1 Corinthians 12:1-31 - Baptised by the Spirit, Into One Body, For the Common Good.

Baptised By The Spirit, Into One Body, For the Common Good.

Goodmorning!

I am grateful to be here with you

1 Corinthians 12 has lots in there doesn’t it?

With about 3 sermons worth of content, we’re gonna chisel our way through in 25 minutes.

could I invitie you to join me in prayer

as we ask God for help to understand his word and that we might live it out.

Church During Covid.

I wonder if you could cast your mind back to the once in a lifetime experience of covid.

Slide: Covid .

Everything changed, it seemed, overnight.

restrictions became a thing.

toilet paper was weirdly stressful to think about.

And for christians, the experience of doing church became even more unimpressive than normal.

mostly because we couldn’t do the normal.

we werent physically able to gather around God’s word together anymore

When restrictions were being announced or updated

for some reason the restrictions for sports teams came first,

then it was exercising,

THEN it was churches.

only worth acknowledging after they’d clarified how long your daily walk could go for.

But thank goodness those two or so years

isn’t the whole story of church.

that Covid restrictions didn’t define who we were.

In fact, in Chapter 12, Paul has this beautiful picture of the church that he paints.

that who we are,

and what church is,

is at the centre of all things.

deeply precious,

at the heart of human existence.

Which is a huge claim.

But I think we see the depth of this reality in vs 13.

This verse is the hinge I think i that this chapter swings on

Slide: vs 13.

It says

13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

The reason I’ve pointed out this verse first up

is that although this chapter outlines some pretty interesting specifcs about gifts

Paul spends most of this chapter talking about

the context in which his readers are to use those gifts.

and within the context that we use our gifts,

Paul outlines why we have been given those gifts.

the purpose of the gifts.

and the heart,

the attitude,

with which those gifts are to be used

In other words, he’s talking about the church.

And how every christian matters in the life of the church.

because by participating in the church together,

by using what we’ve been given to serve

we become like Jesus together.

Those who have the Spirit

are people who honour and serve each other

as Jesus has honoured and served us.

And so I hope you’ll bear with me

because I think we actually need a bit of a longer run-up to this chapter,

exploring the context of the bible

to see why being baptised by the Spirit

is intricately woven in with the preciousness of the church

Slide: Baptism & Church

And why being baptised by the spirit and being part of the church

transforms everything.

Baptism in the Spirit & The Church.

The best place to start our run-up

Is at the beginning.

Slide: Genesis.

Genesis 1. God creates.

The spiritual God creates physical matter.

He creates humans,

the glory of all his creation.

He makes men and women in his image.

He breathes into them his spirit in the most intimate way.

Why? Out of love he wants to share himself with us.

the creator of the universe

wants relationship with us whom he made.

But humanity in their pride and foolishness reject that love

They turn their back on the creator.

And we are still living with the horrors that rebellion created.

Consequences that ripple down through history - unleashing disease, pandemics, war, death.

The rest of the bible records this creator God still pursuing us.

Its remarkable that he should even want to

But God is gracious, holy and loving in pursuing those who rejected him.

In one step of that pursuit he chooses one nation of people

and he commits himself to that nation particulalry.

In the book of Exodus the second book of the bible

Slide: God dwells with chosen people slide.

God by his spirit takes up residence with them.

His glory enters the physcial tent/tabernacle

so that out of all the nations in all the earth he may be with this people.

And it’s a thing of wonder.

What other nation has had such a thing happen to them,

has such a God as their God, the bible says.

And within that one nation,

he chooses some to experience his spirit more personally.

To anticipate God's larger desire, his ultimate desire

to dwell with people in their very hearts.

From then on you get this tragic story of rebellion.

God’s chosen people Israel, dismiss God and his commands

And in God's persistent love he tries to woo them back

Until finally because of his perfect justice he withdraws his presence.

Slide: Ezekiel slide.

Ezekiel 10 - his Spirit leaves the temple, moving away from his people.

What a tragedy.

But then, because he is still gracious in pursuing

he sends new prophets.

Who speak of the most wonderful future.

Both Isaiah and Ezekiel say the Spirit will come back

The prophet Joel says

There will be a day when God's spirit is poured out for all of his people,

not just some of his people.

All of these promises point to a deeper, richer and better relationship God will have with his people.

Not just that he would be amdist his people

but that he would be IN his people.

Slide: Ezekeiel 36 slide.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27 - God says he will give his people a new heart,

in vs 27 he says I will put my Spirit in you so that it will be possible for God’s people to live in obedience to him

This gift of the Spirit that God will give his people

will involve forgiveness and cleansing

so that the holy God can dwell in the heart of a person.

And how will this Spirit come to all God’s people?

Through ONE person, one special man.

A man like no other.

Slide: Isaiah slide.

Isaiah 11 a man who will be king.

Isaiah 42 A servant

Isaiah 61 a preacher

He will be a king anointed by the Spirit,

a servant and preacher filled with power from the spirit of God.

Friends this is the context for the beginning of the new testament. The second half of the bible.

Where a man does turn up.

A man like no other

And at his baptism.

The spirit of God descends upon him like a dove

marking him out as the Isaiah man, the servant king

The one who would bring this new age of the spirit.

The one empowered by God’s Spirit to serve

and to preach

and to save.

Slide: Matthew slide.

In Matthew 3:11 John the baptist comes along and he says

"I baptise you with water but he will baptise you with the holy spirit.”

What is Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

What is that? Baptism in the Holy spirit?

Slide: What is Baptism in the Spirit?

Some of us who have swum around in christian circles for a while

might have some words that pop into mind.

Miraculous and impressive signs

Tongues

deeply emotive exeperiences in worship

I heard someone just recently talking about being “baptised in a spirit of excellence”.

But what we saw in the OT

The Spirit being given = forgiveness & cleansing

so that God may dwell in the human heart.

John the Baptist is saying

The hopes of the spirit age, where God will dwell with his people,

that Moses the prophet, Joel and Ezekiel and Isaiah looked forward to

All of these hopes are about to be fulfiled.

Through the one on whom the Spirit rests.

Slide: luke slide

In Luke 4:18 Jesus rocks up and he says HE is that guy.

the one who is going to send the Spirit on all God’s people.

And sure enough, after his death & resurrection, we get to Acts 1:5.

Slide: Acts slide.

where Jesus says in vs 5, “you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”.

The hopes and dreams of the old testament will finally be fulfiled

God will have cleansed the sin of the human heart

through the death of his innocent Son Jesus, in our place

and he can now dwell in the human.

In such intimate realtionship with the person,

Forgiven, cleansed and restored.

And you’ve just gotta flick over to Acts 2

to see that all those hopes were fulfiled.

Because the spirit was poured out

Slide: Baptism in the Spirit is the experience of becoming a christan

The Baptism in the Spirit isn’t an ADDITION to being a Christian

The baptism of the spirit, is the experience of becoming a Christian.

receieving the Holy Spirit because of your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

and having God by his Spirit dwell in your heart.

Slide: vs 13 slide.

Come back to 1 Corinthians 12 (finally!)

baptism in the spirit in vs 13,

notice the language of unity in this verse.

all of us are baptised by one spirit to form one body.

Paul isn’t saying that this experience is for select believers,

God takes up residence in all his people.

in every person that trusts in Jesus.

it can’t be talking about tongues or impressive signs

When some say baptism in the Spirit

is about levelling up in your christian faith

this mindset actually divides christians into different categories,

which is the opposite of what the Spirit wants to do with God’s people

The whole point of verse 13 is that every believer has had the experience of being baptised by the Spirit.

But how do you know for sure if you’ve had that experience?

Paul says, everyone who trusts in Jesus has the Spirit.

Slide: vs 3

Have a look at vs 3 with me Paul says,

Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking [by] the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except [by] the Holy Spirit.

You could train a parrot to say “Jesus is Lord”

But Paul isn’t talking about the physical mouthing of the words.

You know you have the Holy Spirit, because only he works in you

so that you have the desire to call Jesus Lord

an affection in your heart that grows to love him deeply

partnered with a belief that he really is Lord

is the evidence that you have been baptised by the Spirit.

Paul writes that speaking of Jesus as Lord is a reflection of that inner work

That is when the Spirit is working and moving in our midst.

Do you believe that? I really hope that you do.

It transforms our very identity.

and everything about how we live.

Slide: Transforms everything slide.

Baptism in the Spirit Transforms Everything.

i) Everyone Has Gifts. vv. 4-11.

Paul says everyone who trusts in Jesus as Lord has the Spirit.

and through our declaration of him as Lord

we are united together as the church

Yet Paul goes on to describe that within this unity,

there is diversity

because everyone has been given different gifts.

In vs 4-6 he says

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Paul says everyone has gifts.

and all these different gifts, different kinds service, different workings, given to different people,

given by the same Spirit.

are for the purpose of the common good in verse 7.

I take the common good to mean

for each other’s growing in affection for Jesus.

and continuing to trust and speak of him as Lord.

it’s like a potluck dinner – different meals, all for the same common delicious good.

You know you have the Spirit when you trust in Jesus

And when you trust in Jesus

you’re given gifts to help others grow in their trust and love for Jesus

and as Lord of our lives.

are you with me?

Paul lists out some specific, impressive gifts here

that the Corinthians had

which doesn’t seem to be an exhaustive list.

But he’s saying

v.8, use your gift of wisdom – so that you and others might declare and continue to declare that Jesus is Lord

v.9 use your gift of healing – to declare that Jesus is Lord

v.10 miracles, prophecy – to declare that Jesus is Lord

Slide: Every gift matters slide

ii) Every Gift Matters, because Every Christian Matters. Vs 15-27.

I was trying to think of an iillustration that might help us sort of visualise the point Paul is making

that everyone has been given a gift to use for the common good.

And then I realised, Oh

Paul’s one here of the body is pretty good.

A powerful thing about this illustration of the body

Slide: Illustration of the body shows bigger & value.

is that it not only shows us we are part of something bigger than our individual selves.

but it shows us our value in the body of Christ.

He’s said that everyone who trusts in Jesus has the Spirit,

and therefore has a gift.

But Paul goes on to say that every gift matters,

Because every person matters.

Im putting money on that being his whole point in vs 12-30.

I’m just kidding, I dont have any money.

Paul says, Even if you don’t think you belong, like in vs 15

because you don’t have some sort of spotlight gift that everyone can see

your place in the church of Jesus Christ still matters.

because God himself by his Spirit has taken up residence in you.

Even if you think others don’t deserve to belong,

because they aren’t as impressive as you think they are

they too have the Spirit of God dwelling inside of them.

Every gift matters.

because every believer matters in the body of Christ.

Slide: vv.22-25

Paul says Vs 22-25

The New International Version (Chapter 12)

those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division [in] the body, but that its parts should have equal concern [for] each other

What makes this household of God,

this community so special

Is that those who we think are less honourable,

we treat with special honour.

so that there be no division.

The way we use the gifts God has given us is to serve one another,

especially those who we think deserve less

Why? Becuase that’s how God has treated us –

Which of us were impressive or deserving of honour before God?

Yet he pursued us with grace & love,

when we only offered him ungrateful hearts and rebellion.

Do you know any other communities like this?

People that are indwelt by God

who share a deep unity

and who use their diversity to serve the other

especially to those who the least honourable?

The household of God,

this community

is the centre,

the culmination of all God’s Old testament plans & promises.

Slide: Best community in the world!

it’s the best community in the world!

Slide: why doesn’t it feel like it sometimes?

But Why is This Hard?

But why doesn’t it feel like it?

Most of the time it’s hard treating people with honour.

giving at cost for someone elses benefit.

I might do it for my friends.

who are usually people that are like me

who share similar interests and hobbies.

that’s easy.

I love those people,

those who are like me

and who help me to have fun,

who make me laugh.

I’ll honour those people.

But if someone isn’t like me.

if they’re more awkward than me

or “dont add anything positive to my life”

or are exhausting to be around because they aren’t curious about me

or don’t ask any questions that help me feel known and valued.

or because they have strong opinions about life that causes others to feel guilty

or who might feel boring to be around

It is so hard honouring those people.

And if im honest.

I dont honour them as my way of life.

I often just care more about myself.

Slide: Hard because dont like being vulnerable, people dont deserve it.

But I think what’s happening deeper in my heart is that I

both hate being vulnerable with people.

or I dont think they deserve my service of them.

I don’t like being vulnerable because of the risk of feeling hurt

or misheard, or misrepresented.

Ill just enter into defence mode.

“what if they don’t serve me back?”.

“what if it’s not even acknowleged that i’ve worked hard to love them?”

What if they make me feel guitly about something?

what if i’m betrayed?

Ah it’s just easier not to do anything.

People won’t notice me if I’m not there.

If i’m not feeling vulnerable I’m looking down on people.

I dont think I should honour people because I dont think they deserve it

if they can’t offer anything to me why would I go out of my way to honour them?

if they don’t meet my expectations then I’ll just ignore them.

Sometimes we can think people don’t deserve honour for quite justifiable reasons too.

Some of the deepest hurts and betrayals I have ever heard of

have been perpetrated by people that trust in Jesus.

remember that podcast about Mark Driscoll

that had too many episodes talking about the same thing?

I caught up with some friends recently who are serving in ministry

and their experiences of being dishonoured and used and deceived

has just left them broken.

When I see that or hear stories like that

I think, that person doesn’t deserve any honour from me or anyone else.

Have you ever experienced this in your heart?

Now just as an aside - it is wise and good not to expose ourselves to dangerous people.

There are people who aren’t willing to grow and continue to wrong others out of seflishness.

And there’s a point where it’s wise and good to step away from a relationship that is dysfunctional and harmful.

if you’re in a situation like that please come and talk to someone here that you trust.

there’s people in this church with great gifts of pastoral and gentle vibes.

But for the other 90% of our relationships.

I wonder if the issue isn’t that

we don’t honour and serve people, as we should.

It’s that we can’t.

We can’t do it

It has to take a supernatural work inside of us

to enable us to honour those who we don’t think deserve to be honoured.

or who we’d rather not be appropriatley vulnerable with.

Grace

Slide: John Slide.

John 1:11 says Jesus came [to] his own, and his own people did not receive him.

The one through whom all things were created.

Jesus, came to his own things,

yet they did not receive him.

Jesus, the one who was completely secure

and in a perfectly safe and loving relationship with the Father in eternity

became vulnerable by becoming a man.

If there was anyone in the world who deserved to be honoured it was him

as he arrived he deserved to be treated with the greatest honour from all humanity.

But the book of John says we loved the darkness, more than we loved him.

The eternal son, willingly chose to open himself up to lonliness,

being abandoned

being betrayed by those closest to him

Hated. Murdered.

And yet despite experiencing the deepest vulnerability and shame and dishonour.

he chose to forfeit his very life in order to serve us.

he died so that we might be honoured before God.

If there is anyone who deserved to be dishonoured it was us

the one through whom all things were created came to us

and we killed him.

yet because of his love for us

and his work

we have been baptised by the Spirit

and brought into the church.

What a profound reality.

Slide: Christ’s work transforms us to serve.

Jesus is the best role model of service you could look to.

But his service isn’t just a example alone.

His work of service is what has transformed us to be able to serve at cost.

His work of service,

gives us the grace that makes it possible for us to serve even when it’s hard.

in fact, continuing to look to Jesus’ service of us

continues to transform us

Now that we have been saved by grace,

we can continue to serve others by grace

serving and honouring others at cost to ourselves.

Friends this is what believing the gospel of Jesus looks like in practice in our lives.

As we look to the cross and grow in a deep understanding of Christ’s work for us

so we will then grow in a rich affection and love for him.

giving us a gospel reminder and movitation to serve others with what he has given us.

Now You Are The Body of Christ.

The New International Version (Chapter 12)

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Slide: Now you are the body of Christ slide.

Pauls starts to wraps up this chapter with this statement in vs 27

He says in vs 27 - Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part [of] it.

he isn’t saying “you, individual christian, are the body of Christ”.

he’s saying “Ya’ll”. Or You’s.

All of ya’ll, are the precious body of Christ.

and we all are a part of it.

All of us have been purchased by Christ

and brought into the body of Christ

so that we may honour each other.

all of us

using the gifts we’ve been given to point each other to Jesus

To serve each other so that we may grow in a deeper love for him

and continue to speak of him as our Lord.

Let’s finish by thanking God for the wonderful work of Jesus, for bringing us into the church, and that he’d help us treat each other in the same way he’s treated us.