Introduction
In 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, Paul addresses the distorted thinking of the church regarding the nature and purpose of spiritual gifts. The Corinthians, influenced by the culture and religions around them, were using the “spiritual gifts” as ways of vying for position, status, rank, prominence. The truth is that God has given every individual Christian different resources, abilities, and roles, to be used in the local church, for the common good of that local church family, on God’s mission to proclaim the gospel throughout the world. Thought out this week’s passage and rest of the chapter, even as Paul lists the varying gifts, his emphasis is on the fact that these gifts were given by the same Spirit of the one Triune God.
Read
1 Corinthians 12:1-7.
Observe
- How does Paul describe the Corinthians’ past? What two verbs describe what was happening to them?
- In verses 4-6, Paul lists things that differ among each individual, and things that are the same. List them.
- According to verse 7, what does Paul describe the gifts? What are they? What is their purpose?
Understand
- In verse 1, the Corinthians were asking about “spiritual stuff”, in verse 4, Paul says the gifts are given by the “same Spirit”. What is the difference in emphasis in their question verse 1 and his reply in verse 4? What does this difference tell us about the distortion in the Corinthians’ thinking about the gifts?
- Paul shifts from the Corinthians' word "spiritual things" (pneumatika, v. 1) to his own word "grace-gifts" (charismata, v. 4 — derived from charis, grace). Why does that terminological shift matter? What does calling them grace-gifts rule out?Have several people articulate this in their own words.
- Verse 7 uses the word "manifestation" (phanerōsis, "making visible"). Paul could have said "gift" or "ability." Who is being made visible when a manifestation of the Spirit is expressed? What does that reframe do to a competition over whose gift is greater?
Apply
- The Corinthians used gifts to rank themselves. Where are you tempted to treat what God has given you: an ability, a role, knowledge, a gift, as a measure of your spiritual standing or value to the church?
- If the gift is a manifestation of the Spirit — meaning the Spirit is what is being displayed through you — what difference does that make for how you feel when you serve well? When you serve poorly? What changes when the visibility belongs to the Spirit, not to you?
- God brought you to Stonebrook, in Ames, Iowa, in the summer of 2026 with exactly the resources needed for the mission He has given this church. Get specific with each other. How can you use what God has gifted you with, to further His mission, through the local church at Stonebrook?
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