God's Church: To Each is Given

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the twelfth sermon in our series on God’s Church (1 Corinthians). This sermon is ‘To Each is Given"’. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 12

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

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CONNECT: How can you grow in your appreciation of the Lord’s Supper and in the unity of the church?

WARM-UP

1. What were the various ways in which the Corinthians had created competition and contention amongst themselves? What was happening in Corinth when it came to spiritual gifts?

2. Do spiritual gifts ever cause controversy in the church today? What are the common ways?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

1. Who does Paul say that all gifts are from? (Try to find all of the references that make this clear.) How is this such a counter-cultural idea today? How can we be reminded that our gifts are from God?

2. How can I sure that I have the Spirit of God? Does this mean we also are gifted by God?

3. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to see themselves as body and then individuals. How is this a radically counter-cultural idea today? What difference would it make to “flip” our view of things?

4. How can a distorted view of our gifts lead to feeling inferior or superior? What does Paul say to that?

5. What is the purpose of our spiritual gifts? What are the pointers that we are incredibly united?

6. Do you think you have a tendency to underestimate or overestimate the gifts entrusted to you? Why are both so potentially dangerous with regards to God’s plans and purposes?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-31

1. What are the gifts listed in this chapter? Do we understand all of these? Is this list exhaustive?

2. What are the various gifts that you recognise in the people in your small group? What do you think are the gifts that God has entrusted to you?

3. Why is it good that we are unified but not uniform? Could we be a body if all were the same?

4. What do you think it really looks like to recognise every part as actually essential?

5. What are the circumstances that make you tempted to think “you have no part” or “I have no part”?

6. Who (to you) has been a great example of using their gifts from God clearly for God’s glory?

7. What is the danger of deploying our gifts but disregarding love? Have you ever witnessed this?

8. How can we be more active in lovingly recognising, honouring, and rejoicing in other people’s gifts?

APPLY:  Who is one person who you could encourage in the active use of their gifts for the Lord?

PRAYER

Thank you Lord for those who have shared the Good News with us and used their gifts to help disciple us. Please help us to use the gifts that you have entrusted to us, for your glory. Please correct our hearts where there is anything that impedes us using your gifts for your purposes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

GOING DEEPER

On Your Frontline This Week: What opportunities do you have to show God’s love towards those who might be in lockdown?

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• AUDIO: “Spiritual Gifts, What’s the Big Deal?”

• AUDIO: “Gifts of the Spirit” by Dick Lucas:

• READ: Articles on “Spiritual Gifts” on the Gosp...