INTRODUCTION: This week we begin the first of three lessons on
spiritual gifts. Let's dig in!
I. POWER SOURCE
A. Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-3. Do you think
that the
Corinthians had asked Paul his opinion about
spiritual gifts?
(Sure looks like it. "Now about spiritual
gifts," sounds like
the beginning of 1 Corinthians 8: "Now about
food sacrificed
to idols...." This is yet another topic in
a series of Paul's
answers.)
B. Does Paul seem surprised that these Corinthians
used to
worship idols? (Yes. In verse 2 he says, "Somehow
or other."
He also mentions the idols were "mute," to
add to the logical
oddity that something that could not speak
had influence over
them.)
C. Note that v.3 starts with, "Therefore."
How does the
message of v.3 follow from the first two verses?
In v.1 he
says "don't be ignorant," in v.2 he says,
"you were led astray
by idols." THEREFORE, v.3....?? (It was difficult
at first to
understand this. He seems to be making a contrast.
Even mute
idols had their influence. Now, the power
of the living Spirit
of God influences them as Christians.
Since that influence
must be present in every Christian, you can
tell if it is
present by what the person says.)
1. Verse three
tells us that a Spirit-led Christian will
not say, "Jesus
be cursed." The Greek word is
"anathema,"
which is now part of our English vocabulary.
What does anathema
mean? (Something that is detestable to
you is "anathema.")
2. The Greek
word for "Lord" is "Kurios" which, according
to Barclay,
is the word used to describe the Roman
Emperor!
With this sense of the word, what kind of an
attitude would
a Christian have who said, (v.3), "Jesus
is Lord?" (That
Jesus was the supreme authority!)
3. Are all who
say, "Jesus is Lord," led by the Holy
Spirit?
Is Paul saying these words tell us the person
has the right
spiritual credentials? (I don't think so.
Look at verses
2 and 3 together. An idol worshipper is
influenced by
the idol. Christians are influenced by the
Spirit.
Therefore you can look at a person's attitude
and get a good
idea of whether he or she is Spirit led.
If you detest
Jesus, you are not Spirit led. If your
attitude is
that Jesus is the supreme authority in your
life, then you
are Spirit led. He is saying that the
attitude creates
the words, rather than the words
demonstrate
the attitude.)
II. UNITY IN DIVERSITY.
A. Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. Young people
like to be
different. I like to be different. One of
the struggles of
Christian life is to determine which differences
are
acceptable and which are not. What does Paul
say can be
different in these verses? (Gifts, service,
working.)
1. What will
always be the same? (Same Spirit, Lord and
God.)
2. Do you see
any logical link between this "sameness"
and v.3? (Paul
stresses that the "common denominator" in
spiritual gifts
is our Lord. If the person claiming to
have the "gift"
has an attitude that Jesus is anathema,
you can be sure
that the source of this gift is not God.)
a. I think v.7 tells us that something else will be
"the same?" What do you see in v.7 that is the
same? (EACH ONE is given a "manifestation" of the
Holy Spirit! This manifestation, that everyone has,
works for the common good.)
3. Let's go back
to what is different for a minute. Paul
states that
our gifts, service and working can be
different. What
do you think he means when he refers to:
a. Different kinds of "working?" (v.6) (What is
"produced" can be different. The "method" can be
different.)
(1) Can you give me a specific example?
(Different worship styles. Different
approaches to evangelism. Different Christian
music.)
b. Different kinds of "service?" (v.5) (The Greek
word for service is the one from which we get
"deacon." Our work, our jobs can be different.)
(1) Can you give me a specific example? (Some
teach, some sing, etc.)
c. Different kinds of "gifts?" (v.4) (Spiritual
gifts. We are going to discuss this next.)
III. GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
A. Have you ever seen these contests where
they tell someone
that they can be in a store for 15 minutes
with a shopping
cart and anything they can load into the cart
in those 15
minutes they can have?
1. What would
be your strategy if someone offered this
to you? (Get
the best stuff, in the least amount of time,
right?)
a. What if you had this "liberty" for a whole
lifetime? Every time you walked in the store you
could take whatever you wanted? Would you like
that?
2. I look at
this next area like that. We are about to
see a whole
"storehouse" of different gifts that may be
given to us.
Let's find out how this happens so we can
form a "strategy!"
B. Read 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. Does this sound
like the "store
giveaway" I was talking about a few moments
ago? Would you
like one of these gifts that Paul mentions?
1. How do you
get these gifts? Do you just pull off the
self the one
you like the best? (No. The picture is not
of us "grabbing."
Rather, it looks like we are given a
specific gift.
Instead of being let loose in the store,
the parallel
that comes to mind is Santa handing out
specific gifts
to specific people.)
a. Who does v.11 says determines who gets what gift?
(The Spirit!)
C. We need to rethink our "strategy!"
When we were pulling
the best stuff off the shelves we knew what
we were getting.
When the Spirit hands you a gift, how do you
know what gift
you are given? Is it obvious? (The Pastor
would beat me if I
failed to mention his "Discovery" class.
He has a very smart
and interesting plan. Our church has all sorts
of "jobs" that
need to be done and we are, according to Paul,
all running
around with at least one spiritual gift. The
Pastor's
Discovery class helps you to determine your
spiritual gift. He
then plugs you and your gift into the church
job that best
fits.)
D. Let's skip down and read 1 Corinthians 12:28-31.
Read. Does
our will have anything to do with the gift
that we are given
according to these verses? (Notice v.31: "But
eagerly desire
the "greater gift." This leaves little doubt
that our desires
can have a role in what gift we are given.)
1. Will someone
read 2 Timothy 1:5-7? What added
information
does this suggest about how we acquire gifts?
(1. That some
gifts may tend to be "inherited;" 2. That
other individuals
may help spark the gift in us: and, 3.
That we need
to take an active role in "fan[ning] into
flame [our]
gift....")
2. What does
Paul mean when he refers in 1 Corinthians
12:31 to the
"greater gifts?" Why does Paul rank these
gifts? (The
"Teacher Comments" section of the lesson
(p.105) says,
"When Paul lists spiritual gifts, as he
does in several
places, he does not have a fixed order in
the listing.
This shows us that it is wrong to regard
some gifts as
more important than others." This comment
is inaccurate.
Paul generally does have an "order" to his
listing of the
gifts. See, Ephesians 4:11 and 1
Corinthians
12:28-31. Paul's general discussion of gifts
in Romans 12:6-8
is not a "ranking.")
IV. THE GREATER GIFTS
A. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. How does this
long discourse
"fit in" to Paul's mention of the "greater
gifts?"
1. When, in vv.22-24
Paul speaks of "special honor" and
"special treatment"
to those body parts that are "weaker"
or "less honorable"
what do you think he means?
2. In that same
line of thinking, what do you think he
means in v.24
when he says that "presentable parts need
no special treatment?"
B. How does the discussion of "special treatment"
for certain
"parts" and Paul's statement that some gifts
are "greater"
(v.31) paint a picture that all the parts
are equal?
1. Does 1 Corinthians
12:18 & 25 help answer this
problem? (It
seems that Paul is weaving together a
picture of cooperation.
First, some gifts are "greater,"
and we should
desire to increase our work by having
greater gifts.
Second, this cannot be a matter of pride
because "God
arranged the parts" (v.18), not us. We
cannot claim
credit for having a "greater gift." Third,
every gift is
necessary for the body to operate. In that
sense all are
"equal" in an operational sense. Last,
human nature
being what it is, the idea of "greater
gifts" will
always be a potential problem. Therefore, we
should strive
to be sure that those who have gifts that
may be considered
to be "lesser" are honored and
encouraged n
those gifts. People naturally compliment
those "limelight"
gifts. We need to have "concern" (v.25)
for all parts
equally so that the "background" gifts also
get praised
and not neglected.)
C. Is your church a "coordinated body?"
Are some people
obviously ill-fitted for their "job?"
How can the church
ensure that everyone is using his or her gift
to the best
effect so that the "body" of the church is
strong?
V. NEXT WEEK: "HIGH PRAISE FOR LOVE," 1 Corinthians 13. Study!