Wednesday
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
12 Christ is like a single body,
which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of
different parts. 13In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or
Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the
same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.
14 For the body itself is not made
up of only one part, but of many parts. 15If the foot were to say,
“Because I am not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” that would not keep it
from being a part of the body. 16And if the ear were to say,
“Because I am not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” that would not keep it
from being a part of the body. 17If the whole body were just an eye,
how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18As
it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it
to be. 19There would not be a body if it were all only one part! 20As
it is, there are many parts but one body.
21 So then, the eye cannot say to
the hand, “I don’t need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “Well, I don’t
need you!” 22On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the
body that seem to be weaker; 23and those parts that we think aren’t
worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts
of the body which don’t look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24which
the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in
such a way as to give greater honour to those parts that need it. 25And
so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same
concern for one another. 26If one part of the body suffers, all the
other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share
its happiness.
27 All of you are Christ’s body, and
each one is a part of it. 28In the church God has put all in place:
in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third
place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are
given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in
strange tongues. 29They are not all apostles or prophets or
teachers. Not everyone has the power to work miracles 30or to heal
diseases or to speak in strange tongues or to explain what is said. 31Set
your hearts, then, on the more important gifts.
Best of all, however, is the following
way.
Think
Paul educates the Corinthian church about Spiritual gifts. Pagan religious ceremonies involved getting
into trances and frenzies. The Holy
Spirit does not come from within, doesn't need to get worked up - but comes
from without; from God - a gift; not something you can earn with desire or
manipulation.
The Corinthian church has a boasting problem; an inequality problem -
people get drunk on the communion wine while others have none left. People boast about their 'Spiritual Gifts'.
In this passage Paul reminds them to seek the greatest gift... And then 1 Corinthians 13 follows.
Pray
Lord help me to strive for the greatest gift - the gift of love. Also help me always to recognize your Spirit
at work in others.
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