Introduction
Paul was a brilliant pastor. He was able to deal with the problems that the Corinthian church was having in a meaningful and relevant way, a way that addressed their concern directly and practically. Yet, at the same time he was able to powerfully shift their attention to what was of greater importance. That's exactly what he does in chpts. 12-14.
Chapters 11-14 constitute the largest chunk on a single subject in the whole book and it is about the worship of God in the church. He started in chpt. 11 with informal prayer gatherings, and ran through the Lord's Supper halfway through the chapter. Then he addressed the question concerning speaking in tongues and prophesying, and finished this section in chpt. 14 with teaching on the formal, corporate worship of the local church.
The Corinthians asked Paul what spiritual gift was better in the church, 12:1. They wanted to know who should be honored more on account of what they could do. By the way Paul answers this question, it becomes obvious that there was a great deal of pride involved in this issue. The Corinthians were seeking to glorify themselves through these gifts instead of glorifying the God who gave them the gifts. The two factions groups that brought the question to Paul were arguing over the gifts of speaking in tongues and prophesying. Both groups insisted that they should have the preeminence in the church because of their gifts. It is interesting that the struggle that the Corinthian church was having involved the showy gifts, the ones that would put them in front of people. They weren't too concerned about other gifts that cause them to serve each other. Such is human nature; we tend to crave the recognition of people. We want to be important. Yet, the Christian life is supposed to be a life of death to self. We, like John the Baptist,
Paul answers their questions in two ways: the Spirit gives the church many more gifts than two and she needs all of them; and these spiritual gifts are given to each individual member of the Body of Christ so that he/she can serve the rest of the Body. So he wants them to consider a more excellent way.
I. Not Everybody Has Every Gift, 27-30.
A. There was a party in church that said that everybody should speak in tongues.
1. That led some Christians to stop exercising whatever gifts they had and wish they were speaking in tongues.
2. That's the reason for what Paul said in 12:15, 21.
B. We are the Body of Christ and as a body we need more than just a tongue, 27.
1. Stop for a moment and think about this amazing truth: we are the Body of Christ.
a. We sinners are the Body of Christ!
b. Do you realize the immense privilege of being the Body of Christ? The responsibility as well?
1) When the world looks at us, at the church, they are seeing Christ.
2) What is the world seeing in us? A true statement about who Christ is and what he has done for us? Or, is the Body of Christ lying about its Head?
2. All of us together are the Body of Christ and each one of us who truly trust in the Lord Jesus for our salvation is a member of the Body of Christ.
Eph. 1:15-23 – Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
C. Christ the Head provides for his Body, 28.
1. These gifts are given to the church for her wellbeing.
2. This is not an exhaustive list of gifts, there is no such list.
3. The way that Paul lists these gifts speaks volumes concerning the right perspective regarding the gift of speaking in tongues.
a. He uses the words first, second, etc. to indicate the order of importance to the church.
b. Notice that speaking in tongues is the very last one in the list – next week in Sunday school we will actually look at this list and the role the gifts of apostles and prophets should play in the church today.
c. Why is speaking in tongues listed last? Because speaking in tongue is a gift that generally only benefits the person who is speaking while all the other gifts benefit the whole body, 14:2, 4.
1) Paul is not trying to discredit the gift of speaking in tongues.
2) He IS trying to get them to think about serving others, which can be done better through these other gifts.
D. God gives all gifts to his church, but not every member in the church has every gift, 29-30.
1. These rhetorical questions demand the same answer: NO – not everybody is an apostle, or prophet, or teacher, etc.
2. And that's the point Paul is making.
a. You need all the gifts, but you individually don't have all the gifts.
b. Therefore, you need each other both to benefit from each other's gifts and to serve each other with your gift.
II. The More Excellent Way of Relating to One Another Is the Way of Love, 12:31-13:3.
A. Paul wants us to desire the greater gifts of the Spirit, 12:31a.
1. It should say greater instead of best.
2. According to chpt. 14, the greater gifts are those that focus on others instead of self.
3. So, we pursue the greater gifts so that we can serve each other with them.
B. Paul gives us a more excellent way of thinking about the gifts of the Spirit, 12:31b.
1. Instead of fighting with other over what you can do, use all your skills to love one another.
2. With this clause, Paul introduces one of the most famous and most beautiful chapters in the Bible.
a. Even though this chapter is often read in wedding ceremonies, notice that the context if love chapter is not marital love, but love among members of the Body of Christ.
b. This chapter describes the love of a husband and wife insomuch as they are members of the Body of Christ.
c. This chapter is speaking of the way you are to relate to these people around you here.
3. Love is not another gift, but the manner in which every gift must be exercised – the little children's is right when it says that God's banner over us is love.
C. Without love for each other, every thing we do, every gift we have, becomes meaningless, 13:1-3.
1. Without love, all my eloquence and my ability to communicate in known and unknown languages becomes just unpleasant noise, 1.
2. Without love for the brethren, receiving revelation directly from God or understanding all the mysteries of the Bible would be nothing, 2a.
3. Without love for the brethren, a faith that makes the impossible possible (moving a mountain) doesn't make me anything, 2b.
4. Without love for the brethren, the most extravagant acts of charity or self-sacrifice profit me nothing, 3.
5. Why?
a. Because without love for the brethren there is no love for God.
1 Jn. 4:20 – If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
"Love is the only true motivation for the exercise of gifts for others." Paul Barnett
b. Because without love for the brethren, we are constantly lying about Christ.
Jn. 13:34-35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
"The church at Corinth never amounted to much in the unfolding years of church history. It is quite likely that their lovelessness towards one another was a major obstacle to their impact on their city and province." Paul Barnett
6. So God calls us to put on love.
Col. 3:14 – But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
D. What is this love that must be present in our relationship to one another?
1. It is a love that can only be known through Jesus Christ (saving faith) –can't be mustered up on one's own.
1 Jn. 4:7-11 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to bethe propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
2. It is a love that is rooted in God's love for us.
1 Jn. 4:19 – We love [Him should not be here] because He first loved us.
3. It is a love that is patterned on Jesus's love for us.
1 Jn. 4:12-16 – No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son asSavior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
a. Because this love is patterned after God's love for us, it is not based on the loveliness of whom we love.
Rom. 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
"My song is love unknown, my Savior's love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be. O who am I, that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh, and die?" Samuel Crossman in My Song Is Love Unknown
b. Because this love is patterned after God's love for us, it is a self-giving love.
Jn. 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jn. 15:12-13 – This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
c. Because this love is patterned after God's love for us, it is an adopting love – we become part of the same family.
1 Jn. 3:1a – Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
4. This love frees us from fear of risking ourselves in relationships in the church.
1 Jn. 4:18 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
5. The love of Jesus for us and our love for him compel us to love others.
2 Cor. 5:14-15 – For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Conclusion
The Spirit of God has gifted each one of you who are trusting in Jesus Christ with gifts that the Body of Christ needs in order to grow in maturity into the fullness of Jesus Christ. God calls you to use these gifts in love to serve others in the Body of Christ. He gives you the pattern that you are to follow. That pattern is his love for you, a love that will never let you go.
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