Spiritual Gifts and the Uniqueness of Calling. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Introduction

Good morning church and thank you for joining us this morning for worship. Believe it or not, we are in September and looking at the schedule we have 8 weeks left in our 1 Corinthians series. So far we’ve preached 25 messages and I don’t know how its felt for you all but for me its been pretty eye-opening.

In this next leg of the journey, we are entering for the next 5 weeks, we will be discussing spiritual gifts, a conversation that has long interested, confused, and brought the church together.

As you think to your own experience with spiritual gifts and the conversations that surround them what has been your experience?

Over the years I’ve met some that felt like they were living in a cloud of ignorance. Like everyone got a class that they didn’t. You know that feeling of coming into class to have you teacher say those magic words, “Midterm test today clear off your desks.” And your eyes blow up to the size of saucers.

Some people get a little turned off right from the git-go because for them the terms have been used in their past almost to spiritually abuse people. Certain giftings were considered good and right and those who carried them were seen as superior. Perhaps, people would never say this out loud but excercized in front of everyone they were. In some churches, to not have some gifts was tantamount to not being saved at all.

For others it all felt super spiritually involved, and due to this, and their feelings that they were not of that kind of caliber, they felt that it was meant for people outside of their pay-grade. Better leave those things, those callings, those tasks up to the real spiritual people.

For me, I didn’t really have any of that background at all. I was just a dude who was coming. I’d hear calls form week to week for different jobs and needs and I didn’t have all the excuses baked in that many had developed over years of hearing such asks. On average, advertisers will tell you that a billboard will work on you 7-8 times before you mind completely blocks it out. So much in fact, you stop noticing billboards on your drive to work. So, the hope is that you put them somewhere where people who don’t see it all the time will see it often enough to get some bang for your buck.

In that same way you can hear the same calls from the pulpit year to year about the need for children’s workers, people to invest in students, help with vbs, and taco booth items (which btw is coming up before you know it. Adam will be flying into gear and you can definitely help us.)

But at 16, I hadn’t been desensitized to those things yet. So when the pastors asked for help my questions where pretty much, do i have anything going on that day? Oh, no, because I don’t have a life, so sure I’ll be there.”

I showed up on Sunday evenings to help our awana games guy to roll out carpets that had our awana circles on them for the kids.

I set up tables for fellowship meals because most of the time there was some food in it for me.

One time our church called the Power Team, an evangelistic group who bends skillets, breaks boards, and smashes huge blocks of ice to our community for a week and wouldn’t you know it, they needed people to help clean up all the bricks and ice after they were broken so the show could go on. I had never been so ecstatic to show up to pick up rubble.

I knew nothing about basketball but ended up coaching a 4th grade boys basketball team. And as I did that other jobs were tacked to me in that ministry, to setting up chairs on Sunday, and wouldn’t you know it, during those weeks some people would get sick and have to drop out, and I’d be asked to fill in, and couple of times I was asked to share the gospel lesson during half-time. I had never really done that before but I announced the kids names as they ran out of the tunnel so I had learned to do a microphone, and we had just gotten done with lesson series talking about sharing our testimony so I just did that. After a couple times I started to have fun with it.

That led to Tom, my youth pastor giving me a small group to lead during youth, and eventually the opportunity to preach on a Sunday morning.

All the while, I had never heard the words spiritual gifts or had any idea that God would give them or that I could have any kind of gift at all.

Tension

Now, I doubt too many of you have a story that resembles mine exactly. In fact, many of us found our place in the church and a calling in it because we served one day and never left. Some filled in in a time where they were needed and found they enjoyed it. Others filled in and found that they never hated a ministry more in their life, sending them screaming from that building into another one where they found something they actually did enjoy.

My point is, that our giftings in ministry and the call to use them in the kingdom of God are as varied as the people that God gives them too.

If you’re in the room here today, and have called on the name of Christ, you too have been given a gift by God to use in the building up of his kingdom. Today as we start in Chapter 12, we are going to see the uniqueness of the calling of God and how it affects us as we serve him. Let’s pray together and we will get started in verse 1.

Prayer

Exposition

Remember as we get started this morning, the greater context of Paul’s letter so far. In the previous chapters he’s been fighting a growing trend in the church to embrace what the people thought of as their rights and freedoms in Christ. However, these freedoms and rights were not motivated by Christ at all but instead, where products of their desire to fulfill their own desires and appetites while still claiming to follow him. As such, they started letting this attitude taint the way they say their leaders, fulfilled their jobs in the church, how they worshiped, even bringing pagan practices and idols into their services. They blurred the lines between men and women in the culture, turning the stomachs of even their pagan neighbors, and even used the Lord’s supper, a symbolic meal representing the Lord’s death and payment for our sin as a way to segregate and bring disunity to the church, raising up the rich and casting out the poor. Such things were directly in conflict with the character of Christ and his desire for the church. Yet, they didn’t care. They were going to do things their way. In chapter 12, Paul switches his focus for a minute, but not his tune. This is still an area where the church is missing the mark and making it about them. Instead of using their differences and gifts and abilities to glorify God and make his church grow, they are seeing them as ways to further classify and segregate one another.

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 (ESV)

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

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

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.

Verses 1-3 give us some insight into what is really going on here. I’ll admit, when I first read this through, I thought for sure it was Paul roasting the church. Perhaps its all the years of student ministry or something but my first pass sounded like “Since some of you are so dumb, because if you remember right, you used to worship statues that never spoke to you, I need you to remember that people that are in Christ won’t say things that belittle him because the Holy Spirit is the one who changed them.”

But two things are influencing the people and coloring their view on this topic of spiritual gifts.

The first one we’ve talked about, their former lives in the pagan systems around them. They used to be, by in large, involved in Roman worship cults and fraternities while others came form a Greek system. Either way, those influences and traditions didn’t die out instantly.

Secondly, and this is what Paul alludes to in verse 1 by his comment on being “uninformed” and by his commentary in verse 3, was most likely the loud mouths of false teachers who had been leading the church astray. Remember, their culture valued things like “hidden knowledge” and “great orators” and because of their pagan backgrounds and the newness of their conversion to Christianity, their radar wasn’t fully intact to smell and spot a conman yet. They couldn’t yet spot a fake teacher from a real one.

Paul helps them with a litmass test of sorts. False teachers claimed that they had visions and revelations from God yet they would apparently deny the humanity of Christ, as expressed in the words “Jesus is accursed!” Earliest Christological heresy was that of Docetism, denying not Jesus’ divinity but his humanity. This is the same struggle John had to overcome in 1 John 4:1-3.

We must start with the Sovereign Lordship of Christ. vs 1-3

Paul lets them know, false teachers will disavow Christ in some way but those who come acknowledging Christ as Lord are from the spirit and can be trusted.

I would say this goes still for us today and perhaps doubly. Any person, teacher, preacher, or guru today that feels they need to change Jesus, his message, or re-brand him into an image lesser than the Christ who came to save sinner from their sin and the hell that sin demands is a charlatan. No teacher, no preacher who cannot acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ is one that you should listen to. Why? Because ultimately, even if he has good things to say, he can’t rightly handle or communicate the words of truth because he doesn’t even believe them to be speaking truth himself.

On top of that, this relays to us another reality for the believer and gifts given to them. They come through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that power is only available to a genuinely regenerated believer in Christ.

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.

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

verses 4-7 give us one main theme expressed through this pattern. “There are varieties… but the same x3” Gifts, services, and activities are expressed as have many manys. There is a whole lot of them out there. But in contrast to the many manys, there is still one spirit, one lord, one God. So while the Lord endorses and works through many different means he is unified in purpose and mind.

In tune with this verses 6 and 7 clarify that God doesn’t just endorse and work in such services and gifts in his people, he is the one who empowers and manifests those gifts in them. This is kind of beautiful when you see the workings. It kind of resembles to me the workings of a master pocket watch. You open up that back cover and see all those micro gears, pulleys, springs, and levers working together to fit and work precisely. God, who desires to see all come to faith in Christ, to save them from their sin, gives us the two components that we need to be saved.

First the saving message of the gospel and the Holy Spirit who translates the words to our needy hearts as well as wooing our heart to our need for the message in the first place. He plows up the hardened ground as it were, rendering it ready for the seed to take hold.

In that same way, the Holy spirit takes that seed of salvation, planted in our hearts and grows it up within us. That kicks off this process of sanctification (a process that is both completed in terms of salvation and ongoing in terms of us becoming like Christ.)

Part of that process is God (through his Holy spirit) awakening/empowering/manifesting a desire to utilize these gifts/services/activities in you.

All our gifting, our acts of service, and our activities find their meanings when utilized in service to God. vs 4-7

Now this may seem like a “duh” statement for some of you but I assure you it that it really is not. Many over the years have felt a kinship to certain activities and programs and persuits and have found happiness in that. This is not that. Golf can be fun and you can have more fun when you’re good at it but it is not a spiritual gifting perse. These gifts were given by God for use in ways that honor God by furthering his purposes in our world. So, to take what I said back a minute. Golf, and your love for it, your skill in it, can be utilized and called up in and out of you by the Holy Spirit to be leveraged for Gospel work. How? Perhaps God uses your relationships and a heart he’s put within you to see the lost saved to share the gospel with those you’ve been golfing with for the past couple months. Perhaps God prompts your heart to drive the girls golf team for the school and be their biggest cheerleader because God fills you up when you are encouraging. Perhaps you start helping that neighbor kid next door who’s dad is largely absent by helping him work on his game, with the goal of eventually being able to talk to him about your heavenly father.

On top of that, I would also like to help you understand that there is a certain level of satisfaction that is only available to the believer who has found their place in the kingdom and is using those giftings to build up his kingdom. No offense, but if you come here Sunday after Sunday listening to my sermons, going to your ABF, even sharing meals with other believers, you will never tap into the blessings and joy that Christ has made for you and you for it. In chapter 14 Paul encourages believers to 1 Corinthians 14:1 “1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” This verse lets us know that a desire to find and use such gifts should be thing we hunger for. “Especially that you may prophesy”, usually scares people a bit because we think “prophecy means prophet. Prophet means one who tells the future. I can’t tell the future and think little of anyone who says they can. Why would I want that?”

As my Old Testament professor Dr. Bayer used to say, “Prophecy has two uses and we get the two confused more than we don’t. Sure it means to be able to speak to future events, having been given a message by God to deliver to his people about what would come to be. We would call this ‘fore-telling’. But it also means to proclaim God’s truth to the people as an ambassador or spokesman for his word. We would call this ‘forth-telling’”. In essence the passage encourages us to find and use such gifts, especially as they will help us “forth-tell” the people of God’s goodness and his desire for them to be saved. So, all gifts are found in, empowered by, and ultimately used by us to point people back to, God. Personal enrichment was and is never the goal but always is found in making much of God.

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.

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

In this list we find 9 gifts spelled out.

Wisdom- insight into doctrinal truth and the proper application of it.

Knowledge- ability to know truth and convey it to others. Paul himself says the phrase “do you no know” 8x in the book of 1 Corinthians alone.

Faith- most likely this would be a unusual measure of trust in God that extends beyond that which is excercized by most Christians.

Healing- ability to restore health and to hold of death itself temperarily. Peter demonstrates this in bringing Tabitha back to life in Acts 9:40 and Paul in Acts 20:9-10 when he brought Eutychus back after he fell 3 stories from a window to his death.

Working of Miracles- likely referring to such things as supersizing demons Acts 19:12, or a case in Acts 13:11 where Paul, prompted by the Holy Spirit causes blindness to fall upon Elymas the magician, or like in Acts 5:5 and 9 even causing the death of Ananias and Saphira

Prophecy- Again, declaring a message of God for his people.

Distinguishing between spirits- Likely this is attached to the ability to differentiate between the Word of God proclaimed by a true prophet from that of a satanic deceiver as discussed in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 and 1 John 4:1.

Tongues. Acts 2:11 shows this to be the miraculous Holy Spirit intervening gift to speak in a previously unlearned, known, and living language for the purposes of sharing the message of the gospel.

Interpretation of Tongues. We are shown in chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians that interpretation was to translate an unlearned, known, living language expressed to the assembly.

Romans 12:6-8 would add

prophecy

service- likely this goes in tandem with the teaching in Ephesians 4:12 where the people are equipped for the works of the ministry, serving in various capacities needed by the church.

teaching- remembering that one of the main features of the early church’s growth was the people sitting at the apostles teaching, we are called to be those that cause learning to happen of God’s truths.

encouraging/exhortation- It refers to the practice of verbal care in general. Cranfield (1979:623–24) says the purpose of teaching was to instruct or explain truth while that of exhortation was “to help Christians to live out their obedience to the gospel.” So it concerns the “pastoral application” of these truths to the practical lives and needs of believers.

Grant R. Osborne, Romans, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 327–328.

giving- the act of giving to the needs of others with no ulterior motives other than a desire to see God glorified.

leading- those tasked with leading the charge of church, ministry, homes, or in general championing efforts and rallying the people to see them done.

and mercy- caring for people in various circumstances, empathizing with their heart and their plight.

1 Peter 4:10-11 tells us

speaking

serving

Lastly, some would say

Ephesians 4:11 fits in this reguard, but its wording changes the equation a bit. Whereas the other lists seem to name abilities given to people; these are people who are given as gifts to the church for its building and edification.

apostles- while all the apostles are dead now, a modern day application would be those that plant churches and go into the utter parts of the world to do so.

prophets

evangelists- again concern with sharing and calling people to the gospel and salvation.

pastors- shepherds

teachers

Now, there is a great deal that I could say on each one of these gifts, including some things I’d like to say about those that are considered “miraculous” in their nature, but looking toward the future, on the 22nd of September we will be unpacking the idea of tongues more completely so you’ll want to be here for that.

Yet, I want to finish today by emphasizing, in the swamp of all these lists verse 11 again.

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

Gifts are from God who gives them to us uniquely according to HIS purposes.

No gift has ever been prayed against by the people of God more than that of evangelism. “well God didn’t call me to be an evangelist so I’m off the hook sheew.” Well friends, I’m here to say to you today that what God wills to bring alive inside of you will cause passion and fire to burn within you that you likely didn’t know was capable. That is, if you’ll be obedient and follow where he leads. Some have, I beleive, out of fear, ignorance, or sometimes just outright selfishness, unfortunately shunned what God meant to be a blessing. If he deemed you gifted for evangelism, your greatest joy lays just on the other side the horizon of your obedience. Sadly, some will live their whole lives avoiding what they see as only a curse, not seeing God’s intention to make it one of their greatest blessings.

Would that we could remember once again that these and all other gifts, services, activities, ministries, programs, are for his glory. Its not about you friends. Its not about me. Its not even about us. Its about making much of God and joining him in the journey to see dead men and women be brought to life. If that means I give, them I’m invited to give in joy and purpose. If I share the gospel with the lost to a tune of 3% success rate for the rest of my days then I should do so in gladness. If it means I plant churches on the outer reaches of the maps, change diapers in the nursery, or set up tables and chairs for a rally and no one ever hears my name or sees my face then all the better. It was, is, and must always remain done in and for his glory alone. These gifts are given to us, so that we can use them to turn around and give them back to him.

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