20/01/2019: New Wine, New Gifts
CALL TO WORSHIP:
Psalm 36:5-10
5 Your love is faithful, Lord,
and even the clouds in the sky
can depend on you.
6 Your decisions are always fair.
They are firm like mountains,
deep like the sea,
and all people and animals
are under your care.
7 Your love is a treasure,
and everyone finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
8 You give your guests a feast
in your house,
and you serve a tasty drink
that flows like a river.
9 The life-giving fountain
belongs to you,
and your light gives light
to each of us.
10 Our Lord, keep showing love
to everyone who knows you,
and use your power to save
all whose thoughts please you.
.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
READING: John 2:1-11
Jesus at a Wedding in Cana
2 Three days later Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited and were there.
3 When the wine was all gone, Mary said to Jesus, “They don’t have any more wine.”
4 Jesus replied, “Mother, my time hasn’t yet come: You must not tell me what to do.”
5 Mary then said to the servants, “Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.”
6 At the feast there were six stone water jars that were used by the people for washing themselves in the way that their religion said they must. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants to fill them to the top with water. Then after the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now take some water and give it to the man in charge of the feast.”
The servants did as Jesus told them, 9 and the man in charge drank some of the water that had now turned into wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants did. He called the bridegroom over 10 and said, “The best wine is always served first. Then after the guests have had plenty, the other wine is served. But you have kept the best until last!”
11 This was Jesus’ first miracle, and he did it in the village of Cana in Galilee. There Jesus showed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
- Some “cultural points” to remember with regards to this reading are:
- Use the image of the “empty jars” as a metaphor for life. What happens to you when your wine runs out? Is there a time in your life you can remember when the “Jar” of your life was empty?
- What does Jesus instruct the servants to do?
- Why do you think this miracle of water into wine is so important for us?
READING: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Spiritual Gifts
12 My friends, you asked me about spiritual gifts. 2 I want you to remember that before you became followers of the Lord, you were led in all the wrong ways by idols that cannot even talk. 3 Now I want you to know that if you are led by God’s Spirit, you will say that Jesus is Lord, and you will never curse Jesus.
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve the same Lord, 6 and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do.
7 The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. 8 Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. 9 To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick 10 or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. 11 But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
- What does my challenge mean to you: “New Wine – New System – New Gifts …. All for the benefit of leading others to Jesus; all for the benefit of blessing others with Grace.”?
- An important verse to focus on this for this week is 1 Cor 12:11. What does it say?
Some key points to guide your thinking and discussion are:
- God gives each person in the church a spiritual gift.
- A spiritual gift is a special ability from the Holy Spirit, who is in our hearts.
- This gift may be strong faith, or a message full of wisdom, or understanding other people.
- Other gifts are healing, speaking God’s message, miracles, or explaining what is said in worship.
- The purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up and add life to the church.
- You may wonder what your spiritual gift is. Listen for it. God will help you discover it.
- You may already know what your spiritual gift is. That’s good; keep sharing it!
- All of us should “be on the lookout” to help one another recognize their spiritual gifts.
- In this way, God encourages us to contribute to our community of faith in Jesus Christ.
- Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit “activated” in your life? In the life of our Church?
If you need some guidance and direction around the Gifts of the Spirit, then please feel free to contact the church office for assistance (044 5333430).
Have a blessed week,
Rev. Tim