Steve Jeffrey
Series: LOVE BREAKS THROUGH
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 21st June 2014
Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Imagine a church where the members,
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 where many of the members played the French horn.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 They were proud about this.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:14 And they gave the impression that all truly spiritual people
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 were French hornists.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:18 Horners?
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 French horn players.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:25 I struggled with that.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:26 What do you call them?
00:00:26 --> 00:00:32 They also think it's their right to exercise their gift
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 when the church meets.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 And the result is chaos.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 60 people playing the French horn at the same time,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 all at different levels of degree of ability.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 And Paul writes to correct this abuse.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:50 He affirms the gift by saying,
00:00:51 --> 00:00:55 I too play the French horn as much as any of you,
00:00:55 --> 00:00:56 in fact, more than any of you.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 But then he criticises them for not loving each other
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 in the way they're using their gift.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 He suggests, could you limit yourselves
00:01:03 --> 00:01:08 to maybe two French hornists on a Sunday?
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 And how about a few of you taking up the ukulele as an option?
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 Or maybe some of you help the church with coffee,
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 and maybe some could be out there parking the donkeys
00:01:20 --> 00:01:21 for you on a Sunday morning.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 And so 2 years later,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:27 we unearth this letter,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 and we go into a panic.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 No one in our church plays the French horn.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:36 Are we therefore an unspiritual church?
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 That would miss the point.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 It would miss the point of the letter.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 The point is not that a spiritual church
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 will have French horn players.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 The point is that there's a great variety
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 of the gifts that God has given.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 He wants to use those gifts,
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 those different gifts,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 in harmony with one another,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 for the service of one another,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 for the service of the body,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 the church.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:08 That's the point of 1 Corinthians 12 to 14,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:09 in fact, of the whole lot.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 It fits completely with what we've seen already
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 in 1 Corinthians.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:18 This letter is about living the cross-shaped life,
00:02:18 --> 00:02:19 and Paul defines true spirituality
00:02:19 --> 00:02:23 not by the presence of certain spiritual gifts
00:02:23 --> 00:02:24 or spiritual experiences.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 He defines true spirituality,
00:02:27 --> 00:02:28 Christian maturity,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 about living out what you know.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 It's about taking up your cross
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 and following Christ,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:39 is true spirituality.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 It is about dying to self
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 and rising to new life in Christ.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 It's about dying to my self-interest
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 and serving others.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 It's the way of the cross.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 And so true spirituality is not judged by gifting.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 True spirituality prioritises love,
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 not spiritual gifts,
00:02:58 --> 00:02:58 not power,
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 not status,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 not eloquence,
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 or anything else.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 And so that means that these chapters
00:03:05 --> 00:03:06 will leave some of our contemporary questions
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 about spiritual gifts unanswered,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 because Paul's intent here
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 was not to actually answer those questions.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 A great deal of confusion and hurt
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 has been caused in recent decades
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 by Christians teaching or implying
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 that they are more spiritual
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 than other Christians.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 And our debates have often focused
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 on particular gifts
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 and whether certain Christians
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 are overemphasising them
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 or some are under-emphasising them.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 And some of our differences
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 on the subjects of spiritual gifts
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 are significant.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 And I believe we should continue
00:03:39 --> 00:03:40 those discussions,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 but we must not let the discussions
00:03:43 --> 00:03:44 get out of proportion.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Whichever side we find ourselves on,
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 and you will probably find yourself
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 on a different side than me,
00:03:50 --> 00:03:54 God's challenge to us
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 is to focus
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 not on the gifts,
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 but on love.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 In Ephesians 4, verse 3,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 Paul urges us
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 to make every effort
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 to keep the unity of the Spirit
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 through the bond of peace.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 He assumes
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 that a profound spiritual unity
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 already exists among Christians
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 because the Holy Spirit
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 has worked in their lives
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 to join us together in Christ
00:04:20 --> 00:04:25 and therefore join us to one another.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 We are already one in Christ
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 and in our call
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 to work out that unity in practice,
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 not least by the patient,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 respectful love
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 that we are to show one another,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 particularly as we disagree
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 on secondary matters.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 And so this unity
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 and love principle
00:04:48 --> 00:04:49 need to be in play,
00:04:49 --> 00:04:49 I think,
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 even in the next couple of days.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 Forefront of our thinking
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 as we venture into these chapters,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 we, like the Corinthians,
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 need to be reminded
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 that love
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 is far more important
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 than any particular view
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 about the nature
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 and use of spiritual gifts.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 And so while not answering
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 all our questions
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 on spiritual gifts,
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 these chapters will leave us
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 with a significant challenge.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 Okay, chapter 12.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 Paul begins chapter 12
00:05:23 --> 00:05:23 by saying,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 now about spiritual gifts,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:25 brothers,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 I do not want you
00:05:26 --> 00:05:26 to be ignorant.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 The word translated
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 spiritual gifts there
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 is in fact different
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 from Paul's usual word
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 that he uses
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 to describe gifts.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 It is in fact
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 better translated,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 he better off starting off,
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 now about spiritual things
00:05:40 --> 00:05:44 or now about spiritual people,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 I do not want you
00:05:45 --> 00:05:46 to be ignorant.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 It's possible
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 that this was the word
00:05:50 --> 00:05:50 that the Corinthians
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 themselves used
00:05:52 --> 00:05:56 for the supernatural experiences
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 that they valued so much
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 or it might have been
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 how they described those
00:06:01 --> 00:06:01 who they thought
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 belonged to the
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 spiritually elite class.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 whichever it is,
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 we do know
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 that they regarded
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 themselves as knowledgeable
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 on spiritual matters.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 And Paul humbles them
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 within the first couple
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 of verses.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 He brings them
00:06:21 --> 00:06:21 right down.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 He says,
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 you are in fact
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 ignorant.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 The word is
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 not knowledgeable
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 but without
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 knowledge.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:32 You're actually in fact
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 ignorant
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 of what it means
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 to be
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 a spiritual person.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:37 You're ignorant
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 of what it means
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 about spiritual things.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:40 In fact,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 so ignorant
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 you are just as ignorant
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 as when they were
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 pagans
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 worshipping idols.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 And what follows
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 in verse 3
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 is the corrective.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:52 The thing,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 this is the thing
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 that they don't understand.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 This is Paul's
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 foundational teaching
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 about true
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 spirituality.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 Therefore,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 I tell you
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 that no one
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 who is speaking
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 by the Spirit
00:07:06 --> 00:07:06 of God
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 says,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 Jesus be cursed.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 And no one
00:07:10 --> 00:07:10 can say,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 Jesus is Lord
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 except by the Holy Spirit.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 That's his
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 foundational teaching.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 It's almost
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 an anticlimax,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:20 really.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 How could they
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 have missed it?
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 The simple
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27 lesson here
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 is that the
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 spiritual person
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 is any person
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 who can say,
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 Jesus is Lord
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 and mean it.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 Really simple.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 And by ourselves,
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 none of us
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 will recognise
00:07:43 --> 00:07:43 the truth
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 of Christ's
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 unique identity
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 as Saviour
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 and Lord
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 and respond to him
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 with repentance
00:07:49 --> 00:07:49 and faith.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:50 It is only
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 by the Holy Spirit
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 that we are born again
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 and born again
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 and we cross
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 from darkness
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 to light
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 from spiritual death
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 to spiritual life.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 And this
00:08:03 --> 00:08:03 conversion
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 with its
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 knowledge
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 of Christ's
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 lordship
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 is the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 only marker
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 that distinguishes
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 between the
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 spiritual
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 and the
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 unspiritual
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 person.
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 It's the only
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 marker.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 All
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 Christians
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 are spiritual
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 people
00:08:25 --> 00:08:25 is what
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 Paul says
00:08:26 --> 00:08:26 here.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 And it
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 is from
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 that very
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 foundation
00:08:30 --> 00:08:30 that Paul
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 launches
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 into teach
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 generally
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 about spiritual
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 gifts
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 and where
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 they fit.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:35 And I
00:08:35 --> 00:08:35 say generally
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 because the
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 exact nature
00:08:37 --> 00:08:37 of the
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 gifts
00:08:38 --> 00:08:38 he doesn't
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 really define.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 He doesn't
00:08:41 --> 00:08:41 go into
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 a lot of
00:08:42 --> 00:08:42 detail
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 about the
00:08:43 --> 00:08:43 actual
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 gifts.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:46 What,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:47 for example,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:47 is the
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 message of
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 wisdom?
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 In verse
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 8,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 we may
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 speculate
00:08:51 --> 00:08:51 that it
00:08:51 --> 00:08:51 could be
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 some kind
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 of revelation,
00:08:53 --> 00:08:53 it could
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 be a wise
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 saying,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 or even
00:08:55 --> 00:08:55 the proclamation
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 of the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:56 cross,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 which is
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 the wisdom
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 of God
00:08:58 --> 00:08:58 according to
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 chapter 1,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 but in
00:09:00 --> 00:09:00 the end
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 we cannot
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 be really
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 sure.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:03 And if
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 it was
00:09:04 --> 00:09:04 important
00:09:04 --> 00:09:04 that we
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 knew the
00:09:05 --> 00:09:05 exact
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 nature
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 of every
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 gift,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 then I
00:09:09 --> 00:09:09 suspect the
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 Holy Spirit
00:09:10 --> 00:09:10 would have
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 made it a
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 whole lot
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 clearer for
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 us through
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 Paul here.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:15 And so it
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 would be a
00:09:16 --> 00:09:16 mistake to
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 suggest that
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 Paul is
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 giving us
00:09:18 --> 00:09:18 a checklist
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 against which
00:09:20 --> 00:09:20 we should
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 measure our
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 church to
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 see if the
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 different gifts
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 he mentions
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 are actually
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 present.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 He presumably
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 refers to
00:09:29 --> 00:09:29 these particular
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 gifts and
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 not others
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 because they
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 were especially
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 prevalent in
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 Corinth and
00:09:36 --> 00:09:36 were most
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 likely the
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 subject of
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 controversy.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:40 And so
00:09:40 --> 00:09:40 notice a few
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 things.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:41 This is what
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 he does say
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 about gifts.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:43 Notice
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 firstly that
00:09:45 --> 00:09:45 the word
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 he uses
00:09:46 --> 00:09:46 for spiritual
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 gifts in
00:09:47 --> 00:09:47 verse 4
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 is the
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 same Greek
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 word as
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 the word we
00:09:53 --> 00:09:53 use for
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 grace or
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 undeserved
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 gift.
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 That's its
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 foundation.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 Paul uses
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 it here to
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 refer to any
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 God-given
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 ability of a
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 Christian which
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 God uses to
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 bless other
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 believers.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 that means
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 pride and
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 boasting about
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 our gift is
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 actually perverse
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 because they're
00:10:20 --> 00:10:20 not something
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 that we've
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 achieved.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:23 They've been
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 given to us
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 by God's
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 grace and
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 so writing to
00:10:28 --> 00:10:28 this church in
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 Corinth that was
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 prone like us
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 like me to
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 spiritual pride
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 he stresses
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 repeatedly that
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 the gifts are
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 given in
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 verse 7
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 verse 8
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 and verse 11.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 Notice
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 secondly that
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 Paul stresses
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 that all
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 gifts come
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 from the
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 same source
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 according to
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 verse 4
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 5 and 6
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 the gifts
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 are different
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 but they are
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 given by the
00:10:51 --> 00:10:51 same spirit
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 in verse 4
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 the same
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 Lord in
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 verse 5
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 and the same
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 God in
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 verse 6
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 and I'm
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 assuming here
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 that Paul
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 who's careful
00:11:01 --> 00:11:01 with every
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 word he puts
00:11:02 --> 00:11:02 down
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 that the
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 reference to
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 the Trinity
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 is not
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 accidental
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 just as
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 there is
00:11:10 --> 00:11:10 both unity
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 and diversity
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 within the
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 Godhead
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 so there is
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 unity and
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 diversity within
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 his body
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 the church
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 notice thirdly
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 the diversity
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 of the gifts
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 in verse 8
00:11:23 --> 00:11:23 to 11
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 and again in
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 verse 28
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 Paul includes
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 a list of
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 gifts
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 and there are
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 three other
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 lists of
00:11:32 --> 00:11:32 gifts
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 in the
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 New Testament
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 and it's
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 striking that
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 every list
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 is different
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 they're all
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 different
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 10 gifts
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 are mentioned
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 in this
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 chapter
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 and a
00:11:45 --> 00:11:45 further
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 10
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 elsewhere
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 in the
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 New Testament
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 and I
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 don't think
00:11:50 --> 00:11:50 there is any
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 reason to
00:11:51 --> 00:11:51 believe that
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 there are
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 only 20
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 gifts in
00:11:53 --> 00:11:53 all
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 for instance
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 music
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 which was
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 practiced
00:12:00 --> 00:12:00 in the
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 early church
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 doesn't get
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 a mention
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 anywhere
00:12:03 --> 00:12:07 it's not
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 described
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 explicitly
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 as a
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 spiritual
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 gift
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 but it
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 surely
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 belongs
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 to the
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 category
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 as one
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 of the
00:12:15 --> 00:12:15 means
00:12:15 --> 00:12:15 by which
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 God
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 ministers
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 his grace
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 through one
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 Christian
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 to a bunch
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 of other
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 Christians
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 to build
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 up the
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 church
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 notice
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 fourthly
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 that although
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 there is
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 diversity
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 in gifts
00:12:29 --> 00:12:29 no clear
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 distinction
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 is drawn
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 between
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 abilities
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 we might
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 consider
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 rather
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 mundane
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 and more
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 obviously
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 supernatural
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 gifts
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 he doesn't
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 make a
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 distinction
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 between
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 supernatural
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 and natural
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 gifts
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 there's no
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 distinction
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 drawn in
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 verse 28
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 between
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 those able
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 to help
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 others
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 and those
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 with gifts
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 of
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 administration
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 and the
00:12:52 --> 00:12:52 ability
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 to work
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 miracles
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 they're all
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 spiritual
00:12:58 --> 00:12:58 gifts
00:12:58 --> 00:13:03 and so
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 that's
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 his
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 foundational
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 teaching
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 his broad
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 general
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 teaching
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 on gifts
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 and now
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 he wants
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 to bring
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 them
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 to apply
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 them
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 his point
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 to this
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 church at
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 Corinth
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 and in fact
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 to us
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 and so
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 he uses
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 an illustration
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 to do
00:13:19 --> 00:13:19 that
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 he likens
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 the local
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 church
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 to the
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 human
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 body
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 which is
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 a unity
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 and yet
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 is
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 diversity
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 and in
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 the diversity
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 it is
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 unity
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 and so
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 as Paul
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 used an
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 illustration
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 to make
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 his point
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 I think
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 I'll do
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 the same
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 very quickly
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 some of
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 you have
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 seen me
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 do this
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 before
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 he says
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 first of
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 all
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 the church
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 is a
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 body
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 made up
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 of
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 many
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 parts
00:13:48 --> 00:13:53 and without
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 the parts
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 connected
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 to the
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 body
00:13:55 --> 00:14:00 they're
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 not the
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 body
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 the parts
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 in themselves
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 are not
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 the body
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 by themselves
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 they are
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 just
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 parts
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 and the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 unity
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 of the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 body
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 is
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 achieved
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 when all
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 the parts
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 or the
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 diverse
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 parts
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 are
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 brought
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 together
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 as one
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 whole
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 verse 12
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 so I
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 don't have
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 to put it
00:14:25 --> 00:14:25 all together
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 again
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 the unity
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 of the
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 body
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 is achieved
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 in the
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 diversity
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 of the
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 parts
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 coming
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 together
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 as one
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 whole
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 verse 12
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 the body
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 is a
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 unit
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 though it
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 is made
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 up of
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 many
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 parts
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 and though
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 all its
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 parts
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 are many
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 they form
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 one
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 body
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 the body
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 can now
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 function
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 correctly
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 they can
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 achieve
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 its
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 purpose
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 notice
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 thirdly
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 diversity
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 of the
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 parts
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 serve
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 the
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 unity
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 and
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 the
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 function
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 of
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 the
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 body
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 verse 14
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 now the
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 body
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 is made
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 up of
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 one
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 part
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 is not
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 made up
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 of one
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 part
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 but of
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 many
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 if the
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 foot were
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 to say
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 because I'm
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 not a
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 hand
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 I do
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 not belong
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 to the
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 body
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 it would
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 not for
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 that reason
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 cease to be
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 part of
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 the body
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 and if
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 the ear
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 should say
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 because I'm
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 not an
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 eye
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 I do
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 not belong
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 to the
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 body
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 it would
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 not for
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 that
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 reason
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 cease to
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 be part
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 of the
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 body
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 if the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 whole
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 body
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 were an
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 eye
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 where would
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 the sense
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 of hearing
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 be
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 and if
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 the whole
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 body
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 were an
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 ear
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 where would
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 the sense
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 of smell
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 be
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 and so
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 what he's
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 saying is
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 that all
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 parts
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 different
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 in the
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 diversity
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 are essential
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 for the
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 unity
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 and the
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 function
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 of the
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 body
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 what he's
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 saying
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 here is
00:15:30 --> 00:15:34 that
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 this
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 is
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 not
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 a
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 body
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 where
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 all
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 the
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 gifts
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 were the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 same
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 this is
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 a church
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 where
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 everyone
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 plays
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 the
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 French
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 horn
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 and that
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 does not
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 serve
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 the
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 unity
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 of the
00:15:58 --> 00:15:58 body
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 the
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 body
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 does not
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 function
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 correctly
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 the
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 unity
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 of the
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 body
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 is not
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 seen
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 in all
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 the
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 gifts
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 being
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 the
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 same
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 and so
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 these
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 words
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 here
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 in this
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 last
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 section
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 of
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 chapter
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 12
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 are both
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 an
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 encouragement
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 and a
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 rebuke
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 for this
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 church
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 at
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 Corinth
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 it's a
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 word of
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 encouragement
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 for those
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 who did
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 not
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 belong
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 to the
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 so-called
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 group
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 that
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 regarded
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 itself
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 as the
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 elitist
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 group
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 at
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 Corinth
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 where
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 all
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 the
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 arms
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 were
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 the
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 ones
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 who
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 said
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 that
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 this
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 is
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 what
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 it
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 means
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 to be
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 a
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 truly
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 spiritual
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 person
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 you're
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 an
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 arm
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 and so
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 the
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 poor
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 old
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 ear
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 over
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 here
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 is
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 trying to
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 work out
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 where it
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 fits
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 so this
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 is a
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 word of
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 encouragement
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 here for
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 these
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 people
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 Paul
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 here
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 implies
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 that the
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 image of
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 the body
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 to show
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 them
00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 how wrong
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 their
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 thinking
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 is
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 every
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 part
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 plays
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 an
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 important
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 function
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 whether
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 it's
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 an
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 obvious
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 part
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 or
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 not
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 and I
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 want to
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 say
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 that
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 I
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 along
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 with
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 many
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 other
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 people
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 have
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 been
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 greatly
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 helped
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 by the
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 frequent
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 words
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 of
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 wisdom
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 and
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 example
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 of
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 godly
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 brothers
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 and
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 sisters
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 in
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 Christ
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 who
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 have
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 prayed
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 for me
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 consistently
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 behind
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 closed
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 doors
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 not
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 visible
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 and the
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 word of
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 encouragement
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 is that
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 you don't
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 need to
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 be
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 visible
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 and of
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 the
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 same
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 in order
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 to play
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 a crucial
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 part
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 of the
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 body
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 and the
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 second
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 thing
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 here
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 associated
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 with
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 implications
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 for the
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 other
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 part of
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 the
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 church
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 is that
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 all
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 parts
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 need
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 each
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 other
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 in
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 the
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 body
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 for it
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 to
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 function
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 correctly
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 let us
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 not say
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 I have
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 no need
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 for you
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 ear
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 I don't
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 need
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 you
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 verse 20
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 the eye
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 cannot say
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 to the
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 hand
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 I don't
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 need
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 you
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 and the
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 head
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 cannot
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 say
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 to the
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 feet
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 I don't
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 need
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 you
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 on the
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 contrary
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 those
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 parts
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 of the
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 body
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 that seem
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 to be
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 weaker
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 are
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 indispensable
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 and the
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 parts that
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 we think
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 are less
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 honourable
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 we treat
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 with special
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 honour
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 the parts
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 that are
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 unpresentable
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 are treated
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 with special
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 modesty
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 while our
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 presentable
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 parts need
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 no special
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 treatment
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 but God
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 has combined
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 the members
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 of the body
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 and has
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 given greater
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 honour to the
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 parts that
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 lack it
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 and so
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 while some
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 of these
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 churches in
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 Corinth
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 were feeling
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 a bit
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 inferior
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 because they
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 didn't have
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 the gifts
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 that were so
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 prized amongst
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 them
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 others
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 were proud
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 they thought
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 they were the
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 ones where
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 everyone depended
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 on me
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 because look
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 at my arm
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 look at how
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 great I can
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 play the
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 French horn
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 they gave
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 the impression
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 that the
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 rest of the
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 church
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 was not
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 necessary
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 Paul's
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 teaching here
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 that is no
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 individual
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 member of the
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 body can
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 think that
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 they are
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 self-sufficient
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 no one
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 is self-sufficient
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 in the body
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 and so
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 Paul's word
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 here is to
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 both
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 humble the
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 proud
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 and encourage
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 those who
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 are feeling
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 inferior
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 verse 22
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 on the
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 contrary
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 those parts
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 of the
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 body
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 that seem
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 to be
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 weaker
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 are
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 indispensable
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 it's not
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 they are not
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 optional
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 they are
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 necessary
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 they're not
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 just helpful
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 they are
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 necessary
00:19:43 --> 00:19:46 and so
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 these verses
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 ought to
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 either
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 encourage us
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 or humble
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 us
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 regardless
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 of
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 what we
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 do
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 in the
00:19:55 --> 00:19:55 body
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 now
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 the last
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 verse
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 of this
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 chapter
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 is a bit
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 of a
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 transition
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 into chapter
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 13
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 he says
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 but eagerly
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 desire the
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 greater gifts
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 and now
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 I will show
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 you the
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 most excellent
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 way
00:20:10 --> 00:20:14 for some
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 reason
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 it's a
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 strange word
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 but eagerly
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 desire the
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 greater gifts
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 Paul's word
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 there eagerly
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 desire the
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 greater gifts
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 somehow does
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 not negate
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 what he's
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 already said
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 and that
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 God is
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 the one
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 who gives
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 the gifts
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 somehow
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 doesn't
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 negate
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 that
00:20:29 --> 00:20:32 and
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 what I
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 think he's
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 saying here
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 is that
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 while I
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 said earlier
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 that Paul
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 makes no
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 distinction
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 between us
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 having
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 spiritual
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 some gifts
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 are spiritual
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 some gifts
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 are unspiritual
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 in the church
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 he does
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 seem to rate
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 gifts in
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 terms of
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 importance
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 in two
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 broad
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 categories
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 in verse
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 28
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 first of all
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 second
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 third
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 he does
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 give a
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00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 there
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 with a
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 certain
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 order of
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 priority
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 and what
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 the two
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 broad
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 categories
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 are in
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 the way
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 he orders
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 the gifts
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 are those
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 that are
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 for the
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 common good
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 for building
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 up the
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 church
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 and those
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 which are
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 more
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 personal
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 and that
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 seems to be
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 his argument
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 in chapter
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 14
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 but I'll
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 leave that
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 to Sam
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 and he can
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 correct that
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 if I've
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 got that
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 wrong
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 it seems
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 to be his
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 argument
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 in chapter
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 14
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 and when
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 he says
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 eagerly
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 desire
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 the greater
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 gifts
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 he's referring
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 to the
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 gifts
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 which are
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 there
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 the greater
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 gifts
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 as those
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 which are
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 for building
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 up of
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 the church
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 not for
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 personal
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 use
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 the greater
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 gifts
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 are for
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 the common
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 good
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 for the
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 church
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 the body
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 that we
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 might
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 function
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 well
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 but
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 even
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 even
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 those
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 greater
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 gifts
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 are
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 only
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 great
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 if
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 they
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 are
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 used
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 in
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 love
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 and
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 therefore
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 the
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 transition
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 into
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 chapter
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 13
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 as
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 the
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 greater
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 way
00:21:57 --> 00:22:00 there's
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 a number
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 of
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 implications
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 for us
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 in
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 these
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 verses
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 and
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 I
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 won't
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 pick on
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 them
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 all
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 first of
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 all
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 I want
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 to say
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 that
00:22:10 --> 00:22:14 it's
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 unloving
00:22:14 --> 00:22:17 it's
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 unspiritual
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 it's
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 immature
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 to not
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 exercise
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 gifts
00:22:21 --> 00:22:24 to sit
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 over here
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 and not
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 make a
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 contribution
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 not to
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 serve the
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 body
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 a
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 congregation
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 is a
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 body
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 Christ's
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 body
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 with the
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 life of
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 Jesus
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 flowing
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 through
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 its
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 members
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 by the
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 Holy
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 Spirit
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 and
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 for
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 our
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 function
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 and
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 for
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 our
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 health
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 we
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 all
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 need
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 to
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 play
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 our
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 part
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 in
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 love
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 and
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 to
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 sit
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 over
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 here
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 and
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 to
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 say
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 to
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 the
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 body
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 serve
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 me
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 serve
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 me
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 serve
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 me
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 serve
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 me
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 serve
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 me
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 is
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 in
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 fact
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 unloving
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 and
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 unspiritual
00:22:51 --> 00:22:55 this
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 teaching
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 I think
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 here
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 is a
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 real
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 challenge
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 for us
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 in an
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 individualistic
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 generation
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 which tends
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 to keep
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 all
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 but a few
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 people
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 at arm's
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 length
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 we could
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 easily lapse
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 into viewing
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 church as
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 just one
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 of the
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 many
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 products
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 we
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 consume
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 and
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 you
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 generally
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 tell
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 consumers
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 by the
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 level
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 of
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 complaints
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 that's
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 how you
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 tell
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 consumers
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 I've
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 heard of
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 a church
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 in
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 America
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 that
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 sought
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 to
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 meet
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 such
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 demands
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 of the
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 individual
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 over here
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 by offering
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 a drive
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 in
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 Sunday
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 service
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 which
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 enabled
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 people
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 to tune
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 into
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 their corporate
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 worship
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 of their
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 local
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 church
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 in the
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 church
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 car
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 park
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 via
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 their
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 car
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 radio
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 and
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 they
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 didn't
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 need
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 to
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 get
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 out
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 of
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 their
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 car
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 not
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 sure
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 how
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 they
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 took
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 up
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 the
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 collection
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 at
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 that
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 point
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 but
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 I'm
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 assuming
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 something
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 like
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 they
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 did
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 taking
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 orders
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 for
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 morning
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 tea
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 someone
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 on
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 roller
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 skates
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 around
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 the
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 car
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 park
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 or
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 something
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 like
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 that
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 now
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 it's
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 easy
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 for
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 us
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 as
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 we
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 did
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 just
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 then
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 to
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 shake
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 our
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 heads
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 and be
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 shocked
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 by
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 that
00:24:06 --> 00:24:12 and
00:24:12 --> 00:24:14 have
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 little
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 more
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 interaction
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 than
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 if
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 they
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 had
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 stayed
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 in
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 their
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 car
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 throughout
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 the
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 course
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 of
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 the
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 whole
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 thing
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 they
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 may
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 well
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 have
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 stayed
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 in
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 the
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 car
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 park
00:24:24 --> 00:24:27 they
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 rush
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 in
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 at the
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 last
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 minute
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 they
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 leave
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 as
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 soon
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 as
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 possible
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 at
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 the
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 end
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 having
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 only
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 had
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 the
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 briefest
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 of
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 conversations
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 if
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 any
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 conversation
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 at
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 all
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 and
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 certainly
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 no
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 contribution
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 or
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 service
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 to
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 anyone
00:24:38 --> 00:24:40 church
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 is
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 certainly
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 not
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 meant
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 to
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 be
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 like
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 that
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 we
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 in
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 fact
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 need
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 each
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 other
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 no
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 part
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 of
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 the
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 human
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 body
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 can
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 function
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 and
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 grow
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 unless
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 it's
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 attached
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 to
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 the
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 rest
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 of
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 its
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 parts
00:24:51 --> 00:24:54 Thursday
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 my
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 Phoebe
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 had
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 had
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 her
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 tonsils
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 and
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 adenoids
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 out
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 they're
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 dead
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 somewhere
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 they're
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 in
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 some
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 bin
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 somewhere
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 in
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 the
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 martyr
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 hospital
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 wherever
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 it is
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 I don't
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 know where
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 they go
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 actually
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 wherever
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 they are
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 they've
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 been detached
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 from the
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 body
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 and they
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 are dead
00:25:11 --> 00:25:13 they have
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 no life
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 no part
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 of the
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 body is
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 meant to
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 function
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 independent
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 of the
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 local
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 church
00:25:19 --> 00:25:22 it is
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 as a
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 community
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 that God
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 expects us
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 to grow
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 together
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 in the
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 Christian
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 life
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 and be
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 his
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 witnesses
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 in this
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 world
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 we
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 should
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 not
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 see
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 church
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 simply
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 as a
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 meeting
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 that we
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 attend
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 but rather
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 it's a
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 community
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 to which
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 we belong
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 with all
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 the duties
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 all the
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 privileges
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 and all
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 the joys
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 that go
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 with that
00:25:42 --> 00:25:45 secondly
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 I am
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 very
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 grateful
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 for those
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 who do
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 see that
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 as their
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 duty and
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 their joy
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 and their
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 privilege
00:25:52 --> 00:25:54 one of the
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 great things
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 things
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 that I
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 would say
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 about the
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 reformation
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 was
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 we
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 rediscovered
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 something about
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 putting the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 scriptures into
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 the hands of
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 the ordinary
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 person and
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 putting ministry
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 in their
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 hands as
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 well
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 every
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 member of
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 ministry was
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 discovered at
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 the reformation
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 it's a very
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 good thing
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 the church was
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 never meant to
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 be a body
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 where only a
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 few people
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 do all the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 functioning
00:26:19 --> 00:26:22 and the rest
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 are spectators
00:26:23 --> 00:26:26 but
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 for those
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 of us who
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 are doing
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 the functioning
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 who are
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 serving
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 there can be
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 the same
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 level of
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 selfishness
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 in every
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 member ministry
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 as if I'm
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 not making
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 any contribution
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 at all
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 and the same
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 level of
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 service
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 is that
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 ultimately
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 if we're not
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 careful
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 it becomes
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 about me
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 it becomes
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 about me
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 hanging on
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 to what
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 makes me
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 feel significant
00:26:51 --> 00:26:53 this is my
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 part
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 my place
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 this is my
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 gift
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 your job
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 is to
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 recognise it
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 to use me
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 in this
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 way
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 this is
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 what I
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 do
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 and if
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 we're not
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 careful
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 it becomes
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 more about
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 me
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 and we get
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 detached
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 from the
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 head
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 and what
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 I find my
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 significance in
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 is my
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 particular part
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 in the
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 body
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 it's a very
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 big danger
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 for anyone
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 who's in
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 full-time
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 ministry
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 and anyone
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 who's making
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 a contribution
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 and involved
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 in ministry
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 at all
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 normal
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 practice
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 when a
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 new
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 minister
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 starts
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 a church
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 comes into
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 a church
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 and it
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 happened to
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 me here
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 and this
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 is not
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 any way
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 of an
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 accusation
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 it's a
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 bit of a
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 common
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 theme
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 with every
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 minister
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 I've spoken
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 to
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 is that
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 you go
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 into a
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 church
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 as a
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 new
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 senior
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 minister
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 and within
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 a matter
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 of weeks
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 you'll have
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 a whole
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 range
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 of people
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 lining up
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 to tell
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 you
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 this is
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 what I
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 do
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 in this
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 place
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 this is
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 where I
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 fit
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 and this
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 is how
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 you can
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 help me
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 fit
00:27:47 --> 00:27:53 so there's
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 an encouragement
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 here for
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 those of
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 us off
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 on the
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 sidelines
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 to get
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 engaged
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 there's
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 encouragement
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 here or
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 rebuke for
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 those of
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 us who
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 are engaged
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 but wanting
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 to hang
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 on to
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 it
00:28:03 --> 00:28:05 as well
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 exercise
00:28:07 --> 00:28:09 our service
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 of one
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 another
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 out of
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 love
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 the way
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 of the
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 cross
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 in everything
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 that we
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 do
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 including
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 what we
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 do in
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 church
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 is to
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 take up
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 our
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 cross
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 and go
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 to the
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 place
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 of execution
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 the cross
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 is not
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 just the
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 place of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 my past
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 substitution
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 for my
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 sins
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 it is the
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 daily
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 place of
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 execution
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 for me
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 as I
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 die to
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 my rights
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 and I
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 serve