III. Jesus Is a Model for Us in Beginning His Ministry

After Jesus was baptized, He began his public ministry. He didn't wait around for an invitation, he went straight to work doing what God had sent Him to do.

Many of us have taken the step of obedience in baptism. A lot of us pray for God's guidance. But, Jesus shows us the importance of getting off our knees and getting to work once the direction is given.

Are you still looking for role models? Stop putting your faith and trust in other people. People are always going to let you down. Instead, put your faith and your trust in Jesus, the Christ. He's the model for us, today and into eternity. (Greg Barr)

Second Sunday of Epiphany (C)

Sunday, January 18, 1998

A Belated Christmas Gift

I Corinthians 12:1-11

Have you had a chance to recover from Christmas yet? With all the shopping and partying, we have very little time to enjoy the holiday, or even to reflect on its meaning. This morning, a few weeks removed from the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I want to talk with you about what God wants to give you at Christmas and all year long. This morning, we're going to look at Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, and see what he has to say to us about spiritual gifts.

I. Every Christian Is Given a Spiritual Gift (V. 7)

The first thing we can notice is that every Christian has been given at least one spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts are not something that we can buy or earn, they are given to us by God. They are part of how God has "wired us." That also means that we do not own them. We are stewards of the gifts that God has given to us, and one day may be held responsible for what we've done with what God has given us.

Sometimes, our gifts aren't easily recognized. It may require Bible study, prayer, worship, and counsel with other believers to begin pinpointing some areas of giftedness. Some gifts may not be readily apparent until a situation arises where they are called into play. Our spiritual gifts may not be easy to discover, but we all, as Christians, have at least one.

II. There Are Many Different Gifts

The second thing we can discover as we read this passage is that there are many different types of spiritual gifts. Among them, Paul lists things like wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, and so on. God has wired all of us differently so we can work together.

Some people struggle with diversity of gifts in the body of Christ. But unity does not mean uniformity. The Chicago Bulls are probably the most dominant sports team of this decade. Yet, not everyone on the team is Michael Jordan. He has a "supporting cast" around him who help the Bulls win as a team. Without Dennis Rodman's rebounding, and Scotty Pippen's unselfishness, the Bulls wouldn't be nearly as successful as they are. They win, because every player fulfills his role.

If you go hear an orchestra play, you'll notice that there are many different instruments with a variety of sounds, but when they play in harmony with each other, the music is beautiful.