Many gifts, one spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
Exodus 35:20-29 (NRSV)
20 Then all the congregation of the Israelites withdrew from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and brought the Lord’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the sacred vestments. 22 So they came, both men and women; all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and pendants, all sorts of gold objects, everyone bringing an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And everyone who possessed blue or purple or crimson yarn or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or fine leather,[a]brought them. 24 Everyone who could make an offering of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s offering; and everyone who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work, brought it. 25 All the skillful women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and crimson yarns and fine linen; 26 all the women whose hearts moved them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (NRSV)
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts,brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
February 24, 2019 Sermon Notes
One of the most rewarding events from my recent deployment came midway through the rotation. In early October our Roman Catholic wing chaplain asked if it would be possible for us to organize a Protestant revival. Fortunately, the other Protestant chaplain on base was a Southern Baptist and was extremely familiar with organizing such an event. He took it and ran with it. We reached out to other American chaplains at nearby bases and enlisted the participation of some of our coalition partners as well.
The revival was set for early November. Publicity went out. Food was organized and the musicians were lined up. For five nights the Protestant community at our location and our sister bases got together for a series of worship services and fellowship gatherings. It brought people together and helped solidify relationships between individuals and our God. People recommitted themselves to their walk with Christ and an individual was baptized later in the rotation. The Holy Spirit was doing amazing things during that time and it proved to be a life changing event for many of us.
Part of what made it so meaningful for me personally was that it was one of the most intensely ecumenical Christian events I have ever experienced. Inspired by a Catholic priest and organized by a Southern Baptist with participation from Anglican, United Church of Christ, Pentecostal, and National Baptist preachers, the revival covered a wider swath of the theological waterfront than anything else I have ever been a part of. It was truly a brief glimpse into what the body of Christ could, and should, look like.
Divisions within the Body of Christ
Far too often we allow differences in the church to trump unity that we have in Christ. The divisions are manifold. Theological, linguistic, cultural, and polity distinctions separate us into denominations and factions that sometimes struggle to even recognize each other as fellow Christians. It was refreshing to be able to see those groups come together during the revival, even if it was only for one precious moment.
The sad reality is that the church has always struggled with unity. As far back as the congregations founded by the apostle Paul divisions began to creep into the body of Christ. The church in Corinth is a good example of this temptation. Although things got off to a good start, it was not too long after Paul left town that the believers started to divide themselves between Apollos, Cephas, and Christ. Divisions between rich and poor and Greek and Jew further complicated the matter. Eventually, Paul had to write multiple letters to address the problems that had arisen.
In today’s text Christians were even beginning to grade themselves on the value of the spiritual gifts they had been given. Certain manifestations of the Holy Spirit were seen as more valuable than others. It was a short step from there to the understanding that certain people were more valuable than others.
Uniquely gifted in order to build each other up
Paul would have none of that. He reminded them that they were all brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit used all of them in different ways, but that each of them had something unique and specific to contribute to the body of Christ. They needed each other, and the gifts that each had been given, in order to do the work that Jesus had called them to do. The key was to recognize that each of their gifts had been given, not for their individual glory, but for the uplift of the whole Church.
The depth of this reality is what I experienced in the desert. The diversity of the church was not an obstacle to be overcome. It was a gift that made us richer. We shared the passion of Pentecostal prayer. We savored the intensity of Baptist commitment to a personal relationship with Jesus. The Anglicans connected us to the historical worship life of the church. United Church of Christ voices reminded us of the social implications of our faith. Each of these traditions, and others, broadened our understanding of the Gospel and helped us encounter aspects of the body of Christ that we may not experience when we stay in our own little bubbles.
The Holy Spirit at work in Dexter
On a local level, this diversity within the body of Christ is what allowed our congregation to thrive over the past six months. While I was away the members of this church all used their spiritual gifts in a variety of ways. The elders of the congregation provided pastoral care to the sick and shut in. Board members stepped up to make weighty financial decisions. Volunteers remodeled the choir loft. Individuals took turns preaching and officiating the sacraments. Musicians and vocalists lead us in worship on a weekly basis.
Through it all people used the gifts that they had been given for the uplift of the whole congregation. There was no ranking of talents. We needed each other and the unique contribution that every person brought to the table. This sacred reality made the church stronger and allowed the Holy Spirit to work through our congregation.
True back then and true going forward
It is the same sacred reality that the ancient Israelites experienced when it came time to build the Tabernacle. Each person brought what they could to Moses so that the tent of God’s presence could take shape. The book of Exodus records what they were able to accomplish when they offered their skills, their gifts, and their time to God.
As we enter this chapter in our congregation’s life, my prayer is that the holy and blessed reality of shared gifts and united purpose will continue. What I experienced while on deployment, what the Israelites experienced in today’s text, and what this congregation experienced right here in Dexter does not need to stop. Do not stop using your talents. There is something here that only you can accomplish.
Likewise, remember that Jesus calls other people to do the things that you cannot. We do not need to fall into the temptation toward division and self-righteousness that the Corinthian church experienced if only we remember that whatever talents we and are fellow Christians have been given are not for our own glory, but are unique gifts from the Holy Spirit to be used for the uplift of the whole body of Christ.
Air Force disclaimer:
This blog is produced on my own time using personal equipment. No Air Force or DOD endorsement is implied.
