Multiply

There are several musical parts, and the objective is that we sing in harmony with one another. We worship with one
voice, with one mouth, and our worship pleases the Lord.
Humanly speaking, what happens when someone is off-pitch, out of rhythm, or singing the wrong lyrics? It is discordant,
confusing, and sometimes even painful to listen to. Paul has something like this in mind.
Leaders set the example by living in unity and harmony with others in the body of Christ. We are not competitors; we
are on the same team, and we need to demonstrate that.

Jesus said that his followers would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. And they did! They prayed and God moved.  But they also experienced God’s power to love, to forgive, to be faithful in the face of persecution, to be patient in times of trial, and to express joy in the face of suffering.  The churches described in the New Testament acted in great faith and experienced the miraculous power of God. 

Paul speaks of cultivating your spiritual gifts. The need to cultivate the ground is very important especially when the tender plants are first growing. This is especially important to make sure the ground is free from those things that could rob nutrients from the young plants. If we desire spiritual fruit the same care must be intentionally focused upon our hearts in order to ensure a good harvest.

But as a Village Church Planter, you have been taught to read the Scriptures in their context. So, it is important to understand the context of 1 Corinthians 13… and it’s not about weddings!

The context of 1 Corinthians 13 is all about spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul teaches about speaking gifts and gifts that demonstrate great faith. 

I believe that one of the most empowering things you can do as a church planter is to help your people discover and use their spiritual gifts. God has given every believer one or more spiritual gifts to empower us to serve the body of Christ and reach out in love to the world.

To learn more about how to humbly and powerfully use the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, click here to enjoy a new edition of Multiply:

 

In Romans 12 Paul lists seven gifts that many theologians have categorize as motivational gifts. They are: Prophesying, Serving,  Teaching,  Encouraging, Giving,  Leadership,  Mercy 

They are called motivational gifts because each one listed gives us a reason to act upon them. When we are motivated, we have “an incentive or a strong desire to do well!” This makes complete since because these gifts are given by God Almighty Who is the Creator of the Universe!

When we speak about spiritual disciplines, we often think of activities that we do when we are alone with God.  Praying and meditating on God’s word are spiritual disciplines that we often practice by ourselves.  But there is a spiritual discipline that must be practiced in fellowship with others.  We call it the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion.

Our Lord Jesus Christ assumes his followers will fast. Yet many people struggle with the self-sacrificing behaviors Jesus mentions in Matthew 6.  But fating can bring blessing to others.

As we fast, each time we turn away from food, we are calling out to God for him to act.  But our call to God is not a spoken call.  With fasting, our actions do the talking for us.

As we worship God, we gain two attributes which make us useful to God in this world.  First of all, as we worship God, our faith grows. We trust him more because through worship, we remember better his love and his power. As we worship God, debilitating fear melts away. Fear is replaced by a sense of security that comes from being held in the Father’s arms. In additions to faith, we gain inner peace through worship. Faith and peace make us fit for the challenges we face in the world.

“Be hospitable” means to be friendly to strangers or guests. A “stranger” is someone who we do not regard as a member of our extended family or a close friend. Strangeness produces mutual tension between natives and foreigners, but hospitality overcomes the pressure and makes friends of aliens.