Tag: 1 Corinthians

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The theology of spiritual gifts.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul, in his second of thirteen letters to churches, wrote to the churches in Corinth around 53-54 AD. In his letter to the churches in Galatia, he writes about the “fruit of the Holy Spirit.” As we see here in Paul’s introductory remarks, he begins to lay out this understanding of spiritual gifts, given to individuals to advance the cause of Christ both in the “ecclesia,” the gathering of believers as well as the marketplace among nonbelievers.

Paul tells the church, “you’ve got every spiritual gift you need.” He also encourages them that these gifts and it will help as they eagerly wait for Jesus’ return, the “parousia,” his coming. It’s Paul’s last thought in his introduction that jumps out at me! Paul writes “for he has called or invited us into “koinónia” this deep, intimate fellowship and communal participation.” It always amazes me that God solely and supernaturally provides for us a way back to himself, through the sacrifice of his son.” And yet, God also asks us, calls us, to JOIN him in this process of salvation, of redemption both within the body of Christ (the church) and those who have not yet believed!

The spiritual gifts that Paul introduced to the church for the first time are THE ways God makes us abundantly rich, equipping us to both be disciples and make disciples. The beauty of this idea of spiritual gifts is that everyone who loves and follows Jesus has them and everyone can begin figuring out how, when and where to use them. This is what we do until Jesus returns! We lavish the love of Jesus on those around us, using the gifts he has given to love one another and be the light, mercy and grace to those who do not yet believe in him.

Paul led one of the wildness churches in the New Testament in this theology of Spiritual Gifts to prove that God can and will use anyone who humbles themselves in obedience and wonder. Do you know there are whole denominations that do not even believe these spiritual gifts are for us today? They won’t teach it, or they will spin it to mean something completely opposite of what Paul intended. These gifts are, and have always been for all believers. There were many years that church leaders and the people in the “pew” were taught that only the priests, pastors, bishops of elders could practice these gifts in the body of Christ. Sadly, there were also too many years that folks let it happen! Terms were used to separate the profession class of “clergy” and the “do as your told” class of “laity.” There are no such distinctions in the New Testament Church! We are all one body under Jesus. Those concepts of the separation of professional and common have caused great harm to Christ’s Church, His body. God help us to return to the Biblical theology of Spiritual gifts that Paul wrote about so long ago.

Prayer

​Dad,

What a joy it is to find purpose and charis, grace or gifts that you assign to us! I know the Church has had several resurgences over the past 50 years, but the average believer is still having difficulty understanding their gifts and using them in the Church and the marketplace. Why is that? Your guy Paul wrote this thousands of years ago! Is it still so controversial? Is it intimidating? Would followers of Jesus still rather leave it to “professionals” or “paid” staff to do it all? There is so much we could do if we all used these gifts you have given each of us. Help us Oh Lord! Let your Word come to life through all of Your body. Amen.

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Will the real communion please stand up.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is very significant that the Apostle Paul picked up this Maundy Thursday practice and now sacrament that would live on in every church and every believer. This event was huge in Judaism, because Jesus was celebrating a Super Passover, a Year of Jubilee Passover with all the elements except for the main course, the lamb. But in fact the lamb wasn’t missing at all, it was there at that Passover. However, it wasn’t sacrificed and eaten completely that night, it would be sacrificed about 24 hrs later and very much consumed within three days. The Passover lamb was Jesus and that night was the final Passover necessary for the whole world. That night, the remembrance of the very old story Moses recorded about the death angel passing over when he saw the blood applied on the doorposts of the people who believed and obeyed. But also God commanding that the Jewish people celebrate that memory up until this very night when Christ himself completed the object lesson! For the Jewish person, this was a final celebration in its original form. However for the gentile it would be a brand new practice going forward.

This final Passover was the handoff, the bridge between the Jews and Gentiles who ALL celebrate a different kind of Passover, a communion.

Did you think about the fact that Paul was the only one who restated the story and commented on some of the abuses of the Corinth church concerning communion? I am so thankful he did! Did you know that the abuse of what was considered a “Love Feast,” continued to cause churches problems for several hundred years! Did you know that one of the early Bishop’s tried to shut it all down and basically NOT ALLOW communion to be served to fake believers and it could only be administered through an approved Bishop? This was all before the highly structured Eucharist system in the Catholic church. Paul just said “stop the abuses.” However, the church clamped down the “celebration” part so severely and reduced it to a authoritative top-down experience that we never recovered the joy of remembering or the hope of Christ’s coming. Now, the church still thinks that communion can only be served a certain way and that it must be done by professional clergy in a very controlled, almost mechanical way. This very holy object lesson or ceremony needs the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit to bring us back to reality. The body of Christ gathers, we commune, we celebrate and remember the sacrifice Jesus made and CHEER his second coming.

PRAYER:

Dad,
I have always enjoyed communion! I have always thought and felt deeply about that night so long ago. I have always loved the rich, deep historical and theological significance of the Passover. However, I’ve always wanted to be much more celebratory about the whole thing. I’m thankful Paul wrote about it, even if it was a correction to the church. I would also love to bring back a sense of a love feast, gathering in joy and telling the stories of your great grace.