Greatly Desiring » Part 2
“We should focus our delight more on being part of the body than our part in the body.”
- Tim Chambers
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 is progressive in variety, a gift works and has effect. In these verses we see Spirit, Lord and God – our great 3-in-1 God!
We use gifts to serve, not to get attention or find identity!
Tim hit this several times. I believe we all have a tendency to find our value in what we do instead of who we are. They are difficult to separate but we must fight for this or we will live in a perpetual state of feeling good about ourselves and then feeling bad – a dangerous and depressing roller-coaster to live on.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Gifts are manifestation of the Spirit, God is here now! Every believer gets gifts. It’s not just for me. They are given to share for the common good. We are the body of Christ. There are no lone-ranger Christians. We do not work out our salvation on our own.
The perfect time for gifts of healing to break out is when we are taking new territory. Think about going into the Maryville, Northside and Iowa – we should always be taking new territory for Jesus. Therefore, we should always be earnestly desiring Spirit gifts when we go so that Jesus is made manifest.
To those unfamiliar with the Bible, the word “tongues” can be confusing. The real word behind “tongues” is “languages”.
Ephesians 4:11
Gifts are given for the building up of the church: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor/Teacher.
The Gift of intercession is not in the Bible. We all intercede. It’s available to all of us, although some appear to grab a hold of it and have more passion for it. Is that you or do you want that to be you?
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 – The Body Analogy
Unity and diversity in Christ’s body displays the manifold beauty of God.
1 Corinthians 12:14-20 – The Wrong View of Ourselves
We minimize our part and can be dissatisfied with the gifts God gives us. This can cause us to live independently and removed from the body of Christ and a local church
1 Corinthians 12:21-26 – Our Wrong View of Others
“The exclusion of the weak is the death of the fellowship.”
-Bonnhoeffer
1 Corinthians 12:28
It’s not about importance but about the order of building. The foundation comes first, then so-forth. Jesus is both our cornerstone and capstone. It’s just all about Him!
1 Corinthians 12:29-30 is about diversity. It’s not about justifying the status-quo or my comfort so that I can set aside the Gifts and say all I need is love (cue Beatles song under your reading!).
1 Corinthians:14 continues this thought on seeking the higher gifts. Is part of our regular prayer life asking God for these Gifts to be resident in us for the building up of the body and the common good? Though 1 Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings this is not the context it was written in. Please, if you want, still use it in your wedding!
This chapter on love being “the more excellent way” goes right along with looking for the content and intent of the Gifts. Does it glorify Jesus? Am I using the Gift God has given in order? Am I using the Gift God has given with, out of and for the sake of love? Or am I using the gift to build myself up and tear someone else down? Am I loving in my use of the Spirit gifts? If not, I need to examine my heart, repent and seek forgiveness.
1 Corinthians:13:10 is especially used to say the gifts have ceased in our time. We obviously believe this not to be the case, biblically. 1 Corinthians 13:10-12 provide markers indicating the time for these gifts to cease has not come. Briefly, here they are:
Verse 10 – when the perfect comes…Paul is writing this after the Perfect One (Jesus) has come and gone back to the Father…this must be speaking of when He comes again to make all things new…Paul knew the times he lived in and knew Jesus.
Verse 12 – then face to face…when Jesus comes again (which hasn’t happened) we will see Him face-to-face and the gifts won’t be needed because then we will also fully know and be fully known like I currently am not because the Perfect One is waiting for His Father’s command to return.
While I long to see Him face-to-face, to know fully and be fully known (some days more than others), I also want Him to wait so as many as possible can come into His glorious, wonderful, amazing, exhilarating, mind-blowing kingdom before it’s too late to do so!
The gifts are still for today! When Jesus comes again and makes all things new, we will be glad for the gifts to cease because we will have the Giver present with us forever and ever, Amen.
Stay tuned for Part 3…
