1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Today is Pentecost Sunday. Read . It is a reminder that God sent the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised.

For the apostles, it gave them the ability to speak in the languages of all the people who lived in or were visiting Jerusalem. It allowed them to bring a message that would go all over the world.

If you read farther in the NT, you realize that the Holy Spirit empowered Christians to bring the gospel all over the world.

So, when did the Holy Spirit decide the work was completed? When did the Holy Spirit decide that there were enough Christians in the world? When did the Holy Spirit decide that that churches were full enough?

When did the Spirit decide that Hope CRC is fine the way it is and that all we have to do is go into maintenance mode—kind of like a car, change the oil every three thousand miles, rotate and change the tires when needed?

When did the Holy Spirit look at each one of us and say, “Good enough.”?

We know that’s not the case, but let’s compare that to our actions. Sharing our faith is someone else’s job, because that isn’t what we’re good at. Consider my being here good enough, but don’t expect me to go out of my way to share my time, my financial resources, or to put myself out there, taking a holy risk, a sacrifice.

We want God work in us, but only inasmuch that it benefits us. We’re motivated to take care of ourselves. Do devotions. Pray. Why? Because I feel better about myself and my life. If we have time, we help a friend, a co-worker, or someone we know from the community. We want to see them get better or do well also.

Today, Pentecost Sunday, we observe some pretty important things. In the past few weeks, we observed graduations. There are a lot of people that are going to have some pretty important changes coming in life. College graduates moving from school to full time work. High school graduates—moving to next steps in life, work or school. Gradeschool—moving on to high school.

This evening, we’re getting together to commission those who are going on service trips—in the next 24 hours, we’ll be sending people to Guatemala and Cary, MS. We pray for, and rightly so, that the Holy Spirit will empower the ministry that goes on there. It is our prayer that through Bible school, construction, medical missions, etc., that the Holy Spirit will not only help people in the short term, but may also change some people’s lives eternally.

What about the rest of us? When they are gone is the Spirit absent? Is there only so much of the Holy Spirit to go around?

1 Corinthians 12:1 NIV

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.

Speak in the Spirit.

What does that mean?

It means that your purpose and direction in life is something different, something beyond the comfortable life that we’ve been trying to create for ourselves.

1 Corinthians 12:2 NIV

You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

1 Corinthians 12”

We’re still tempted by idols—our stuff, our reputation, etc. We want things to make us happy and we want the respect of others. Those are the things that motivate us most. We want enough to get by and some extra. We either want people’s respect that they listen to what we say, or the respect that they leave us alone.

Yet, that’s not the life we’re called to. If we believe in Jesus, it changes us. I believe that there should be a meaningful difference in the way that we live our lives as those who know Jesus than those who don’t. I believe with all my heart that there might be so-called good people in the world that don’t believe in Jesus, but there still should be a significant difference between a follower of Jesus and the best of unbelievers.

This is how I want to challenge us today. I think this is how Paul wanted to challenge the Corinthians. I think it is how God wants to challenge all of us. If we believe that the Holy Spirit is working in our hearts, show me, show others. Don’t simply have faith, live faith.

A spirit filled person recognizes that Jesus was more than just a person, an influential teacher or revolutionary leader. A Spirit-filled person recognizes Jesus as Lord and tries to live accordingly.

For those who do follow Jesus, we recognize that that there are....

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:

Many gifts, one Giver.

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 NIV

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

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Every single one of us has something to share. It’s good to consider what gifts you have. It can start at home. What gifts do you share with your family? At your work, how have others experienced the gifts you have been given. If people were asked to speak about their perception of who you are, what would they say? Integrity? Selflessness? Hard work? What is it about you that people would identify that is unique to the Spirit’s work in you?

“There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” Where is God at work in you.

Along with those gifts, we know that

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This is the evidence. If you’re at a loss to give an example, it seems that we should reflect on where we see the Spirit at work in our lives. Sometimes we are so good at nodding our heads or silently agreeing with whatever we read in our devotions or hear on Sundays, but then, without thinking and missing a beat, we can be either intentionally or unintentionally careless and hurtful to someone else, in our actions and words, or our failure to act or speak.

Our gifts should be defined and decorated by the fruit that Spirit bears through us.

These gifts are...

Given to be shared.

1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12

(The Message)

3 For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say “Jesus be damned!” Nor would anyone be inclined to say “Jesus is Master!” without the insight of the Holy Spirit.

7 Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!

Paul goes on to list some of the gifts that the Spirit gives—some of those gifts we see at work around us, other seem to be strange or supernatural. The fact is, for us, these gifts are all supernatural, because as Christians, we see them infused with the Spirit’s power. That’s part of the gift of Pentecost.

This morning, as we bless and give thanks for our graduating high school students. We commission service members tonight.

In a moment, we bless and give thanks for our graduating high school students. We commission service members tonight.

Right now, I want to challenge you all and send each of you to serve wherever God calls you to be this week. Maybe it’s at home or at work. Maybe it is with a family member or a friend, or perhaps, God is calling and sending to impact the life of someone you barely know or haven’t even met yet.

You have the gifts. We just need to be reminded that they are to be shared. It’s more than just being good people. It’s because we are Spirit-filled people. Evidence that we’ve been changed.

You have gifts. Remember the Giver. Given to be shared.