1 Corinthians 12:4-6 The Same, But Different

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 The Same, But Different

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.”

The Corinthians problem with Spiritual Gifts was they being used to exalt themselves or put down others. They were all about I’m better than you. “My gift’s better than your gift, my gift’s better than yours, my gift’s better because I’m more spirit filled, my gift’s better than yours.”

News Flash! God is not interested in your ego, He’s interested in the job. The question is not which gift you have, but what are you doing with the gift you have? Luke 12:48 “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”

With this in mind let us take a look at our passage for today.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

The first word we must consider is the word “varieties”, in some translations it says “different”. God has given a variety of gifts to the church. Every person in the church does not get or need all of the gifts.

Romans 12:4&5 “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.”

Life at work: Not everybody at work can have the same Job. Hopefully your job fits your talents. The same in the church.

Romans 12:6-8 “if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

1 Corinthians 12: 8-11 “To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

Ephesians 4:11 “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers

GIFTS

Romans	1 Corinthians	Ephesians
Prophesy	Wisdom	Apostles
Service	Knowledge	Prophets
Teaching	Faith	Evangelist
Exhorting	Healing	Pastors
Giving	Miracles	Teachers
Leading	Prophecy
Mercy	Discernment
	Speaking in Tongues
	Interpretation of Tongues
	Apostles
	Helping
	Administrating

 

A Variety of gifts, but not the same gifts to all.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

The Same Spirit, the Same God.

Ephesians 4:11 “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,”

1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned”

Mark 9:42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

God empowers them all.

In Everyone.