A, Pentecost Sunday - 1 Corinthians 12:1, 3b-6, 11-13 "The Gift"
1 Corinthians 12:1, 3b-6, 11-13
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers and sister, I do not want you to be ignorant. 3b …no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all people.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Sermon
Possibly the greatest excitement and joy one can experience is to receive a gift. The surprise is made even greater when the gift comes completely unexpected, and it’s not known what’s inside.
The surprise of receiving a gift endears you to the giver — for their generosity and thoughtfulness. And you can’t help but be thankful for the wonderful surprise.
Then there is the gift itself — the excitement builds as the wrapping is removed to reveal the prize. Whether it’s a two dollar toy, a labour of love made by the giver, or it’s something quite expensive, the joy is tremendous when it’s the surprise you’ve just needed. And you can’t wait to go and utilise the gift.
But, on the other hand, if you had been dropping hits around the place as to what you would like, or you were expecting a specific gift, then perhaps the surprise takes on a different character. Perhaps there even might be a little bit of acting so to not offend the giver.
One thing we can learn here is a gift is a true gift when given by the giver. In fact, when the receiver has had some input into what the gift should be, then the surprise is lessened, and the gift itself looses some of its gift qualities. The giver, is pressured into responding to the desires or manipulations of the ungrateful person wanting or needing the object given.
So we can observe that for a gift to retain its wholesomeness as a gift, the giver has freedom to choose whatever they want, as they see fit, for the person to which they want to give the gift. And, the receiver doesn’t even need to know they are going to get a gift. But if they do and still don’t know what the gift is, the surprise is increased all the more.
Today is Pentecost Sunday and the Church celebrates its gift from God.
At that first Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples, who had received the Holy Spirit from Jesus during his ministry and specifically when he breathed on them and announced their reception of the Holy Spirit, were now seen standing with tongues of fire above their heads, as they gave this gift to the gathered Jews at their annual Pentecost gathering fifty days after the Passover.
Such was the power of the Spirit; everyone in the gathering heard the word of God in their own native tongue. Having received the gift, the Holy Spirit was now using these Galilean disciples to proclaim and administrate this gift to all people, beginning at
Today we too have gathered here to receive this gift — just as we did last Sunday, and every other time before. For the confirmees, it’s a special occasion as they stand and affirm this gift, and after the laying on of hands, prayer, and the proclamation of God’s word, they will be admitted to the table of Holy Communion, continuing in this gift. For you the congregation you are continuing in the gift too. In fact, it’s a special occasion for us all, receiving the gift today as we did last time, and right back to the time we first received the gift.
Unlike all other gifts we might give or receive, this gift given to the church, grows in us, greater and greater surprise, as we come to know each day what it actually is. It’s not like the gift and surprise of a regular gift that’s cherished today and forgotten tomorrow. If it is, we treat this gift as if it’s a cheap two dollar toy. Any since we know Jesus gave his life for this gift; we know it’s not just a cheap emotional thrill, but a life-long joy.
The surprise of this gift is continued, because the reception of this gift is ongoing. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 we are told what the gift is and when it was given. We hear, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). By the power of the Holy Spirit this gift is a life-long joyful event; we were saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved.
We have all received the gift in baptism and in it we were given the one Holy Spirit to drink! From that day we have received the gift, today we are receiving the gift, and in eternity we will receive the gift.
The surprise of this gift grows as we come to understand and learn about ourselves, and how unworthy we are to receive it. But at the same time, we learn about the costly sacrifice Jesus made so we might freely receive the gift he won for us, by dying on the cross.
Although we are unworthy to receive a gift like this it is given to you. It’s the only gift that enables you to say, “Jesus is Lord”. The Holy Spirit enables you to believe in your baptism, that you have been immersed into Jesus’ death and resurrection, and are now being raised to life eternal. As our sin is revealed and we understand just how bad it actually is, we also begin to know more and more how awesome and precious Jesus’ death for us is. And in return we can’t help but say with Holy Spirited faith, “Jesus is my Lord”.
This growing knowledge of the contradiction, between our sin and God’s grace, is in fact what makes the surprise and joy continue to grow every day, and continually returns us to the cross declaring, “Jesus died on the cross for a sinner — he died for me!” This gift is good news, this gift is pure grace, this gift is the Gospel, and it comes from the Holy Spirit and brings glory to God the Father as he increases our faith in Jesus Christ.
One thing we must all remember though — whether we have been newly baptised into the reception of this gift, whether we are confirming this gift today, whether we have been ordained to administer this gift as pastors, whether we hold the seats of wisdom and honour in the congregation, or whether we feel completely unworthy, or think we need to feel unworthy, none of us have earned this gift.
The danger is there for all of us to become complacent in the faith, thinking we have worked our way up to God — by years of offerings and service, by completing the confirmation course, and doing our memory work, by being a good giver of ourselves, by being a passionate evangelist, by being a persistent prayer, or by doing a myriad of other tasks in the church. Although these things are good, they can become a noose for us when they become the basis for a prideful self-centred faith and sanctification.
Nor can we determine to get a specific gift from God. When we seek to get a gift, it no longer becomes a gift but a demand of the self-inflated ego. When we go hunting for a specific gift, and when we think we’ve got it, it ends up having no worth, because it’s a product of our own perishing uncertain works, and not from God’s eternal grace.
On the other hand, God freely gives what he chooses to give to each person. So rather than losing sight of God, in our self-righteousness, we seek to remain in the overarching gift of faith for salvation in Jesus Christ.
After all Jesus tells us, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Here Jesus is speaking of the physical necessities of life, but the same also goes for the Spiritual things God has in store for each person. For you who are affirming your faith today, your confession is one of remaining and enduring in what you have already received.
In 1 Corinthians 12 God calls us to recognise that when we say “Jesus is Lord”, it’s not our power, but God’s power, and is given by the Holy Spirit for the common good of all who believe and confess Jesus as Redeemer and Saviour. For we confess “Jesus is Lord”, and it’s our continuing response amongst all those whom the gift is given, and is graciously received and believed.
To all of you who truly live in the growing surprise of God’s gift of salvation, I say to you, “Not good on you, but good on God! Give glory to God alone!” The same Holy Spirit, the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the same God, gives, serves, and works his gift to his glory in all of you in many different ways. Amen.
