Steve Jeffrey

Imagine a church where the members,

where many of the members played the French horn.

They were proud about this.

And they gave the impression that all truly spiritual people

were French hornists.

Horners?

French horn players.

I struggled with that.

What do you call them?

They also think it's their right to exercise their gift

when the church meets.

And the result is chaos.

60 people playing the French horn at the same time,

all at different levels of degree of ability.

And Paul writes to correct this abuse.

He affirms the gift by saying,

I too play the French horn as much as any of you,

in fact, more than any of you.

But then he criticises them for not loving each other

in the way they're using their gift.

He suggests, could you limit yourselves

to maybe two French hornists on a Sunday?

And how about a few of you taking up the ukulele as an option?

Or maybe some of you help the church with coffee,

and maybe some could be out there parking the donkeys

for you on a Sunday morning.

And so 2,000 years later,

we unearth this letter,

and we go into a panic.

No one in our church plays the French horn.

Are we therefore an unspiritual church?

That would miss the point.

It would miss the point of the letter.

The point is not that a spiritual church

will have French horn players.

The point is that there's a great variety

of the gifts that God has given.

He wants to use those gifts,

those different gifts,

in harmony with one another,

for the service of one another,

for the service of the body,

the church.

That's the point of 1 Corinthians 12 to 14,

in fact, of the whole lot.

It fits completely with what we've seen already

in 1 Corinthians.

This letter is about living the cross-shaped life,

and Paul defines true spirituality

not by the presence of certain spiritual gifts

or spiritual experiences.

He defines true spirituality,

Christian maturity,

about living out what you know.

It's about taking up your cross

and following Christ,

is true spirituality.

It is about dying to self

and rising to new life in Christ.

It's about dying to my self-interest

and serving others.

It's the way of the cross.

And so true spirituality is not judged by gifting.

True spirituality prioritises love,

not spiritual gifts,

not power,

not status,

not eloquence,

or anything else.

And so that means that these chapters

will leave some of our contemporary questions

about spiritual gifts unanswered,

because Paul's intent here

was not to actually answer those questions.

A great deal of confusion and hurt

has been caused in recent decades

by Christians teaching or implying

that they are more spiritual

than other Christians.

And our debates have often focused

on particular gifts

and whether certain Christians

are overemphasising them

or some are under-emphasising them.

And some of our differences

on the subjects of spiritual gifts

are significant.

And I believe we should continue

those discussions,

but we must not let the discussions

get out of proportion.

Whichever side we find ourselves on,

and you will probably find yourself

on a different side than me,

God's challenge to us

is to focus

not on the gifts,

but on love.

In Ephesians 4, verse 3,

Ephesians 4:3

Paul urges us

to make every effort

to keep the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace.

He assumes

that a profound spiritual unity

already exists among Christians

because the Holy Spirit

has worked in their lives

to join us together in Christ

and therefore join us to one another.

We are already one in Christ

and in our call

to work out that unity in practice,

not least by the patient,

respectful love

that we are to show one another,

particularly as we disagree

on secondary matters.

And so this unity

and love principle

need to be in play,

I think,

even in the next couple of days.

Forefront of our thinking

as we venture into these chapters,

we, like the Corinthians,

need to be reminded

that love

is far more important

than any particular view

about the nature

and use of spiritual gifts.

And so while not answering

all our questions

on spiritual gifts,

these chapters will leave us

with a significant challenge.

Okay, chapter 12.

Paul begins chapter 12

by saying,

now about spiritual gifts,

brothers,

I do not want you

to be ignorant.

The word translated

spiritual gifts there

is in fact different

from Paul's usual word

that he uses

to describe gifts.

It is in fact

better translated,

he better off starting off,

now about spiritual things

or now about spiritual people,

I do not want you

to be ignorant.

It's possible

that this was the word

that the Corinthians

themselves used

for the supernatural experiences

that they valued so much

or it might have been

how they described those

who they thought

belonged to the

spiritually elite class.

whichever it is,

we do know

that they regarded

themselves as knowledgeable

on spiritual matters.

And Paul humbles them

within the first couple

of verses.

He brings them

right down.

He says,

you are in fact

ignorant.

The word is

not knowledgeable

but without

knowledge.

You're actually in fact

ignorant

of what it means

to be

a spiritual person.

You're ignorant

of what it means

about spiritual things.

In fact,

so ignorant

you are just as ignorant

as when they were

pagans

worshipping idols.

And what follows

in verse 3

is the corrective.

The thing,

this is the thing

that they don't understand.

This is Paul's

foundational teaching

about true

spirituality.

Therefore,

I tell you

that no one

who is speaking

by the Spirit

of God

says,

Jesus be cursed.

And no one

can say,

Jesus is Lord

except by the Holy Spirit.

That's his

foundational teaching.

It's almost

an anticlimax,

really.

How could they

have missed it?

The simple

lesson here

is that the

spiritual person

is any person

who can say,

Jesus is Lord

and mean it.

Really simple.

And by ourselves,

none of us

will recognise

the truth

of Christ's

unique identity

as Saviour

and Lord

and respond to him

with repentance

and faith.

It is only

by the Holy Spirit

that we are born again

and born again

and we cross

from darkness

to light

from spiritual death

to spiritual life.

And this

conversion

with its

knowledge

of Christ's

lordship

is the

only marker

that distinguishes

between the

spiritual

and the

unspiritual

person.

It's the only

marker.

All

Christians

are spiritual

people

is what

Paul says

here.

And it

is from

that very

foundation

that Paul

launches

into teach

generally

about spiritual

gifts

and where

they fit.

And I

say generally

because the

exact nature

of the

gifts

he doesn't

really define.

He doesn't

go into

a lot of

detail

about the

actual

gifts.

What,

for example,

is the

message of

wisdom?

In verse

8,

we may

speculate

that it

could be

some kind

of revelation,

it could

be a wise

saying,

or even

the proclamation

of the

cross,

which is

the wisdom

of God

according to

chapter 1,

but in

the end

we cannot

be really

sure.

And if

it was

important

that we

knew the

exact

nature

of every

gift,

then I

suspect the

Holy Spirit

would have

made it a

whole lot

clearer for

us through

Paul here.

And so it

would be a

mistake to

suggest that

Paul is

giving us

a checklist

against which

we should

measure our

church to

see if the

different gifts

he mentions

are actually

present.

He presumably

refers to

these particular

gifts and

not others

because they

were especially

prevalent in

Corinth and

were most

likely the

subject of

controversy.

And so

notice a few

things.

This is what

he does say

about gifts.

Notice

firstly that

the word

he uses

for spiritual

gifts in

verse 4

is the

same Greek

word as

the word we

use for

grace or

undeserved

gift.

That's its

foundation.

Paul uses

it here to

refer to any

God-given

ability of a

Christian which

God uses to

bless other

believers.

that means

pride and

boasting about

our gift is

actually perverse

because they're

not something

that we've

achieved.

They've been

given to us

by God's

grace and

so writing to

this church in

Corinth that was

prone like us

like me to

spiritual pride

he stresses

repeatedly that

the gifts are

given in

verse 7

verse 8

and verse 11.

Notice

secondly that

Paul stresses

that all

gifts come

from the

same source

according to

verse 4

5 and 6

the gifts

are different

but they are

given by the

same spirit

in verse 4

the same

Lord in

verse 5

and the same

God in

verse 6

and I'm

assuming here

that Paul

who's careful

with every

word he puts

down

that the

reference to

the Trinity

is not

accidental

just as

there is

both unity

and diversity

within the

Godhead

so there is

unity and

diversity within

his body

the church

notice thirdly

the diversity

of the gifts

in verse 8

to 11

and again in

verse 28

Paul includes

a list of

gifts

and there are

three other

lists of

gifts

in the

New Testament

and it's

striking that

every list

is different

they're all

different

10 gifts

are mentioned

in this

chapter

and a

further

10

elsewhere

in the

New Testament

and I

don't think

there is any

reason to

believe that

there are

only 20

gifts in

all

for instance

music

which was

practiced

in the

early church

doesn't get

a mention

anywhere

it's not

described

explicitly

as a

spiritual

gift

but it

surely

belongs

to the

category

as one

of the

means

by which

God

ministers

his grace

through one

Christian

to a bunch

of other

Christians

to build

up the

church

notice

fourthly

that although

there is

diversity

in gifts

no clear

distinction

is drawn

between

abilities

we might

consider

rather

mundane

and more

obviously

supernatural

gifts

he doesn't

make a

distinction

between

supernatural

and natural

gifts

there's no

distinction

drawn in

verse 28

between

those able

to help

others

and those

with gifts

of

administration

and the

ability

to work

miracles

they're all

spiritual

gifts

and so

that's

his

foundational

teaching

his broad

general

teaching

on gifts

and now

he wants

to bring

them

to apply

them

his point

to this

church at

Corinth

and in fact

to us

and so

he uses

an illustration

to do

that

he likens

the local

church

to the

human

body

which is

a unity

and yet

is

diversity

and in

the diversity

it is

unity

and so

as Paul

used an

illustration

to make

his point

I think

I'll do

the same

very quickly

some of

you have

seen me

do this

before

he says

first of

all

the church

is a

body

made up

of

many

parts

and without

the parts

connected

to the

body

they're

not the

body

the parts

in themselves

are not

the body

by themselves

they are

just

parts

and the

unity

of the

body

is

achieved

when all

the parts

or the

diverse

parts

are

brought

together

as one

whole

verse 12

so I

don't have

to put it

all together

again

the unity

of the

body

is achieved

in the

diversity

of the

parts

coming

together

as one

whole

verse 12

the body

is a

unit

though it

is made

up of

many

parts

and though

all its

parts

are many

they form

one

body

the body

can now

function

correctly

they can

achieve

its

purpose

notice

thirdly

the

diversity

of the

parts

serve

the

unity

and

the

function

of

the

body

verse 14

now the

body

is made

up of

one

part

is not

made up

of one

part

but of

many

if the

foot were

to say

because I'm

not a

hand

I do

not belong

to the

body

it would

not for

that reason

cease to be

part of

the body

and if

the ear

should say

because I'm

not an

eye

I do

not belong

to the

body

it would

not for

that

reason

cease to

be part

of the

body

if the

whole

body

were an

eye

where would

the sense

of hearing

be

and if

the whole

body

were an

ear

where would

the sense

of smell

be

and so

what he's

saying is

that all

parts

different

in the

diversity

are essential

for the

unity

and the

function

of the

body

what he's

saying

here is

that

this

is

not

a

body

where

all

the

gifts

were the

same

this is

a church

where

everyone

plays

the

French

horn

and that

does not

serve

the

unity

of the

body

the

body

does not

function

correctly

the

unity

of the

body

is not

seen

in all

the

gifts

being

the

same

and so

these

words

here

in this

last

section

of

chapter

12

are both

an

encouragement

and a

rebuke

for this

church

at

Corinth

it's a

word of

encouragement

for those

who did

not

belong

to the

so-called

group

that

regarded

itself

as the

elitist

group

at

Corinth

where

all

the

arms

were

the

ones

who

said

that

this

is

what

it

means

to be

a

truly

spiritual

person

you're

an

arm

and so

the

poor

old

ear

over

here

is

trying to

work out

where it

fits

so this

is a

word of

encouragement

here for

these

people

Paul

here

implies

that the

image of

the body

to show

them

how wrong

their

thinking

is

every

part

plays

an

important

function

whether

it's

an

obvious

part

or

not

and I

want to

say

that

I

along

with

many

other

people

have

been

greatly

helped

by the

frequent

words

of

wisdom

and

example

of

godly

brothers

and

sisters

in

Christ

who

have

prayed

for me

consistently

behind

closed

doors

not

visible

and the

word of

encouragement

is that

you don't

need to

be

visible

and of

the

same

in order

to play

a crucial

part

of the

body

and the

second

thing

here

associated

with

implications

for the

other

part of

the

church

is that

all

parts

need

each

other

in

the

body

for it

to

function

correctly

let us

not say

I have

no need

for you

ear

I don't

need

you

verse 20

the eye

cannot say

to the

hand

I don't

need

you

and the

head

cannot

say

to the

feet

I don't

need

you

on the

contrary

those

parts

of the

body

that seem

to be

weaker

are

indispensable

and the

parts that

we think

are less

honourable

we treat

with special

honour

the parts

that are

unpresentable

are treated

with special

modesty

while our

presentable

parts need

no special

treatment

but God

has combined

the members

of the body

and has

given greater

honour to the

parts that

lack it

and so

while some

of these

churches in

Corinth

were feeling

a bit

inferior

because they

didn't have

the gifts

that were so

prized amongst

them

others

were proud

they thought

they were the

ones where

everyone depended

on me

because look

at my arm

look at how

great I can

play the

French horn

they gave

the impression

that the

rest of the

church

was not

necessary

Paul's

teaching here

that is no

individual

member of the

body can

think that

they are

self-sufficient

no one

is self-sufficient

in the body

and so

Paul's word

here is to

both

humble the

proud

and encourage

those who

are feeling

inferior

verse 22

on the

contrary

those parts

of the

body

that seem

to be

weaker

are

indispensable

it's not

they are not

optional

they are

necessary

they're not

just helpful

they are

necessary

and so

these verses

ought to

either

encourage us

or humble

us

regardless

of

what we

do

in the

body

now

the last

verse

of this

chapter

is a bit

of a

transition

into chapter

13

he says

but eagerly

desire the

greater gifts

and now

I will show

you the

most excellent

way

for some

reason

it's a

strange word

but eagerly

desire the

greater gifts

Paul's word

there eagerly

desire the

greater gifts

somehow does

not negate

what he's

already said

and that

God is

the one

who gives

the gifts

somehow

doesn't

negate

that

and

what I

think he's

saying here

is that

while I

said earlier

that Paul

makes no

distinction

between us

having

spiritual

some gifts

are spiritual

some gifts

are unspiritual

in the church

he does

seem to rate

gifts in

terms of

importance

in two

broad

categories

in verse

28

first of all

second

third

he does

give a

list

there

with a

certain

order of

priority

and what

the two

broad

categories

are in

the way

he orders

the gifts

are those

that are

for the

common good

for building

up the

church

and those

which are

more

personal

and that

seems to be

his argument

in chapter

14

but I'll

leave that

to Sam

and he can

correct that

if I've

got that

wrong

it seems

to be his

argument

in chapter

14

and when

he says

eagerly

desire

the greater

gifts

he's referring

to the

gifts

which are

there

the greater

gifts

as those

which are

for building

up of

the church

not for

personal

use

the greater

gifts

are for

the common

good

for the

church

the body

that we

might

function

well

but

even

even

those

greater

gifts

are

only

great

if

they

are

used

in

love

and

therefore

the

transition

into

chapter

13

as

the

greater

way

there's

a number

of

implications

for us

in

these

verses

and

I

won't

pick on

them

all

first of

all

I want

to say

that

it's

unloving

it's

unspiritual

it's

immature

to not

exercise

gifts

to sit

over here

and not

make a

contribution

not to

serve the

body

a

congregation

is a

body

Christ's

body

with the

life of

Jesus

flowing

through

its

members

by the

Holy

Spirit

and

for

our

function

and

for

our

health

we

all

need

to

play

our

part

in

love

and

to

sit

over

here

and

to

say

to

the

body

serve

me

serve

me

serve

me

serve

me

serve

me

is

in

fact

unloving

and

unspiritual

this

teaching

I think

here

is a

real

challenge

for us

in an

individualistic

generation

which tends

to keep

all

but a few

people

at arm's

length

we could

easily lapse

into viewing

church as

just one

of the

many

products

we

consume

and

you

generally

tell

consumers

by the

level

of

complaints

that's

how you

tell

consumers

I've

heard of

a church

in

America

that

sought

to

meet

such

demands

of the

individual

over here

by offering

a drive

in

Sunday

service

which

enabled

people

to tune

into

their corporate

worship

of their

local

church

in the

church

car

park

via

their

car

radio

and

they

didn't

need

to

get

out

of

their

car

not

sure

how

they

took

up

the

collection

at

that

point

but

I'm

assuming

something

like

they

did

taking

orders

for

morning

tea

someone

on

roller

skates

around

the

car

park

or

something

like

that

now

it's

easy

for

us

as

we

did

just

then

to

shake

our

heads

and be

shocked

by

that

and

have

little

more

interaction

than

if

they

had

stayed

in

their

car

throughout

the

course

of

the

whole

thing

they

may

well

have

stayed

in

the

car

park

they

rush

in

at the

last

minute

they

leave

as

soon

as

possible

at

the

end

having

only

had

the

briefest

of

conversations

if

any

conversation

at

all

and

certainly

no

contribution

or

service

to

anyone

church

is

certainly

not

meant

to

be

like

that

we

in

fact

need

each

other

no

part

of

the

human

body

can

function

and

grow

unless

it's

attached

to

the

rest

of

its

parts

Thursday

my

Phoebe

had

had

her

tonsils

and

adenoids

out

they're

dead

somewhere

they're

in

some

bin

somewhere

in

the

martyr

hospital

wherever

it is

I don't

know where

they go

actually

wherever

they are

they've

been detached

from the

body

and they

are dead

they have

no life

no part

of the

body is

meant to

function

independent

of the

local

church

it is

as a

community

that God

expects us

to grow

together

in the

Christian

life

and be

his

witnesses

in this

world

we

should

not

see

church

simply

as a

meeting

that we

attend

but rather

it's a

community

to which

we belong

with all

the duties

all the

privileges

and all

the joys

that go

with that

secondly

I am

very

grateful

for those

who do

see that

as their

duty and

their joy

and their

privilege

one of the

great things

things

that I

would say

about the

reformation

was

we

rediscovered

something about

putting the

scriptures into

the hands of

the ordinary

person and

putting ministry

in their

hands as

well

every

member of

ministry was

discovered at

the reformation

it's a very

good thing

the church was

never meant to

be a body

where only a

few people

do all the

functioning

and the rest

are spectators

but

for those

of us who

are doing

the functioning

who are

serving

there can be

the same

level of

selfishness

in every

member ministry

as if I'm

not making

any contribution

at all

and the same

level of

service

is that

ultimately

if we're not

careful

it becomes

about me

it becomes

about me

hanging on

to what

makes me

feel significant

this is my

part

my place

this is my

gift

your job

is to

recognise it

to use me

in this

way

this is

what I

do

and if

we're not

careful

it becomes

more about

me

and we get

detached

from the

head

and what

I find my

significance in

is my

particular part

in the

body

it's a very

big danger

for anyone

who's in

full-time

ministry

and anyone

who's making

a contribution

and involved

in ministry

at all

normal

practice

when a

new

minister

starts

a church

comes into

a church

and it

happened to

me here

and this

is not

any way

of an

accusation

it's a

bit of a

common

theme

with every

minister

I've spoken

to

is that

you go

into a

church

as a

new

senior

minister

and within

a matter

of weeks

you'll have

a whole

range

of people

lining up

to tell

you

this is

what I