Gifts Given For Flourishing - 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Today we begin our new winter sermon series: “United in the Spirit: One God at Work in One Body.” The series is based on 1 Corinthians 12-14. The fact that Paul devotes three chapters to spiritual gifts indicates that understanding how the Spirit of God works in and through the body of Christ is of great importance!Sometimes people are afraid or hesitant to have this conversation. Some will say, “I love Jesus, but I’m not so sure about the Holy Spirit.” Others may be familiar with spiritual phenomena in other religions: ecstatic experiences, speaking in tongues, spiritual healings, and communication with the spirits. They may shy away from the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts because they don’t want to be deceived. Others may be familiar with church contexts where some spiritual gifts are elevated above others. Where there is hunger for status and recognition, people will seek to have the most valued gifts. In Corinth, the specific issue was a glamorized elevation of the gift of tongues.How does Paul approach this issue? He seizes the opportunity. The Corinthians’ unhealthy focus on the gift of tongues provides an excellent opportunity to have a much broader conversation about the work of the Holy Spirit in the church family. He begins the conversation by laying the theological foundation for the exercise of spiritual gifts.1. Discernment through Confession (vs. 1-3).2. Diversity within Unity (vs. 4-6).3. Determination for Flourishing (vs. 7-11).