“Gifts of Love” 

John 2:1-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 

Imagine a window with four letters printed on the window frame.  Over the top is the letter 'S', on either side is printed 'T' and 'E' and along the bottom is the letter 'M'.  Because of these four letters, we might call this the S.T.E.M. or stem window. The only things that you can see through this window are those that are represented by STEM, those that can be measured and quantified by Space, Time, Energy and Mass.  So, if you can not weigh it or touch it, if you can not measure how many ergs of energy are produced over time, then you will not see it through this window. 

This is the window into reality that we have grown up with, the window taught by the modern and rational mind.  Surely, it does represent reality.  Reality consists of what we can touch and hear, what we see and measure.  Anything that we can not see through this STEM window must therefore be pure superstition; fables and fiction are all that can exist outside of that window.  Right? 

How much does love weigh?  How many ergs are produced by the attraction of one person for another?  Define for me, if you will, how much mass is represented by selfless service on behalf of the poor?  How big of a container does it take to hold justice?  How do you measure a promise?  Perhaps you will agree with me that we do recognize a reality that goes beyond the STEM window; a reality that includes Space, Time, Energy and Mass and a whole lot more. 

There was no doubt in Paul's mind, or the Corinthians, that spirits were active in the world, active in people's lives.  They could not touch or weight these spirits, they could not measure their energy, but they were absolutely real and active in the world.  Today's reading begins “Now concerning things of the spirit, friends, I do not want you to be ignorant.”  These might be the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are mentioned, these might also be things of dumb idols.  Dumb idols that can not talk; dumb idols that keep people from talking with God.  Corinthians sought wisdom from idols, sought healing, expected spirits to invade their very beings.  They hoped that they would become better, wiser, prophetic individuals.  Perhaps they might seek other worldly, out of this body, experiences.  As a minimum, they expected periods of ecstasy.  Spirituality was a key focal factor of their individual lives. 

Paul confronted them, and us, with a choice: you can do one of tow things, but only one.  You can not claim to know the Spirit of God, can not claim the Holy Spirit is present in your life, and curse Christ.  Anathema comes from this Greek word to curse: it is the strongest form of rejection. Interestingly, you can not do the opposite, you can not claim that Jesus is Lord unless the Holy Spirit has led you to that point.  Jesus is Lord.  Jesus, this man from Galilee, the Son of God, who came and taught, who was killed and who was resurrected by his father, is Lord.  Not rabbi, not spiritual director, not political guru but Jesus is Lord.  As people were excluded from the Temple, as they lost their jobs, as they faced death, this idea of Lord meant that they would give everything, even their lives, to follow their Lord.  It was so crucial to them that the early church would ask all visitors, all who had not been fully taught the meaning and been baptized, to leave the meeting before they would collectively voice those simple words: Jesus is Lord.  When said with that impact, when said in the face of those consequences, only the Spirit of God can lead us to such an affirmation.  Only the Spirit of God could provide the strength and courage to stand behind those words.  In many parts of the Muslim world today, to say Jesus is Lord has can guarantee death. 

Faith: a gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Listen as Paul goes on.  It is the one and the same Spirit who graciously gives us gifts, an incredible variety of gifts of which this is but a partial list.  It is the same Lord who calls us to sacrificial service, to use our gifts in his service, in an endless variety of ways to serve others.  It is the same God who has the power to make these gifts have power, purposeful power.   It is the Trinity that stands behind these gifts, the gifts that are being given to each of us.   

Verse 7: “To each is given” a manifestation of the Spirit.  Does that verse worry you?  It does not say that to those who want to try a few gifts, they can pick them up on aisle five; keep your receipt in case of return.  It does not say that only the pious, or spiritual, or the seminary trained pastors, or the choir, or those in the front five rows are specially entrusted with gifts.  No, they are given to each of us; better, they are being given, continuously.  This is not a one time special deal: get your one and only gift and hold on to it for all you are worth.  Gifts are being given, over and over again; and are given for a purpose: for the common good. 

Paul wants to make sure we get this point, that we don't go shopping for these gifts.  Skip down to verse 11.  The verbs are “activated, allots, chooses” and each of these by the Holy Spirit.  These truly are gifts that are from a generous God who decides how we need to be equipped for service, who then equips us, complete with all the batteries and PIN numbers required to make them work.   

We might not be able to see these gifts through our modern western STEM window.  But let's gaze through God's window, lets see what might happen as these gifts are used for the common good.  Our children, physical and those young in the faith, might be given wisdom beyond experience to correct and guide us forward.  Others might have special knowledge, be able to see a situation clearly, to see what others might have missed, that leads us to a correct action.  To others is given special faith.  Faith like that of Jesus commanding Lazarus to come out of the tomb.  Faith that says we can support a community in time of crisis; faith that says we can offer a positive influence on our youth or the entire globe; faith that says we can reconcile neighbors.  

Are you starting to get excited as we look beyond that physical STEM window?  When we look at what we are, what we have, in God's reality?  Perhaps, some are blessed with healing powers.  We so quickly think in physical terms: injury and disease and crutches and pills.  What about the healing of relationships that have been torn apart?  What about the healing of the emotional damage caused by abuse or addiction?  What about physical healing when the doctor has no options left?  The healing that leads us back into God's loving arms?  Or prophecy.  Not the news stand prophecy of the day based on a mystic's cryptic comments.  But the gift of prophecy, literally truth telling, that tells us what God's word means to us today, here; prophecy that calls us to action or calls us to task.   

I can remember how I reacted the day in Alabama when the minister came up to me and started talking about gifts, my gifts.  Nervous is an understatement.  When he combined Holy Spirit gifts, teaching, junior high and me into a single sentence, I nearly panicked.  It wasn't I gift that I thought I had, nor wanted, nor think that I have now.  But the following two years of teaching were some of the most satisfying that I have ever done. 

Gifts for the common good. 

These are not simple stereotypical gifts that come in three basic models with four color choices.  These are as varied as the imagination of God.  These gifts are as varied as the recipients; no two of us are alike nor do any of us, even with the same gift, use it in identical ways for the common good.  What an incredible place this would be, will be, as we open our hearts to these gifts of the Holy Spirit, to these gifts that can not be seen through the STEM window but are just as real, even more real in what matters, than that cold and calculating STEM world. 

Gifts of the Spirit, given in love to each of us, for the common good. 

We heard Wally read from John.  The marriage at Cana; the story of water turned into wine.  This is the first sign that John tells us about, the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus.  John does not use the term miracle, for that draws us to focus on the event.  John wants us to see the sign, they meaning, behind the event.  What could be so important about more wine at the end of a week long wedding feast?   

Look at some of the signs.  The very relationship between mother and son changes, radically changes, before our eyes.  'Woman' sounds like a rather harsh word; we don't have a good word that captures the love and gentleness in Jesus' address.  It is no longer 'mother' but still a loving address.  And her response is one of obedience, obedience to the one who had always been obedient to her.  Jesus leads us into a new relationship from the very beginning. 

There is the changing of the water of Judaism into the wine of Christianity.  The transformation of the people of God chosen by tribe into the larger adopted family of God.  Radical change; but not just symbolic.  Physical change occurs as well: wine is not water.  All of creation answers to its creator.  This is a clear sign that we are not to be like those at Corinth.  We can not let our spirituality take us away from this world, for God works in this world.  God is not excluded from working in the world we see through the STEM window but works in all of reality, the greater reality that only God sees fully and we see as in a mirror, darkly. 

Another sign is the feast itself, a wedding feast.  This is where Christ started his earthly ministry: a marriage between two people.  This is where Christ will continue his earthly ministry when he returns: a marriage between Christ the groom and the church, that body of all believers, the bride.  John wants us to see who Jesus is now.  John wants us to see the sign that Jesus has come to prepare our wedding feast.  Jesus will provide the best feast of all time when he returns. 

As we look at this as a sign, we look at Jesus the author of the signs.  As we look beyond the event, even as we might struggle to reconcile the reality of the event with our view of what is possible, we are confronted with the 'Why?' of the event.  Just as the 'Why?' of gifts were for the common good, the reason for the signs is greater than the signs themselves.  The last verse tells us that Jesus did this first sign, as he did all of them, so that his glory might be revealed.  Before we focus too much on 'his', remember that Jesus says that all that he does is done only through the power and glory of God the father.  All these signs are to reveal God's glory.  And reveal it so that we, as the disciples, might believe in Jesus.  As important as the signs are, what is more important is that we are to believe, we are to accept God's loving invitation to that greatest of all weddings when Christ returns for his church. 

Gifts of miracles, gifts of signs, given in love, so that we might see God's glory and believe.  

Holy Spirit gifts and miracles given out of the love and overflowing generosity of a caring God.  Given to produce the result of believers who take their belief into the world, using the incredible variety of their God empowered gifts for the common good.   

Gifts of love.  An invitation to the wedding feast. 

Gifts of love.  The Holy Spirit gifts that allow us to make a difference. 

Gifts of love.  The gift that allows us to say “Jesus is Lord”. 
 
 

January 14, 2007

Rev. Al Hammond

First Presbyterian Church

Logan, Utah