“To Build Others’ Up”
1 Cor 12:1-31 (Rom. 12:6-8)
Ross Woodhouse
Either a dim, or inflated view of ourselves are not conducive to community as God intends.
Christianity is not an individualist religion it is a community and corporate faith journey, because it is, we have to realise we are in this together, we need each other, we have much to offer and we are to build others up.
…what is your role in the team?
We find in Chapter 14:26…what for me is a great summary of what Paul was looking for…
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together…Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
Gifts of the Spirit, don’t bring down, don’t discourage, they encourage!
(READ 1 Cor. 12:1-31a)
Four points that speak more broadly to the gifts. Firstly…
- Gifts of Grace
The gifts are Charis, given by grace, so we need to think of them as being on loan to us, not for our own benefit but for the benefit of others.
Further to that, because they’re gifts of grace, their use will always be aligned to the character and the will of the Holy Spirit. Their use will always be in submission to the Holy Spirit…2ndly
- Gifts are given by the Holy Spirit
What is better than thinking of the gifts as something that we have a right to, it is better to think of the gifts of the Spirit as his responsibility to distribute, for the common good of the church.
Gifts are not a sign of spiritual maturity
Gifts are not a sign of spiritual superiority, why, because their source is the Holy Spirit.
- Gifts are for others’ benefit
When gifts are being administered selfishly, are not advantaging others, when the body is not being built up, is that of the Holy Spirit?
When a gift or the gifts cease to honour God in their use, or cease to encourage and build up other Christians, when there is an absence of love in the gift toward others the Holy Spirit is no longer the source for your gift, something else is!
The gifts of the Spirit are always aligned with the purposes of God, never counterproductive to his purposes or will. Gifts of the Spirit will always be in love and service to others because they are expression of God’s grace.
- Gifts are given to be excercised
We need to know what our gifts are and we need to be exercising that gift when we know what it is, in the area the Lord wants us serving in.
Mahe Drysdale is a gifted rower, no-one’s going to expect him to get behind the wheel of Scott Dixons Indy Car and drive at 200 mile and hour, but we do that sometimes in the church…we have “racing car drivers, rowing boats, when they’re racing car drivers”. Not about being busier doing a whole bunch of things outside our gifting…it is about serving in the area of your spiritual gift.
The health of the church…requires us to be exercising our gifts where we’re gifted, serving, where we’re gifted.
Listen to what Paul said to Timothy…(2 Tim. 1) 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7
Paul’s message to Timothy is use the gift you’ve been given…and who was the responsibility on? Timothy!
No matter what our gift, I believe the Lord expects the same dedication from all of us, we are a body, and the current and future health and mission of the church needs us utilising our gifts.
TAKEAWAYS
- Gifts are given:
- By the Holy Spirit
- For the benefit of others
- For building up the church
- To be exercised
What’s your role in the team? Get amongst it!