pattern. Arrive at a new city, go to the synagogue first, and preach the good news.

The Jews shared a common culture, a common view of the world, and a common knowledge about God. As Paul told the good news of the Messiah, many responded to the message of Christ by placing their faith in Him.

Paul then carried the gospel to the marketplace of the city and proclaimed Christ to the Gentiles. They also would respond to the gospel. The resulting group of believers - both Jews and Gentiles - would form a single church family, but they were far from being a united group.

Our congregation here at SEBC consists of several races, cultures, and several views of the church. So, we are kind of like the church that was formed in Corinth. Each of us are different in our own ways.

Paul addressed the diversity in the Corinthian Church because while diversity is good, the church had become divided into factions. They weren't only divided by culture, but also by their understanding of ministry and of spiritual gifts. So, in Paul's letter, he gave the church a call for unity in the church. God calls us today to unity in this church.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 – “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 works all of them in each person.”

A key word in this passage is the word “different”. Paul lists three things in these verses: different gifts, different ministries, and different activities. These three terms describe the working of the Holy Spirit, but each word captures that work from a slightly unique perspective.

First there are different gifts. A gift is a blessing from God, a gracious showering of blessings on the members of the church. That blessing comes through the Holy Spirit. That blessing is a specific gift that God gives to each one of us.

Next there are different ministries. The ministry describes the service that is carried out by us using the gifts that we have been given by the Holy Spirit. For instance, your gift may be hospitality. Your ministry might be to greet people on a Sunday morning in the foyer or even out in the parking lot as the people get out of their cars. That is a Ministry in itself.

Then there are the activities. When we use our gifts in the ministry that God has given us, an activity is the power behind those gifts and the work of God through those gifts.

Another example, may be the Spirit gives one person the gift of evangelism. That person would have a heart for the lost and a desire to talk to them about the gospel. That person's ministry would be to engage with the lost for the purpose of seeing them respond in faith. The activities would include the specific ways God works through that individual for the purpose of evangelism, like directing them to a specific place at a specific time to share Christ in a specific way.

So it is the Holy Spirit who is the one who equips but he doesn't give the same gifts to all believers. People won't be drawn to the same kinds of ministries. The Spirit inspired passions of one person may seem a little odd and out of step to someone else, yet it is the same Spirit who works in us in exactly that way.