1 Corinthians 12:12-16

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The Point God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.

The Passage 1 Corinthians 12:12-16,21-22; 1 Peter 4:9-11

The Bible Meets Life We approach our work and daily tasks with different motivations. Some people choose work that interests them; others choose a career based on the money or prestige they will gain. And there are some things we do simply because they have to get done. The work we do as followers of Christ is grounded in a different motivation. The Bible calls us to work and serve out of love for others and a desire to glorify God.

The Setting In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul emphasized the unity of the body of Christ. Diversity among the members’ spiritual gifts was not an occasion for self-pride, but rather the diversity demonstrated that all members served necessary roles for the proper working of the whole body. In his first letter, Peter emphasized that all believers should, through the grace and power that God provides, use their gifts to fulfill His purposes for His glory through Jesus Christ.

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What does the Bible say?

1 Corinthians 12:12-16,21-22; 1 Peter 4:9-11 (HCSB) Made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13)— Paul was probably alluding to the words of Jesus found in John 7:37‑39. When an individual trusts Jesus as Lord and Savior, Jesus satisfies his or her deepest thirst by sending the Holy Spirit into that person’s life. All believers are able to drink from these “streams of living water” (John 7:38).

1 Cor. 12:12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether

slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this

it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of

this it still belongs to the body. 1 Cor. 12:21 So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t

say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 1 Pet. 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the

varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should

be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

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THE POINT

God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.

GET INTO THE STUDY

10 minutes

DISCUSS: Invite your group members

Notes

to turn their attention to the image at the bottom of page 53 of the Personal Study TIP: For a deeper look at the church at Corinth, read the article, “The Body As New Testament Imagery” located on pages 87-89 of this Leader Guide.

Guide (PSG). Ask: “When could you hardly wait to use a gift someone gave you?” RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 54): It’s the thought that counts. That’s what our parents taught us when we received a gift that was “unique.” The giver may have meant well, but you knew never in a million years would you use it, wear it, or display it. Before long, it found its way to the back of some closet. Yes, we know it’s the thought that counts, but what good is a gift if you’ll never use it? SAY: “God gives gifts too, but He knows exactly what you need. You may not know it at the time, but the gifts He gives—spiritual gifts—are perfect for you. In fact, God has a plan for you and your gifts.” ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Before your group arrives, post the following signs around your meeting space: 350 million, 750 million, 1 billion. To illustrate the idea of unused gifts, ask your group: “How much money on gift cards would you estimate went unused in 2014 in America alone?” Invite group members to stand by their answer. The correct answer is more than 1 billion dollars, according to CEB Tower Group, a company that tracks gift card-trends. GUIDE: Call the group’s attention to The Point on page 54 of the PSG: “God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.” Explain that this key idea will drive your discussion (it appears at the top of each session page). PRAY: Transition into the Bible study by thanking God for the gifts He gives us. Pray for your group members to be sensitive to opportunities to put those gifts to good use for

Display Pack Item #6 for use with Discussion Question 2.

the kingdom of God. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE © 2015 LifeWay

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 Corinthians 12:12-16

Notes

12

For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body,

though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free— and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Corinthians 12:12-16. RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 56): We saw in the last session that the church in Corinth had factions (1 Corinthians 1:10-13); it appears that even how they viewed their spiritual gifts caused conflict. When some people become proud and arrogant about what they do, it can make others feel inferior—and that causes disunity. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What are the consequences of being discontented with your place in the church?

ENHANCEMENT: Bring your group’s attention to Pack Item #6, “1 Corinthians 12:12” poster, during your discussion of Question 2. DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 56 of the PSG: “Why are we often tempted to compare ourselves to others?” SUMMARIZE: Help your group to understand the main idea of this passage. ]]

All believers—regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender—are part of Christ’s body, the church.

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Your spiritual gifts are important, and the way you use them in the body of Christ is significant to the Kingdom of God.

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We all have the same Spirit, but we’re not used by the Spirit in the same way to do the same work. Unity does not mean uniformity. A band, orchestra, or choir in which everyone plays or sings the same notes is OK, but it can be bland—even boring. The richness comes as the musicians play different parts.

TRANSITION: The next verses address another problem: underestimating the value of other believers in the body of Christ.

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THE POINT

God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.

1 Corinthians 12:12-16 Commentary Don’t consider yourself less useful than others in the church. Verse 12: The Corinthians were full of pride which led to divisions in the church (1:10‑12) and the misuse of spiritual gifts. Paul used the human body as an illustration to help the Corinthians understand how a church is supposed to properly function. “For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.” Paul then asked the Corinthians to compare these truths about the human body to the spiritual body of Christ—the church on earth. Jesus is on His throne in heaven, but His mission of sharing the gospel and making disciples of all nations continues through the members of His body. Verse 13: Jesus’ plan for His church was that it function as a unit (1 Corinthians 1:10). However, the Corinthians’ misunderstanding and selfish misuse of spiritual gifts was causing disunity in the church. Paul used two extreme contrasts within the Corinthian church to emphasize that no human barrier should divide the body of Christ. He first mentioned the difference of religious-cultural backgrounds— Jews and Greeks. The second difference was slaves and free. Despite the extreme contrasts between these groups, they worshiped side by side in the church in Corinth. So how could people from such opposite backgrounds and conditions worship and serve together? All these members of Christ’s body had one overriding element in common: they were “all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” Paul here was not referring to the physical act of water baptism, but rather to one aspect of what takes place at the moment of salvation, when the individual is baptized or united through the Holy Spirit with the body of Christ. With the phrase “made to drink of one Spirit,” Paul used parallelism to restate his point. It is in this one Spirit that all believers are united as a single body. This relational unity overshadows all other relationships and circumstances. Paul was making clear that because of their common faith and unity in Christ, the Corinthian believers should not have allowed anything to divide their worship, their fellowship, or their service. Verses 14-16: Paul returned to his illustration to deal with two different potential problems in the body—feelings of inferiority and superiority. The physical body is a single unit, but it is composed of many parts. Suppose that one part of the body felt inferior to the other parts and so declared that it wasn’t really a part of the body. Does that mean it is not really a part of the body? Of course not! In the same way, members in the church might think that they or their roles/spiritual gifts are not important or essential to the church. However, Paul stressed that in the same way God assigned specific roles to each part of the human body, He has given specific roles and tasks to each member of the church. Though some abilities and roles might get more attention or seem more important, all are God appointed and essential to the healthy life of the body of Christ. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE © 2015 LifeWay

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 Corinthians 12:21-22

Notes 21

So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head

can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Corinthians 12:21-22. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What are the consequences of overestimating your place in the church?

DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 57 of the PSG: “How do these verses help you understand your place within the church?” RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 57): We shouldn’t feel inferior about ourselves in the church, but neither should we feel superior. Paul turned his attention to those who might boast about their gifts, but it’s still the same issue. We’re not to question our value or the value of others. Unfortunately, the believers in Corinth tended to magnify certain gifts to the neglect of others. Paul issued this warning: don’t be proud of your gift, thinking it raises your value or importance in the church. Your effectiveness has nothing to do with you, but it has everything to do with the One who gave that gift. God has planned and gifted every one of us to bring the greatest glory to Himself and the greatest good to the body of Christ. In other words, it’s not about you. While some Christians in the church are more visible and public, those who are more private or who like to work behind the scenes are every bit as essential. TRANSITION: The next passage, 1 Peter 4:9-11, gives us the end result when believers use their gifts to serve one another.

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THE POINT

God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.

1 Corinthians 12:21-22 Commentary Don’t consider yourself more useful than others in the church. Verses 21-22: One potential problem in any church is for some members to feel unimportant or unnecessary. Another possible mistake is for some members to feel that their gifts or roles are superior to those of other members. For example, Paul said, suppose the eye begins to feel superior and tells the hand that the body doesn’t need him. Or suppose the head tells the feet that they aren’t needed. Don’t miss the exaggeration and the humor in Paul’s examples. How ridiculous for one part of the body to tell another part that it isn’t important or needed! From the context of all of 1 Corinthians and especially chapters 12–14, we realize Paul wasn’t merely offering theoretical possibilities but dealing with a real situation in the Corinthian church. Some were thinking that their spiritual gifts were more important than other gifts. They were forgetting the basic premise of the church, that they “were all baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13) and so they were “all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). However, the central problem was not ignorance but sin. The church members weren’t loving one another. That’s why Paul inserted the content of chapter 13 in the middle of his discussion on worship and spiritual gifts. Note especially verse 4: “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited.” When this kind of love is demonstrated, everyone values and encourages everyone else in fulfilling his or her God-given purpose and role. This principle of mutual love was the basis for the first churches and should always be a core value for all churches.

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 Peter 4:9-11

Notes 9

Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Based on the gift

each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Peter 4:9-11. RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 59): We find some brief instructions in 1 Peter about how we are to use our gifts: Serve others as Jesus would serve them and speak to others as the Lord would speak to them.

ALTERNATE QUESTION: Your gifts aren’t primarily for your benefit. How does this knowledge impact how you view them?

DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 58 of the PSG: “How can you use your spiritual gifts to help your church body function better?” (Leader: Encourage your group members to be specific about how they can serve.) SUMMARIZE: Miss Euneva is a wonderful example of this passage. She lived through the Great Depression. She told me her house was located between the church and the railroad tracks. She would feed the hobos who came off the trains, and she used her hospitality as a connection between the church and the railroad. God desires to use you and me just as He used Miss Euneva. No two people will serve in exactly the same way, but each of us will serve with the gifts He has given us. DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 58 of the PSG on their own. If time allows, call on volunteers to share their responses. Send Me: Want God to use you? Following Him must be a priority. Using the pie chart, identify how much time you invest in each area during a typical week. Place a percentage by each item, totalling 100 percent when you’re done. DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 59 of the PSG: “How can we recognize and appreciate the spiritual gifts of others?” TRANSITION: When you serve and I serve—all in our different ways, as God has gifted us—together we bring glory to God like a beautiful masterpiece.

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THE POINT

God expects us to use the gifts He has given us.

1 Peter 4:9-11 Commentary Use your gifts to serve others and glorify God. Verse 9: Like Paul, Peter said the most important quality in a believer’s life is love (v. 8). One way believers could demonstrate love was (and is) to “be hospitable to one another without complaining.” In the first century, decent inns for travelers did not exist. Accommodations that were available were usually filthy, dangerous, and immoral places. Many of the church’s early leaders traveled extensively. The only way they could find appropriate lodging was for Christian families to invite them into their homes. Peter urged all the believers to practice such hospitality to fellow believers and to do so “without complaining.” In other words, the gift of hospitality must truly be a gift, motivated by love for Christ and for one another. Verse 10: Another way Jesus’ disciples can serve others is through their spiritual gifts. Peter urged the believers to use their gifts “to serve others.” In one simple phrase, Peter summarized everything Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12–14. The Holy Spirit doesn’t give us spiritual gifts for our own benefit but for the good of others. The whole point is for us to use our gifts to serve others, not to bring glory to ourselves. While encouraging the believers to serve others, Peter also noted that our unique service will depend on the particular gift or gifts we have received. He used a beautiful word picture to describe the various gifts. He referred to “the varied grace of God.” Peter emphasized that these gifts have their source in the grace of God, the same grace through which God saved us (Ephesians 2:8). God’s gift of grace shows itself in many diverse ways. This is especially true of spiritual gifts. Peter used another interesting word that is common in the New Testament: “managers.” In the first century this term referred to someone put in charge of his master’s money and possessions (household manager). He didn’t own the items or money, but he was accountable for how he handled them. Peter used this same image to remind his readers that the supernatural abilities we’ve been given are not ours to use however we choose. Instead, we are to use them wisely for the sake of our Master. Verse 11: Peter used the words “if anyone” to make the point that we all have spiritual gifts. We simply need to determine which gift (or gifts) we’ve been given and use it (them) wisely. Since “speaks” could refer to several of the gifts (for example: prophecy, teaching, and encouragement), Peter may have used this word to describe a category of gifts. The gifts that could be included in “serves” are service, giving, leading, mercy, gifts of healing, and perhaps others. Notice the guidelines Peter gave for each category. If we have a gift that involves speaking to others, we should be careful to ensure that we are speaking “God’s words” and not merely our own thoughts. If we have a gift that motivates us to serve others, we should depend on “the strength God provides” and not on our own abilities. Peter concluded his encouragement on how believers should use their spiritual gifts with a reminder of our overall goal: “that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything.” © 2015 LifeWay

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5 minutes

LIVE IT OUT SAY: “God has uniquely gifted His children and calls us to exercise those gifts for His glory. What can you do this week to put this into practice?”

Notes

GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 60 of the PSG. ]]

Evaluate. How have you been using your gifts lately? Who is benefitting the most from them? As you exercise them this week, pray for the recipients that they’ll be blessed and grow in their relationships with God.

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Stretch. Has God been nudging you to step out of your comfort zone with your gifts? Follow Him by stepping out in faith. Remember, your gifts are primarily for Him and others—let Him use you for His glory.

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Serve. As a group, identify one way you can serve others in your church or community. Divide up the tasks so that individuals can put their gifts into practice. Look for ways everyone can participate according to their gifts, or those they think they may have.

Wrap It Up
 SAY: “Who doesn’t love a kind, thoughtful gift? With God’s gifts, it’s more than just the thought that counts; it matters how we employ our spiritual gifts. When we put them into practice, we grow spiritually and the whole body of Christ benefits.”

Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry).

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