Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

My Vision for Our Church

(Part I - Foundations)

 

            There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

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

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

| V |

irtually any congregation in this day (and certainly most denominations) claim to be representative of “New Testament” churches.

What is a New Testament church?

How do we recognise whether a congregation reflects the model provided in the New Testament or whether significant deviation from biblical standards exists for that congregation?

How significant must departure from biblical criteria be before a congregation ceases to qualify as a New Testament church?

Appeal to any of a number of passages could be made in setting forth the model of New Testament Christianity.

Not least among such passages from the New Testament are *chapters twelve *through *fourteen** *of Paul’s first letter to the Church of God at Corinth.

Focus in particular with me on the initial verses of *chapter twelve *for our meditations.

As we study the passage, ask yourself what steps must be taken so that you and I may work to insure that our congregation approximates the New Testament model in essential details.

In the verses selected for study, I find three great principles which serve to provide evidence for whether a church may be considered to be “New Testament” in faith and practise.

The principles provided reflect on any church situation within any culture wherein any church may be called to represent God through witness and through service.

Study the verses with me so that we may be instructed and that we may be united in our work, thus insuring that ours is a ”New Testament” congregation.

The First Principle* — **In the New Testament Church God Is the Unifying Factor*.

A Baptist church rightly takes considerable pride in its autonomy … that is, in its independence.

No church holding to Baptist principles would ever submit to any moral or ethical authority outside the express will of the congregation, save for the authority of Christ exercised through the guiding principles given in His Word.

A Baptist church can submit neither to denominational nor to civil authority in areas of faith and practise.

In a New Testament church (and every Baptist church should be “New Testament” in faith and practise) no higher appeal exists for faith and practise than an appeal to Christ through His Word; and the expression of that Word is ever and always acknowledged and approved by the people of God.

Some, even some calling themselves Baptist and presenting themselves as leaders, have failed to understand this principle and shrink from trusting the assembly.

“You cannot trust,” they demure, “unschooled, ordinary men to make great decisions concerning faith and practise.”

Why not?

Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men, and their power confounded the religious leaders even as they honoured God.

There is among the churches of this day too much of that worldly thinking which considers specialists alone to be qualified to serve as authorities able to make whatever decisions may confront a congregation or the broader community of faith.

We are convinced that parents cannot make decisions concerning the education of their children since they are not educators.

We accept that citizens are incapable of expressing their will on constitutional matters, on resource management, or on crime and punishment because they are not politicians.

We are incapable of controlling our own retirement and only politicians can make such decisions for us; we are not specialists.

Saturated with the message of our supposed incompetence because of a lack of specialisation we bring that same deadly attitude into the church.

We believe Christians are unqualified to render decisions concerning morals and ethics because they are not specialists.

As a result, we who are destined to judge angels are made to consider ourselves unqualified to apply Scripture in the life of our congregation.

Rot!

As believers born from above by the grace and power of the Living God, we know His will and are able to apply His will in our lives.

The point of this discussion is that though none of us would present ourselves as specialists in theology, as specialists in doctrine, or even as specialists in ethics, we do enjoy this one unifying factor in the midst of our diversity: *God is our Father*.

So the Apostle states of us: There are different kinds of gifts, */but the same Spirit/*.

There are different kinds of service, */but the same Lord/*.

There are different kinds of working, */but the same God/* works all of them in all men  [*1 Corinthians 12:4-6*].

It is the same Holy Spirit equipping each of us for service, and each of us is equipped for service.

It is the same Lord Christ whom we each serve.

It is the same God at work in each of us.

Though we are not specialists, we have the one great resource of Heaven itself directing our minds, for /we have the mind of Christ/ [*1 Corinthians 2:16b*].

What is it that motivates us to meet for worship, to inconvenience ourselves for this brief time week after week?

Do you suppose that we meet together because we are all Canadian?

Or because we all are hirsute?

Do you suppose that we meet together because we are all wealthy?

Because we all enjoy trout fishing?

Or enjoy bear hunting?

Or because we enjoy camping?

Or is it because we enjoy hiking?

Have you ever considered what might possibly be the one great factor that unites us in worship?

The unifying factor in our worship is the Living God!

It is *God* who saved us.

It is *God* who appointed us to service.

It is *God* who gives us our individual ministries.

It is *God* who brought us together in this church.

It is *God* who is the centre of our worship and the object of our adoration and the reason for our existence.

When social status or language or culture or race or citizenship or political affiliation become the unifying factor for our union as a congregation, we are on the toboggan slide accelerating toward destruction.

The Second Principle* — **In the New Testament Church Individual Believers are the Expression of God’s Grace and Wisdom.

*The most dangerous philosophy is that of which we are not aware!

Practically speaking the attitude of the world is that the church is a convenience, a commodity, or even a source of entertainment.

Sadly, many Christians adopt this worldly philosophy without even realising what has happened.

We can always find another church if we are unhappy with our present church.

So, we “attend the church of *our* choice,” and *we* are in control.

We shop for the church that will meet our felt needs much as we shop for groceries.

But what shall we say about God’s declaration that it is the Spirit of God who sets us in the church according to His will?

What shall we say concerning the exercise of the gifts God has given us to strengthen fellow saints in the congregation in which He has set us?  What answer can we give to the question concerning our responsibility to build one another?

As Christians we may be assured that all else being equal, God does set us within a congregation in the community in which we live.

Christian duty demands that we endeavour to build up that Body of Christ where we live, and the manner in which the Holy Spirit operates is consistent with this goal.

It is not a nebulous, amorphous unseen something we are to build—we are together building the Body of Christ expressed through that particular congregation with which we worship.

Grasp this one singular fact and we will find ourselves at extreme variance with the mindset of this present world even while enjoying the rich blessings of heaven.

Listen to this truth!

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given *for the common good* [*1 Corinthians 12:7*].

I would encourage you to see that it is not simply that we Christians are gifted individuals, but that each Christian is a gift to the congregation wherein he or she is placed.

The Apostle then lists a variety of possible gifts a believer may possess: *the message of wisdom*, *the message of knowledge*, *faith*, *gifts of healing*, *miraculous powers*, *prophecy*, *ability to distinguish between spirits*, *different languages*, and *interpretation of languages*.

The Apostle states, All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines [*1 Corinthians 12:11*].

There seems to be intense interest in the gifts of the Holy Spirit in these last days.

Entire denominations have been created around the acquisition of and the expression of spiritual gifts.

While I would not for a moment discourage any individual from the exercise of his legitimate spiritual gifts, I am obligated by my spiritual appointment to remind each listener of a vital truth.

*Each* believer within *every* congregation is not only gifted, but he or she *is a gift* to the particular congregation wherein God has placed him or her.

The practical import of this knowledge is that there are no second-class saints within the Body of Christ—each is to be received with dignity.

Let me restate the foundational facts that we may all be united in this understanding and that we may thus be mutually instructed.

Upon becoming a believer in Christ the Lord, the Spirit of God took up residence in your life: we were all given the one Spirit to drink [*1 Corinthians 12:13*].

Then, the Spirit has gifted each [believer], *just as He determines* [*1 Corinthians 12:11*] and His gifts are given for the common good [*1 Corinthians 12:7*].

The gifts of the Spirit are intended* *to build up the Body of Christ; the spiritual gifts are meant to enrich others.

The vital point for purposes of this particular message is that we remember that each believer is situated within a particular congregation by Divine design and is to be received as God’s grace gift.

At the practical level, if you are a Christian you are responsible to unite with and exercise your gift in your local church.

Take a moment to look around you at those occupying the pews with you today.

When you look around, who do you see sharing the service with you?

Perhaps you see a family member, a friend or a neighbour, an acquaintance, or even someone whom you have met only briefly.

This, however, is but a casual way of seeing things and at best provides a superficial examination.

If that one sharing the service with you is a fellow believer he or she is an expression of God’s grace, a gift from God given *to you* that you might be spiritually enriched and strengthened in the Holy Spirit.

This is one strong reason why I insist on the open confession of our mutual faith and encourage open union with the congregation with which we worship.

If God has redeemed us we are honour-bound to confess His Name through identification with Him in baptism as those who believe, and we are responsible to worship among those people wherein He has set us.

It is not that God begs us and patiently awaits our decision, but rather that we must give answer why we would dare call Him Lord and yet choose to be disobedient.