Scripture
1 Corinthians 12:15-20
Open your mind and heart as you read the passage of Scripture aloud and then again quietly to yourself. Listen for God’s word to you.
Observation
In this chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul has been teaching the Corinthian church about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He says, as followers of Jesus Christ, they need to know about such things.
He lists nine of these gifts, although others are mentioned elsewhere. Whilst each gift is different from the others, and results in specific ministries and areas of service, they all come from God and are given so the whole church may benefit. To illustrate the fact that there is unity as well as diversity within the Church, Paul uses the example of the body and all its separate parts. Each part has its own specific purpose and role, but all are linked together to form the whole. Each part needs all the other parts. No body part can exist when separated from the rest of the body, nor can it fulfil the task of any other part. No follower of Christ should ever feel excluded because their gifts are not visible as some others are. Any of the diverse gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit are essential for the development and expansion of the Church. The body has to have different parts to enable it to work effectively – and so does the Church. Each gift, when utilised to build up the Church, brings glory to God. In distributing gifts the way He does, God ensures that everyone has a role to play in promoting the advance of His Kingdom.
Icebreaker:
What gift/gifts have you seen people using recently that have left you in awe of what they are doing for your home church? Maybe it was a Sunday school teacher, or the volunteer washing the dishes. Perhaps it was someone praying over somebody for a specific healing, or someone arranging all the paraphernalia for a weekend conference. Why did you feel awed by such a person’s work?
Application
- Are you happy to be you? How do you see yourself? What do you wish you could change – physically, emotionally, spiritually? What would it take for you to love yourself (if you don’t); or how do you feel admitting you do love yourself (if you do)? What, if anything, makes you reluctant to say how you feel about yourself?
- Have you ever taken one of the many personality questionnaires that are available? If so, how did it help/not help you to understand yourself better? If you have never taken one would you be willing to do so? Why/ why not? If you are reluctant to do so, what is holding you back? Check out the Myers-Briggs Personality Test as one option to do this.
- ‘Your personality traits are just as God intended’. Do you agree/disagree with this statement? What do you wish you could change about who you are?
- ‘Our personality traits have power for good and evil’ How can you see this in your own life? Is this a new realisation for you? How does the good/evil aspect of who you are in regard to your personality traits affect your relationship with other people, and the way you serve Jesus? What difference do you think this realisation could make in the way you respond to others and to God?
- ‘God desires to bring your personality to its original glory’. How do you feel about increasingly becoming who God intends for you to be as you surrender to Jesus? What could this mean to the way you live your life? Are you willing or reluctant for this to happen? Why?
- How can the group help you with the struggles you have mentioned during this session?
Prayer
Read the following prayer to yourself in silence. Allow a few moments to actually pray the prayer:
Lord, I confess that I have tried to be that which I am not. Today I give you my mask, my pretence and my charades. Forgive me for not accepting who I am, for I have denied, consciously or unintentionally, that I am made in Your image. Help me to leave behind all I am not and to discover the person You made me to be for Your glory. May I fulfil my calling to advance Your Kingdom on earth, whatever that may mean to You.
Share how you felt as you prayed this prayer and then pray together in regard to any issues that have been raised during your discussion time, and in regard to other needs of the group.
Service
Be alert to how people respond to you when you use your gifts in a positive way this week. Make an effort to do so more than you usually do. How do they react when you do use your gifts? What is their response if you should, by mistake or design, use your gifts negatively in any way? Be aware. Share your own reaction with the group next week.
Bibliography
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