1 Corinthians #26 – Weekly Study Questions
Spiritual Gifts in Community
1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (CGS#26)
INTRODUCTION: As we’re jumping back into 1 Corinthians after a quick detour to 1 Thessalonians, let’s briefly review what Paul has been talking about for the past eleven and a half chapters. The church in Corinth clearly had a pride problem which was leading to divisive hierarchies, they didn’t know how to live and worship as Christians yet, and they were confused about the Holy Spirit. Specifically, in chapter 12, Paul is addressing the role of spiritual gifts. What are they? How are they different from natural talents? How should people with different gifts relate to each other? These are questions worth asking, because we humans have a bad habit of letting our sinful natures drive our evaluation of differences. In other words, whenever we see a difference between two people, our sinful nature tempts us to say, “That person is better than that person,” and even, “Therefore that person has more value than that person.” This is a grave mistake, because Scripture highlights over and over the equal value and dignity inherent to every human being made in the image of God. So we can’t go that far. At the same time, we shouldn’t ignore differences either. They’re given by God for the joy of his people and beauty of his world. Beauty is famously hard to quantify, but we can agree that a stained glass window in which every shard of glass has exactly the same shape and color just wouldn’t be as beautiful as one with diversity.
So we’re stuck between two errors: ignoring differences on one side, and devaluing people on the other side. Onto this tight rope steps the Apostle Paul in this week’s passage. He uses the analogy of the human body, which is so intuitive it would be understood by people across all cultures and times. He says, “You have a body, right? Can you imagine if the whole thing was made of eyeballs?” (v. 17) It’s an absurd image, and by comparison shows how ridiculous it would be to try to get everyone in the church to fit into the same mold. We’re all different. That’s no accident! God has a perfect place and role for each and every member of the body. “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” (v. 18) Each one of them. As he chose. Many times we look at those around us and wish we could choose their gifts. Shepherds look at apostles and think, “I wish they cared more.” Teachers look at prophets and think, “I wish they were more clear.” In certain circumstances those might be helpful suggestions, but it requires humility to look at someone with a different gift and be genuinely thankful for the unique ways God has gifted them, especially if their gift is in natural conflict with yours.
Our job, then, is to look not at others, but at ourselves and ask, “How has God gifted me specifically, and how can I use those gifts to bless the body of Christ today?” Every human has natural skills, talents, and passions given by God at conception. Those are wonderful. But if you’re a Christian, you also have a spiritual gift given and empowered by the Holy Spirit (v. 11). Do you know what yours is? It’s not a personality test with rigid definitions and boundaries, but as you look back on your life, you should see some ways God has used you to build up his church. What are those ways? Calling people to repentance? Walking with them through hard times? Striking up conversations? Explaining complicated doctrines in a clear and compelling way? You might have been using your spiritual gift. Your spiritual gift fuels the spiritual fruit you produce, so look at the fruit and trace it back to the gift. Comparing your gifts to others’ will only drive division, and you experience the truth of the old quote, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Don’t let comparison or pride get in the way of appreciating, valuing, and enjoying God’s good gifts, in yourself and in others. He gives freely and purposefully. Don’t devalue them, and don’t waste them. Humbly ask God to reveal the ways he has gifted you, and then boldly take a step to use your gifts to bless the church.
GETTING STARTED – As a group, take time to answer this question: When have you been tempted to envy another person’s gift? How did that rob you of joy or cause you to devalue others?
IN THE WORD – Let’s dig back into the passage(s). It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.
First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)
Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.
Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?
Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?
Note: Another way to approach your time together is to talk through the following questions.
- What did you hear God’s Spirit say to you through the passage this week? How does it encourage you? How does it sharpen you?
- How have you seen God at work in your life this week? Have you enjoyed him? Have you heard his voice and the leading of his Spirit? Big ways or small ways.
- What gifts do you think are especially elevated in our culture today? What gifts are devalued?
- What seasons of your life have been the most spiritually fruitful for you? What have been the least?
- Is there a correlation with the ways you were using or not using your spiritual gifts in those seasons?
- What would be the downsides of a church that had no diversity (if it was “all eyes,” so to speak)? Would there be any upsides?
- How have your natural talents combined with your spiritual gifts to point you towards your ministry?
- Elsewhere, Paul and Peter use a similar analogy of the church as a building (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Peter 2:4-5). How is that different from and similar to the analogy of the body? What do you learn from each?