Serving, Not Showing Off

OPENING PRAYER:

Lord God, I have needs to bring before you today, but more than your provision, I want to connect with you in a special way.

READ: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know 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.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

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 a message of wisdom, to another a 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,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Footnotes

[a] 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28

[b] 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

REFLECT:

Reflect on the gifts God has given you, and give thanks for the chance to use them to serve God and others. Corinthian society was full of personal show, with people announcing their gifts or abilities or power. The gospel brought a great change! Although people discovered that they truly mattered to God – for God gave his own Son to die for them – they also learned that the universe was not centered on them. Jesus’ model for living was humble service, rather than drawing attention to himself. This particularly applied to their use of the ‘gifts of the Spirit’.

Paul insists on two key points: first, these diverse gifts are God’s good gifts, from the one true God (v 6), the Lord Jesus (v 5), and the Holy Spirit (v 4). This implies that they are to be valued, and not despised. It also implies there is no hierarchy among the gifts, for all are from the generous Lord of all. Believers should not boast in the particular gift(s) they have (note 1 Corinthians 4:7).

Second, these diverse gifts are ‘for the common good’ (v 7). God gives them to help others in their walk with Christ, individually and as a community. Again, this implies that it’s a serious error to use gifts to draw attention to yourself – rather, these gifts unlock our potential to help others.

APPLY:

Where needed, in what ways can you encourage people in your church to remember Paul’s call to humble service and not to attention-seeking?

CLOSING PRAYER:

Dear Lord, thank you for spiritual gifts given to me. I want to use them to strengthen the body of Christ for your glory.

WORSHIP:

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