1 Corinthians 12 (6)

Pray Psalm 84.1-4.
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You.
Selah

Sing Psalm 84.1-4.
(Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)
LORD of hosts, how sweet Your dwelling; how my soul longs for Your courts!
Let my soul with joy keep telling of Your grace forevermore.
Like a bird upon the altar, let my life to You belong.
Blessed are they who never falter as they praise Your grace with song!

Read 1 Corinthians 12.1-31; meditate on verses 27-31.

Prepare
1. Does everyone in the church have the same gifts?

2. Which gifts should we earnestly desire?

Meditation
I saw a commercial on TV in which a man is trying to decide which pastry to buy from a case full of many and varied sweets. He keeps pointing at this one, no, that one, no the chocolate one in the back, no over there, that one. Meanwhile the exasperated baker is trying to keep up with his flitting choices. Finally, the man just says, “Give me all of them!”

That should be our attitude toward spiritual gifts. Not for ourselves, but for our church.

Remember, we don’t select the gifts we are to receive and use. The Spirit distributes them as He will because He alone knows what our church needs to keep growing in unity and maturity. There are greater gifts and lesser gifts, as Paul explains here (“first”, “second”, “third”, “after that”) but all the gifts are needed. Those who have the greater gifts must not despise those with lesser gifts; and those with lesser gifts should be diligent and content in fully exercising them.

At the same time, we can desire to have more gifts, gifts greater even than we already have (v. 31). If it pleases God to grant them, then we will rejoice to put them to use. If not, then we will rejoice in the good gifts we already possess.

I want to say to the Lord, “Just give me all the gifts, Lord!”, but that is a request we should make for our church, that all the gifts, properly distributed and employed, would be spread around and work together for the building-up of the Body of Christ.

And yet one more gift—one we all must have and use—is yet to be revealed. And it is more excellent than them all.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
God said to His disobedient children that “just as I was determined to punish you”
now “I am determined to do good…Do not fear.”
But then He told them what He expected from them:
“These are the things you shall do:
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath” (Zech. 8.14-17).

“Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore” (Ps. 37.27).

Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15.5); but He also said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Jn. 14.12-14).

The gifts that we have received, and will continue to receive, as needed, should all be used to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to beautify and grow His Church. This is Plan A and there is no Plan B.

When we prayerfully consider the local church we should attend, perhaps it would be wise to see what gifts are lacking there and ask the Lord if we are meant to fill in the gap. We so often choose a church because it has things that we like—a Bible oriented pastor, pleasing music, friendly people, a good children’s program, fun things for the teens to do, a burgeoning singles group, mission trips to interesting destinations, a thriving seniors’ group, or good snacks at half-time—but maybe there is another way to contemplate this question.

Just wondering.

It is interesting to observe in the book of Acts and in the epistles, the gifts that were given at different times to meet different needs. Peter and Paul were both used by God to heal people, but they were not primarily known as healers. We can be used in the very same way, as Jesus promised, maybe just once. God wants to grow His Church and we are the available vessels He chooses to use for His purposes. How very exciting our calling is!

We dare not become wed to one gift and think that is as good as it gets. We need to, as Carole King sang, get up every morning, with a smile on our face, and show the world, all the love in our hearts. And ask the Lord Jesus to do great things in and through us, so the Father will be glorified in the Son, in and by our gifted good works, planned beforehand that we should do (Eph. 2.10).

“Lord, use me, give me the gifts needed for today’s work in my Personal Mission Field, in my church, and wherever else You choose to lead me. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.”

For reflection
1. What should you do in desiring greater gifts to use in serving the Lord? How would you go about obtaining those gifts from the Holy Spirit?

2. What gifts has God given you to use in the world for the purpose of building-up the church?

3. How can believers encourage one another in this matter of spiritual gifts?

The Spirit distributes to every one as he will. We must be content though we are lower and less than others. We must not despise others, if we have greater gifts. How blessed the Christian church, if all the members did their duty! Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12.27-31

Pray Psalm 84.5-12.
Thank the Lord for the gifts He has given you to carry you through your journey to eternal life. And thank Him for the gifts He has given your fellow travelers. Pray that you all might use your gifts faithfully and fruitfully, and that God would grant you even more gifts than what you already possess.

Sing Psalm 84.5-12.
(Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)
Blessed are they whose strength is founded in Your strength, O LORD above.
All whose hearts in You are grounded journey in Your strength and love.
Though they weep with tears of sadness, grace shall all their way sustain.
In Your Presence, filled with gladness, they shall conquer all their pain.

LORD of hosts, my prayer receiving, hear me, help me by Your grace!
In Your courts I stand believing; turn to me Your glorious face!
LORD, our sun, our shield, our glory, no good thing will You deny
to those who proclaim Your story, and who on Your grace rely.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help you see both the greatness and the smallness of God’s salvation. Such a Great Salvation and Small Stuff will show you how to think small, live big, and know the salvation and glory of God in all your daily life. You can learn more about these books and order your copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.