Don't Be Uniformed!

Reflection:  For some people in the world, “ignorance is bliss”!  If I don’t know about something, then I am not accountable for it.  Yet, when Paul begins chapter 12, in 1 Corinthians, he states, “Now about spiritual gifts my brothers and sisters I do not want you to be uninformed.”  As you read more into the context of the church at Corinth, we will see over the next few chapters that with the gifts of the Spirit came some misunderstanding and misuse.  The gift of “tongues” for instance Paul will teach is a gift given to unbelievers as an evidence of the Spirit’s power, and yet it was being misused in the worship service by those who had received it. More on that in the days to come!

Paul gives several key principles for the role of the Holy Spirit in our life together.  Luther teaches on this in the Small Catechism when he gives this explanation for the Holy Spirit’s work,  “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has calls me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true Faith.” (Luther’s Small Catechism, Explanation to the Third Article of the Creed)

Luther and Paul did not want us to be uninformed about the work of the Spirit, yet there is still a deficit of teaching on the Holy Spirit today.  Why?  Perhaps we fear once we are filled with the Spirit, we will start speaking in tongues in restaurants and embarrass ourselves and others!  Yet throughout Paul’s letters the key to understanding and living out the Christian life is the role and work of the Holy Spirit.  And hence he says to us today, “I don’t want you to be uninformed about the Holy Spirit!”
 

So just what does Paul teach us about the Holy Spirit?  How does he inform us?

1.       The Holy Spirit is the means by which we can claim, “Jesus is Lord!”  The Gospel is foolishness to the world. After all it is based on grace and a free and unmerited gift.  This does not make sense to the human mind, but through the Spirit’s power we can say, “Yes Jesus is Lord and died for my sins and the sins of the whole world!”

2.       When one comes to faith, the Holy Spirit gives the believers a spiritual gift or gifts to build up the body of Christ.  As Paul says today this is, “For the common good”.  Even though there are different gifts of the Spirit which play different roles in building up the body, each believer is given at least one to promote the health of the body by building it up. 

3.       Some of the gifts, but not an exhaustive list include: wisdom, knowledge, healing, prophecy, tongues and interpretation of tongues.  (I know these last two cause quite a bit of commotion but we will learn more about their proper use in chapter 14!)

So how can this help us today?  Notice first of all not one person has all the gifts, and therefore one person should not be doing all of the work.  The tendency in the church today is to hire professionals to do the work of the church ie. Full time clergy and other specialists!  Yet Paul’s vision is that each believer would have a significant role in growing and building the body of Christ here on earth, as it is used by God to bring others to faith in Christ Jesus.  Note all of the gifts build up the body and make it more useful for God’s primary purpose to communicate His love for all people through His Son in the power of the Holy Spirit! 

So here is my challenge for you today?  Have you ever seriously done an inventory, or prayed about the gifts God has given you to help the mission of the Church?  Are you informed about the role of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He gives?  1 Corinthians 12-14 and Ephesians 4 describe the gifts of the Spirit and how they fuel the work of the Church in building up believers and accomplishing the Great Commission!  

Psalm 59:10-17

10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me

    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,

    or my people will forget.

In your might uproot them

    and bring them down.

12 For the sins of their mouths,

    for the words of their lips,

    let them be caught in their pride.

For the curses and lies they utter,

13     consume them in your wrath,

    consume them till they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

    that God rules over Jacob.

14 They return at evening,

    snarling like dogs,

    and prowl about the city.

15 They wander about for food

    and howl if not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of your strength,

    in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

    my refuge in times of trouble.

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

    you, God, are my fortress,

    my God on whom I can rely.

Proverbs 1:1-2:8

Purpose and Theme

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;

    for understanding words of insight;

3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,

    doing what is right and just and fair;

4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,

    knowledge and discretion to the young—

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,

    and let the discerning get guidance—

6 for understanding proverbs and parables,

    the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

9 They are a garland to grace your head

    and a chain to adorn your neck.

10 My son, if sinful men entice you,

    do not give in to them.

11 If they say, “Come along with us;

    let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,

    let’s ambush some harmless soul;

12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,

    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things

    and fill our houses with plunder;

14 cast lots with us;

    we will all share the loot”—

15 my son, do not go along with them,

    do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into evil,

    they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net

    where every bird can see it!

18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;

    they ambush only themselves!

19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;

    it takes away the life of those who get it.

Wisdom’s Rebuke

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,

    she raises her voice in the public square;

21 on top of the wall she cries out,

    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?

    How long will mockers delight in mockery

    and fools hate knowledge?

23 Repent at my rebuke!

    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,

    I will make known to you my teachings.

24 But since you refuse to listen when I call

    and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,

25 since you disregard all my advice

    and do not accept my rebuke,

26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;

    I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

    when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;

    they will look for me but will not find me,

29 since they hated knowledge

    and did not choose to fear the Lord.

30 Since they would not accept my advice

    and spurned my rebuke,

31 they will eat the fruit of their ways

    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,

    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety

    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

2 My son, if you accept my words

    and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

    and applying your heart to understanding—

3 indeed, if you call out for insight

    and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

    and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

    and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright,

    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just

    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

1 Corinthians 11:31-12:11

1 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 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. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 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. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib; but my people do not understand. Isaiah 1:3

Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17

You made us in your image, God, and appointed us stewards of your creation. Yet we do not acknowledge your greatness or your will for our lives. Teach us humility, that we may know you as our Creator. Amen.