I Cor. 12:2-11 Status Update: Don't Squander God in Your Own Little Box

Proposition: Rather than consume spiritual gifts for selfish desires, we should embrace the diversity of God's Spirit in Christ's body so God becomes well known to us & the world.

The context for this text starts with Paul telling them he did not want them to be ignorant.  He wanted to attempt to clear up any confusion about spiritual gifts.  We should also note that the Holy Spirit is the "subject" of this chapter...not gifts or people.

Verse 2 “You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, even as you were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

We all have what the Scripture calls "a sin nature" and this part of us hasn't been killed yet.  We struggle each and every day with fighting it and identifying more with the person we used to be rather than the person Jesus is making us to be.  Paul was helping them understand that they were being carried away with sinful passions which is the opposite of being led by the Spirit.  Wise people learn and remember where they are weak and seek help to fight those areas (porn, overeating, drugs, etc...).  True spirituality comes when the Spirit changes our hearts toward Jesus to view Him as Lord and over time, our hearts will naturally want to fall in line with Jesus' desires rather than our own sinful ones.

“4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

Notice the working of the "Same Spirit".  It is God who works in us and gives each of us differing gifts all designed to show His amazing diversity.  Sadly, many believers consider "sameness" as honoring God rather than distinction of gifts (while completely ignoring or mis-interpreting texts such as chapter 12).  We can have unity with diversity just as God does.  The Father plays a role, the Son plays a role and the Holy Spirit plays a role but they are all completely unified.  Spiritual gifts are just another manifestation of our multi-faceted God and God gives the gifts as He sees fit.

Take Aways:

The Spirit causes us to know God then gives us gifts to help others know Him.

The Spirit's gifts are not to draw attention to ourselves but to point people to Him.

Our gifts are to profit and edify the whole body of Christ.

Challenge:

Why should we be jealous of someone's elses gift? Why is it so hard to be thankful for who God made us to be?

Songs With This Sermon:

Forever

Blessed Redeemer

Give Us Clean Hands

Wonderful Merciful Savior

You Never Let Go