1 Corinthians 12 : 1-11 John 2 : 1 11 Sermon

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Cora Burns
5 years ago
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1 1 Corinthians 12 : 1-11 John 2 : 1 11 Sermon Our two bible readings might not appear to have in common with each other. We have got a letter to the Corinthians about what the writer calls spiritual gifts, and we have Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding. It sounds like one of those Sundays when the preacher has to choose one or the other to say something about, but not both. And yet it seems to me that there is something in common here, something which might help us to understand much of what we read in the bible, and something which might help us to understand what we still see going on around us. Both of these passages from the bible speak of a God who gives and who provides not reluctantly, not in a careful, measured, calculating way, but with a wild, and we might say a reckless generosity. Let s start with the wedding which Jesus attended. It is a great story and on one level a very human story and it is where we read of him performing his first miracle, his first sign. When he turns water into wine it seems that he does so very quietly, almost reluctantly. There is no stage show where he intrigues an audience before building up to the big reveal, to cries of how did he do that? The action all goes on behind the scenes, yet we are told that this miracle was the first time Jesus glory was revealed. It was not his ability or his skill that was revealed but his glory. An interesting choice of words which immediately tells us there is more going on here than a concern to save the embarrassment of the catering team who seem to have underestimated the thirst of the guests. If this incident is said to reveal glory, that gives us a rather different picture of glory than we are used to. However the really striking thing about this story is amazing quality and sheer abundance of the wine. It is estimated those who know such things that this would have been at least litres of top quality wine, far

2 more than could ever have been considered necessary. Jesus did not enable everyone to have their glass topped up one more time for a final toast to the happy couple. He did not enable those at the top table to have an extra bottle each to enjoy or to share as they saw fit. He provided more than could possibly have been needed, and he made it available to everyone, with no limits, no restrictions, and no guidelines. He puts the wine there, and he walks away, and he leaves them to it. It was given in such a way that it was as likely to be abused as to was to be appreciated. That might be considered a reckless kind of generosity, but that is the act which we are told was the first thing that Jesus did to reveal his glory. Then we turn to the words in I Corinthians where Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth about how the grace of God has been given to produce a rich diversity of gifts among them. He is working from the belief that everyone who responds to the call to follow Jesus and who prays in sincerity and humility will be given special gifts and graces to equip them for the work. And it seems from what we can gather that this church in Corinth was particularly blessed with gifted and able people, but again we see a reckless side to the way in which God provides for his people. For these gifts are not given in careful measures, they are not given only to people who will use them wisely and well, they are given to people who are likely to abuse them just as they are given to people who might use them appropriately. The same wild and careless generosity is seen again. We are not too much about the guests at the wedding or what they did with all that wine, but we do know a bit about the Christians in Corinth and how they used their gifts. It seems from this letter that they were a rather difficult lot, full of passionate and able and committed people, but also full of argument and conflict. We read that that they argued about which preacher was better. (1:10-15) (can you imagine such a thing?) They couldn t agree about how to treat issues of sexuality. (Chapter 5) (that would never happen nowadays) They were taking each other to court over

3 unresolved issues (chapter 6:1-11) and they had all sorts of debated going on about what Christian freedom might mean and where its limits should be. (6:12-20). That argument included such basic things as which foods should be eaten, who should be allowed to marry who, how worship should be conducted, how the Lord s Supper should be shared, how the resurrection should be understood They fought about nearly every aspect of the church s life. And now we discover that even when they have been given so much, when they have received with such generosity the response is not humility, gratitude and dedication, but rivalry and empire building and jealousy. Paul writes to remind them that the gifts and abilities which we have are given to used to build up the whole community, not to raise some individuals above others. Perhaps, had the gifts and abilities been given in a more calculated and measured way, these problems would not arise. But that is not God s way. So we start to see that there is something connecting these two passages from the bible. They are both telling us something about God, and something about the world we live in. They tell of the generosity of God gives equally to all, but also of the danger our misunderstanding that and misusing what we are given. When he pours out his spirit in a human life it is not done so that the individual can show off or feel good about herself, any more than Jesus picked one or two favoured people at the wedding to give an extra glass of wine. The blessing of God is always bigger and broader and bolder than that. When he pours out his spirit in a human life, it is not done simply to solve a problem or meet a perceived need any more than Jesus just enabled everyone to have enough for a final toast to the bride and groom. The blessing of God is always bigger and broader and bolder than that.

4 When God pours out his spirit in a human life, it is not done so that a particular church can become strong or look more impressive than the others any more than Jesus picked chose only his friends and followers to give a few bottles of wine at the wedding, making them suddenly the most popular people in the room. The blessing of God is always bigger and broader and bolder than that. When Jesus turned wine into water at the wedding he gave more than was needed, he gave without any restrictions on how it must be used, he gave in a way that everyone would have equal access to it. When God blesses his people with spiritual gifts and graces, he does not accompany them with a set of rules and restrictions on how they must be used, nor is giving only to a favoured few. We might wish that he did, for we could all be better organised and better ordered if that were the case. No, just as the wine was given even to those who were likely to be greedy with it and make a fool of themselves, so the blessings come even to those who don t deserve them, gifts are given even to those who will misuse them experiences come to people who will not respond well to them. We might wish that it were otherwise, but we probably shouldn t. For if gifts and blessings were given only to those who merit them I ve no reason to think I would be included. So we are invited to celebrate the irrational generosity of God, the generosity seen in the wild extravagance of creation, the generosity seen in the improbable miracle of life, the generosity which sends gifts so numerous that they are described as pressed down and running over, as much packed in as possible, the generosity that causes people like you and I to receive so much more than we deserve. We are invited to celebrate and to share and to use all of our gifts and talents and resources and abilities as those who both grateful and humble to use them all in the right way for the right purposes. We cannot be responsible for those who may abuse all that they are giving, using their gifts and abilities only to promote their self interest and to serve their

5 greed. But we are responsible for what we do with all that we have been given, and we surely have received much. So may we celebrate and share and use all of our gifts and talents and resources and abilities as those who both grateful and humble using them all in the right way for the right purposes.

EQUIPPED WITH GOD S GIFTS

EQUIPPED WITH GOD S GIFTS GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes GUIDE: Direct the group to look at the picture (PSG, p. 54). DISCUSS: Question #1 (PSG, p. 54): What was your best subject in school? GUIDE: Direct attention to The Bible