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Gifts, Giving, Agendas

Preached at St. Barnabas Church, Bellville, TX

Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 2009

by The Rev. Stephen E. Stults

I Corinthians 12:1 ^“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.”

We hear a lot about gifts these days, it seems. We refer to bright children in our school systems as "gifted and talented," presuming them to have abilities or attributes that other children don't seem to have. We offer gifts for certain occasions, such as birthdays, holidays, and special "relationship" days, such as anniversaries. We know that gifts are one of the most time-honored ways to show appreciation known to man. We might even say that inside of a secure relationship, gifts are one of the best ways to cement and strengthen that bond of mutual affection.

The phenomenon of gift giving is also used in not-so-positive ways. All of us know of situations where gifts are used, in various and subtle ways, to control behaviors or seek to manipulate relationships.  Personally, I've known a family where gifts were used in just that fashion, to hold or seek affection. All of us do, no doubt. In similar fashion, gifts have been used since time immemorial to turn aside or avoid wrath or anger. For example, one of the better known occasions occurred in Genesis 31, where Jacob heard that his brother Esau, whom he had cheated out of his birthright, was coming to greet him with four hundred of his closest associates, no doubt heavily armed. What did clever Jacob do? He divided the company into three parties, placing a large number of livestock between each company, perhaps to serve as "buffer" groups. He then placed about five hundred head of various types of livestock in front of the entire group and sent messengers ahead to let Esau know that these animals were for him, a small token of esteem from his brother. His goal was to thwart his brother's fierce wrath, which he presumed still simmered. As it turned out, God had blessed Esau greatly so that he too had become a man of substance, not needing Jacob's paltry peace offering. Yet, surely the point came through... This was a gift with an agenda, not freely given.

Some of us husbands may understand this point. While I love my wife with all my heart, to the exclusion of all else except God, I confess that were years that I swore I kept the floral industry afloat singlehandedly, to which my patient wife will attest. These, of course, were my own "peace offerings."

So far, we've talked about material gifts and some of their attributes and uses. How about spiritual gifts?  Are they used in similar fashion? Before we attempt to answer that, let us look at St. Paul's evangelized group of Greeks in Corinth and their situation. The epistle begins with a statement recalling the Corinthians’ former state, that of Gentiles (the Goyim), separated from God, drawn away to pagan idols and to a religion made from man’s imagination. Yet, the classical world, that of Rome and Greece, had beauty, nobility, and high ideals. It was, in many ways, the highest aspiration of human endeavor. Personally, having had the undeserved benefit of a classical liberal arts education and having been downright lucky enough to walk in Rome and in Greece, I had been enamored with Classical civilization for some time. Even the ruins of the Parthenon and the Forum inspire awe; imagine what they must have been like in their heyday!  It must have been wonderful, at least on the surface.

On the surface, I say, because the reality of Classical life was far more violent and brutal.  A book on evangelism, called Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?, by the Rev. Roland Allen, helped me to see the reality of ancient life. The reality of ancient life, even in the Classical period, was this: it was a tough society based on authority, power, and well, hate. Class wielded power over class. Those who didn't yield to the superior authority of the "higher" class were punished severely, usually with death or grievous servitude leading to death, as in the infamous rock quarries and mines of ancient Rome. One class hated the next powerful class and group hated group. For example, virtually all of the work was done by slaves, who hated their masters, for the most part. The masters, in turn, hated those above them, had envy for those in higher places of authority and constantly plotted against them.   Many soldiers in general, hated their centurions and generals, the artisan class hated the Patrician class, and so on. Beneath it all were the slaves, who made it all run, the hidden “machinery” of the ancient world. They were seen as mere property, without humanity. In general, it was a dark picture, indeed.

Is any wonder, then, that St. Paul’s message about hope and light and life took hold? Here was a man preaching “Christ, and Him crucified,” preaching forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the free gracious gift of eternal life. He told people to come to God as they were; for example, were they called as slaves? Seek not to be freed. Were they called as freedmen? Look kindly on their slaves. Were they called as soldiers? Be content with their pay. In short, come to God as you are and receive the Good News.

What is this good news? St. John tells us in 1 John 1:5: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” That is, through Paul’s preaching, the light of Christ had come to a very dark world. For many, many people, this was good news indeed. The church at Corinth evidently had received the Good News with gusto. As we learn in St. Paul’s second Corinthian epistle, the church had grown so much that it threatened to split into factions. In short, it had growth problems.

It also had spiritual gifts in abundance. This is why St. Paul wrote, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (I Corinthians 12:1). After he reminds his readers of their former state, he makes an amazing statement: “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:3). This statement appears simple on the surface, yet when considered thoughtfully, is actually quite profound. First, “no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed.” Well, personally, I’ve never heard anyone call Jesus “accursed,” but I sure have heard His Name taken in vain plenty of times. Most people admire Jesus, even pagans; they just won’t (or can’t) affirm his Lordship. They certainly can blaspheme quite easily though, using the Name of Christ as a mere exclamation. On the other hand, no one can say, “Jesus is Lord!” without the Holy Spirit. So, on the one hand, an absence of the Holy Spirit allows one to use Jesus’ name as a curse or a violent exclamation, while the presence of the Holy Spirit allows one to affirm Jesus’ true state, that of King and Lord; thus "no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”

There was a time in my own spiritual journey when I really wondered if the Holy Spirit was with me. Did I “have” the Holy Spirit, I often wondered. What did it “feel like” to have the Holy Ghost? How come I don’t “feel” differently if I supposed to be a dwelling place of the Spirit, and other such assorted questions occurred to me. Well, I confess that this verse gave me a great deal of comfort , when I first read that “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” Just the fact that we can affirm this simple Christian truth means that the Spirit is striving within us, as a true spiritual gift giving us grace to affirm and accept Christ. This, the gift of faith, is a true blessing.

Gifts are exactly what St. Paul is speaking about in this epistle selection. He tells us “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.” That is, the Holy Spirit grants various types of spiritual gifts, but the Spirit who grants them is the common source. Also, there are various ways to offer service to God, but it is always the same God. While this may seem patently obvious, St. Paul brings the point to a close by saying, ”And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (I Corinthians 12:6-7).

Here then, is the point. God the Holy Spirit grants us spiritual gifts to bring edification to the Body, not glory to the individual Christian. He does NOT give us gifts to control our affections or to manipulate us. His gift giving always comes from the standpoint of unconditional love, not with a selfish agenda. Yet, God certainly gives us material gifts, too. These type of gifts sometimes have a teaching lesson attached, as when He wants us to realize how He is working in our life, for example to lead us away from sin and into a closer relationship with Him. God often withholds His blessings, or contrariwise, pours them on us in response to how we react to His Will for our lives.

Surely, you say, this is manipulative! It is dishonest! God Forbid! Rather, it is the patient leading of our Father-God into the paths He wants for us. Della and I can surely bear witness to such periods, both good and bad, yet, in the end always for the best. We finally realized, having finally reached some degree of maturation in the Holy Spirit, that even these "leading and teaching" periods, as difficult as they are, actually are gifts in themselves. The hackneyed expression that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference has some merit. When God takes us through such times, it is not that He doesn't love us. Far from it! Rather, He flees from indifference to the point that he wraps us in His Arms, scolds us, even spanks us from time to time, but never, never gives up on us.  As in the case of the Prodigal Son we talked about last week, we can always go home to God!! How blessed is that?

Spiritual gifts are one way God shows His love for us. Thus, if one is blessed with a specific gift, it is not a cause for self-exultation, but rather of thanksgiving. We can say, "Our God, my God cares enough for me to reveal Himself to me through some spiritual gift. Why am I so lucky?"  While this is great, the real question becomes: how can I offer my spiritual gift to the Body, and thus to God in such a way as to magnify Him? How can I glorify God by offering back to Him the gift He has so freely given me?

To help us in this question, St. Paul lists several spiritual gifts: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith, the gift of healing, the working of miracles, the utterance of prophecy, the discernment of spirits, the gift of tongues, and finally, the interpretation of tongues. All of these gifts are still extant, to some degree or another, in different parts of the Church. I also know, in some form or another, and in some degree or another, that some of these gifts exist in this room today. If we are indeed committed Christians, as this group certainly is, demonstrated by our desire to preserve the orthodox faith once delivered to the saints, we all should have a desire to grow in Christ. The most important movement I can think of is our personal growth in grace, our personal journey in sanctification. This is exactly what St. Paul is speaking about, that we are not ignorant of our spiritual gifts.

Thus, I would ask you to consider these spiritual “action steps.” First, pray for discernment of your own personal spiritual gift. We who love Christ all have them. It may be the gift of faith, it may be the gift of healing, it may be the gift of helping and assisting. Humbly pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal your gift to you, if you don’t already know. Knowledge is the first step towards spiritual “self-actualization,” if you will. Next, consider, meditate, cogitate, ruminate, etc., as to how you can offer your gift to the Church and to the world. Pray earnestly that God will open opportunities for you in this regard. Remember, for example, that the number one reason people come to church, and thus a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, is that somebody asked them! Finally, just use it. Use your spiritual gift to edify us, the Church, and to bring joy to you, the giver. No greater joy is possible than when one knows that he or she is truly serving the Lord.

Earnest prayer, leading to discernment, leading to knowledge, leading to action is the key to a joyful Christian life. We humbly pray that all of us may grow in Christ to such an extent that we, too, may discern, know and do, thus making our cup of joy full to overflowing.

In the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “Freely you have received, freely give.”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

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