One Body Glorifying Jesus

One Body Glorifying Jesus

07-07-13

1 Corinthians 12:18-27 (ESV)

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

The Church is not building, an organization or an event, but rather a diverse community of believers.

·      Here is building, on top there’s a steeple, open doors, church is the people!

The body analogy illustrates what it means to be a Christian church.

·      The church should be unified but not uniform.

·      Not all of us are alike but we all have the same Jesus Christ, Bible, are filled and led by same Holy Spirit, and have the same mission… to glorify God in all things.  Rom 15:5-6, Col 1:18, 2 Cor 4:13a, 1 Cor 10:31

o   Apart from Jesus Christ we would not all be one community called LEFC. 

We are one body but many diverse parts interconnected & interdependent.1 Cor 12:12, 14, 20

·      Everyone is not equally visible but everyone is equally important & valuable.

o   Majority of LEFC ministry is invisible: Allen R, Sharon S, Julie T.

God brought you to this imperfect church to be part of body & to fill and fix holes.

·      Christians who don’t use their gifts hurt the entire body.  1 Cor 12:26

o   Injury effects “unrelated” parts because they have to take up the slack.

§  Good leg’s muscles misused & begin to hurt .

·      Your passions, gifts etc. will make us a more complete & Christ-like church.

o   See a need, fill a need…Schieches, Women’s BS,

§  Maybe your thinking, I’m not leader or comfortable, well, neither were most of us.

·      God doesn’t necessarily call the qualified but qualifies the called.

o   John & Kyle are an excellent example.

We have two choices: We can either be frustrated and complain or help change things. 

·      So many encouraging things are happening but everybody’s got to get out of the stands & get on field. It’s game time.

o   Be part of crew that makes this ship move forward not a passenger that complains about the on-board service.

We need you & you need us. The more everyone uses their gifts, the stronger and better of a church we’ll be.  1 Cor 12:18-22,

·      Ask the Holy Spirit to tell you where you’re supposed to plug in & participate.

o   The more we work together, the more gets done & more glory God gets.