Dave Barnes
July 06, 2025
Paul lists many of the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. We’ll examine them one by one, and we’ll spend additional time discussing their proper use. Chapter 12 also reminds us that our spiritual gifts are equally important, without a hierarchy. Paul will use the human body as an illustration, reminding us that every part is necessary and vital for the body (the church) to function properly.
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1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and
sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
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Main Point #1: Don’t come to church to be
entertained! We should all want to be here because we want to
learn more about God.
1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other
you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
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Main Point #2: Spiritual gifts aren’t
designed to glorify people. Whenever a person seems to be getting most
of the glory, RUN
1 Corinthians 12:3-7 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
(everyone) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
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Main Point #3: Use your gift! If you
aren’t, YOU are missing out! God wants to work through you, not
just within you.
1 Corinthians 12:8-9 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,
Mark 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace
and be freed from your suffering.”
1 Corinthians 12:10 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.
1 Corinthians 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to
people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries
by the Spirit.
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Main Point #4: Speaking in tongues isn’t
gibberish, it’s praising God (usually in prayer) in a language only HE
understands.
1 Corinthians 12:11-17 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,
and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 12 Just as a body, though
one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with
Christ. 13 For
we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or
Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14
Even so the body is
not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a
hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being
part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to
the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an
eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where
would the sense of smell be?
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Main Point #5: God is the master designer
(and giver) of our spiritual gifts. Everyone has a gift, but NOBODY gets
them all.
1 Corinthians 12:18-31a But in fact God has placed the parts in the body,
every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part,
where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the
hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need
you!” 22 On
the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts
that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts
that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable
parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving
greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the
body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every
part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the
body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the
church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles,
then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of
tongues. 29 Are
all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts
of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31a Now eagerly desire the
greater gifts.
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Main Point #6: Desire your gift! Ask God
to give it to you! Learn what it is, then USE IT to bring Him glory!
1 Corinthians 12:31b And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
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