Introduction
Packing for a journey – Who packs early? Who throws everything in the car at the last minute? Who just sets off thinking “it’ll all work out somehow?” Who is planning and checking to the last minute -double check the suitcase, making sure doors and windows are locked? Who is asking.
“Will I have everything I need?”
God has equipped us to fulfil everything that he has called us to be and to do.
1. Know what God has called us to be (v1-3)
Opening greeting
Paul’s calling (v1 is to be an apostle this is God’s will. This is not normally something he emphasises at the start of letters and he often is happy to refer to himself as a servant but in Corinth his role has been challenged.
A side point here is that there is a right place for authority and leadership within the church that does not need to be about hierarchies, control or power.
Apostolic authority is about the foundation of the Church by eyewitness ambassadors. So this is why his authority is key. It’s about the ability to lay solid foundations. In other words, it’s about revelation.
Another side point is that the authority of elders in the church is derivative it’s from God’s Word so it links to the ability to teach.
The key point is that who we are starts with being rooted in God’s Word and specifically in the Gospel. We are gospel people.
Note the Sosthenes mentioned here is probably the former Synagogue leader who we saw beaten up on Acts 18.
The Church’s calling (v2)
We are called or designated as saints . We are God’s holy people and called to be holy. In other words, God has set you apart and you need to live in keeping with this. He declares you holy, his special chosen, loved people and he says that you are to live together in a way that reflects this
We are justified, declared right and we sanctified , growing in holiness. There’s a sense of being given Christ’s clothes of righteousness and growing into them, “growing into Christ”
Believers are meant to grow so there should be evidence of change. Growth is not just about filling our heads with Bible knowledge but becoming more Christ like. It means learning to fight temptation, being witnesses by what we say and by how we live. We learn best together -encouraging one another.
Grace and Peace is a modification of traditional salutations to create a reminder of God’s grace which brings peace.
2. Know that God has equipped you (v4-7)
Paul’s habit was to pray for the churches he wrote to -starts with thanksgiving.
There are two surprises here
- That he finds anything to give thanks for at all!
- That he actually gives thanks for the very things that seem to be causing a lot of trouble, the knowledge and revelation gifts!
Why is Paul thankful?
- There’s a sense here of the mess and problems that come with life – church is messy. So we shouldn’t be surprised when there are challenges people get things wrong and fail, even clash as they learn to get along in the family.
- That these gifts are good gifts from Christ. They are useful for the Gospel even if they are misused at the moment.
- That the gifts because there’s life in the church, point back to a greater gift – salvation (v6)
This is important because of the challenges we face.
-we can think we are not up to the job
– Or we can become proud and complacent
Often these come with comparisons to how others are doing.
Often they go with the temptation to look for something more, something better (we either try to find it in others – or we offer it ourselves). We look for the secret ingredient – or we claim to have found it.
The celebrity speaker/leader/singer
The blessed tithe
The best seller book with it’s guaranteed six step process for success in life, Christian growth, ministry ….
But no, all we need is in Christ and so that means we have everything we need already!
We are fully equipped to grow in godliness, to speak for Christ, to serve him. He gives us exactly what we need.
So the challenge is
How can I do that?
Maybe you already know where your gifts/skills/talents are. Aree you willing to put them to use? Don’t assume that all roles are filled (they never are) don’t assume there isn’t a place for yours.
Maybe you really aren’t sure what it is you are called to do.Well don’t let that be an excuse, let’s find out together. Don’t be embarrassed to make mistakes, we all have and will.
And what about witnessing? Well that can sound scary. Does it mean knocking doors, giving out leaflets, preaching, giving my testimony? Well it could be that you find some of those things are up your street. But actually witnessing just starts with natural conversations -what about starting with an invite – it doesn’t need to be big and could even start with “our church has a little community café -would you like to meet me there for coffee on Saturday morning.” Or an offer to pray for someone who is going through a tough time at work. Just little steps that build to more. Do you know that most people who get invited to something say that even if they say no they appreciate being asked (even to church!)
3. Know the purpose/goal for which God has called you (v8-9)
Why do these things matter? Out of all the priorities in my life, why these things? And why does this church make a big deal of things like spiritual growth, evangelism etc. Can’t we just go along at a gentler pace?
Well context helps! And there’s a context to the gifts Christ gives to the Corinthian church. God is at work in their lives with an end goal in mind.
Jesus is coming back. This is the promise he made before he died, rose and ascended. A day will come when he will return as King to put everything right and make all things new. There will be a judgement day.
Now Paul is confident that on that day, the Corinthian church will be declared blameless and faultless before God.
Wow …this group of proud, competitive, sexually immoral, argumentative hypocrites will be found blameless?
Yep!
What makes Paul think that?
Well the secret lies not with them but with God. It’s down to him. He is faithful He keeps his promises (remember our Covenants series).
We are back to
Justification -dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne
Sanctification -his commitment to work in our lives to make us like Christ.
So the context is
- The urgency of the Gospel -our desire to see friends, neighbours, relatives put their trust in Christ
- The great hope we have that God who has started this work in our lives and in our church will complete it.
Conclusion
These are big things to explore. What are my gifts, am I using them? Am I using them rightly? How are we doing as a church -are we healthy? Etc
But the big starting point is our relationship with Christ? Are you right with him? If you are then you have everything you need!
Faithroots 