Sunday, January 15, 2012 pm
Studies in 1 Corinthians (42)
God Has Appointed These In The Church
1 Corinthians 12:27-31
Tonight we continue our study of 1 Corinthians.
We are in the midst of a lengthy discourse dealing with spiritual
gifts. While the
miraculous gifts of the first century are no longer in force, there are
principles that we can apply today with whatever gifts we do have.
As Paul wrote this letter, the church at Corinth was splintered
with jealousy over the distribution of the various spiritual gifts.
This has prompted Paul to tell them: 1) It is up to the Holy
Spirit and God to determine who receives what gifts, 2) That together
they are the body of Christ,
3) That they need to function like a body with every part being
important and supporting the body as a whole, & 4) There is a “more
excellent way” than that of these spiritual gifts – the way of love.
We have discussed the first three points in great detail.
The 4th point will be discussed in chapter 13.
Our lesson this evening is a transition from points 3 & 4.
In this lesson we want to examine the various “offices” appointed
in the church and discuss how they need to work together like the parts
of a body.
I.
The Body of Christ,
Members Individually
a.
Paul now drives home the
analogy of the body. He
describes them as “the body of Christ”.
Paul’s emphasis is that we take these principles about the body
and apply them to our relationship to one another in Christ.
b.
Obviously, the body of
Christ is the church.
i.
We are often reminded
that the Bible uses the term “church” in two ways – universal and local.
1.
The term “church” is
from a Greek word, ekklesia, which means “to call out” and is a
reference to the called out from the world who are now in relationship
with Christ.
2.
In its universal sense
it has reference to all who are saved.
In this sense it has no organizational structure and is simply
descriptive of the relationship of those in fellowship with God.
3.
In its local sense it
has reference to a group of saints who ought to be in the universal
church (saved through obedience of the gospel), who have joined together
in a specific locale to do work God assigns us to do together to further
the Kingdom. It is in this
sense that Paul has been speaking primarily of the body in vs. 12-27.
The brethren at Corinth had a work to do together and they were not
doing it. Just as the church
at Corinth had a work to do, so we today have the same work – to further
the kingdom of God. To
accomplish this to its fullest everyone must do his share!
ii.
That the church is the
body of Christ is seen in numerous passaged.
1.
Col. 1:18, 24 – head
over the body, the church.
2.
Eph. 1:22-23 – He is
head over the body which is His church
3.
Eph. 5:23 describes
Christ as the head of the church and Savior of the body.
In our next verse Paul will mention the church.
c.
Consider: Since Christ
is the head, we must recognize that you cannot separate the body from
the head (or mind) and survive.
i.
Since we are the body of
Christ, we need the mind of Christ.
Just as it is the mind that governs the body, so it is with the
body of Christ.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,…“ Phil. 2:5
“For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?
But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16)
To whatever way we can, we ought to seek to think like our Lord thought
and let that govern our conduct.
ii.
What does this mean?
We need to let Him dictate what we do!
In other words, we need to keep His commandments.
Whatever He commands, we must follow it!
In Eph. 5:24 – the church is
subject to Christ.
Just as the body executes the will of the mind, so it is with the body
of Christ. In other words,
we do what Christ tells us.
1 John 2:3-6 says that obedience demonstrates that we know Him.
John 14:15, He said to His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My
commandments.”
iii.
Even individually,
whatever we are capable of doing and what we do is dictated by the head,
Christ.
d.
We demonstrate His mind
with our unity.
Getting back to the point Paul is trying to emphasize – unity!
Working together!
When we are all united together in Christ, it will be because we obey
Him.
And it will be demonstrated in the way we treat each other.
Consider John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, IF you have love one
for another.”
II.
Appointed in the church
a.
About this list – it is
an all-inclusive list – some whose influence exceeded that of the local
church (apostles, prophets), some that were involved within the local
church (the list could possibly address elders, deacons), and various
things (the works) which are instrumental in furthering the kingdom of
God, be it universal or local.
b.
First – apostles.
There were only a handful of apostles, hand chosen by Jesus.
They were His direct ambassadors and instrumental in revealing
His will to the saints.
NOTICE how they are FIRST or foremost in those appointed in the church.
Remember what Jesus told Peter and the apostles with him, “Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not
prevail against it. And I
will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind
on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:18, 19)
Eph. 2:19-21 speaks of the apostles and prophets being the foundation of
“the household of God.”
Their work was above that of any local congregation
c.
Second - prophets
– those who revealed the word FROM God. These would be the inspired
messengers, who along with apostles, revealed God’s message in the
infancy of the church.
They would have been second only to the apostles, because their message
was DIRECTLY from God. And
unless they had been with Jesus, their ability would have only been
present through the laying on of the apostles hands (cf. Ac. 8:18).
1 Cor. 14:3-5 says that his work is greater than that of the one
speaking in tongues, because he “speaks
edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”
d.
Third -
teachers
– the word here doesn’t necessarily mean one endued with these
“spiritual gifts.” The word
for teacher is the common word to describe one who teaches or instructs.
Back then there would probably have been men who were teachers
who were not inspired in their teaching.
Like preachers and teachers today, they would have repeated the
message revealed to others.
Also notice how teachers (i.e those revealing the message of God’s word)
are BEFORE the various gifts. The message is necessary to reach the lost
– Heb. 4:12.
Throughout the times of miracles during the life of Jesus and the
apostles we find many who rejected the miracles (gifts) that were
presented. And others who
obeyed the gospel without the mention of any miraculous gifts.
Gifts do not save, but the gospel does. cf. Rom. 1:16, 1 Cor.
1:18.
e.
Then various gifts –
i.
Miracles –
a general term that describes any work of God that superseded natural
laws (see vs. 10).
ii.
Gifts of healings (see vs. 9). A certain type
of miracle.
iii.
Helps – not
an office (as the gifts just mentioned are not an office) but a general
word for assistance. It
could be miraculous OR it could be non-miraculous.
We ALL have abilities to help further the gospel in one way or
another. Let us seek to use
whatever abilities we have. God
can help us in many different ways.
NOTE: Some ascribe to this word in this verse the idea of deacons whose
work assisted that of the elders.
This cannot be proved, but it is certain that a godly deacon
would be a help.
iv.
Administrations – Governments (KJV, ASV) – reference to a “helmsmen” someone in a
leadership role – perhaps this is a reference to elders, whose works
would be limited to the congregation they oversee (Ac. 20:28, 1 Pet.
5:2).
v.
Varieties of tongues (see vs. 10) – We will
discuss this work in more detail in chapter 14.
NOTE: This is at the end of Paul’s list here in which he
discusses maters in a prioritized way (especially concerning the offices
up front). AS we will learn
in chapter 14, the brethren in Corinth put special emphasis on speaking
in tongues and probably viewed it as the greatest gift – Paul will set
that in order when we get there, BUT notice here it is mentioned LAST,
after the others.
III.
Are all apostles?
(29-30)
a.
Are all apostles,
prophets, teachers? Do all do various types of miracles or interpret?
These are rhetorical questions with the obvious answer of NO!
b.
Keep this in perspective
with the previous section we discussed about the body.
Just as various parts of the body are important and necessary,
AND that all parts cannot function the same, so it is within the church
– not everyone can do every work, nor can anyone do everything that
needs to be done. We NEED
EACH OTHER!
c.
Consider also Ephesians
4:11-16 where various “offices” are described as doing their work so
that together they build up the body of Christ.
IV.
A more excellent way
(31)
a.
Desire the best gifts - We ought to seek the best – to excel in our abilities.
You may not have that prestigious position, but whatever you can do, do
it with your all! Col.
3:23-24 says, “And whatever you
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that form the
Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ.”
b.
The word for
desire is translated,
“covet” in the KJV.
It is actually the Greek word from which we get our word,
zeal. And it means
it is something you fervently pursue (cf. Gal. 4:18, Rev. 3:19).
We may not (i.e. we WILL not) be able to do everything, and
perhaps everything we want to do, but let us with fervent desire seek to
do whatever we can do.
Consider how there are many who settle for complacency or laziness.
Rather than seeking to excel and do more, they just cruise along
wherever they are at.
Paul here tells these brethren, it is good for you to want to do as much
as you possibly can and you need to be all that you can be.
BUT…
c.
Yet I show you a more excellent way. In the
next chapter we shall see that “more excellent way” as the way of love
(agape). We will study this
in upcoming lessons. But
here, as we conclude, let us notice that love is a “more excellent way”.
More excellent than what?
The spiritual gifts. While
“gifts” were/are beneficial and served their noble purpose, there is
something better – the way of love.
Consider:
i.
For the gifts to be
effective love needed to govern them.
Whatever we do, the proper attitude needs to be there.
ii.
Even if you did not
possess a particular gift (or any gift at all – e.g. miraculous), you
can possess this love and use it to further the kingdom of God.
In our next lesson we are going to begin examining this “more
excellent way” of love.
But for now let us consider what we have learned in this lesson –
we are members of the body of Christ, His church and as such we must
submit to His headship by obeying His instructions AND as a part of that
body, whatever you are able to do, do it with all your might and zeal
for the sake of the kingdom.
Your brethren are depending on you to do you part.
Will you?