The Holy Spirit Gave You Gifts for the Common Good!

Once, there were two moms who got together to make corsages for their teens for the upcoming dance. They selected the flowers, ribbons and shiny decorations. They talked about their kids and design options for the corsages while the hot glue gun warmed up. Then, they started to put the corsages together. Everything was going well until they neared the end of their projects. The two moms began to offer constructive criticism of one another’s designs and execution of their designs. This quickly turned unconstructive as they critiqued one another, leading to one of the moms asking, “Would you rather I put hot glue in your hair or the palm of your hand?”

When God’s people first arrived in Egypt, they lived in peace. In Exodus 1, we read, 8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. He said, 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country. “11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor… To save his people from slavery, God raised up Moses to lead his people. In Exodus 7, we hear God giving Moses instructions for what to say to Pharaoh, 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, so God allowed Moses to perform great signs before Pharoah. Pharaoh ought to have listened to God’s Word spoke by Moses or at least respect his powerful plagues, but he chose punishment by the plagues over the common good of his people and Israel.

There was division among the spiritually gifted in Corinth. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he addressed the selfish use of their spiritual gifts. The Corinthians seem to have fallen into the trap of comparing spiritual gifts. This comparing would have brought them to view some gifts and therefore some people as better than others leading to pride, envy, jealously and division. Paul wrote to stop this sinful behavior in 1 Corinthians 12, 1 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. Paul corrected their sinful behavior with the reminder that they had been saved from their unbelief and idolatry which led them to pointless, selfish living. They were all now spiritually alive because of the same Spirit. They were all following the same Lord. They were all serving the greater plan of the one true God, as Paul continued to write, 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. Paul corrected their sinful behavior teaching them that their spiritual gifts all came from the same source, and though the gifts were different kinds of service, they all served the same plan of the one true God.

Being uninformed leads to division. You also need the reminder that God gave the Corinthians through Paul about spiritual gifts. When you are uninformed, selfishness takes hold. Selfishness leads you to view your gift as better than someone else’s gift. Selfishness leads to crushing someone else’s spirit to the point where they see no reason that they should be part of a congregation or even be part of God’s kingdom. Selfishness separates people into categories. Selfishness does not learn about the other gifts God has given. Selfishness does not serve others. Selfishness does not give thanks to God for the service others provide. Selfishness does not value the other gifts and the beauty of all of them working together. Selfishness is sinful. Being uninformed about spiritual gifts keeps you living like the broken, condemned world. Selfishness and division hurt God and his people.

Jesus used his gifts for the common good. Jesus’ power as God allowed him to serve all people. In John 2, Jesus was attending a wedding in Cana when they ran out of wine, he miraculously turned six large stone jars of water into wine. Then we read, 11 “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” Jesus served the common good of the wedding banquet, and as his ministry continued, he served the common good of many by healing the deaf, blind, paralyzed, even raising people from the dead. Yet, all of this was done for the greatest common good. Jesus revealed his power so that people would see that he was the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the Savior. Jesus’ miracles, his power, testify to who he is as God and man. He did not use his power and gifts for earthly fame and fortune. He was not filled with pride. He was humble, and his power was not put on display on a throne, but on the cross. Jesus came to live, die and rise. His plan was to pay for your sin and make you righteous, good, free from guilt, worthy, perfect, God’s own children. God has filled you with his Holy Spirit to say, 1 Corinthians 12:3 … “Jesus is Lord.” God served your good by giving you forgiveness and faith.

The Holy Spirit determines how spiritual gifts are given for the common good. When you hear how God worked through someone like Moses, you might wonder what use you are in God’s kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 12, we read, 7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” When you consider the spiritual gifts God has given you, do not look to others to gage how gifted you are or how useful your gifts are. Your gifts were given to you by the Holy Spirit as Paul continued to write, 11 “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” The Holy Spirit has given you the spiritual gifts he wanted you to have. They are not wrong. They are not less than someone else’s. Your gifts are great because they are meant to serve God’s purpose. Your gifts have a place in God’s kingdom. Your gifts are meant to serve the common good in many ways all showing God’s love to others, encouraging your brothers and sisters in the faith, and reaching unbelievers with God’s grace.

Often, we wonder what unique spiritual gifts God has determined to give us. We also wonder how they are to be used for God’s kingdom. Since, God has told us in his Word that we have all been given gifts, and we are to use them for the common good, Divine Peace has begun using what we call Personal Member Ministry. Personal Member Ministry seeks to walk each member through Scripture to determine their spiritual gifts. Then, offer guidance and encouragement to use those gifts. We are having a workshop on January 29^th to do this. You can sign up on the back table or use the QR code in the bulletin.

Once, two moms got together for the common good of making corsages for their teens’ upcoming dance. They had different ideas and different ways of executing those ideas, which they saw as a bad differences leading one mom to ask the other, “Would you rather I put hot glue in your hair or the palm of your hand?” The response of anyone would be, “Do not put the hot glue on either. I want to keep my hair and be able to use my hand.” The same Holy Spirit gives each believer spiritual gifts. Those gifts are to unite and build up God’s kingdom, the Church. Selfishness hurts the family of believers. Instead, all the spiritual gifts given by the same Holy Spirit are to work together in love. We are to equip, encourage and give thanks for one another’s spiritual gifts. It is good for you to be informed about your gifts and to use them because the Holy Spirit gave you gifts for the common good. Amen.