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1 Corinthians Lesson 13
Copyright 1999. John Creamer. All rights reserved. Scripture: (1 Corinthians 12:4-31 NIV) There are different kinds of gifts, but
the same Spirit. {5} There are different kinds of service, but the same
Lord. {6} There are different kinds of working, but the same God works
all of them in all men. {7} Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for the common good. {8} To one there is given through the Spirit
the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of
the same Spirit, {9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by that one Spirit, {10} to another miraculous powers, to another
prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking
in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation
of tongues. {11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and
he gives them to each one, just as he determines. {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. So it is with Christ. {13} For we were all baptized
by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and
we were all given the one Spirit to drink. {14} Now the body is not made
up of one part but of many. {15} If the foot should say, "Because
I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that
reason cease to be part of the body. {16} And if the ear should say, "Because
I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that
reason cease to be part of the body. {17} If the whole body were an eye,
where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where
would the sense of smell be? {18} But in fact God has arranged the parts
in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. {19} If
they were all one part, where would the body be? {20} As it is, there
are many parts, but one body. {21} 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!" {22} On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem
to be weaker are indispensable, {23} and the parts that we think are less
honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable
are treated with special modesty, {24} while our presentable parts need
no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and
has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, {25} so that there
should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal
concern for each other. {26} If one part suffers, every part suffers with
it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. {27} Now you
are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. {28} And
in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing,
those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those
speaking in different kinds of tongues. {29} Are all apostles? Are all
prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? {30} Do all have gifts
of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? {31} But eagerly
desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. These verses tell us about the gifts of the Spirit given to believers.
What does verse 4 tell us about the gifts? (There are different kinds
of gifts.) According to verse 7, which believers receive these gifts? (Each one.) Why do each of us receive them? (For the common good.) After verses 8-10 describe some of the gifts, what does verse 11 tell
us about who gets which gift? (The Holy Spirit determines.) Some groups
suggest that the individual determines which gift he/she receives—such
as speaking in tongues, healing, etc.; according to this verse, should
any of us ever feel slighted because we have not been given a specific
gift(s)? To what do verses 12-27 compare the individuals who have received these
gifts? (A body.) How would you summarize the point of the comparison? Almost in passing, the body that has been described is given a name in
verse 28. What is it? (The church.) (Ephesians 1:13-23 NIV) And you also were included in Christ when
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed,
you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who
is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. {15} For this reason,
ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for
all the saints, {16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering
you in my prayers. {17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,
so that you may know him better. {18} I pray also that the eyes of your
heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which
he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
{19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is
like the working of his mighty strength, {20} which he exerted in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly realms, {21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,
and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also
in the one to come. {22} And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church, {23} which is
his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. This is another passage about the body of Christ—the church—and
how a person ‘joins’. According to verse 13, how is a person
‘included in Christ’? How is the ‘church’ identified in verses 22-23? (Christ’s
body.) Therefore, if you combine the information in verse 13 with that in 22-23,
how does a person ‘join’ the church, which is his (Christ’s)
body? (A person is included in Christ when he/she heard the word of truth,
the gospel of their salvation and believed…verse 13.) (Colossians 1:13-18 NIV) For he has rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, {14} in
whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. {15} He is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. {16} For by him
all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created
by him and for him. {17} He is before all things, and in him all things
hold together. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church; he is
the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything
he might have the supremacy. According to verse 18, who is the head of the body, the church? Once again, according to verse 24, how is the church defined? In light of the previous passages, consider the
following questions: People often say they ‘go to church’. What do you think ‘church’
means in that context? Why did people go to church when they were children? Why did some quit when they become an adult? If you asked people at random on the streets of New York City to define
‘church’, how do you think they would respond? If you ask a Catholic priest to explain the church he is a part of, what
do you think he would say? If you asked a Baptist preacher the same question,
how do you think he would respond? …a Methodist minister? …an
Episcopal priest? …a Church of God preacher? …Presbyterian minister?
…etc.? …etc.? …etc.? Which denomination is ‘The church’? Does a person need to be a member of a church to be a Christian? Does a person need to be a Christian to be a member of a church? How does a person join a church today? Do they become a Christian when they do? Are the requirements for church membership in the Bible? Some people think of the church as a building…or at the very least,
an organization that meets in the building… (Acts 8:3 NIV) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house
to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. What did Saul set out to do? How was he planning to destroy the building? (He wasn’t…because
the church is not a building.) How, then, did he begin to destroy the church? (Putting men and women—the
church—in prison.) Where did he find the church? (Going house to house; the church was wherever
the people were.) (Acts 9:31 NIV) Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria
enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy
Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. Where was the church in this verse? (Three different countries.) Many Christians today would describe this as 3 churches in three countries, but what do you notice about the pronoun referring back to ‘church’? (The pronoun—it—is singular; it refers back to one church in three countries, not three.) What does that tell us about the church? (The church is the collective
body of Christ, not individual buildings or groups.) (1 Corinthians 1:2 NIV) To the church of God in Corinth, to those
sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those
everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and
ours:
(Romans 12 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to
God--this is your spiritual act of worship. {2} Do not conform any longer
to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his
good, pleasing and perfect will. {3} For by the grace given me I say to
every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the
measure of faith God has given you. {4} Just as each of us has one body
with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
{5} so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs
to all the others. How would you summarize what we are asked to do as members of the body
of Christ in v.1? Why is it significant that we understand that we are to offer ourselves
to God, not the church? (The church is made up of people, and people—even
though they are in Christ—are still capable of disappointing us.
God will never let us down…only He is worthy of our dedication.)
What are we instructed not to do and do in verse 2? What are some of the patterns of the world that would be counterproductive to individual parts of the body of Christ working together to build each other up? (Anything self-serving instead of serving others would be a good example.) Consider the following passage: (Matthew 20:20-28 NIV) Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus
with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. {21} "What
is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one
of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your
left in your kingdom." {22} "You don't
know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can
you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can,"
they answered. {23} Jesus said to them, "You
will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for
me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared
by my Father." {24} When the ten heard about this, they were
indignant with the two brothers. {25} Jesus called them together and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord
it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. {26}
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must
be your servant, {27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--
{28} just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many." What favor did the mother of James and John ask of Jesus in verse 21? What ‘pattern of the world’ did Jesus say this request conformed
to in verse 25? What ‘mind-transforming’ advice did Jesus offer instead in
verse 26? “Life is like a game of tennis; the person who serves well seldom
loses.” (Back to Romans 12…) What does verse 3 tell us that will help us accomplish a more serving
spirit? Why is ‘thinking of ouselves more highly than we ought’ counterproductive
to serving others? What does verse 5 tell us about our relationship to others in the body
of Christ? {6} We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's
gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. {7} If
it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; {8} if
it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs
of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern
diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. What are we admonished allow others to do? (Use their gifts God has given
them.) Notice the words ‘let him’ occurs 7 times in these 3 verses;
how does ‘let him’ differ from the ‘pattern of the world’
in people management? (The answer is in Jesus’ response—above—in
Matthew 20:25-26; the ‘pattern’ is to ‘lord it over people
and exercise authority over them’. The transforming advice from Jesus
is to ‘let people’ serve others.) {9} Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. What do you think the charge ‘love must be sincere’ should
say to us? How have we lost sight of the second sentence in verse 9 today? {10} Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves. What is a practical example of being devoted to one another in brotherly
love? How can we realistically honor others above ourselves? What could be some of the effects of implementing this into our day-to-day
routine? How could this be a vulnerable position? (The shrewd could abuse us.)
How is it a strong position? (God will honor us.) {11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving
the Lord. {12} Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. How can we remain joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful
in prayer? (Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV) He gives strength to the weary and increases
the power of the weak. {30} Even youths grow tired and weary, and young
men stumble and fall; {31} but those who hope in the LORD will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint. {13} Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. How does verse 13 deal a selfish attitude a fatal
blow? (We are supposed to be conscious of giving to others rather
than the "normal temptation" to constantly focus on our own
needs being met.) What are some of the ways we can practice hospitality? {14} Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Verse 14: Is the context of our "personal ministry" always
designed around people whom we like and those who are kind to us? {15} Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Who is the burden of behavior on? (Us. We are to adapt to the situations of others…not expect others to adapt to ours. If they are happy, we are to be happy with and for them…if sad,
we are to share their sorrow.) {16} Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing
to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. What are some of the ‘sounds’ of people living in harmonywith
one another? (Laughter, encourage, etc.) What are some of the sounds of people living in lack of harmony with
one another? (Arguments, slander, gossip, etc.) How is being willing to associate with people of low position a lack
of conformity to the pattern of this world, ie, what is a person’s
normal tendency toward people of low position? (Avoidance.) {17} Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right
in the eyes of everybody. {18} If it is possible, as far as it depends
on you, live at peace with everyone. {19} Do not take revenge, my friends,
but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to
avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. {20} On the contrary: "If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to
drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." {21}
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Verses 17-21 address the recommended conduct
in adversarial relationships. Why is it important for us to know how to
do this within the church? Bottom Line: Each one should use whatever gift he has received
to serve others,… (1 Peter 4:10 NIV) Close with Prayer. |