LIVE IN THE DIFFERENCE
I Corinthians 12:27-31
S: Spiritual Gifts
C: Spiritual gifts are to be used.
Th: Live the Difference
Pr: WE USE OUR INDIVIDUAL GIFTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
?: What? What do we need to know to do it correctly?
KW: Factors
TS: We will find in our study of I Corinthians 12:27-31 three factors we need to know in order to use our individual gifts for the benefit of all.
The _____ factor is…
I. CIRCUMSTANCES (27)
II. CONGLOMERATION (28)
III. CONTEXT (29-31)
PA: How is the change to be observed?
Version: ESV
RMBC 26 September 04 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever had trouble getting in?
ILL Notebook:
For more than a year, a little old cleaning woman, who was living “on the wrong side of the tracks,” had been trying to join a popular, fashionable downtown church. The pastor was not eager to have a seedy looking person in faded, out-of-style clothing sitting in a pew next to his more affluent members. When she called for the fifth time to discuss membership, he put her off again as had been his practice.
“I’ll tell you what,” said the pastor, “you just go home tonight and have a talk with God about it. Later, you can tell me what He said.”
The poor woman went her way. Weeks moved into months, and the pastor saw no more of her. Then one day, he encountered her scrubbing floors in an office building, and felt impelled to inquire, “Did you have that little talk with God?”
“Oh, my, yes,” she said, “I talked with God as you suggested.”
“Ah, and what answer did He give you?”
“Well, pastor,” she answered as she pushed back a wisp of hair with a sudsy hand, “God said for me not to get discouraged, but to keep trying. He said that He Himself had been trying to get into your church for twenty years, with no more success than I have had.”
Well, as we might smile at the story, the problem is, if it is true, it is an awful indictment, isn’t it?
You see, when we consider ourselves superior, we disinvite God.
For we have taken the place that rightfully belongs to Him alone.
We make God unwelcome.
TRANSITION:
The Corinthians were living in that contradiction.
There were some in the Corinthian church that were feeling superior.
They had focused on the “showy” gifts and had, in effect, claimed a superior spiritual status.
In particular, there had been an improper focus on the gift of tongues
So, as we have been studying the 12th chapter of Corinthians, we have seen that Paul has been actively refuting that thinking.
Because, whether they realized it or not, they had disinvited God.
They were abusing the good gifts that God had given them.
You have probably realized by now, that our theme this month has been that…
1. Spiritual gifts are for everyone.
If you are a believer today, you have been given one or more spiritual gifts.
You did not receive these gifts because you earned them.
They came to you because of God’s grace.
As the apostle Paul corrects the Corinthians’ use of these gifts, he outlines how they come to be in the church.
There is a way that these gifts have appeared.
They come because of God’s work in our lives.
The first work is that….
2. We have been placed into the body (13).
Note v. 13…
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
When you received Jesus as your Savior and your Lord, and you came into relationship with Him, a very special thing happened.
The Holy Spirit came into you.
You became a temple of the Holy Spirit.
You became His residence.
And in turn, He placed you into the body of Christ.
You and I became members of something much bigger than our individual selves.
This is the truest description of what the baptism of the Spirit is.
The baptism of the Spirit is not a separate event from your salvation experience.
It is not speaking in tongues or some other kind of spectacular event.
It is simply the marvelous introduction into the body of Christ, the church.
But this is not all that God has done for us.
For the second work is…
3. We have been designed by God (18).
Note v. 18…
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
Each one of us has been specially designed by God.
God has arranged you just as He wanted.
You are unique.
God has used His creative ability to make each one of us different.
We are to live in this difference.
We are to enjoy this difference.
Do you remember that acrostic “SHAPE”?
We use it to describe the “shape” God has made you.
S stands for spiritual gifts.
H stands for heart and passion.
A stands for abilities and gifts.
P stands for personality.
And E stands for experience.
God takes all these things and this gives us a certain shape or design.
So please note this…
Since God has made you the way you are, you are important to Him.
The fact is, is that, nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ.
But God is not done yet.
There is a third work…
4. We have been combined together (24-25).
Note the pickup in v. 24…
But God has so composed the body…that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Something very miraculous is happening here this morning.
You see, you have not only been placed in the body…
You have not only been individually designed…
Everyone of us here has been especially combined together.
This church has been called together by God today to serve Him.
We have been called together to work together.
You and I have not been designed to work independently.
We have been called to be interdependent.
You see, in order to be healthy, we need each other.
So, we have been placed into, designed for and combined together into the body of Christ.
Now, before we come to main text this morning, we need to understand the social dynamics of the local church, and especially an old established church like Randall (remember that we are 178 years old).
Those of us that have been around here a while need to remember and we need to be ready to apply what we have just studied.
We all have a tendency to like new faces here at Randall.
As we just learned, new people bring in a new combination of gifts, and talents, and experiences.
What we need to remember, is that, God has brought them here.
I need to emphasize this because new people bring change (yes, I just said that dreaded word).
So, we can’t be caught saying to new people that God has brought here, “This is how we do things here at Randall; you just sit back and relax and let us do the driving.”
That doesn’t make a lot of biblical sense.
Now to be fair, when someone new comes in, I think it is wise to demonstrate patience, even when you have lots of good ideas.
Take the time to get to know and love the people God has brought into your life.
Then throw everything at them that God has laid on your heart.
Don’t hold back!
You see…
5. WE USE OUR INDIVIDUAL GIFTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
We are here for each other.
We are to live the principle of “unity in diversity.”
So…
6. We will find in our study of I Corinthians 12:27-31 three factors we must know in order to be a benefit to all.
(27) Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (28) And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. (29) Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? (30) Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (31) But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first factor is the CIRCUMSTANCES (27).
Verse 27 gives us the situation (the circumstances) that are foundational in our understanding of the church.
1. Together, we make up the body of Christ.
Back at the beginning of this letter, Paul had told the Corinthians that they were not lacking in any gift (1:7).
They had been perfectly equipped to represent and serve the Lord.
As a local body of believers meeting in the city of Corinth, they were Christ’s body in miniature.
They were a living representation of Jesus.
And the same is true for us today.
As a local body of believers meeting in the town of Williamsville, we are Christ’s body in miniature.
We are a living representation of Jesus.
And as His church, we are fully equipped to serve Him.
We are able to do this because every believer is fully equipped to serve.
Every one of us is equipped to serve Him.
Because…
2. Individually, we are a component of the larger whole.
There is no such thing as a solitary Christian.
There is not one of us that has been designed to stand alone in our Christian walk.
Through my years of ministry, I have seen Christian after Christian cut off relationships, leave church fellowships, and expect spiritual health.
It doesn’t work that way.
You see, we can’t leave the church and expect everything to be alright.
Our guest speaker last week, Bill Mills, reinforced this point.
He mentioned how lazy the church has become as people get up and leave fellowships because they are not feeling comfortable anymore…as if that is biblical criteria for leaving.
What is biblical is that we are always to see ourselves as a part of the whole.
Now we come to…
II. The second factor is CONGLOMERATION (28).
ILL Notebook: Unity – Master Carpenter shop
Imagine the Master Carpenter’s tools holding a conference:
Harvey Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the meeting because he is too noisy.
Harvey Hammer replies, “If I have to leave the shop, Sally Screwdriver must go also. You have to turn her around again and again to get her to accomplish anything.”
Sally Screwdriver speaks up. “If you wish, I’ll leave. But Peter Plane must leave too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.”
To this, Peter Plane responds, “Roberta Ruler will also have to withdraw, for she is always measuring folks as though she were the only one who is right.”
Roberta Ruler then complains about Samuel Sandpaper, “He ought to leave, because he’s so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way.”
And so goes the discord. In the midst of this discussion walks the Carpenter of Nazareth, who then uses each tool to make a piece of furniture that is both useful and beautiful.
And so it is with us…
Individually, it may not seem like we have a lot to offer, but together, we make that which is useful and beautiful for the glory of God.
So, remember, it is God that is responsible for our diversity.
But we are not only diversified by the power of God, we are also unified.
In verse 28, we are given another list of spiritual gifts.
As with verse 11, we find that it is not an exhaustive list.
It is representative of the gifts God has given.
Here he repeats some, deletes a few, and adds others.
Let’s run down them in a quick review…
First, there is the…
1. Apostle
I believe the office of apostle is no longer active.
But I do believe the gift is alive and well.
For the person that is gifted in this way has a special ability to fulfill God’s mission for the church for the world, especially in the ability to reach the nations.
Second, there is the…
2. Prophet
As we explained before, this gift is not one of predicting the future.
That misses the basic responsibility of the prophet which is to speak God’s words.
The person with the gift of prophecy speaks God’s words.
When God has laid something on their hearts, they follow through and speak it.
Next, there is the…
3. Teacher
Those with the gift of teaching know how to explain God’s truth so that it can be understood.
They are good at studying and interpreting the Word.
The fourth set is…
4. Miracles & Healing
These are two different gifts, but I have combined them in that they are similar in nature.
Both are supernatural, that is, they interrupt the natural process to accomplish a greater good.
While some debate whether these gifts are still active, suffice it to say, that if they are, it is rather self-evident if you possess the gift.
It is evident to you and to the others it has affected.
The fifth gift is…
5. Helping
People with the gift of helps offer special acts of assistance that take the burden off of someone else so that the purpose of the church might be accomplished.
It is practical.
It is the working behind the scenes.
It is a gift, I believe, that is widely needed and distributed.
It is immeasurably important to the life of the church, and though it is not glamorous or showy, it is to be highly prized and appreciated.
Next, we have…
6. Administration
The meaning of the word here is to steer and pilot a ship.
In other words, people with this gift keep the church on course.
They have the ability to give oversight and guidance.
These kind of people are able to mobilize, motivate and direct others toward the biblical objective.
Finally, we have…
7. Tongues
This is the gift of language.
A person with the gift of tongues is able to speak a language that they do not know naturally, but can speak by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit.
Now, I believe Paul has placed this gift last on purpose.
Some of the Corinthians had rated tongues as the highest gift, but Paul’s point is that they had overestimated its value.
All the gifts had been given by God.
And all the gifts had equal value.
They were all good!
So now we come to…
III. The third factor is CONTEXT (29-31).
Paul wants them to understand that…
1. No person has it all.
And, in turn, there is not one gift that is intended for all.
Not everyone is the same.
Paul asks the question with an expected answer of “no.”
Are all apostles?
No.
Are all teachers?
No.
Do all speak in tongues?
No.
This understanding stands opposed to those that say you must speak in tongues in order to be saved, or in order to demonstrate that you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit.
God is sovereign and it is He who decides who gets what gift.
So, with gratitude, we should accept the ministries we have been given by virtue of our gifts and use them faithfully.
When it comes to our spiritual gifts, there is no room for pride.
ILL Notebook: Pride – lion bashing
I like the story of the arrogant, prideful lion, who wanted to remind other animals how great he was. He went to the gazelle and roared, "Who is the king of the jungle?"
Trembling, the gazelle answered, "Why, you are, mighty lion."
He went next to the giraffe and roared, "Who is the king of the jungle?"
Fearful, the giraffe answered, "Why, you are, mighty lion."
Next, he went to the monkey and roared, "Who is the king of the jungle?"
Startled, the monkey answered, "Why, you are mighty lion."
Finally, he went to the elephant and roared, "Who is the king of the jungle?"
The elephant reached out and grabbed the lion with his trunk, slammed the lion to the ground several times, and flung him at last into a large boulder.
As the lion lay there he said to the elephant, "Just because you didn’t know the answer, you didn’t have to take it personally."
Pride gets in our way.
And this is what happened to the Corinthians.
Their emphasis on tongues got them all off balance spiritually.
2. We are to keep our perspective about the “higher” gifts.
I think the translations do a great injustice on this phrase.
The Greek can be understood as a command or as an indicative.
It is a mistake to translate this as a command, for it is contradictory to the body of the text.
Paul does not ask them to continue doing as they had, desiring the higher gifts.
That makes no sense.
Paul, rather, is making a statement with a meaning like this, “You have been desiring these so-called higher gifts.”
And his point here is that they were higher only according to Corinthian perspective, not God’s.
Just because a certain gift is flashy does not make it or you better.
Everyday acts of service are on the same par as supernatural phenomena, for God only gives good gifts!
To finish this portion of the argument, Paul changes subject, and he says…
3. There is a better way.
We will study it next week.
But I will tell you what the better way is with one word: Agape!
APPLICATION:
For now, though, let me ask these questions…
1. Will we use what God has given us?
I encourage you to learn about spiritual gifts.
I encourage you to discover your spiritual gifts.
And I encourage you to seek opportunities that they might be used.
Next…
2. Will we use our gifts for the church?
The competition often lies within ourselves.
For many times, we are wrapped up in our own life and own concerns.
So, if you ignore your gifts and your purpose, do you know who gets hurt.
We all do!
We all suffer!
And…
3. Will we see to it that the church accomplishes its purpose?
If we want to see progress, everyone must work and everyone must work together.
If we want to see Randall accomplish its God-given purpose, then not one of us can be caught on the sidelines as spectators.
Each one of us needs to be in the game, doing our part for the glory of God.
Commitment Card
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Schneider reception…
Use your gifts…because God has specifically designed you the way you are – so be careful not to underrate yourself – God only gives good gifts.
Use your gifts…because God has specifically placed you here – you are an essential because God has made it so.
Use your gifts…because God has combined us altogether to serve Him – we are interdependent – characterized by unity in the midst of diversity.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.
RESOURCES:
Blomberg, Craig, The NIV Application Commentary
Fee, Gordon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
MacArthur, John, I Corinthians
Sermoncentral:
Nobody is a Nobody in the Body of Christ, A. Todd Coget
How to Be a Team Player, Rick Thiessen
Unity, Not Uniformity, Chris Talton
