Trinity 10 2021
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
August 8, 2021
Zion Lutheran Church + Nampa, ID
Apparently there was some confusion in Corinth, which comes as no surprise as one reads through St. Paul’s letters to the Christians there. Our Epistle lesson today deals with one of those topics in the church which seems to continually cause confusion, corruption, coveting – spiritual gifts. The Epistle for today begins, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want to you to be uninformed.” Actually, the text doesn’t even use the word “gifts,” although it does appear in our translations. It starts with the word that means “spiritual things”, or “spiritual stuff”. Paul is setting about to clarify for the Corinthians, and for us, spiritual matters dealing with things that are spiritual.
This particular text offers a number of emphases and teaching points for us to consider. It speaks of the unity of the church. It talks about faith as the work of the Holy Spirit, and it addresses the importance of every individual within the congregation.
First, and most importantly, St. Paul wants us to understand that saving faith in Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit alone. No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. You can pronounce the words, of course, but you cannot confess the faith with integrity unless the Holy Spirit has created faith within you. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian Church on earth.
Likewise, no one who has the Spirit of God can say, “Jesus is accursed.” Of course, denying Christ means far more than simply saying those words. But without the Holy Spirit, one can only make an “evil” confession, they cannot believe in Jesus, they are hostile toward God, and their sins are still counted against them. This is how St. Paul describes the Corinthians before their conversation – as pagans being led astray to mute idols. This is how each of us was before the Holy Spirit created and worked faith within us.
For those to whom the Lord has called to faith and given His Spirit, to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. The manifestation of the Spirit is a fancy way of saying, the gift which the Spirit brings. Notice that every single Christian is given the manifestation of the Spirit. You have a place of significance in the Church. You have something to offer that the church needs. No one is unimportant or insignificant. Because your worth is found in Jesus.
If you doubt, or wonder, or question, look to the cross. This too the work of the Spirit – He points you to Jesus, to rest not on your own understanding or work, but on the holy and perfect Son of God. Jesus died for you, and was raised for your justification. That’s the main thing throughout St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that he wants you to be informed about, certain about – Christ is for you. This is your salvation: planned by God, earned by Jesus, given by the Spirit, all by grace alone.
God’s just giving it all out; not indiscriminately, but with a purpose, with a plan. The purpose of these spiritual things, of these gifts, is that they are used according to the reason that the Giver has gifted – for the common good. Wisdom, knowledge, faith, and all the other manifestations of the Spirit mentioned are worked by God where and when it pleases Him. And it pleases Him to use you, to work in and through you, despite your imperfections and your sinfulness, to build up the body of Christ for the common good.
St. Paul goes on to explain how each spiritual thing is worked by God. We have varieties of gifts, different capabilities. We have varieties of service, different tasks. We have varieties of activities, different ways of working. Some of these spiritual things are of the head, some of the hands, and some of the heart. You might say that the unbelieving world has these things too, and to an extent that is correct. God gives gifts to the good and evil alike. In the midst of all these differences among us there is one Spirit who is the source of grace, one Lord whom we serve, one God who empowers.
So Paul distinguishes the three persons of the Trinity – one God, Lord, and Spirit – and gives to each His own work through which He is revealed. Just as God is triune but not divided, so the ministry and work of the Church is various but not divided. Whatever good things happen in the church happens by the power and under the direction of the Triune God.
You aren’t responsible for figuring out how or why the Spirit works the way He does. You have what you need, and the congregation needs every one of you. You’re responsible for rating the value of any gift, differences don’t mean greater or lesser, but different. When I preach and you listen, it is not the same gift of office, but you are serving Christ with listening as much as I am with preaching. When I baptize, administer the Sacrament, absolve you of your sins, and you receive it by the Spirit worked faith we are both in the service of the one Lord and carrying out His command. It’s the same Christ who uses you to share this comfort and hope and peace of Christ to others. We are merely called on to use what the Lord gives us and where He has placed us for the glory of God and the good of His people.
God has it all planned out for you, as St. Paul says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” He has given out His gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, according to His good pleasure. May He who began a good work in you bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. [Philippians 1:6].