It’s Not My Job: It’s My gift (Colossians 3:22: 1 Cor 12:12)
• The context of 1 Cor 12, Paul is talking about Spiritual Gifts.
o Then in this section he abruptly talks about the body, meaning the church.
o He is creating this picture, this analogy that the church is like the human body.
And how we use our spiritual gifts, in the church, is like how a body functions.
• The important thing to see here, if one part of the body is missing, the whole body suffers.
o If one of the spiritual gifts is missing in the church, the whole church suffers.
o If one of the gifts isn’t being used, the whole church suffers.
Colossians 3:22 The word used here in Greek means, “service rendered merely for the sake of impressing others.”
• Paul says we always have to do our best, even when no one will notice or see it.
• The Spiritual Gifts we have are gift from the Lord, they are His!
o We use our gifts for an audience of one, we don’t do it to get the credit or the glory.
o We also don’t get to decide when we are going to use them.
• …but with sincerity of heart… This could be translated as “with singleness of heart”
o When we are sold out for Jesus, our greatest desire will be to serve others in Jesus name.
• and reverence for the Lord. The word reverence in the Greek is actually a verb.
o But it’s also in the passive form. Which means it is happening to us.
So, this isn’t trying harder, it’s allowing myself to be awed by God.
The verb also is in an ongoing form. So, this isn’t a onetime thing.
• How do I do this? I take my eyes off of the work and focus on Jesus and His glory.
o My reverence for the Lord, just starts to flow through me as super natural power in my gifts.
Verse 23 In the Greek it’s not the word heart, it’s the word psuche. Which means the inner self.
• I can’t engage work at a soul level, if I simply try harder.
• I can only engage work at a soul level, if I engage with the Lord in my work.
o It’s the same with using my gifts. I can’t simply try harder and work myself up to it.
I must engage with the Lord, from my soul, to see what He is doing and join him in that.
1 Cor 12:22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary
• Don’t let the enemy convince you that’s it’s not your job because what you offer is different than someone else. If you are the big toe, we need you, we can’t walk without a big toe.
Verse 25 When someone is sick, or is experiencing loss, it’s equally your job to bring healing and comfort.
Verse 26 When our eyes are on Jesus, and His reverence is flowing down over us, we can remember that Jesus suffered for us.
• First, I use my gifts, and engage in church life from the heart, working from the soul, overwhelmed with His reverence.
• Second, my part in church and gifts, is indispensable, the church suffers without me and my gifts.
It’s Not My Job: It’s My Gift
