Monday February 9, 2015

Coming Up this Sonday 

1 Cor 12:  Get Your Head  in the Game

Key Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

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

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

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

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

8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 

10 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. 

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

The issue of spiritual gifts has caused much angst and debate in the Christian church. Debate has raged for centuries concerning the presence of spiritual gifts, the nature of them and so on. Argument and dissension and division has festered because we simply can’t agree on spiritual gifts, how to recognise them or even how to use them.

But for now let’s leave debate aside and let’s seek to find our spiritual gift and to put it to work to bless and edify others. Paul begins his foray into spiritual gifts by beginning with ‘Now about spirituals’. The next word in our English translations, “gifts”, is not there in the Greek original. As such we could read verse 1 as, ’Now about spiritual gifts’ or ‘Now about spiritual things.’

Either way the key element in spiritual matters is that Jesus is Lord. When Paul says v3 he means that we confess ‘Jesus is Lord’ from the heart, not just recite the words like some wind up dummy. Anyone can speak the words but only by the Spirit of God can we declare from the heart that ‘Jesus is Lord’. If we are speaking by the Spirit then we will not say, ‘Jesus be cursed’ because the Holy Spirit in us causes us to glorify Christ not to condemn him.

As such we see that spirituality is at the very first, a matter of having Jesus as our Lord. Spirituality is, at the ground level, about putting Jesus first and serving/glorifying Him and honouring Him.

The Corinthians needed to hear this truth because they were boasting in their gifts and chasing the ecstatic gifts that made themselves look good. It was more about show and pretence and boasting than about glorifying Christ as Lord and serving /edifying each other.

Only as we confess Jesus as Lord from the depths of our hearts will we be able to put spiritual gifts to proper and God-honouring use. Starting from any other platform could cause us to be proud, boastful and judgemental of others. Let’s work hard together to find our spiritual gifts and to put them to good use for the sake of the body and for the glory of our Lord.

Do you know your spiritual gift or gifts?

If no, how do you think you will find out what your spiritual gift is?

Why does God give us spiritual gifts?

What one truth can you take to heart from today’s reading?