1 Corinthians 12:1-11, January 14-20, Year C:

Straight AheadThe Gospel text for this Sunday is John 2:1-11, the account of Jesus changing water into wine at a wedding feast. This represents the beginning of signs, something new in the life of God's people. It will be the subject of my sermon tomorrow. As I was writing the outline for that sermon, I was sitting on my deck, enjoying temperatures well above 70 degrees. Needless to say, it reminded me of another beginning--the beginning of spring, a newness of life. Our epistle text also represents a new beginning of sorts as gifts of the Holy Spirit are evident in the church at Corinth. If all of this seems a bit whimsical, perhaps it's the result of my own new beginning with this series of essays in a new year after what has been a very difficult Christmas season. Or, perhaps it's just the spring weather! Take it for what it is! At one time or another, I have probably held just about every theological position one can hold regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or the "charismata," as expounded in 1 Corinthians 12. I do believe that every Christian is given some spiritual gifts; but in order to have a more complete understanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are applied in the church, it is important to read Romans 12 and Ephesians 4 as well as our current passage. I cannot bring myself to take the position of some nineteenth-century Presbyterians that the gifts of the Spirit expounded here completely died out at the end of the Apostolic Age. I see no Scriptural grounds for such a view. When the next chapter of 1 Corinthians speaks of certain things "passing away," I take that to mean that these things will pass at the end of the age. Nor can I take the position of some Pentecostals and neo-Pentecostals that such gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be thought of as normal, or are requirements for a truly spiritual Christian life. Even in New Testament times, we have no reason to think that this was the case. So what are we to do with the spiritual gifts? First, remember that the list given here is not an exhaustive list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Second, remember that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are far more important than any particular manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Third, be ware of seeking an experience of God without being grounded in the doctrine or the biblical truth of God. (Our experiences must be judged by the Holy Bible, not the other way around.) Fourth, be discerning. If someone makes a fantastic claim for themselves or regarding something they've seen or heard, be careful to test the evidence as well as "testing the spirits." (There is such a thing as counterfeit spiritual experience that is not Christian.) The power of the Holy Spirit is necessary for any genuine Christian work to be performed; and that power is available to all believers. In special circumstances, we may experience an extraordinary filling of the Holy Spirit, or an enabling empowerment for a special task or crisis. The Spirit also leads us to understand the Scriptures and guides us toward Christian maturity. These aspects of the Holy Spirit are far more important than any particular gift or manifestation of the Spirit. It must not be forgotten that the Holy Spirit is a part of the Trinity--co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Spirit was involved in creation. It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates the heart which was previously dead in sin and leads a person to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. The Holy Spirit in-dwells all believers. These are some of the more typical acts of the Holy Spirit. Having said that, we must be aware that the HolySpirit dispenses His gifts to whomever He will. He is sovereign over the distribution and types of gifts. As individuals and the churchhave need of spiritual gifts, such gifts are freely given. Nobody should take pride in the spiritual gifts they may have been given. Such treasures are given only by God's grace. Finally, just as we are not to be overly eager for the sensational or the spectacular, so are we not to be overly fearful of what God may choose to do in our lives, our churches, or the larger community. God may choose to bestow His spiritual gifts in unexpected ways, at seemingly unlikely times, on unsuspecting individuals. Such outpourings of the Holy Spirit could indeed be prelude to revival--in a community, a nation, a church, or even the world! We dare notsay what God can or cannot do, or assume what He will or will not do! We must always ask ourselves this question: Are we truly open to the empowering gifts of the Holy Spirit, or are we afraid and hesitant to allow God's transforming power completely into our lives?

Jesus Really Is the Answer!

Straight AheadI remember the old saying about the cost of a luxury item. If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can't afford one. A skeptical theologian once remarked upon the slogan, "Jesus is the answer," by saying, "What is the question." And my response to that is simple. If you don't know the question, you probably wouldn't understand the answer! But let me try to add some light to the heat, as they say. Increasingly, we hear of professing Christian people, ministries, and organizations who sincerely want to deal with problems in the world; but they want to do it with one hand tied behind their backs. They want to give solutions to serious problems, give comfort to hurting people, give hope to the hopeless and direction to the lost, and life to the dying--but they want to do all these wonderful things without mentioning the name of Jesus Christ, without affirming His claims, without any meaningful evangelism. Many of these are sponsored by Christian ministers and churches. I have heard of groups of churches coming together to form counseling ministries who wanted to be careful not to emphasize the Bible or overtly Christian principles. Biblical references were not to be a vital part of their approach in aiding their clients. Many people who want to aid those going through the various stages and processes of grief or involved in other specific emotional problems want to steer clear of Christian assertions or faith claims. Talk of "the resurrection and the life" is deemed too sensitive by some to bring into discussions of co-dependence. We may talk of coping with the adversities of life by using psychological terms; but whatever you do, don't dare run the risk of offending anyone by seeking to lead them to Christ or by encouraging them to join a church or become active in church activities. Theological answers to psychological and behavioral questions are taboo--seen by many as too naive and immature. I remember when I first began studying philosophy in college and again in seminary. The great questions of life were discussed in purely speculative terms and often from a highly secular perspective. The idea of God, the doctrines of Christianity, were often brushed aside as being of little interest to the serious scholar. Such notions were all right, of course, for the uneducated, but hardly suitable for the intellectual seeker or serious student. My reaction to such philosophical suggestions is the same as it is to those who would deal with the great social problems of our day by dismissing Christianity. To those who think Christianity can only be a helpful sidelight in the emotional struggles of real people, and to those who think we must be careful not to offend the non-Christian by suggesting a personal relationship to Christ, I extend my utmost sympathy and my sincere prayers. I am not a fundamentalist. I understand that we must meet people where they are, and at the point of their hurt, before we can show them the source of their real problem and satisfy their genuine need. Still, I cannot help but think back to those days in seminary when I first heard Andre Crouch sing, "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him, there's no other, Jesus is the way." Andre Crouch was right! Jesus is the answer! And if you don't know the question, you probably wouldn't understand Jesus Christ, the Answer!

Favorite Moments in Sports:

Straight AheadTomorrow night, Florida will play Ohio State for the college football national championship; but for most of us, that game will be anti-climactic and almost irrelevant because of one of the favorite moments in sports that took place last Monday night. Of course, for most of us, our favorite moments in sports revolve around our favorite teams. For me, those would include the national football championships won by Alabama, the 1992 pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth inning by Francisco Cabrera that drove in two runs and gave the Atlanta Braves a 3--2 win in the seventh game of the NLCS over the Pittsburgh Pirates; the "Music City Miracle" in the January, 2000, wild card game that gave the Tennessee Titans a victory in the final seconds over the Buffalo Bills as the Titans moved toward the Super Bowl; the Braves 1995 World Series championship over Cleveland. But the favorite moment in sports on Monday night, January 1, 2007--the great moment in sports--wasn't about any of my favorite teams. It was in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State, a team that hasn't even been playing big-time football for all that many years--was playing perennial power Oklahoma. Most of us didn't give Boise State much of a chance. We were surprised and pleased that they could even stay on the field against the Sooners. Actually, at one time in the third quarter, Boise State led Oklahoma 28--10. But Oklahoma came back; and with about ninety seconds left in the fourth quarter, intercepted a Boise State pass and went ahead 35--28. At that point, I turned off my radio. I figured Boise State was done. But how wrong I was! On a fourth down and eighteen play, with just seconds left, Boise State pulled a miracle of its own out of the hat, scored a touchdown, and tied the game. Then, after Oklahoma scored on its first play from scrimmage in overtime, Boise State faced another fourth down situation--and did it again, scoring a touchdown. But instead of kicking the extra point for another tie, they went for two points on a mis-direction play--and won the game--43--42. In these days of arrogant athletes, big-money, high-powered sports programs at almost every level, and questions about drug and steroid use by players, I just thought we should take a minute, before we get too far away from this year's college football bowl season, and recognize one of the really great stories that took place on the field this year. The Boise State coaching staff is one of the youngest in big-time college football--and their players are some of the hungriest. They got tired of being told they had no chance--and they simply refused to lose! Good for you, Boise State!