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,
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
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
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
do
in this
place
this is
where I
fit
and this
is how
you can
help me
fit
so there's
an encouragement
here for
those of
us off
on the
sidelines
to get
engaged
there's
encouragement
here or
rebuke for
those of
us who
are engaged
but wanting
to hang
on to
it
as well
exercise
our service
of one
another
out of
love
the way
of the
cross
in everything
that we
do
including
what we
do in
church
is to
take up
our
cross
and go
to the
place
of execution
the cross
is not
just the
place of
my past
substitution
for my
sins
it is the
daily
place of
execution
for me
as I
die to
my rights
and I
serve