MinisterS and MinistrieS (1 Corinthians 12:1-7)
Gary McManus, 10/02/2022Part of the Holy Spirit series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
October 2, 2022 1 Corinthians 12:1-4
October is Pastor Appreciation Month at DCC.
Except, this year it is not.
But first, let’s praise the Lord for Pastor Appreciation
Month. The existence of Pastor Appreciation Month
has helped American Pastors and congregations.
More Pastors have remained in ministry.
More Pastors and congregations have celebrated together.
So why this year is it not just Pastor Appreciation month?
1. There are others to celebrate, not just the Pastor.
2. The church bulletin has said for years that the Lead Pastor ministers TO THE MINISTERS.
Therefore, October 2022 is MinisterS appreciation month. OR, you could say, MinistrieS appreciation month. PLURAL.
Remember someone’s service PAST or PRESENT.
Not sure? See the Annual Reports.
The first Sunday in November is All Saints Sunday
when we remember and thank God for all his servants who have gone before us and received their heavenly reward. So this month of October, while we are living and the Lord's servants are living, we are invited to thank them and praise the Lord for their service to Jesus’ church.
There are solid Biblical reasons for doing so.
But remember the early/first churches.
Many of the congregations were suffering strife WITHIN their congregations.
--Corinth, DIVISIONs (among you). (1 Corinthians 1:10-11) Even jealousy and strife among you. . .” (1 Corinthians 3:3)
--Galatia: Paul wrote of those “who trouble you.” (Galatians 1:7)
--the Timothy letters:
2 Timothy 1:15: “Phy′gelus and Hermog′enes. turned away from me.”
Strife in the congregations of the Apostles!
But that is NOT what the Apostles wanted at all.
SO the Apostle says more than once and encourages
them to in the Timothy letter: 1 Timothy 2:8
The Apostle says more than “stop fighting”!
“Be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
(Also 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:2)
Always “agreement” + Holy Spirit.
(See Ephesians 4:3-13, 1 Peter 3:8)
UNITY is OF the Spirit.
(We have been talking about the Holy Spirit.)
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
--respect
--esteem them
Remember “there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one.”
--1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Convinced? Check out: Romans 12:10, Romans 13:7, 1 Corinthians 12:26, 2 Corinthians 8:21, 1 Peter 2:17: HONOR ALL!
Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
DCC, let’s do this. Amen.
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