1 Corinthians 12:1-11 | "Concerning Spiritual Gifts"
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· 152 viewsSunday, September 19, 2021. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 | "Concerning Spiritual Gifts." 1 Corinthians is not written to a people in the flesh but to the Church in the Spirit. Therefore, the apostle turns his instruction in this twelfth chapter to spiritual things and the person and work of the Holy Spirit. He teaches that the Holy Spirit will never deceive us, divide us, or deprive us of what we need. Instead, God appoints various gifts, services, and activities to each of us according to His gracious will for us in Christ Jesus. This message preaches from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. It is part of a preaching series through 1 Corinthians "To The Church." The title of this sermon is "Concerning Spiritual Gifts."
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I. Reading of Scripture
I. Reading of Scripture
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
This is God’s Word, Amen.
[Title Slide]
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “Concerning Spiritual Gifts”
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “Concerning Spiritual Gifts”
II. Introduction
II. Introduction
Before pressing on to new material in Chapter 12, it is helpful to revisit what the apostle wrote at the end of Chapter 11.
Context is always necessary. Chapter 12 does not stand alone. Chapter 12 comes after Chapter 11.
And in Chapter 11, the apostle rebuked the church for creating divisions among themselves when they come together.
The apostle rebuked the worshipers for despising the church of God in the way they acted toward one another. They were not discerning the body of Christ that was broken for them, nor the body of Christ that God had made them to be as Christ’s Church.
Instead of acting with the humility of Christ toward one another, some factions "the haves” were humiliating others who “have nothing” as they gathered in the name of the Lord.
As a consequence, the coming together of the church was not for the better, but for the worse.
The apostle makes the church aware that God sees what is happening in His name. God sees those who despise His Church in His name. God sees those who humiliate others in His name.
And make no mistake, God is actively judging those in the church who do such things in His name. God is bringing discipline upon them.
30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
Those acting in the flesh against the body of Christ are being judged in the flesh by the Lord because they eat and drink without discerning the body and thereby eat and drink judgment on themselves.
Church - God is present in His worship.
When we gather in the name of the Lord, God is present with us in that gathering, and God sees what we do, and God sees who we are. God sees as far as the heart.
He knows every thought we think, every intention of our heart, and He watches what we do in His name and for His glory.
This thing we call “Church” God calls “MINE!”
And this should fill us with wonder, and awe and joy and gratitude, but it should also bring upon us a holy fear and reverence and weight and caution as we examine ourselves in the presence of the holy God!
If the Sunday morning gathering for us is simply a weekly meeting of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, then we can lower the bar tremendously and see this building fill up quickly with people and do a bunch of nice things that might make us all feel real good and say we are Christian.
But I am obligated to remind you week after week - who we really are because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We are holy.
We are called into a fellowship that is holy.
And beyond that, we care called into a fellowship that is holy and spiritual. Not fleshly. Not carnal.
The apostle writes in another place:
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
The letter of 1 Corinthians is not written to those who are in the flesh.
The letter of 1 Corinthians is written to those who are in the Spirit, who belong to God.
And perhaps for this reason, the apostle has to move on to spiritual things.
Look with me at the end of Chapter 11 (Verse 34):
34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
And then the beginning of Chapter 12:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
A. Introduction to Theme
A. Introduction to Theme
The word “gifts” is not in the Greek language. It is supplied there to help us in translation. Literally, God’s Word says:
“Now concerning the spirituals” or “concerning the questions related to the realm of the Spirit.”
(GCM & TTC)
The apostle changes the subject in Chapter 12 to spiritual things.
There certainly are other things to talk about concerning the fleshliness and carnality of the church in Corinth, and he says of these other things: “I will give directions when I come.” But then he leaves those things for now.
Notice in the change from Chapter 11 to Chapter 12 that the apostle is prioritizing.
He does not address every problem that needs addressing because he simply cannot in this letter! There are far too many problems!
There comes a time when a teacher has to make a change and press forward.
It does not mean the other things will never be addressed, it just means they won’t be addressed just yet. These other things will have their day but for now, the apostle prioritizes and switches the subject to spiritual things.
B. Introduction to Text
B. Introduction to Text
It is impossible to talk about spiritual things without talking about the Holy Spirit.
And we all can admit, that there is some mystery surrounding the Holy Spirit.
In response to this, some people prefer to over-emphasize the Holy Spirit in their study and teaching and practice, while others prefer to under-emphasize the Holy Spirit in their study and teaching and practice.
But Church, understand this - we are not in the flesh, but we are in the Spirit, and God’s Spirit dwells in us! (Rom 8:8-9).
We are made who we are because of the person and work of the Holy Spirit!
We have ZERO ability to Be God’s people, who Do God’s will, as revealed in God’s Word without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit!
The church in Corinth was uninformed about the work of the Holy Spirit and uninformed about spiritual things.
And so the apostle writes: “Now concerning spiritual things…” and begins to teach them about the Holy Spirit.
Would you like to know about the Holy Spirit? Who He is and what He does?
Here are three helpful principles about the Holy Spirit from Chapter 12:1-11.
“Concerning Spiritual Gifts”
A. [12.1-3] The Holy Spirit will never DECEIVE us.
B. [12.4-6] The Holy Spirit will never DIVIDE us.
C. [12.7-11] The Holy Spirit will never DEPRIVE us.
First, the apostle speaks about how the Christians in Corinth were once led astray into the worship of idols and teaches that the Holy Spirit will never lead us astray. The Holy Spirit will never deceive us. The Holy Spirit is consistent always in the purpose and intention of His work, which is to lead us to Jesus.
Second, the apostle speaks about the varieties of gifts and varieties of services and varieties of activities of God that God works and ministers and gives as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is not boring! Rainbows do not have only one color. But in perfect unity, God shines forth variety and this is seen in God’s own person. Variety does not mean division, and as such, the Holy Spirit will never divide us.
Lastly, the apostle speaks about the Holy Spirit’s work through various manifestations of gifts of grace. God gives to us what we need to do His will. And God gives of the Holy Spirit not as we will, but as He wills, by this same Holy Spirit who will never deprive us.
Let’s see this God’s Word together.
First:
III. Exposition
III. Exposition
A. [12:1-3] The Holy Spirit will never DECEIVE us.
A. [12:1-3] The Holy Spirit will never DECEIVE us.
Look with me at 1 Corinthians 12:1 —
12.1
12.1
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
God does not want us, His people, His Church, to be uninformed about spiritual things.
We are a spiritual people. We are engaged in spiritual battle. We have very real spiritual enemies. And we should not dabble in the spiritual realm uninformed.
The word “uninformed” is the Greek word [ἀγνοεῖν ], and it informs our word “agnostic.”
A person who claims to be “agnostic” is only concerned with material things. Such a person has no belief or interest in spiritual things.
Yet God made us a spiritual people. In the beginning, God made man in His own image - with a body, a soul and a spirit.
And so an agnostic person gives no thought to the reality of our being and focuses only on what can be seen, what is fleshly, what is material with disregard for the things of the spirit.
Church - there are many people who claim to be agnostic. Don’t you become one of them! Do not diminish or hinder the work of the Holy Spirit.
The word “uninformed” is the often repeated word in this letter for “ignorant.”
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
12.2
12.2
2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
That is, when you were what you used to be - pagan, those who did not belong to the Christian faith — you were led by something or someone and whatever that was led you astray, for you worshiped mute idols.
You worshiped “dumb idols.”
That’s what idols are. Idols are dumb, in every sense of that word. Idols can’t speak! Yet something was speaking to you then, when you were pagans, leading you to worship dumb idols!
But Church -
Someone is speaking to you now, and someone is leading you now to Christ. And that voice speaking is the Holy Spirit of God, speaking to us the words of our Savior and the Holy Spirit will never deceive us or lead us astray to something dumb. Quite the contrary!
The Holy Spirit ALWAYS without fail, leads us to the the words of the Living One, the Living Word, the Living and resurrection Christ!
The Holy Spirit always leads us to Jesus, who is not deaf, nor dumb, nor dead!
Asaph sings this in the Psalm 50 —
3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah
The most vulnerable place a person can ever be is outside the protection of Christ. Outside of Christ, a person is in the flesh, being led astray to a sure damnation.
But not you, Oh Christian! Who walks not by the flesh but by the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will never Deceive you.
12.3
12.3
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is consistent.
He will not ever move a person to speak that “Jesus is accursed.”
Likewise, He will always move a person to say “Jesus is Lord.”
The Holy Spirit’s leading is consistent.
And where does the Holy Spirit ALWAYS lead?
The Holy Spirit always leads us to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit always leads us to Jesus!
John 14:25-26, Jesus says —
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
The Holy Spirit is clear. His leading is not confusing. There is no fork in the road requiring our direction. There is no middle ground. A person is either led by the flesh or led by the Spirit, and Church, we are led by the Spirit to Jesus!
The Holy Spirit will never deceive us, is always consistent, always clear, and will always lead us to Jesus our Lord.
We may test spirits, and try spirits, but we will know the Holy Spirit because through Him we will see Jesus.
The Holy Spirit will never deceive us,
And also —
B. [12.4-6] The Holy Spirit will never DIVIDE us.
B. [12.4-6] The Holy Spirit will never DIVIDE us.
Notice as I read the repeated words here. You’ll hear the words “varieties” and also the words “same.” Pay close attention to what there is a variety of, and what is always the same.
12.4
12.4
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
12.5
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
12.6
12.6
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
What varieties are there?
Verse 4 says there are “varieties of gifts.”
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
The word “gift” is the word [ χάρισμα ].
χάρις is the word for “grace.” These are gifts of God’s grace. These are grace-gifts that we do not deserve, but what God gives all of us who are in Jesus Christ based on Christ’s merit, not our own.
They are gifts given for the purpose of Christ and His Church.
And there are a variety of these gifts! But behind each various gift, is the SAME Spirit.
The gifts are various, the Spirit is the same.
Verse 5 says there are “varieties of service.”
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
The word “service” is the word [ διακονία ]. The word that informs “deacon.” There are a variety of services, a variety of ministries, and we all, broadly speaking, are deacons, in the sense that we all serve in the varieties of services.
When the first men were selected to “deacon” (Acts 6), it was out of recognition that there were a variety of services.
There was first the services of prayer and the word that were so needful that the apostles recognized something. If the church was going to multiply and the number of disciples were to grow then the shepherds and teachers in the church must devote themselves to prayer and the word because THAT IS WHAT GOD USES TO GROW A CHURCH!
It doesn’t matter how many tables are served if there is no prayer or word.
And so men full of faith and the Spirit were set apart to serve tables, and answer complaints and meet needs of service so that priorities were maintained, and the ministry of the word and prayer would equip the disciples to thrive.
Southside Baptist Church - I know that we primarily are a senior congregation with frequent illnesses and that you want your pastor to visit you and visit you often. And there is a time for that. And I count it a privilege to be with you in time of crises and to walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death as a present assurance of Gospel hope.
But at the same time, we are also trying to grow ourselves in faith and grow ourselves in number, especially concerning the next generation that is virtually absent.
And I know, that God’s Word nowhere says visitations grow churches. God’s Word nowhere says that frequent pastoral visitations grow faith. Because God never places the whole burden of ministry and service upon one man - the pastor.
You, dear saint, are a minister, a servant too.
God’s Word DOES say that God’s Word grows churches. It is God’s Word grows faith. Prayer grows churches. Prayer grows faith. And to these two services, the office of pastor/shepherd/teacher is to be devoted for the good of the body and equipping of the saints.
But to the other services, God gives deacons, and God gives the church YOU!
A pastor who visits frequently has flimsy sermons and a faint prayer life and that leads to a failing church built upon the work of one man, and that is never God’s design. So why is that our expectation?
There are varieties of service, but behind each various service, is the SAME Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Son.
Your Pastor is not Jesus. He is but a servant, in one office, with but a part of the varieties of services that are needed.
The services are various, the Lord is the same.
Verse 6 says there are “varieties of activities.”
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
The word “activities” is the word [ ἐνέργημα ]. This is the word for “work.” There are a variety of workings, that require energy, actions, deeds!
This is consistent with who God is. God is always working!
So behind each activity, there is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
Every one of us, each individual, is empowered by God to work.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Everyone one of us is empowered by God to do something, yet many of us, Church, are doing little or nothing. Why is that? Are we uninformed? Are we ignorant? Are we agnostic?
Or is it that we forget that it is God who empowers us? Do we think we are too old or too tired to serve God? It may be that you are trying to serve God in your own fleshly power and we all know that will fail.
This is Gospel hope! God empowers, meaning God works in you. God does the work in you!
There are activities God works through me in my office as pastor. There are activities God works Deacons in their office of service. And there are activities God works through EACH OF YOU as a brother and sister in Jesus Christ.
And God works in us according to the same unity that is in Him.
God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is never divided. God is always perfectly one. And God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all have distinct works but are perfectly working together. And that is how God works in His Church. Each of us, all of us, working distinctly, but together.
Zodhiates says this: “The Giver, not the Gift, is what accomplishes anything.” And that’s true! The one who is the same in all of these varieties is God. It is God who accomplishes what He wills in the varieties of gifts, service and activities.
Variety does not mean division.
The Holy Spirit will never DECEIVE us.
The Holy Spirit will never DIVIDE us.
And lastly,
C. [12.7-11] The Holy Spirit will never DEPRIVE us.
C. [12.7-11] The Holy Spirit will never DEPRIVE us.
Look with me at verse 7:
12.7
12.7
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
This means, God makes His Spirit known - a manifestation is given - for a purpose described as “good.” More than that, it is “the common good.” It is beneficial for ALL.
The Holy Spirit does not deprive US - the collective body - of what we need to benefit us in Christ and to fulfill Christ’s purposes together.
12.8
12.8
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
12.9
12.9
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
12.10
12.10
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
12.11
12.11
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
This is not an exhaustive list of the Holy Spirit’s grace gifts. Others are listed in other places of scripture. And there may be a time to expound what each of these might mean later and ask questions like, what is “the utterance of wisdom?” What are “gifts of healing”? How should we understand “prophecy or various kinds of tongues.”
But the apostle here does not take time to explain them, other than to say that they are given by God, to “each one,” and to “another.”
Verse 11 is the summary:
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
The spiritual apportions. Given individually. For the community.
We are not lacking in God’s Spirit. We have everything we need - but only when we are TOGETHER.
You can watch church from home, or not attend church at all, but you will be deprived that way. Because God does not give to you every gift you need.
Only in the body of Christ, will we benefit together. I benefit when you give. You benefit when I give. We benefit when each of us gives from what God gives to us.
This is why I speak often about tithes and offerings and exhort you to give of material things. Because I know, that if you are not faithful to give materially, you will certainly not give spiritually what we need.
Notice how the Scripture says “the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”
“as he wills.” Or “as he purposes.”
IV. Conclusion
IV. Conclusion
I want to ask you this question as the sermon closes:
What about God’s will?
What about God’s purposes?
You see, our flesh is tempted to be greedy and prideful and self-advancing and the opposite of humble, to the point that we desire “greater” gifts for our own good.
We want to be the distributor of the gifts.
But God gives for the common good. God apportions gifts to individuals as He wills.
God knows what each of us needs.
And in our flesh we want someone else to fulfill our purposes, don’t we?
We want someone else to have the gifts that we think they out to have.
But God brings us who we need, with His apportioned spiritual gifts, for such a time as this.
And every gift is a glimpse of God’s kingdom.
Every gift is a member of Christ.
The enemy works against the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus died so that we may no longer be deceived, divided and deprived.
And when we see the cross, we see a deceived world, a divided body, and a deprived life.
Jesus died so that we may no longer live according to the flesh.
After his death, Jesus was buried, and on the third day God raised Jesus to life again!
To a resurrection life! So that by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection life and power of Christ might dwell in us who believe.
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.