Gifts for All! - 1 Cor. 12.4-11
4/20/2010 11:52:31 PM
1 Corinthians #53 in series


 

Gifts for All!   1 Corinthians 12.4-11

Hello!

Last night my youngest son, Danny (11), had a ‘barn burner’ of a baseball game.  His team squeaked out a hard-fought 3-2 win.  Oh, man, I love baseball!  I follow the Angels on television or even radio, keeping up with who have got a hot bat, watching how the bullpen is doing, whether or not the pitching rotation is working, and which catcher is getting the nod.  But if you know anything about baseball, you know it takes a minimum of nine players to field a team; each player has a unique role to fulfill.  If any one of them lets down, the whole team suffers; on the other hand, when everyone is playing their individual positions well, the team thrives.  It is a lot like that with the Christian community. 

When an individual comes to put her trust in the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within.  At that time, she is endowed with a spiritual gift, which is to be shared to bless and encourage the people of God.  But honestly, besides that, I truly believe that we individually realize our highest purpose when we exercise our spiritual gift(s) as well.  In my mind, here’s the equation:

Salvation - - > filled with the Spirit  +  gift utilized = dynamic, purposeful life. 

The Corinthian church was seeing the gifts of the Spirit within, but things were out of control in her worship services.  In these next chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul supplies understanding, priorities, and order on how the gifts of the Spirit are to operate within the individual follower of Christ and the church as well.  Believer, you are gifted . . . did you know that?  In the following passage, Paul highlights the gifts of the Spirit. (I have underlined the specific gift, and given an explanation of that gift—though there are differences of viewpoint on some of the definitions, particularly as defined by varying denominations.)  This is fascinating stuff, if we understand the import of what this means to us as individuals, as well as to the Christian community to which we belong! 

1 Corinthians 12.4-11        Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.   There are different ministries, but the same Lord.   And there are different activities, but the same God is active in everyone and everything.   A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:

to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit

-> spiritual insight which is informed by God

to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit

-> insight which can take that spiritual wisdom and apply it

to another, faith by the same Spirit

-> more than saving faith, this is faith which produces miraculous results

to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit

->the ability to heal/faith to ask for physical healing

to another, the performing of miracles ->faith to call down miracles of various kinds

to another, prophecy

->includes foretelling – prediction of future events

        and forthtelling – exhortation about God’s will for present circumstances

to another, distinguishing between spirits

->We think Paul meant the ability to discern what is truly of the Holy Spirit,

    and what is counterfeit

to another, different kinds of languages [tongues]

->speaking in unknown languages

to another, interpretation of languages. ->interpretation of unknown language

But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each one as He wills.

Paul makes it clear—each redeemed person is given a gift (or gifts); it is the Holy Spirit who determines the gift.  No one gift is meant for all to have.  Let me ask you, ‘do you play your position on the baseball team?’  Do you know your spiritual gift, and ‘play’ with it?  The health of the team depends on you—that is to say, the utmost health of your Christian community depends on each one knowing and exercising her spiritual gift.  It depends on you!

Which position does Danny play?  He pitches, and plays 2nd base and Short Stop.  Last night, his team depended on his ‘bringing it’, that is to say, playing his position well when he was on the pitching for three of six innings.  Your team depends on you knowing your gift, and ‘bringing it’ as well.  Are you?

Christine