Acts 2:38, Ephesians 4, Romans 12, 1st Cor. 12, Etc.
This is the third sermon of a series entitled, “The Gift that Goes on Giving.”
I refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:38 Peter says: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit enables us to come to Jesus Christ and come to him. In 1st Corinthians 12:3 the apostle writes, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ but by the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit is the lowest common denominator of our Christian experience. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9)
In Romans 8:16 St. Paul says that Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are “the children of God.” The Holy Spirit does this through an inward impression in the mind, heart, and, ‘soul,’ if you will. That is not all. The Holy Spirit also produces in the believer the observable signs of a changed life. St. Paul calls these signs “the fruit of the Spirit.” In Galatians 5:22, the apostle says that the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, long-suffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, against which there is no law.” Moravians teach “temperance” when we talk about “moderation in all things.”
In the last two sermons we have seen how the phrase “gifts of the Spirit” came to refer to offices in the early church. In some instances the gifts of the Spirit were people. In Ephesians 4, the gifts of the Spirit are said to be those who hold a special office in the church. The apostle writes that when Christ ascended he gave gifts to us, and his gifts were “that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastor teachers to equip the saints (all church members) for the work of ministry.” Today, I believe that God brings pastors to churches, to serve them, and he also brings lay people to churches to serve them. Some of you have been here for a long while. Hopefully you know the gifts you bring. Some people are new to our church: What gift did you bring with you. Why did God bring you here to New Philadelphia?
The earliest use of the phrase “gifts of the Spirit” describes not offices and individuals in the church, but manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. In 1 Corinthians 12, the gifts of the Spirit are described as manifestations of the Spirit. St. Paul writes that “through the Spirit” the gifts are distributed within the body of believers. He says:
To one is given the utterance of wisdom
to another the utterance of knowledge:
to another faith
to another gifts of healing
to another the working of miracles,
to another prophecy,
to another the ability to distinguish between spirits,
to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues.
It is time for us to talk about these exceptional gifts in more detail; but first I would have you to recall the larger context. As we discuss these individual manifestations of the Holy Spirit, keep three things in mind.
First, according to 1st Corinthians 12:7, every manifestation or gift of the Spirit is given “for the common good.” We may benefit from our gifts, but they are not ours to use exclusively. My gift is not for me, it is for you, and your gift is not for you, it is for me. Every gift is for every one. As always, we are to be “servants of one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
Second, please remember that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not limited to those that Paul names in 1st Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, or Romans 12. Any real study of the Spiritual gifts must also include the Old Testament gifts of the Holy Spirit—especially those having to do with craftsmanship, and the use of one’s hands. (Exodus 35:35) Jesus was a prophet and a preacher, but he was a carpenter first. Some of us can serve God in preaching, and we can serve God as a carpenter. Not everyone can do both. Let me give you an example.
When you get your newsletter for March you will learn about a project to re-roof our Youth Building and pavilion. We have set aside money to buy the materials, but we are going to do the job with volunteer labor. Volunteers are going to raise support among their friends, whom they will ask to pay for their time on the roof. This money will go to one or more worthy ministries. When this came up in a Trustee’s meeting, Br. David Stanfield promised a gift of $100.00 to the project provided I not have to go on the roof. I told him I was touched by his concern for my safety. He told me that I had missed his point. I finally got it. Not every gift is given to everyone; they are spread out among the members of the body.
I believe that gifts of the Spirit also include what we might call “emergent” gifts. As cultures and technologies change, the church needs new gifts, and anytime an individual puts a personal talent or gift to the service of God, that gift becomes a gift of the Spirit.
Let me give you an example. On Thursday night our elders took a little time to discuss our new Church website. For a little over $100 dollars a year, we advertise ourselves to the world, and have a daily paper for our use here. Several families who are here this morning found us through the web site. Among the most popular features is the “Random Image Gallery” that appears near the top of every page. It consists mostly of photographs taken by Bill Ray, III. Bill is a professional photographer who also uses his camera to document our life here at New Philadelphia, photographing not only special services, but also workdays, like the making of chicken pies, and candles. Bill’s gift of photography did not exist until the 19th century. Today, it makes our life together easier to remember and celebrate. A picture is often worth 1,000 words.
Third and finally, please remember that the Holy Spirit wants to give every believer a special gift, and then fit each of us (and our gifts) into the body of Christ where we are needed. In Ephesians 4:15-16 the Apostle writes that, “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,.” He goes on to say that the church, the whole body of Christ, is “joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied.” We are the joints. And he says “when each part is working properly…(it)… makes bodily growth and up builds itself in love.” Here as in 1st Corinthians 12 and 1st Corinthians 13, the gifts are set within the context of love. If love is missing then the gifts are ineffective, or non-existent.
Some people despair of having a gift, so that they can make a contribution to the life of the church. We need not, God is much more interested in our availability than our abilities. The Holy Spirit can take an ordinary person and make him or her an extraordinary person. As you listen to these sermons, I hope you are continually asking the question, “What is my special gift from God?” God will either give you a gift for the body, or he will make you a gift for the body.
Now let us look at the first of the gifts Paul mentions in 1st Corinthians 12: wisdom.
Paul mentions the gift of “the utterance of wisdom.” Some translations read, “the word of wisdom.” The word here translated, as “wisdom” is the Greek word “sophia.” “Sophia” is such a beautiful word in and of itself that it is often used as the name of a woman. One of the fathers of the early church, Clemet of Alexander said that “sophia/wisdom” consists of “the knowledge of things human and divine, and their causes.”
Not only do we want to know about something or someone, we want to know what makes that someone or something work. We want to know about people, and how they live and work together. We want to know about God, and how God works in our lives.
Even the knowledge of human wisdom can be a gift from God. When Solomon ascended to the throne of his father David he regarded himself as but a child. He had an opportunity to ask God for any gift he chose, and he asked for a wise and understanding mind that he might govern the people of Israel, and know the difference between good and evil. According to 1st Kings chapter 3, it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked for wisdom, and not for long life, or riches, or revenge against his enemies. God granted Solomon his wish for a wise and discerning mind, and along with it he gave him what he did not ask for, both riches and honor, so that no other king compared with him all of his days. And God promised Solomon that if he walked in God’s ways, keeping his statutes and commandments, he would also lengthen his days. In 1st Kings 4:29 we read that God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and largeness of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
I do not think that there is anything as important in life as wisdom. It is the gateway to so many other things. Here are a few examples. First, every schoolboy knows that “knowledge is power.” The scripture frequently couples wisdom with power, especially God’s wisdom and power. God is a great ally for us because God knows more about us than we know about ourselves. Second, wisdom can be the source of happiness. In Proverbs 3:13 we read that the man who finds wisdom is happy he has found it. Mark this distinction. Knowledge does not always bring happiness. Sometimes life is more enjoyable before we know a thing. However, the person who finds true wisdom is happy in that. Third, wisdom is often the key to wealth. Proverbs 8:11 says that “wisdom is more valuable than fine jewels, and all that we desire cannot compare with ‘Her.” Bill Gates is one of the richest men on the planet. He did not discover a diamond mine. He developed a series of operating systems for personal computers to give us the knowledge on demand, and further enable us to push the frontiers of knowledge. Gates not only got rich, he made many rich.
The gift of wisdom is one we all ought to seek. I love the Moravian hymn which goes:
May we all science and all truth,
With Eager minds explore,
Lead us alike in age and youth,
Thy Wisdom to Adore
When the late Mike Bailey came to New Philadelphia, he had a background in science. He loved the text of that hymn, as does another of our members who is also a professor and a scientist. Of course, wisdom is not just for computer geeks and scientists. One of my favorite archetypes is that of a wise old man, or a wise old woman. In Job 12:12 we read that wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. One of the wisest people I ever knew was my grandmother. She had a fourth grade education, but her two eldest daughters, one of whom is my mother, were both the valedictorian of their respective high school classes. One of her two sons became a Senior Master Sergeant (E-9) in the Air Force, and the other was the only man to win two $5,000 efficiency awards at the old Western Electric Plant on Old Lexington Road. My grandmother did not have many opportunities for education and advancement in life; but she worked hard (for as little as $12.00 a week) so that her children would have them. I still value the life lessons that I learned from her.
In Proverbs 4:7 we read: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. “ That means that wisdom begins in a desire for wisdom. In James 1:5 we read: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.’
Wisdom consists in knowledge of things human and divine, and their origin. Wisdom starts with an increase of knowledge, but it does not stop there. Wisdom is knowledge applied to life. “O, Lord, Grant us Wisdom!”
Next time: Wisdom Re God
Finis