Church Order Produces Godly Edification

Proper Love is Music To God’s Ear

Diagnostic: We live in a time of ego’s and attitude. Everyone wants to be Batman, but no one can be Robin. We tend to focus on the head of the operation and we neglect the spine and nerves. God has designed each person in his body with a specific skill set. The church is a spiritual machine that designed to break down all walls of hostility. The church is the vehicle and the Spirit is the driver, but God has designed the vehicle to move as the components work. The reason why we have not seen the true power of the church, is because the components have malfunction and the leaders neglect the manual that can repair the vehicle. However, before the parts can begin to work the main component must be repaired first. Love is the engine of the church it lubricates all of the ever parts so that it will with a purpose. Until we truly understand how to love then we will never see what this Godly vehicle can do.

Objective: I will attempt in 35-45 mins to express the importance of Gifts, Oder, and Love. We the most important thing of all being Love.

Background and Theme: First and Foremost Paul is the Author, and it is the 1st of 2 Letters and some scholars believe that it was a third written. Paul wrote the Corinthian church from Ephesus, the letter is date between 53-55 A.D.

English Standard Version Introduction

Introduction

The city of Corinth was at the heart of an important trade route in the ancient world. Like many cities that thrive on trade, Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality, religious diversity, and corruption. The church that Paul planted there (Acts 18) floundered under all of these influences and began to divide over various issues. First Corinthians addresses many practical questions dividing the church—questions concerning such things as spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the Corinthians to be unified and to give themselves fully to “the work of the Lord” (15:58). Chapter 13 includes a well-known passage on the nature and importance of love. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus about A.D. 55.

The primary purpose of spiritual gifts is for edification of the Church. God gave gifts to men so that man could accomplish His Purpose within the Church. Gifts are tools given with a specific “work” in mind. Just as there are various tools for the diversities of jobs, so are there many kinds of gifts given to the Church so that the Body of Christ can be complete in its function and purpose. Without the tools necessary for the task at hand, the body is unable to fulfill its purpose and calling.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit”

— I Corinthians 12:4

Grace: Romans 12:6; Ephesians 3:7; 4:7; I Peter 4:10-11.

Ministry/service: Romans 12:7; II Timothy 1:16-18.

Teaching: Romans 12:7; Ephesians 4:11-14.

Encouragement: Romans 12:8; Hebrews 10:24-25.

Giving: Romans 12:8; I Corinthians 13:3; Acts 4:32-35.

Leadership /Ruler: Romans 12:8; Acts 13:12.

Mercy: Romans 12:8; Luke 5:12-13.

Prophecy: I Corinthians 12:10; I Thessalonians 5:20-21; Ephesians 4:11.

Discerning of spirits: I Corinthians 12:10; Luke 8:29.

Tongues: I Corinthians 12:10; Acts 19:6.

Interpretation of tongues: I Corinthians 12:10; 14:13-33.

Helping: I Corinthians 12:28.

Administration: I Corinthians 12:28; Acts 6:2-3.

Word of Wisdom: I Corinthians 12:8; Luke 6:9.

Word of Knowledge: I Corinthians 12:8; Luke 18:22.

Faith: I Corinthians 12:9; Acts 3:6-7

Gifts of healing: I Corinthians 12:9, 28; Acts 28:1-10.

Working of miracles: I Corinthians 12:10; Acts 6:8.

Prophecy: I Corinthians 12:10; I Thessalonians 5:20-21; Ephesians 4:11.

Discerning of spirits: I Corinthians 12:10; Luke 8:29.

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way” — I Corinthians 12:27-31

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”

— Ephesians 4:16

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal”

— I Corinthians 12:4-7

“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ”

— I Corinthians 12:11-12

English Standard Version Chapter 13

The Way of Love

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have aprophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, bso as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 cIf I give away all I have, and dif I deliver up my body to be burned,1 but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 eLove is patient and fkind; love gdoes not envy or boast; it his not arrogant 5 or rude. It idoes not insist on its own way; it jis not irritable or resentful;2 6 it kdoes not rejoice at wrongdoing, but lrejoices with the truth. 7 mLove bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, eendures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For nwe know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but owhen the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For pnow we see in a mirror dimly, but qthen face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as rI have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.