Gospel for a Messy Church – Part 7 Why we come together… I Corinthians 12:1-31 June 11th, 2017
I. One SPIRIT many GIFTS. (v.4-11)
A. God has EMPOWERED us DIFFERENTLY. (v.4-11)
B. For the COMMON GOOD. (v.7)
After addressing some of the things we do “when come together” this week Paul reminds us “why we come together.” We come together because WE ARE together. Once we are brought into Christ we no longer exist as only ourselves. The Spirit of God who lives in each of us unites us and empowers us to live as the the church – the body of Christ.
1. On a scale of 1-10 how intelligent/ignorant do you personally feel when it comes to the topic of spiritual gifts? (v.1)
2. In what ways have the spiritual gifts of another body member served for your “good”? Have you ever felt that God used you for good in the life of another person? In what way?
3. What does that term “common good” actually mean? Do we always think what is good for us is actually good for us? How can we know what is good for us?
II. Many GIFTS one BODY (v.12-31)
A. The BODY is CHRIST. (v.12)
B. God has UNITED us TOGETHER. (v.13-14,18)
C. By His CHOICE, not OURS. (v.14-25)
D. Deeply CONNECTED for GOOD and BAD. (v.26-27)
The diversity is there…all of us function in different ways for the common good. But there is also a fundamental unity that comes from the fact that as individuals, uniquely gifted and empowered, we are brought together into body. This is something that we did not initiate or even attempt, and it is something that we cannot deny. It simply is. We are the body of Christ…and everyone of us is a part of it.
4. What does it mean to be the “body of Christ” together? How does that intersect with your day to day life? How can you know if you are not living “as the body” in the day to day?
5. Why is it important that Paul makes clear that it is God that has united us? How do your feelings of being (or not being) connected to other believers factor into this?
6. Have you ever felt disconnected? Why do you think that was? How did it, or how could it be resolved?
7. Do I actually believe v,26 is true? If my actions truly impact everyone else in the body, for good or bad, how does that impact the decisions I make on a day to day basis?
III. Corinthian SUCCESS or Spirit-led SURRENDER.
A. INTERDEPENDENCE over INDEPENDENCE. (v.21-26; Eph. 4:12-16)
B. Called to CHRIST and given to EACH OTHER. (v.12-13; 6:19-20)
C. The necessity of YOU, ME, and WE. (Rom. 12:3-8)
Once again we see Paul pointing the Corinthians to something beyond the wisdom of their society and culture. They saw the need for individual exaltation and success. Some people were clearly more important (for the Corinthian viewpoint) and what we each did in our own lives was distinct from everyone else. The Kingdom says something very different. It’s a reality that is true, even if we don’t always grasp it or act in accordance with it.
8. How can I tell if I am living more independently than interdependently? What signs (fruit) would be visible in my life in either case?
9. What does it mean that I am given to the rest of the body and they are gifts to me? How does that impact how I live?
10.What is one specific thing that I can do this week to live as an interconnected member of the body of Christ?