What is essential when Christians meet together? You are likely to get as many answers to that question as there are Christians in the world! St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians shines clear light on what the early Christians considered essential when they met together. It might surprise us that preaching wasn’t listed. Holy communion is there, and so is the practice of the spiritual gifts.
When we meet together: Spiritual gifts
25 July 2021 • Pastor Michael Dutschke • Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
+ expandNow about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 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.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
New International Version (NIV) - for other versions see BibleGateway.com
