August 20, 2025

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (1 Corinthians 12:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

There are a bunch of strange, hare-brained ideas out there. This is especially clear when the topic of “spiritual gifts” comes up. Some churches think this means people in the Holy Spirit start speaking in gibberish, which they call ‘speaking in tongues.’ Some throw their hands up, roll around, or bark like a dog because they feel that they’re filled with the Holy Spirit. Good grief. That’s not how the Holy Spirit works. Others think “spiritual gifts” refers to created abilities and skills, from understanding people to working with electrical outlets. But then, why would Scripture call these “gifts of the Holy Spirit” when they’re more like gifts of creation? Spiritual gifts are more than just skills and abilities. 

Remember, the Holy Spirit’s role is that He “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the Holy Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith” (Small Catechism, Creed, 3rd article explanation). So the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith in people’s hearts so that they believe in Jesus as their savior. He does this by the Word and sacraments. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit have something to do with edifying the faithful and assisting the Church on earth.

Keep in mind the Holy Trinity when reading 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. Paul says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” God, Lord, and Spirit refer to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father has various gifts of creation and vocational calling. He empowers these activities so that by doing your vocation, He is there enlisting you to help sustain His creation. The Lord Jesus has “varieties of service.” This especially refers to the Office of the Ministry that stands in the stead of Christ and by His Command. Yet in this one Office of the Ministry, there are different roles, from an assistant pastor to a professor to a missionary or a hospital chaplain.

The Holy Spirit thus has a variety of gifts, too. He gave certain miraculous Gifts in the period right after the New Testament. But these are no more. Now, the Holy Spirit confines Himself to the normal churchly ways—by your pastor’s preaching, baptizing, the Lord’s Supper, your own study of God’s Word, and devotional life. Here are the Spirit’s primary Gifts today, not to mention faith in Christ and the love that comes from faith. God strengthen you in these true Gifts of the Spirit.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Heavenly Father, grant that we are not misled into strange teachings, but kept in the simple teaching of Scripture as we have come to know it by the Catechism. Amen.

Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

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