For The Common Good (January 16, 2022)

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.