May 11, 2008

1 Corinthians 12:3-13; John 20:19-31
“Different, Yet the Same”

A story I heard while in Arizona:
A young woman, who we'll call Molly, was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.
With a word or two of thanks, she got in the car.
After resuming the journey and a bit of small talk, the Navajo woman noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Molly.
“What’s in the bag?” asked the old woman.
Molly looked down at the brown bag and said, “It’s a bottle of wine. Got it for my husband.”
The Navajo woman was silent for a moment, and then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder said, “Good trade.”

That story has nothing to do with today’s text, but perhaps there is some truth in it nonetheless.

Today’s Text
The truth found in today’s scripture is that the Holy Spirit provides the church, the followers of Jesus the Christ, with the gifts needed to go where the Spirit leads. Even though, at times, we may doubt it.

Like Thomas, some things are hard to believe or just too much for us to take in unless – we have some sort of proof. He said, “I must see… and touch… I won’t believe unless I do.” You see, a lot of us probably doubt whether we have any of those gifts Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians at all. We’re thinking, “Don’t just tell me; show me!” Right? Who “can speak with wisdom or knowledge”? Raise your hand. Who has the faith to heal the sick or the power to do miracles? Stand up. Where are the prophets here? Who can feel God’s Spirit present in them today? We may even be more certain we don’t have any of the gifts Paul mentions than we are that we do.

“There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” – 1 Corinthians 12: 5-7

For Paul, diversity that serves to strengthen communal unity is the only accurate understanding of the Spirit's many manifestations. In today's final verse, Paul confirms the absolute power of the Holy Spirit in determining how its presence will be expressed within each individual Christian. All gifts are bestowed "as the Spirit chooses" -- not according to any special merit or worth of a particular believer. And the presence of all the spiritual gifts is equally necessary for a whole and healthy faith community.

“The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any other body does. (Our backgrounds and circumstances are different.) But God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit. (12-13)

Today’s Application
Paul tells his readers that a multitude of gifts are necessary for a healthy church – a faith community successfully living out Jesus’ commission to it (to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.) But here is the Good News - God’s Spirit will take care of everything. The Spirit has or will provide the church with the gifts that are needed. Do we believe that? Or like Thomas, do we have to be shown?

Some in leadership positions beyond our local churches are suggesting, and rightly so, that vital communities of faith are those shaped and sustained by radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, life-long evangelism, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. Churches, like ours, in order to be healthy and fruitful, will need people who practice those qualities. That’s a tall order, and yet Paul says – “it’s been taken care of.” The Holy Spirit provides people in the church with the gifts they need. It always has, and always will.

Think about your ‘spiritual’ life and how it has grown and developed to this point. Each of us is where we are today because certain people in our lives believed in us, sacrificed for us, and used their gifts to build us up. Think about those who have birthed your ‘spiritual’ life, those who have ‘mothered’ it and helped it to grow. Think about the person who first welcomed you into the church and provided that sense of belonging; or the one who helped you experience God in worship; or taught you about Jesus and God’s great love for you; or revealed what love of neighbor really means by encouraging your participation in mission and service; or showed you what generosity really meant by their example. Think of the person who has invested their spiritual gifts in your life. Make sure you have a name and a face in mind because we’re going to see just how we’re connected in the church, all of us, by the giftedness of others.

[Ball of yarn is tossed from person to person, until everyone is holding the yarn )a visual of our connectedness). Before it is tossed to the next, the name of someone who has invested their gift in us is named and thanks is given. This is repeated]

People like those we have named are absolutely necessary if we are to be the church God has established us to be. You are the fruit of such people. You have been touched by their lives and now you are being asked to touch the lives of those to whom you are connected – and are yet to be connected to. Those you have named have shown you how. Now it is time for you, empowered like them by the Holy Spirit, to do the same.

We are not the same - that's true. Paul says our part in the body of Christ is different. We are not all meant to do the same sort of things in the church. Some of us will welcome and make visitors feel at home here; some of us will teach children or adults, while others create opportunities to study more deeply; some of us will invite our friends to worship with us or tell our neighbors about what we have found here; some will seek ways to add to the worship experience of all, new and old alike; some will respond to those who hurt and are in need; and others will be generous beyond belief. But we all have a part. Our spiritual gifts will work together to build up this body, which is the church.

And in our being the church of Jesus Christ, we will be fruitful. Wisdom or knowledge will be heard, the sick will be healed and miracles will be done. There will be dreams and prophecy. And we will feel God’s Spirit among us. Paul says, “God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ.”

Now (may) we each drink from that same Spirit. Amen.