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About Jesus - Steve Sweetman ParticipACTION
No, I did not misspell
the title of this article. Anyone
living in Canada during the 1980's may recall the federal government's
participACTION commercials that were meant to motivate Canadians to get
off their couches, go outside, and exercise, which by the way, reminds me
of 1 Corinthians 12. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul
wrote that every believer has been called alongside other believers
in the Body of Christ in order to exercise his or her God-given gift,
ministry, or ability. A
Christian is not called to be a pew-sitting spectator.
1 Corinthians 12:4 through 6 in the NIV reads: "There are
different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. In the above passage we
read about three types of service ministries that should be functioning in
a local body of believers. The
first group of service ministries is seen in the phrase, "there are
different gifts, but the same Spirit."
Paul related these gifts to the Holy Spirit, and therefore, they
are the nine gifts of the Spirit listed in verses 7 through 11. The second group of
service ministries is seen in the phrase, "there are different kinds
of service but the same Lord." I
believe the word "Lord" refers to Jesus, and thus, these service
ministries would be the ministries Jesus gives to the church as seen in
Ephesians 4:11. They are
apostles, prophets, evangelists, and, pastors/teachers. The last group of
service ministries is seen in the phrase, "there are different kinds
of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at
work." You are right.
That sounds utterly weird, so let me explain.
The Greek word
"energema" is translated as "working" in the NIV in
verse 6. We derive our English
word "energy" from this Greek word.
Paul said that everyone, not just Christians, or so I believe, is
born with a certain God-given energy (energema in Greek) that gives birth
to talents and abilities that God may ask us to use as service ministries
in the Body of Christ. I conclude that every
believer in the local expression of church has been given one or more of, either a gift
from the Spirit, a ministry from Jesus, or a talent or ability from God
our Father. We are, thus,
required to get off our couches, and exercise our service ministries with
those to whom Jesus has placed us alongside in the Body of Christ.
In the vernacular of the government of
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