Unity, but not Uniformity (1 Corinthians 12:1-30)

Announcements

Baptism Service for Crossroads Community Church after the service today

Vacation

Monday November 20th – December 4th

Sermon November 26 – Steven Anderson, December 3 – Trevor Lind

Communion – Moved to December 10th.

Thank you

Introduction (1 Cor 12:1-30)

Biblical History

Church History started with the ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We are still in the church age between the 1st and 2nd coming of Jesus.

In the early part of the church we see that Peter and the Apostles primarily ministered the gospel to Jews. Paul and his companions ministered the gospel to the Gentile world.

Acts has the history of Paul’s 3 missionary Journeys in which he preached the gospel and established churches throughout the regions of Asia minor, Macedonia, and Greece.

Throughout Paul's ministry, he wrote letters back to the churches he planted to give more instructions, clarify doctrines, correct misunderstandings, encourage christian practices, and rebuke false teachers/teachings.

1 Corinthians

Paul is writing a letter to a predominately Gentile Church in the city of Corinth. He is writing this letter to them because there is disunity and misunderstanding about the Christian faith and practice.

Paul is addressing misunderstandings in church practices during public gathering. (Ch. 11-14)

We see that Paul starts addressing concerns of the church or leaders in the church about topics or practices in the church. We read that Paul starts these topics with. “Now concerning the matter of...” (ch 7-16)

1 Corinthians 12:1 (ESV)

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.

Spiritual Gift (Or spiritual persons; Grk “spiritual things.”)

“one who is spiritual” (DBL Greek 4460, #8)

“(derivative of πνεῦμαa ‘Spirit,’ 12.18) one who has received God’s Spirit and presumably lives in accordance with this relationship—‘one who is spiritual, one who has received the Spirit.” (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 142. Print.)

Uninformed - to not have information about—‘to not know, to be unaware of, to be ignorant of, ignorance. (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 335. Print.)

Unity and diversity must work together or one will destroy the other. Unity without diversity is uniformity, but diversity without unity is anarchy.

Warren Wiersbe

A Gallery of Grace (2002)

Warren W. Wiersbe

Unity: United in Community (1 Cor. 12:1–13)

We confess the same Lord (vs. 1–3).

Former life (2)

1 Corinthians 12:2 (ESV)

2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.

Pagans - gentiles n. — a person from an ethnic group or nation not allied with and trusting in the God of Israel (and later in Jesus as the Messiah); usually used collectively. (Biblical Sense)

Mute Idols - an object which resembles a person, animal, god, etc. and which is an object of worship—‘idol, (image). (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 64. Print.)

New life in Christ (3)

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)

3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

We all have the same Spirit (Holy Spirit) in our lives that unit us under the Same Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are a united body/family because of our confession of the Lordship of Christ.

You were lead into idolatry however you were lead to whatever idol was taught or worshipped. But now you are united under Christ because of your confession of Christ as Lord and not accursed. A person submitted under Christ lordship would not call Him cursed. Likewise, a person who does not submit under the Lordship of Christ will not call him Lord.

Because you confess Jesus as Lord you know that you are united under Christ with the same confession.

We depend on the same God (vs. 4–6).

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (ESV)

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

There are many gifts, services, and activities that the church and individuals are a part of in the church.

We are united because it is the same God empowering all of us to accomplish the variety of tasks in the Church. Look at the triune nature of God in this text. The three persons of the trinity are all talked about as equal.

It is important for them to understand that they are all working for the same Lord who empowers each one to accomplish the activity according to the Will of God.

Understanding the unity they have under Christ empowered by the same God will help them see their individual roles in the body as important for the whole.

We minister to/within the same body (vs. 7–11).

Manifestation of the Spirit (7)

1 Corinthians 12:7 (ESV)

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Manifestation

“disclosure, announcement, with objective genitive. ‘the open proclamation of the truth’ 2 Cor 4:2. The syntax of the genitive in 1 Cor 12:7 cannot be determined with certainty.” (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 1049. Print.)

“manifestation (act) — a clear indication of the existence or presence or nature of some person or thing.” (Brannan, Rick, ed. Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament 2020: n. pag. Print. Lexham Research Lexicons.)

The working of the Holy Spirit in our lives within the gifts he gives us is a clear declaration of His presence.

Common Good.

The word literally means, “Come together”, But the context is “to be advantageous v. — to be or become appropriate for achieving a particular end.” (Biblical Sense)

The Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the lives of the Church/individuals with Gifts that are for the good of the Church, Mission, and the will of God. The Manifestation of the Spirit is not for the sake of personal spiritual exaltation, but for the service of others.

Different Gifts (8-10)

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 (ESV)

8 For 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 ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Gives are given to individuals

“to one is given...”, “to another...”

The Holy Spirit gives the gift to individuals.

Can an individual have more than one gift? The text does not clarify. It seems clear from the text that the Holy Spirit does not give all the gifts to one person.

The Holy Spirit seems to give the gifts to different people so we will depend on each other and work together. The point of Paul in the early part of 1 Corinthians 12 is the unity of the Church even in the ministry and mission.

Gifts

Gifts (vs. 4, 9, 28, 29, 31) - “that which is freely and graciously given, favor bestowed, gift ⓑ of special gifts of a non-material sort, bestowed through God’s generosity on individual Christians; Of spiritual gifts in a special sense, (Ro 12:6; 1 Cor 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31.) (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 1081. Print.)

“The variety of ways in which the Holy Spirit reveals his presence cannot be limited to a list of specific gifts. In this list Paul uses the word “gift” only in connection with healing. This does not mean that this sample list is coincidental. Rather, Paul addresses the issues that prove especially divisive to the Corinthian community.” (Vang, Preben. 1 Corinthians. Ed. Mark L. Strauss. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

Other list of the gifts are found in Rom 12:4-8 and 1 Peter 4:10-11.

This is not an exhaustive list of Gifts, but address the issues of the gifts misuse in the church of Corinth.

“varieties of gifts The Corinthian believers overemphasized the gift of tongues in worship (14:18–19). Paul reminds them that there are various kinds of spiritual gifts—all of which come from the Holy Spirit.” (Barry, John D. et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016. Print.)

Paul is trying to emphasis that the Holy Spirit manifest gifts differently in individuals for the unity of the body for ministry. This is not a list showing which is more important or more spiritual.

The Spirits will (11)

1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts to individuals as he wills to accomplish the ministry of the church. The Manifestation of the Holy Spirit is done in accordance with His will for our lives. His gifting is an indication on the service we are to have towards the common good of the church.

“to desire to have or experience something, with the implication of some reasoned planning or will to accomplish the goal—‘to desire, to want, to will.’” (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 287. Print.)

We have experienced the same baptism (vs. 12–13).

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 (ESV)

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 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.

Body illustration to show that we are a unified whole, but are diverse.

We are baptised into the same body

Baptized - “to use water in a rite for purpose of renewing or establishing a relationship w. God, plunge, dip, wash, baptize” (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 164. Print.)

United because we are all in relationship with God.

Diversity: Many Parts, One Body (1 Cor. 12:14–30)

The body needs different functions if it is to live, grow, and serve (vs. 14–18).

Paul just finished showing how we are united in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Empowered, Baptized, and Gifted by the Holy Spirit. Paul is now going to use the body illustration to show that we are united in the body of Christ, but are not the same or have the same function.

Content with our part in the Body. (14-16)

1 Corinthians 12:14–16 (ESV)

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

We all bring into the Church different gifts, talents, and abilities. Paul is encouraging the church to recognise that and be content to serve in the way we are gifted for the common good of the body and the will of God.

The Need for different parts (17)

1 Corinthians 12:17 (ESV)

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

God arranges the Body as He wills. (18)

1 Corinthians 12:18 (ESV)

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

Arrange - to cause a state to be—‘to cause to be, to make to be, to make, to result in, to bring upon, to bring about.’ (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 149. Print.)

God arranges His body as he so chooses for the purpose of edification of the Body and fulfillment of the mission. God arranges the local and universal church. (Arranging God’s people in church and world)

The members promote unity as they discover their dependence on one another (vs. 19–26).

Need to depend on each other (19-24a)

Body with one part is not a body (19-20)

1 Corinthians 12:19–20 (ESV)

19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Cannot say we don’t need others (21)

1 Corinthians 12:21 (ESV)

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

We need each other (22-24a)

1 Corinthians 12:22–24a (ESV)

22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require.

We need each other. There is no part of the church that is not needed or should be seen as unnecessary.

Division for the sake of unity (24b-26)

1 Corinthians 12:24b–26 (ESV)

24 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

God composed - to compound — to assemble a unified whole by mixing or combining different parts. (Brannan, Rick, ed. Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament 2020: n. pag. Print. Lexham Research Lexicons.)

Purpose

Not divide us, but show dependency on each other.

to show Care for one another - to attend to, care for, be concerned about (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 632. Print.)

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (26)

Diversity of members fulfills the will of God in the body (vs. 27–31).

God appoints different roles in the church (27-28)

1 Corinthians 12:27–28 (ESV)

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.

God appointing these roles being filled in the church.

We are all appointed to different roles (29-30)

1 Corinthians 12:29–30 (ESV)

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?

Lessons from Corinth

Football analogy

Football is a sport in which a team of skilful players work together under a knowledgeable coach leading the team to accomplish the goal of winning the game by scoring more points than the other team. The team is stronger when each player understands their gifting and position and is actively involved in using their skills to better the team and work together to accomplish the goal. The coach puts the right players in the positions and calling plays that he knows will accomplish the goal of winning the game.

Church is a gathering of skilful people working together under a knowledgeable Lord leading the church to accomplish the goal of Spiritual maturity and accomplishing the great commission. The church is stronger when each person understands their gifting and position and is actively involved in using their skills to better each other and work together to accomplish the goal. The Lord puts the right people in the positions that he knows will accomplish the goal of making disciples.

We all are on the field playing. No one is on the sidelines waiting to play.

We all bring different skills to the team and need to be actively using our skills for the betterment of the team and goal.

We all are arranged on the field as a team by a skillful coach who knows the best setup for a successful team.

Benediction

Hebrews 13:20–21 (NLT)

20 Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.