“The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.” (William Temple)
1
Corinthians 12, Easy-to-Read Version
Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand
about spiritual gifts. 2 You remember the lives you lived
before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to
worship idols—things that have no life. 3 So I tell you
that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be
cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy
Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but
they are all from the same Spirit. 5 There are different
ways to serve, but we serve the same Lord. 6 And there are
different ways that God works in people, but it is the same God who works in
all of us to do everything.
7 Something from the Spirit can be seen in each
person. The Spirit gives this to each one to help others. 8 The
Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit
gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. 9 The
same Spirit gives faith to one person and to another he gives gifts of healing. 10 The
Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to
prophesy, and to another the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what
is not. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of
languages, and to another the ability to interpret those languages. 11 One
Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what to give
each one.
12 A person has only one body, but it has many
parts. Yes, there are many parts, but all those parts are still just one body.
Christ is like that too. 13 Some of us are Jews and some
of us are not; some of us are slaves and some of us are free. But we were all
baptized to become one body through one Spirit. And we were all given the one
Spirit. 14 And a person’s body has more than one part. It has
many parts. 15 The foot might say, “I am not a hand, so I
don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a
part of the body. 16 The ear might say, “I am not an eye,
so I don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not make the ear stop
being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an
eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not
be able to smell anything. 18-19 If each part of the body
were the same part, there would be no body. But as it is, God put the parts in
the body as he wanted them. He made a place for each one. 20 So
there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye cannot say
to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t
need you!” 22 No, those parts of the body that seem to be
weaker are actually very important. 23 And the parts that
we think are not worth very much are the parts we give the most care to. And we
give special care to the parts of the body that we don’t want to show. 24 The
more beautiful parts don’t need this special care. But God put the body
together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25 God
did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts
to care the same for each other. 26 If one part of the
body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part is
honored, then all the other parts share its honor.
27 All of you together are the body of Christ.
Each one of you is a part of that body. 28 And in the
church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third
to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who
have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to lead,
and those who can speak in different kinds of languages. 29 Not
all are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do
miracles. 30 Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak
in different kinds of languages. Not all interpret those languages. 31 Continue
to give your attention to the spiritual gifts you consider to be the greatest.
But now I want to point out a way of life that is even greater.
The Body of Christ…
Has united in the
middle of diversity (See
1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
34 Peter began to speak: “I really understand now that God
does not consider some people to be better than others. 35 He
accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important
what nation they come from. 36 God has spoken to the
people of Israel. He sent them the Good News that peace has come through Jesus
Christ, the Lord of all people. (Acts 10:34-36, Easy-to-Read Version)
The Body of Christ is
diverse in things like age, gender, sex, and nationality. In the midst of all
that, the same Holy Spirit resides in the heart of each believer.
Is equipped and
equal for service
(See
1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 15-26)
10 Just as each one has received a
gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied
grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as
the oracles of God; if anyone serves, let it be as by the strength
that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power forever and ever.
Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11, Lexham English Bible)
The spiritual gifts for
service in the Body of Christ include: administration, apostleship,
craftsmanship, creative communication, discernment,
encouragement, evangelism, faith, giving, healing, helps (service),
hospitality, intercession (prayer), interpretation (of tongues), knowledge,
leadership, mercy, miracles, prophecy, pastoring (shepherding), singleness
(celibacy), teaching, tongues, and wisdom. What are your ability and talents?
Where can God best use you in the church you attend?
Works in oneness (See 1
Corinthians 12:20-24)
So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined
together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love.
Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with
unbounded joy. (Philippians
2:2, the Passion Translation)
“God didn’t call us just to go to church. He is also calling us to
be the church. Bring hope to the world.” (www.WeLovetheBible.com)
You did nothing to earn the spiritual gifts
God wanted you to have. There is no reason to feel superior over what you have.
There is no need to envy others spiritual gifts. It takes many people with different
gifts to make a church run smoothly because we need each other. Each spiritual
gift has its place in the Body of Christ.
“The church as the Body of Christ is a group of people who allow God to
be mingled with them, and who are mingled with God.”
(Witness Lee)
[i]
[i] Inspired by the sermon
“One Body: One” (installment three) Sunday September 19, 2021, Pastor Dave
Jansen (CPG). In-person services are available at all three U.S.
CenterPoint locations. CenterPoint also has an online Sunday morning service
(10am) that can be viewed at centerpointchurches.online.church or
centerpointchurches.com/live.
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