1 Corinthians 12:27

Now, you are the body of Christ and members in particular. God has set some in the church: first apostles, secondarily prophets, and thirdly teachers. After that, there are miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more excellent way.

Father, we thank you for the privilege that it is to have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. As a result of that, we rejoice in hope of your glory. We want you to be glorified in us, Lord. It is by your word that you sanctify. Your word is truth, and you transform our minds by your word and by the work of your Spirit.

We are asking that right now, by your Spirit, you would do just that. We want you to have the ability to move in this place, Lord. We desire for you to have authority in our lives and to mold us more and more into your image. So God, we ask that you would have free reign in our hearts, in our minds, and in this church. We want you to be glorified by us. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen.

You can be seated. We have been taking a significant amount of time looking at the text here in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

Because it is of great importance, I believe, to our church at this time, we see here in this portion of Scripture that we are the body. We are unified as one body in Christ, but we are many members. There is unity, and there is diversity. This is restated for us once again in verse 27: "Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

This is not just an organization; it's not the creation of man. This is the institution put forth by God. It is His body. It's not an organization; it is an organism. It has life that is given to it by God. We function with Him as our head, and He is the one who directs us. By His sovereign plan, He places us within the body to accomplish the work that He desires to do. It is a glorious thing when we are doing what we are supposed to do, and we are not free radicals within the body, causing destruction and chaos.

It is so important that we recognize that ultimately we are created for God's purpose and pleasure. Revelation 4:11 tells us that very clearly: "For His pleasure we are and were created." We are here to be pleasing to Him, to glorify Him. The body does that in a great way when it functions by His power and strength. As God told Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel, the builder, in Zechariah 4:6, "It's not by your might nor by your power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." We want to be those who are functioning by the Spirit of the Lord, fulfilling His purpose and His plan.

Every single individual seems to have an agenda, but we want to yield that to His agenda and His plan and let Him be God. I believe He is better at that job than I am, and I think you'd all agree.

So, we are the body of Christ and members in particular. Verse 28 of 1 Corinthians 12 says, "And God has set some in the church." We have already seen in this chapter that God has set all of us where He has placed us within the church. Look at verse 18.

But now God has set the members, every one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him. The same Greek word used in verse 28 is also used in verse 18. God has set them by His plan, by His decree. He organizes it and establishes it. The word that is translated as "set" in the King James Version of the Bible can also be translated to "place," "lay," or "set as a foundation." It can mean to lay forth or to make for one's use. Additionally, it is translated in the Scriptures as "ordain," "commit," or "establish."

So, God is the one who ordains things. He is the one who ordains where people will be within the body and how they will be gifted. We saw that back in verse 11, where it is the Spirit of God who divides to every man within the body of Christ the gifts of the Spirit as He wills. This word "to set" or "to ordain" is seen throughout the New Testament.

I want to focus on six different uses of it in the New Testament. In Acts chapter 20, verse 28, Paul is speaking to a group of leaders within the body of Christ who are assembled. He says to them, "Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock of God, over which the Holy Spirit has made you," using the same Greek word, "has set you" or "ordained you," "as overseers."

There was a group of leaders in Acts 20:28, and Paul says, "Listen, God set you here; He ordained you to this task, and He wants you to take heed and be careful that you do it well, in the right way. You do God's work in God's way." He continues, "Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which God, the Holy Spirit, has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood."

This is His church. He purchased it. He made us His gathering in Christ. It's not something man did. He brought together the body of Christ, and He has set, by His plan, overseers—people to direct the work, people to lead the work. But they are accountable to Him. It is a stewardship that has been committed to them. So, take heed, as stated in Acts 20:28.

Then I mentioned also 1 Corinthians 12:18, which states, "But now has God set the members, every one of them in the body as it has pleased him?" Again, the same word is used. He has ordained your placement within the body of Christ. He has willed what gifts you would have within the body of Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 5:19, Paul says, "So we understand this is the gospel right here. God in Christ Jesus has reconciled us to God." He has brought us back to God and has not imputed our sins upon us. That's the gospel. What a great and glorious truth! We've been brought to God, and He has not given us the wrath that we deserve.

Notice what he goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 5:19: "And has committed," using the same Greek word, "ordained" or "set," "unto us the word of reconciliation." He has committed this great and glorious gospel to our care, giving us a stewardship to go into all the world and preach it. That's what we do. We go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, as we see in Matthew 28.

In Luke chapter 24, He says, "Preach the gospel to every creature." We have been given the ministry of reconciliation, and God has ordained that we would have it. In 1 Timothy chapter 1, the Apostle Paul says, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord," in verse 12, "who has enabled me, for he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." The same Greek word is used here; He has set me into the ministry.

Why has He set Paul and the rest of us into the ministry? Because He enabled us for it. As we faithfully execute what He has called us to, then He commits us to the ministry and the ministry to us. In the same book, 1 Timothy 2:7, Paul confesses to Timothy, "Whereunto I am ordained or set or placed as a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth in Christ. I do not lie. A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."

Then again in 2 Timothy 1:11, he states, "Whereunto, speaking of the gospel, I am appointed," using the same Greek word, "ordained," "a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles."

God is the one who sets us within the body. He first saves and calls us, and in that calling, He gifts and equips us to do the work of the ministry. That's why we have these gifts, as we've already seen in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every individual within the body of Christ. The work and gifting of the Spirit are given to all for the profit of the whole body. We are given these gifts first to glorify God, then to edify the body, and through that, to evangelize the world. That's what we're called to.

Now, notice in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 28, that Paul says God has set some in the church, and then he lists them first, second, and third, and continues down from there. These are ranking words. What we see here is that there is a hierarchy within the body of Christ. There is an established order within the church that God creates. This is not the organization of man; this is the invention of God, the creation of God. He establishes this hierarchy and this order.

Have you noticed that God is a God of order? Just look at your body, and you instantly see it. Creation cries out to us that God is a God of order. Yet, there are people in our culture today who say that this order is not all put together, that it came from chaos. This goes directly against the second law of thermodynamics, the law of entropy. But just forget that because it happened.

If I were to say this water bottle just happened, that same person would call me a fool. So why can't I respond when they say that everything just happened, which is far more complex than a water bottle? It is foolish to look at yourself in the mirror or under a microscope, see all the order that's there, and say, "Forget that thermodynamics stuff; this just happened." They claim we just need more time, and if we can collide some more particles together in France and Switzerland, we'll figure it out. Fool. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."

Amen. But there is order in our physical bodies. The human body has physical order. In the same way, the body of Christ has an order and a hierarchy that God has ordained.

And he has set these things in place. Notice that he set these things in place as he has willed by his plan. First, he says, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers. After that, miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, and diversities of tongues. There is a progression here; there is a hierarchy.

This hierarchy is not because people are particularly good-looking, or they speak well, or because God saved a celebrity, so now they should be the head of this ministry. No, this is as God establishes and ordains. As God sees faithfulness, he commits more responsibility to individuals. He says, first, apostles.

When we read of apostles here in 1 Corinthians 12:28, I believe this is speaking of the early apostles in the early church, who were a unique group that saw the risen Lord and received a direct commission to the work by the Lord. They were the foundational members of the church. The book of Ephesians talks about this. Paul says that Christ is the chief cornerstone, and then the church is built upon Christ and this foundation of the apostles. This is the foundational ranking that we see in this passage.

As we discussed when we looked at the gift of the apostles several weeks ago, there are people within the body of Christ who function as apostles in the sense that they have a message and they go out, taking that message into the uttermost parts, similar to a modern-day missionary. Trip Kimball, who came up here and shared today, has an apostolic calling in that sense. However, he does not have the same authority that the Apostle Paul had, so that when Trip Kimball writes something, it does not become Scripture.

Understand that there was an authority placed on these individuals, and it was unique. Therefore, God establishes this governance with Him at the head. He is the one who gives direction, vision, and empowerment. He then gives authority to people within the body of Christ to execute that authority and to exercise their gifts. It is very clear.

Because of this, when a church lays hands on an individual and ordains them to the ministry, it is an act of recognizing the authority and gifts that God has established.

It's not the church that's doing that. The church is merely recognizing or ratifying what God has already done. They're saying, "We recognize that God has ordained this individual for this purpose, for this task." We're just saying amen to that. We're laying hands on them and recognizing them before the body of Christ.

Now, there is a problem. Many times, when we are called to a specific task or work, we get very excited about that task and work, and that's a good thing. But then we immediately start to think that everybody needs to do this task. I struggle with this, like the next guy. God has called me to be a teacher, to preach the gospel. A lot of times, I filter your calling through that. They say, "Well, you should teach and preach." Well, maybe you're not called to teach and preach. Someone else is called; they are just clearly called and gifted, equipped by God to be in children's ministry.

Then they say, "Well, everybody needs to do children's ministry because it's such a great blessing and it's glorious." Well, not everybody is called to children's ministry. I would suggest that there are more people called to children's ministry than sometimes step up, but that's just another thing for another study.

Notice what Paul says to this in verses 29 and 30. He asks a series of rhetorical questions: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?" The answer to these is clearly no. Not all are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all are workers of miracles. Have all the gifts of healings? No. Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? The logical answer to these rhetorical questions is no. Not everybody is called to or gifted for these specific tasks.

As we saw already in 1 Corinthians 12, not everyone is an eye. If all were an eye, where would the hearing be? We have to recognize this. There is a diversity of gifts and callings within the body of Christ. But all are called, and all are gifted. Therefore, all ought to use their gifts, but not everyone does the same thing.

Now, verse 30 is incredibly important because there are some in certain areas of the church today that say, "If you do not speak with tongues, you're not a Christian or you don't have the Spirit of God." Well, clearly, that's false. We have to take the doctrines of man and filter them through the Scriptures.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is useful. We use this as our guide. When someone says, "Well, if you don't speak in tongues, then you're not a believer," we can respond clearly. The Scriptures are clear, and we shouldn't feel bad about that. It is important to make it very clear that the Scriptures do not support that view. Not everybody has the call or the gift to speak in tongues, but that doesn't mean that we don't all have some sort of call, because we do.

Notice what Paul says in verse 31: "But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more excellent way." I am reading from the King James Version here. When you read that verse, you may immediately encounter a problem. In Exodus chapter 20, we are told, "Thou shalt not covet." Now, we look at this verse, and it says, "But covet earnestly, passionately desire the best gifts." We might think, "Whoa, wait a minute. I thought 'Thou shalt not covet.'" There seems to be a contradiction.

However, the word "covet" can also be translated as "earnestly desire," and it is in some English translations. When we read "the best gifts," it can also be translated as "the most useful gifts." The Greek word for "earnestly desire" is used in both a positive and negative context in the New Testament. It is the Greek word "zelo'o," from which we get "zealous." You can be zealous for something in a wicked, evil way, or you can be zealous for something in a very good way. If you're zealous for money, you might have a problem. If you're zealous for God, that is glorious. The word can be used in two different ways in the Scriptures, and the context dictates what is being said. Therefore, we must consider the context.

As a result of this, there are two different views on 1 Corinthians 12, verse 31. If you read through commentaries on this passage, you will find a split in interpretation. Some people say that Paul is speaking in the imperative mood in Greek, while others say he is speaking in the indicative mood. You may wonder what that means. Let's consider it for a moment. The imperative mood is a command, indicating "I am telling you, do this." The indicative mood, on the other hand, indicates something that is already going on.

It's explaining what you're doing. Some commentators look at this passage and say that the Greek word "zoloo" here is being used in the imperative, as it is translated in most English translations. They interpret it as a command, telling us to desire the most useful gifts.

However, there are other commentators who argue that Paul is actually indicating that you are already doing this, and he is showing you a better way. You could read this as you are coveting showy gifts, but I am showing you a better way. You might wonder, which one is it? The reason that most English translations translate this as a command, "earnestly desire the best gifts," is because the Greek word "zoloo" is indeed in the imperative mood in the original language.

I have no problem with someone translating this in the imperative or in the indicative, and here's why: Yes, we should earnestly desire gifts to serve God and glorify Him more greatly in our lives. However, we should not covet the gift or the position that someone else has in the body of Christ. We should not covet it for ourselves, or perhaps we just covet it because we don't want them to have it.

Isn't that wicked? It's one of the worst forms of covetousness. What is dreadful is that I see it in my children, and you do too, because children are mirrors of us. How does it manifest? Addison is playing in one room with a toy. She picks up a new toy, and Ethan comes in from the other room. He does not want her to have that toy. He doesn't want to play with it; he just doesn't want her to enjoy it.

This is our carnal nature coming out. We look at people who have great positions, beautiful houses, or a lot of money. They get a promotion, and we think, "I don't want it, but I don't want them to have it." We can carry this attitude into the body of Christ as well. Someone might say, "I don't necessarily want to be a pastor, but I don't want that guy to be a pastor." Consequently, we endeavor to tear him apart and tear him down. And it's wicked.

But he says here, "Earnestly desire the most useful gifts." I have no problem translating this in the imperative as a command because Paul restates this very thing in 1 Corinthians 14:1. 1 Corinthians 14:1 says, "Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts." He uses the same Greek word, "zolo." He uses it again in verse 39 of 1 Corinthians 14, wherefore, brethren, "covet to prophesy" or "earnestly desire that prophecy would be in your midst." He clearly restates it two more times.

We could say he is telling us that we should desire to be more effective in the work of the ministry that God has placed before us. So, Lord, we desire that you would enable us by gifting to be able to be more effective.

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul says in verse 1 that it is actually a good thing to desire a position of service within the body of Christ, a position of oversight within the church. 1 Timothy 3:1 states, "This is a true or this is a faithful saying." Paul continues, "If a man desires the office of a bishop," which can also be translated as elder or overseer, "he desires a good thing."

Now, just because someone desires it does not necessarily mean that they will get it, because this is according to God's direction and plan, especially after one has faithfully executed the work that God has set before them and exercised the gifts that He has already given to them. If someone desires the position of an overseer, he desires a good work.

The office of an overseer, elder, or pastor has certain requirements given within the body of Christ. The Scriptures speak about how that person should look and what should be seen in their lives. One who steps into the position of a leader ought first to be a servant. In Mark 10:45, Jesus says, "Whoever desires to be the chief shall be servant of all." For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many.

If you desire to be in a position of leadership over other people, you need to do that through servanthood. In the body of Christ, we believe in servant leadership. While it is not highly exalted in the workaday world today, it is supreme within the economy of God. This principle is witnessed to us by Jesus and exemplified in His actions.

In John chapter 13, He is the one who stooped down and washed His disciples' feet. He tells us in verse 14, "If I then, your Lord and your Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." Now, is He giving a mandate for foot washing? No, He is leaving an example for service. We are called to be the servants of all, and He is the perfect picture of this.

Philippians chapter 2, verse 5, says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and came in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." We are encouraged to be like-minded with that.

The person who wants to be in leadership first needs to take on the robe of a servant. This is illustrated in Acts chapter 6, where there was a need within the church. The apostles gathered the body of Christ together and said to them, "Choose out for yourselves seven men." They then provided the requirements: they must have an honest report, a good testimony, be full of the Holy Spirit, and full of wisdom. The apostles stated, "We will appoint them, we will ordain them to this task."

As individuals serve, God, seeing that they are faithful in executing the work and exercising their gifts, gives them further responsibility and begins to make them overseers. The one who desires the office of an overseer, as stated in 1 Timothy 3:1, desires a good work. Paul goes on to explain what the overseer ought to look like and what their life should reflect.

1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 2, states that an overseer must be blameless. Additionally, 1 Timothy 4:1 emphasizes that he should be the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, and of good behavior.

2 Timothy 4:1 states that a leader must be given to hospitality and apt to teach. In 1 Timothy 3:3, it is emphasized that he should not be given to wine, nor a striker, nor greedy for filthy lucre or dishonest gain. Instead, he must be patient, not a brawler, and not covetous. Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 3:4, it is noted that he should rule his own house well, having his children in subjection with all gravity. For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he be able to take care of the church of God?

This individual ought not to be a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report from those outside the church, lest he fall into reproach and a snare like the devil.

Looking through what is given here, we see very clearly the requirements for someone who would be given a position of an overseer, an elder, or a pastor. As our board of elders here at the church has reviewed these qualifications and considered the scope of our church, we recognize an individual who fits this description. About a month and a half ago, our board gathered with this individual, prayed over him, and ordained him as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We want to do that here this morning.

We would like to invite Jason Brower, along with our board of elders and our pastors, to come forward. Jason has boldly gone where very few will endeavor to go—in the youth ministry—for the last ten years. He has faithfully served in that position, doing the work of the youth pastor without a title or a piece of paper. The title we are giving him is simply the church ratifying what God has already bestowed upon him. He has faithfully executed the work, and thankfully, he has not executed any of the kids—that's good! He has shown himself to be a man of many gifts and talents, willing to serve without reward or recognition.

And so our board prayed over him in April and ordained him as a minister of the gospel here from Calvary Chapel of Escondido. In reality, I have to confess, this is something we probably should have done a long time ago. Unfortunately, important things sometimes slip through the cracks. But he is a pastor in every sense of the word, even without the piece of paper that says so. We want to commit him to the Lord and to the body and pray for him. So would you stand with us as we pray for him today? Thank you.

Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning, a glorious morning, following in the path that you have already set. We join in unison to lift our brother Jason before you and agree with all of the things that you've already been doing in his life. We acknowledge the impact he has had on the precious children in this body that you've gathered here together. I pray for your continued hand on his life, on the life of his family, and on his ability to focus and listen to your voice as he proceeds forward. It has been a great blessing to watch the growth of the children in our youth ministry, and I'm excited to see what you have for him and for the children as we go forward.

Yes, Lord, praise God. What a gift you've given us, Lord, in this body here, in raising up Jason. We commit him to you, Lord, as a fellowship, Jesus. We ask that above all, his walk with you would be deep and rich. May the overflow of that relationship he has with you grow and be an even greater blessing to his wife and his children. Yes, Lord, and to the children of our fellowship.

And to each one of us, God, we just lift him up to you today, Lord. We are so grateful for the work that you are doing in him and through him. As Greg just prayed, we look forward with great expectation, God, to what you want to do in his life, the life of his family, and the life of the youth of our fellowship.

So we pray for him, Lord, for vision—your vision, your direction in his life—and the best way to take care of, tend, and raise up the youth here in our fellowship. Yes, Father, would you do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think in and through the life of this man? Lord, we commit him to you. We ask, Lord, that you would give him vision and wisdom that is from you, clearly. God, give him insight and wisdom as he studies your Word. Would you draw him closer to you as he digs in and serves?

Lord, would you set a blessing upon him, his wife, and their kids? Would you open doors that no man can shut and blow his mind as he serves you faithfully? God, we thank you for the character that you have given to him. We thank you for the work that you have done in him and are continuing to do through him with the youth ministry. We look forward to the greater things that you are going to do.

So fill him to overflowing with your Spirit. Give him grace, mercy, and peace to confront even the difficult things that he will face in the calling that you have placed upon him. We thank you for him and his wife. Would you make them an example to all those they come in contact with, both in the church and outside? We commit them into your hands. We thank you for him in Jesus' name. Amen.