Who among us would not want to experience something supernatural at least once, to see a miracle, hear God’s voice, encounter something that cannot be explained? This sermon walks through 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 and asks why God gives spiritual gifts at all, and how we can tell that they truly come from him. It turns out that a gift is neither a reward for piety nor a reason for pride, but something given to one person for the good of many, and without love it loses its meaning entirely. Listen if you are looking for your own place and your own gifting in the church.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Paul reminds the Corinthians of their pagan past in a city full of cults and trances. According to 1 Corinthians 12:1-3, how were they to tell what comes from the Holy Spirit apart from other spiritual phenomena?
- Why does Paul place the hymn of love in 1 Corinthians 13 in the context of spiritual gifts rather than marriage, and how does that change the way we read it?
- The sermon says that a sincere confession that "Jesus is Lord" is evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. How does this answer the fear that something is missing in your faith if you have never experienced anything supernatural?
- God gives gifts as He wills and for the common good, not as a reward for piety. How does this affect the way you compare yourself with other believers, whether through insecurity or feeling superior?
- The story of Peter Parker shows gifts used for fun, to impress others and to make money. How can even good gifts and service in the church start feeding our ego instead of serving others in love?
- What gifting or knack do you see in yourself, and what is one concrete step you can take this week to use it for the good of the community or of people who don't yet know Jesus?
