Author: missionspaul

So let’s get into these gifts.

“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 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.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

Though I want to think on each one individually they are often working in tandem with each other. The gift of the message of knowledge may flow into the gift of the message of wisdom which may in turn be used through discernment. 

Wisdom is to see what God sees in a situation. It is the right word at the right time to the right person. It is more than natural wisdom.

A carpenter telling fishermen where to fish!

It is the proclaiming of spiritual truths which become understandable to those who hear. 

• your friend has a problem and they cannot find the answer. But you see the way through. It is absolutely clear to you what they should do and they are relieved when you tell them. God has opened the door for them because He gave you a message of wisdom for them.

People see you as a problem solver because of this gift of wisdom.

Those with this gift are often good listeners.

How we need messages of wisdom today!

Holy Spirit I ask that today you will give me messages of wisdom that those people I meet will find solutions to their greatest needs. Give me the courage to speak up and speak into problem areas so that Jesus will be seen and glorified. Amen.

We have already seen that Paul believes the work of the Spirit, the graces, gifts, offices, ministries, workings, activities is never about us. It is always about Jesus. (yesterday’s blog).

In this next passage before we think over some of the gifts we see Paul reveal another reason why they are given. It is for Jesus we know that but also it is for others.

The moment you hear someone advertise their spiritual gift then run away. They’re not for self-promotion. Let’s see what Paul says:-

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

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭11‬ 

In v7 the Message says ‘everyone benefits’. They are not given as a badge of honour but for the common good meaning for others. We are just the conduit. It doesn’t mean we are special in anyway. That is why a gift doesn’t qualify anyone for spiritual leadership but maturity in Christ does. 

And wrapping around some of the gifts that Paul mentions he ends in v11 with another reason why we cannot feel superior: it wasn’t our will, our decision, but the will of the Spirit. And we know that His will is different to ours on many occasions. So why would the Spirit give the gifts? And we are back to the first reason which is Jesus and for His name to be known. 

Sadly so often we have hidden the spiritual gifts that have been given within the four walls of the church and perhaps we need to see them being used more outside where the demonstration of the gospel of Jesus can then be clearly seen. 

One final thing. Alongside the truth that the gifts are nothing to do with us there is one thing we have to do and that is receive by faith. The Spirit gives gifts but we have to receive and step out in faith.  When we do we know it is all about Jesus and for people He loves; it is never about drawing attention to ourselves.

Isn’t the variety of the Spirit simply wonderful!

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭

He gives gifts. Paul will list nine. There are more mentioned in other letters of Paul. In order to draw people to Jesus Christ the Spirit distributes gifts and we will examine these over the next few days. 

He gives services or ministries. Paul mentions these elsewhere in Ephesians 4 where the 5-fold offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastors and teachers are listed. These services/ministries are to equip every one of us to become more like Jesus. 

He gives workings or activities of power. These miracles are the same as the gift of miracles which is listed in this chapter. Again there are different kinds. But they come from the same God. The Spirit’s task is to let Jesus be known. 

It is easy for us to be focused solely on what gift or grace we have or how the power of God works through us on any occasion. 

But fundamentally it’s never about us, it’s not who we are, what grace, office, gift, or what happened when the power of God worked through our lives. It’s so important that we all remember this is about Jesus. The moment we forget that is the moment we have strayed

God is here! How do we know?

Having focused on head coverings and the communion service Paul responds to the next on the list: spiritual gifts. (Now about)

“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to dumb idols. 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.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ 

In the opening introduction Paul says that they know themselves how their false worship had led them astray previously. 

But now as spirit-filled Christians they don’t stray like that. They are now Jesus followers. 

However is it possible that those who have spiritual gifts could stray? Is it possible that those who have seen healings, who prophesy and who speak in languages not learnt, stray?

The answer is YES.

So what’s the gauge?

Is Jesus being honoured? Are people’s thoughts centred on Jesus? Is Jesus being taught as Lord of our life? Are lives surrendered to His lordship? 

This was the most important and sure evidence that the Spirit was at work. It still is.

Jesus told us that when the Holy Spirit came He would not take the centre of attraction. Jesus would. The Holy Spirit would glorify, testify and take what is hidden in Christ and make it plain to us (John 15 and 16). So in any move of the Spirit that is what He will be doing. Jesus will be the centre and worshipped as King, no other name, this is the hallmark of the Spirit. Anything else isn’t. 

Paul concludes this section around the Eucharist which for the church was more of a love-feast than partaking a small piece of bread and wine in a short section within the church service. 

The love feast had become something it was never meant to be and perhaps at times the communion in our services have also.

“So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 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 instructions.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭

Church isn’t a place

• For people to be strangers. (But brothers and sisters)
• For individual worship. (Eat together)
• Where the primary reason for going is to have your needs met. (Eat before you come so that the focus is not on how much you can fill your stomach)
• Where the outcome is for judgment. (Let it not result in judgment).

These are shocking verses but nevertheless they are there for a reason.

“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 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.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭27‬-‭32‬ ‭

Perhaps today you will be taking communion at church. It will certainly be done in a different way to this church and yet the principle is the same, in your worship you will be looking to what Christ has done on the cross. 

These verses have often been used in a way to keep people from the table and not draw them to it. 

So what does Paul teach us?

1. The unworthy manner is to have harmed a brother or sister in Christ in some way and still to go ahead and worship Christ, who gave grace to you.
2. When the Church comes together it enters into a fearful place of the presence of God. If we mock Him because we are hurting a member of the church then He may respond in hurting us. Shocking but it’s there!
3. Communion is not for those who are perfect but who recognise they are sinful but are doing something about it whether that be repentance or reconciliation.

Today don’t go to church flippantly. But approach with a deep respect for the grave and mercy that Christ has given to you and expects you also to give to others.

Paul is correcting them for their communion services. They have become a farce. Division, class warfare and self-serving attitudes should be no where near the Communion. 

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬-‭26‬ 

I wonder how many times you have heard these words as I wonder how many times I have said them. 

This morning it’s these words, ‘on the night’ that are striking a chord and causing me to ponder.

On the same night when Christ was attacked by outsiders and betrayed by insiders (and deserted also) He surrenders His life for us.

What are we doing if we are attacking one another and then going to Church to worship Christ for what He did on the cross for us?

What are we doing if we approach these times with bad thoughts regarding other people?

Are we not simply demonstrating what happened to Christ?

Are we no better than those who taunted, flogged and crucified Jesus? 

Are we no better than Judas?

Paul would say ‘We are just the same’. 

I have been moved recently by 2 friends who both contacted people they had fallen out with. One to apologise and one to reacquaint in some way. They felt led by the Holy Spirit to do so. Whatever happens, even if it makes no difference, their conscience is clear, they are not re-enacting what happened on the same night. 

Is there someone you need to go to also? 

It is hardly a surprise that this church which has political divides over leadership, taking people to court, sexuality and food sacrificed to idols are also divided when it comes to corporate worship.

Over the years I have witnessed people storm out of services, dogs escaping from the pew and running amok and I’ve seen people stand up to object about someone’s sermon. Recently on social media videos there are examples of Pastors shouting at members to ‘get out’ and members challenging pastors equally to get out. At first glance the response can be quite funny and then you realise this is God’s church.

So here we are at the communion service…..(oh and think far less of the use of those plastic communion cups with a wafer but that of a shared meal as a church where prayers and worship also took place).

“In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬-‭22‬ ‭

So what was happening?

Why was Paul (I think) being sarcastic when in v19 he says, “No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval”?

The centre of Christianity is the cross of Christ and there is no greater way of commemorating this than with the Communion service. It is what unites us. We are united around the broken body and the shed blood, the sacrifice of Christ, the total surrender of His life that we might be forgiven.

If in this moment we are behaving the opposite of what He did in that we are self-serving and focused solely on our pleasure or rights then it is not only that we are making a mockery but we ‘do more harm than good.’

Whatever was actually taking place it involved those who had were having more and those with less were not even being fed. There was excess in one section and hunger in another. This was not the church that was representing Christ on the cross. 

Paul told them it was far better to stay at home.

It is still the message today. We should remind Christians that if they cannot approach worship with hearts that are united and in recognising what Christ has done, they too lay their lives down for others, which includes not arguing over everything that divides, then, stay home. 

Don’t knock herd mentality because it can be the best protector for the Church,. The power of community is good.

The culture that you live in and in whatever generation speaks loudly to the Church. Wisdom is not running from it but embracing the good within it.

A shepherd needs to be able to bring correction and not just pats on the back.

“Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” (1 Corinthians 11 v 13-16)

1. There are times when Christians should simply know the answer to their behaviours: ‘judge among yourselves’. It is the community that are the best judges of situations. Community.
2. The obvious within our culture can be the teaching points for the Church: ‘the very nature of things’. Not all that is found in culture is bad. Culture.
3. There are times we need to square up and tell people to stop being argumentative over things when we have laid out the practice of how we should behave beforehand, v16. Custom.

Paul seems to be calling for a return to the standard practice that he had drawn up for the churches. It seems he felt it to be tried and tested.

Christian men should be the best examples of being men and Christian women should be the best examples of being women in worship.

That’s what the churches of Paul – and of God – are like, according to Paul.

This church was in danger of moving away from this and it is still the case today.

Community, Culture and Custom. These 3 are crucial to Church worship.

I really don’t understand this passage. Paul just isn’t clear. But I’ve had a fresh thought which will come through at the end. 

“But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head – it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 -12 NIVUK

Is this about wearing a hat or how we have our hair?

Should men take their hats off to prophesy? 

Should women put theirs on to do so? 

What does Paul mean with the word ‘head’?

How can this be: ‘the head of Christ is God’? Christ is God.

How can this be: “the woman is the glory of man”? What about the glory of God?

What’s the role of angels in all this?

Is this still appropriate in 2025 to read these verses about man and woman?

Maybe you know exactly what all this means. The head of the woman is man because Paul says so. And with that you mean in a leadership position, the one who has authority. But following that thought, is Christ then not God? 

I can’t read this in the way that because man came first in the created order that women are somehow suppressed by God and are second. For both prophesy, both are bringing words from God. “Everything comes from God.” There is mutual dependence of both sexes.

In my travels in other cultures I do see head coverings for women not because of this scripture but because it is the culture. It’s what women do. It’s seen as the beauty of women. 

With the immorality creeping into this church maybe, just maybe, Paul is desiring men to be seen as men and women seen as women, especially as God uses them. Don’t mix it up. 

Maybe (again) this is one of the first rules of prophesying. Let God speak through your sex. It will be different to the opposite sex but be who you are, don’t change. For the sex that you are brings glory to God. 

Maybe.