"The Power of Presence"

God's power is purpose-driven.

Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Summary: Paul illustrates the variety of spiritual gifts in the church while emphasizing that all these gifts come from the same Spirit. He stresses that it is through these diverse gifts that God works to build up the church and equips believers for ministry, highlighting the interconnectedness and mutual dependence of all members within the body of Christ, regardless of their roles.

There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… varieties of service, but the same Lord… varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” — 1 Corinthians 12:4–6

Greek (New Testament)

Dynamis -means: power, ability, miraculous force | Effective power that produces results.

- Power is Trinitarian ( Spirit, Lord, God)

Power is Distributed, not centralized

Power is purposeful, performative

God’s power of presence

God’s power is purpose -driven. Power to effectively accomplish God’s divine purpose :

God’s purpose to CREATE, SAVE, SUSTAIN, AND REDEEM

PURPOSE # 1- Power to Create:

God Forms a Living Body

“For just as the body is one and has many members… so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”— 1 Corinthians 12:12–13

Paul uses creation imagery, not machinery

Body

Members

Formed

Joined

He echoes Genesis 2 — God forms a body and breathes life.

“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” - Gen.2:7

Ezekiel 37 — God’s Spirit animates dry bones

Power as Creation

God’s power creates something that did not exist before:

A unified body out of divided people

A spiritual organism, not an institution

This is new-creation power, not mere organization.

God’s power does not just act, God’s power forms.

NEXT WEEK TOPIC:

God’s purpose to Save - Power to Save: Same Spirit, Different Gifts (1 Cor 12:8–11)

“To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom… to another faith… to another gifts of healings… to another the working of miracles…” — 1 Corinthians 12:8–10

Prayer