The Vine: Jan. 20, 2025
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”
This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)
“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore 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.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to 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.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
Paul stayed longer in Corinth than he did in any other city, except for Ephesus. Paul served and taught in Corinth for eighteen months and developed many relationships. The New Testament letters of I and II Corinthians are letters that Paul wrote to the church after he departed. The letters dealt with specific issues in the church. One of the issues in the early Church had to do with spiritual gifts, and some in the community believed their gifts were better than others’ gifts. Just as the people in the church at Corinth received spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit, the same is true for us. Gifts are meant to be received and used for their intended purposes. Just as we would use the gift of a golf club to play golf, we should also use the spiritual gifts God has given us to serve God in the world.
The list of gifts here in I Corinthians 12 were not meant to be exclusive gifts. In other words, these are just a sampling of various gifts. At the very beginning of the list of gifts, Paul mentioned wisdom and knowledge. It’s very important to decipher the difference between wisdom and knowledge, especially in relation to understanding our gifts and implementing them in service.
William Barclay wrote:
“The Greek word we have translated as “wisdom” is sophia…it comes not so much from thought as from communion with God. It is the wisdom which knows God. Knowledge – the Greek word is gnosis – is a much more practical thing. It is knowledge which knows what to do in any given situation. It is the practical application to human life and affairs of sophia (wisdom). The two things are necessary – the wisdom which knows by communion with God the deep things of God, and the knowledge which, in the daily life of the world and the Church, can put that wisdom into practice.”
Each of us has spiritual gifts. It is by prayer and communing with God that we come to understand more fully our specific gifts and then in turn applying them in our daily lives. God has not given us gifts for our own glorification or entertainment, but that we might use our gifts for the greater good in our world. You have a purpose, and God is counting on you to share your gifts!
Prayer:
Merciful God, we thank you for allowing us to partner with you in sharing the good news of grace and salvation in Christ. Help us to discern our gifts and then have the courage to share our gifts and ourselves with the world. Remind us that our spiritual gifts are gifts and not our own accomplishments. Thank you for loving us. Amen.
Questions for Reflection:
What are your spiritual gifts? How did you come to realize your gifts?
Are you using your gifts for the greater good and God’s purposes?
Often, others help us identify our true gifts. Has someone or some group helped you identify your gifts? Have you helped others identify their gifts?
Why does the Holy Spirit distribute different gifts to different people?
We do not choose our gifts. God chooses our gifts for us and distributes gifts accordingly. Is it helpful for you to know that it is not up to you to request your spiritual gifts?
It’s been said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” The same can be true when we compare our spiritual gifts with others’ gifts. Every gift matters! How can we help one another in recognizing that all gifts are essential in the Body of Christ?
PREVIOUS WEEKS
To view all previous devotions go to https://fumc-rr.org/the-vine