sermon notes from the Vineyard Church of Milan 06/27/2014
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Spiritual gifts. They are our topic this week (and next) in our Summer of the Spirit series. Big picture, what are spiritual gifts? Practically speaking, how do they work? What role to do they play as we grow to experience more life in God?
Spiritual gifts can seem so... well, so spiritual.
We get the idea of talents – the product of genetics, environment, and training. Talents are amazing to witness, and wonderful to possess, but they aren’t magic. We’ll even call them gifts, especially if they appear at young age, or seem to be connected to genetics and internal wiring even more than practice. Wow, she is a gifted athlete! Or, he has some incredible musical gifting. As in, a gift from God, or nature, or parents or whatever.
But spiritual gifts – I don’t know, say something more generally regarded as spiritual, like healing, or sensitivity to extra-dimensional realities, or prophetic-type stuff, or really profound wisdom, maybe – they land in a different category. Disconnected from the natural world somehow, separate from our genetics and environments and even training. Like someone got zapped somehow, or brushed up against something and caught it like a cold, or who knows, maybe even some kind of spiritual experience in the womb or on a mountain top where they were touched by God or an angel.
As we've said over and over this summer, the Holy Spirit isn't magic. Supernatural, yes. Powerful, yes. A mystery, even. But not magic.
I think mystery is a fundamental aspect of our experience as human beings. Mystery is meant to invite us in, to cause us to wrestle and probe, to engage with it and reward us in the engagement. It’s not meant to cause us to leave it alone and write it off as something we’ll never understand anyway, so why bother?
What are the implications of that for our understanding of spiritual gifts? How might we be rewarded if we wrestle with the mystery of spiritual gifts? What might we see when we look below the surface?
Recall how, in Luke 11, Jesus contrasts the world we’ve known and grown up in with the kingdom of the heavens that is breaking in to our world through him? He says we’ve begun our lives “under evil.”
Beginning under evil, the rule of fear, has distorted our vision of our world, ourselves, one another, and God. We see a world of scarcity, of not-enough, where we have to fight for our survival. We see ourselves as on our own, needing to present an image of strength, to use our power to get ahead, or at least to win the favor of those that can help us get ahead, far enough ahead until we feel secure. We see others as either competitors or allies, to be resisted or supported depending on their inclinations towards us. We see God in much the same way, if we see him at all – he is simply a more mysterious and powerful other, one who condemns us for our flaws, and whom we would do best avoiding, or perhaps he is an ally, if we can do the right things to remain in his favor. Our lives are characterized by striving, by shame, by the disintegration that comes from wearing many masks, by perfectionism and numbing busyness, by addictions and other escapes, by violence, by anxiety, by stress.
Into that broken world, our world, steps Jesus, the beloved one of a kind son of the living God, wearing our flesh, our blood running through his veins, our suffering and temptations his daily companions. He announces, embodies, and demonstrates a new and different world under the authority of Love, the kingdom of God. This announcing, embodying and demonstrating is empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, the non-material, energetically animating personal presence of the living God who is Love. Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, helps us see (and creatively brings into present reality) a world of enough, ruled by a God who favors and forgives us, who invites us to be his children and bring our needs to him, day by day, for him to address for the sake of his glory. And Jesus promises us that after his work reaches its fulfilment in his death and resurrection, he will send that same Holy Spirit to all of us, for the purpose of bringing us into the full freedom of the children of God that he enjoys.
Jesus follows through on that promise, as he does on every promise, and 50 days after his death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit is released in Jerusalem, and from there all across the planet.
So here we are, human beings set free from anxiety and shame by the gift of the Holy Spirit, learning to live as children of our loving Father in the heavens, bringing our needs to God day after day for him to address, waiting in faith for his responses, and experiencing the fruit that comes from that well-directed investment of energy and faith: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. It’s sweet fruit, life-giving, and filled with seeds poised to multiply.
That’s not all there is to the Holy Spirit, though. That’s just the beginning. What comes next are the gifts of the Spirit.
12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit [spiritual things], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of giftssy [Greek: charisma], but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working [effects], but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good [Greek: symphero; to bear or bring together]. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians
Let’s start relatively simply, by defining gifts. The word in Greek is charisma, which has come to mean, in English, a kind of compelling attractiveness or charm that causes people to feel attracted to or inspired by someone. At the time this was written to the Jesus followers in Corinth, in the first century, charisma meant a gift of grace, freely given.
This is significant mainly because it means that these spiritual gifts, whatever they are, aren’t the sort of thing a human being earns from God through earnest, disciplined effort, or great devotion, or anything like that.
Some gifts are like that in our world, aren’t they? If we accomplish something – graduating with honors, making someone happy with our efforts, pooping on the potty – it’s not uncommon to be rewarded with a gift. Or some gifts come with strings attached; you can have this, as long as you _______. [Trumpet/iPad examples]
The spiritual gifts described in the Bible are different. They are gifts of grace, freely given. It appears God gives them because of his favor towards us as his children, pure and simple, no strings attached. You can’t earn or achieve a spiritual gift, and it’s not conditionally given. (Experience tells us that we can strengthen or develop the gifts the Spirit distributes to us by exercising them faithfully, but that’s a topic for another day.)
All of which makes sense, seeing as gifts of the Spirit are a defining feature of the world under the rule of Love. Love is characterized by giving and receiving (activities of free persons), not by taking and earning (activities of the unfree).
This text also suggests a couple of other defining features of these gifts given through the Spirit.
First, there are a variety of gifts.
4There are different kinds of gifts…different kinds of service…different kinds of working…
This particular list includes messages of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in languages, interpreting those languages. (This list is suggestive of the breadth of variety, but not at all comprehensive. There are others listed in other parts of the New Testament, and experience tells us that the number of gifts could be as infinite as there are human beings and ways in which grace can be used in Love’s employ.)
Secondly, everyone gets gifts.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given…to one…to another…to another…to another…to still another…to another….to another…to another…to still another…
Perhaps yours remains in its packaging, unopened. Perhaps you’ve left it in the basement, gathering dust. Perhaps you haven’t noticed in your own life the gifts that you see in another person, and you imagine that means you don’t have any gifts, or as many gifts. Regardless. Everyone gets gifts from the Spirit. You, particularly you, included.
Maybe today is the day you awaken to their presence and receive them.
Thirdly, the gifts of the Spirit are distributed by the Spirit as the Spirit sees fit.
11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Which means we can desire gifts, and ask for gifts, but we don’t necessarily get to pick (unless, of course, the Spirit invites you to pick). It’s a gift, after all. The Spirit has good purposes in his gift, both for the individual to whom the gift is given, and for the “common good.” Literally, for the “bringing together.” Whatever that might mean.
Which brings us to a fourth defining feature of spiritual gifts.
Spiritual gifts have a purpose; they are for something.
Something having to do with a “bringing together.”
7…the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good [Greek: symphero; to bear or bring together].
After all, this is the work and agenda of Love, isn’t it? To bring together what fear has driven apart. To make whole that which has been broken. Isn’t the good news of God’s kingdom that the Father is reconciling his estranged children to him again, his lavish forgiveness bringing together a family torn apart by sin? Ending the exile of humanity from God, of earth from the heavens?
Is yours a gift of wisdom empowered by the Holy Spirit? It is given to you to be exercised for the bringing together of dis-integrated people, for the bringing together of fractured, anxious communities, for the bringing together of fearful people and the Loving God, for the bringing together of the place where God dwells and the places that have suffered so much under our failure to bear His image.
Is yours a gift of knowledge? Faith? Healing? Miracles? Prophecy? Tongues? Interpretation? It is given to you for the same purpose, by the same Spirit, under the authority of the same Lord, to have the same effect that true Love always has. To do good in this world. To bring together. To reconcile all of creation to Christ.
Now, perhaps, is as good a time as any to ask the question – how do these gifts actually work? Is it some kind of supernatural ability, almost like in the matrix where Neo could hook himself up to a Kung Fu module and suddenly be a Kung Fu master? Is it more like some kind of magic amulet that doesn’t actually become part of you, but that you have possession of and can pull out and use when needed, like the Ring of power that Bilbo and Frodo had?
Let me offer to you my understanding, recognizing that we are dealing with mystery here, and confessing that I’ve been dissatisfied with most of the literature I’ve read on the subject, because most of it sounds to me like religious mumbo jumbo. And also acknowledging that what I’m about to say may just sound like a fresh variation on religious mumbo jumbo. But at the very least it’s been helpful to me.
I believe spiritual gifts are a continuation of one of the primary works of the Holy Spirit in human beings; namely, that the Holy Spirit helps us see. See in the broadest, deepest sense – to perceive, understand, make connections, put it all together and apprehend what reality truly is.
We know from the scriptures that the Holy Spirit helps us see who God is, who we are, who others are, the truth of the good news, and on and on. This is an essential activity of God’s Spirit, because love and sight go hand in hand. We love God when we see him for who he really is. We love ourselves when we see ourselves truly. When we really see another, we find ourselves loving them. And it’s a two way street. When we love, we see even more clearly – because fear is absent in the presence of love, and fear always distorts sight. Which is why the scriptures describe the Enemy as someone who blinds, who puts people in darkness. And why Jesus is described as the light of the world.
Notice a detail in the first paragraph of 1 Corinthians 12.
3Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
When we look at Jesus without the seeing that the Holy Spirit empowers, we see a failed revolutionary executed by the Roman Empire and succeeded by a group of deluded, fanatical followers. A poor man hung naked and publicly humiliated on a makeshift tree, with a legacy of crazy to his name. Jesus of Nazareth is a false messiah under the curse of God.
But when we see him empowered by the seeing that the Spirit of God brings, we see everything differently. We see love triumphing over evil in the humble, vulnerable obedience of the innocent victim. We see, in Jesus’ resurrection, God raising a servant to the position of king over the universe. We see the brutal violent Roman Empire, in service of the prince of this world, having spent its worst on him, to no avail. We see that Jesus, not Caesar or any other power, is Lord. The author is arguing that no one can see that and say, as a result, Jesus is Lord, except by the seeing the Holy Spirit brings.
There’s more to say on this, but we’ll save it for next week as we conclude our Summer of the Spirit series.
For now, some practical suggestions.
1. Green-light God’s Gifts. Give God permission to give you the gifts he desires for you by expressing a willingness to receive them. “Father, I receive whatever you desire to give me. I trust that you see me, and you see what I need and what will bring me life and joy, and you see what bringing-together you want me to be a part of in the world around me.”
2. Summer Reading Assignment: Read John 9-11 in light of 1 Corinthians 12:3. Picture Jesus as a human being whom the Spirit has gifted with sight. Imagine him doing and saying everything he is saying not as some divine power, but as a vulnerable human able to see by the gifting of the Spirit. Notice who else in the passages are receiving the Spirit’s gift of sight, and who are clinging to their own sight. Notice who experiences fear and anxiety, and who experiences peace. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see as you read.
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