1 Corinthians 14 (7)

Pray Psalm 51.15, 18, 19.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise…
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

Sing Psalm 51.15, 18, 19.
(Aughton: He Leadeth Me)
Now build Your Church, raise high the wall of those who on Your mercy call.
And take our lives and let them be sweet sacrifices, LORD, to Thee!
Refrain vv. 15, 18
LORD, open now our lips to raise to You sweet songs of joyous praise!
Thus let Your favor on us fall, and build and strengthen Zion’s wall!

Review 1 Corinthians 14.1-40; meditate on verse 12.

Preparation
1. What should our attitude be toward acquiring spiritual gifts?

2. As we use our gifts, at what should we aim?

Meditation
I’m struck by two words in this verse: “zealous” and “excel.” These are standards which ought to characterize our lives in the Kingdom of God. I wonder if they do.

The first standard pertains to acquiring spiritual gifts. Paul commended the Corinthians because they were zealous for spiritual gifts. Their zeal was a bit misguided, but he addressed that in chapters 12-14, and here he simply commended them for being eager to discover and use the gifts God’s Spirit gave them.

To be zealous for something is to think about it often and exert oneself toward it, to achieve and enjoy it. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.” Is this how we approach obtaining the gifts of the Spirit?

A second standard sets the bar for our use of spiritual gifts. As we use the gifts God gives us, what are we hoping to accomplish? Draw attention to ourselves? Check something off a to-do list? Please the pastor? Or are we sincerely giving it our best shot to contribute something to the edification of our brethren and our church?

We need to think like Jesus about this and all matters. After all, we have the mind of Christ and His Spirit dwells within us. Why would we settle for anything other than full zeal and persistent excellence concerning our calling from Him?

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.
And Gabriel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS” (Lk. 1.30). Gabriel also told her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Lk. 1.35).

After receiving this astonishing news, Mary’s response was not about herself—neither self-effacing nor self-vaunting—or full of questions like: What, how, when, where, or why? Her perfect response was thus:

“Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Lk. 1.38). And the angel Gabriel, fully satisfied by her heart’s correct attitude, and not needing to offer any other words of explanation, departed from her.

Jephthah’s daughter had the same amazing response, even after she discovered she had been inadvertently offered up in a vow to the LORD by her father, “…do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth…” (Judg. 11.36).

Which brings us to Paul’s words to the church in Corinth, and to us: The Holy Spirit will come to dwell in you and will give you gifts to serve God, the Church, and others—gifts for Kingdom work. Do not think yourselves either worthy or unworthy; you are merely recipients of the gracious gifts of God for His service. And I recommend this as your response: “Let it be for the edification of the Church that I seek to excel in the use of this gift” (1 Cor. 14.12).

“LORD, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments” (Ps. 119.166).
“…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10.31).

Mary and Jephthah’s daughter were both human beings, gifted with seemingly impossible circumstances, who thrived and overcame because they sought their strength from the LORD. No doubt, the bar has been set high. But we too can rise to our gifted Kingdom work because, “With God nothing will be impossible” (Lk. 1.37).

Let it be to me according to Your Word.
We dare not “settle for anything other than full zeal
and persistent excellence concerning our calling from Him.”

For reflection
1. Would you say that your response to Scripture is consistently, “Let it be to me, Lord, according to Your Word”? Explain.

2. Sometimes the Word leads us into challenges beyond our strength, like Jephthah’s daughter. How should we respond to such challenges? Are you facing such a challenge today?

3. Zeal to obtain spiritual gifts, excellence in using them: Can you say that these are your standards? Explain.

The building up of the church is Paul’s touchstone in everything he says. John Chrysostom (344-407), Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 35.5

Pray Psalm 51.14-17.
Pray that God will use you today for the building-up of other believers and of your church. Call on Him to make you zealous for spiritual gifts and to excel in everything you do for the edification of others.

Sing Psalm 51.14-17.
(Aughton: He Leadeth Me)
Deliver us, from guilt, O LORD, You Who have saved us by Your Word;
and let our tongues Your mercy bless, and sing of Your great righteousness!
Refrain vv. 15, 18
LORD, open now our lips to raise to You sweet songs of joyous praise!
Thus let Your favor on us fall, and build and strengthen Zion’s wall!

No sacrifice, no offering would You have us, Your people, bring;
but broken spirits, cleansed of lies, and pure hearts You will not despise.
Refrain

T. M. and Susie Moore 

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today is in need of revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.

And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 103 Reynolds Lane, West Grove, PA 19390.

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.