I. The Body Of Christ Is Many, Yet It Is One
A. The Body Is One Vs. 12, 13, 27
1. V. 12 Paul compares the Body of Christ to the human body: diversity with unity.
2. V. 13 All Christians are one in Christ, even though we have many differences.
a. We were all baptized (place into, immersed into) one Body, the Body of Christ
b. Nationality or cultural standing have nothing to do with that.
c. We all drink, receive, are filled with the same Holy Spirit. All have equal standing.
3. Paul repeats his theme; we are different in gifting, calling, language, etc., but we are one.
B. The Body Of Christ Has Many Members
1. V. 14-The unity of the body isn’t because of uniformity.
a. Unity is the organic union of many different parts that are joined together into one.
b. Many times, we feel unity only with those that are like us or very similar to us.
c. That isn’t unity, that is uniformity. The feeling of unity based on sameness.
d. Paul is teaching that our view of the Body of Christ must go beyond the experience of sameness. Enjoying sameness is
easy. Enjoying and recognizing oneness with many different members is much more challenging, but that is God’s design for His people.
2. Vs. 15-20 Sometimes we disqualify ourselves from experiencing unity because we look down on ourselves. We disqualify ourselves because we feel that we are not a prominent member or we feel that we do not contribute much. We feel unimportant and unusable. We think that no one would miss us if we were gone. That is self-deception.
a. Vs. 15, 16 Generally speaking, hands are more attractive than feet, and eyes are more attractive than ears. But all those body parts are critical for overall health and prosperity. We should never minimize our importance within the Body of Christ.
i. There is also a danger that we can be jealous of other members within the Body of Christ. This is a dangerous practice. There is always someone who is more or less gifted than we are. They are more or less noticed than we are. If we are focused on our own sense of self worth because of how we compare with others, then we are sinning through pride and through a dissatisfaction of how God made us.
ii. 2 Corinthians 10:12, 13 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.
iii. Think about hands and feet: We are amazed to see someone who can walk on their
hands or who can lay the guitar with their toes, because hands and feet have specialty functions that they perform.
Hands and feet ought not to despise or be jealous of one another.
iv. Ray Stedman-the work of the church is to heal the broken-hearted out in the world, to give deliverance to the captives, to open the eyes of the blind, and to preach the good news to the poor and despairing of heart. That is what the Body of Christ has come into the world to do — to encourage, strengthen and help people, and especially to deliver them from the guilt, the loneliness and the misery of sin and to set them free from the bondage of foul tempers and evil habits and all the rack and ruin of life. That is what the work of the church is. And it does not go on here, it goes on out there. This is merely part of the training program. We do not come to church to fulfill the work of the church. We come here to get ready to fulfill it out there. You are only kidding yourself if you say that because you cannot lead, or teach, or preach, you are not a part of the body and do not have a function within it.
b. V. 17 It also doesn’t make sense that the body should only consist of the more preferred parts, for then it would not be functional as a body.
i. Imagine that there is a fire in your house at night: How will you know?
ii. You probably will not see it first. You will smell it or hear the smoke alarms.
iii. Initially, the eyes are less important than your ears and nose.
iv. The ears and the nose do what the eyes cannot do, since the fire isn’t visible.
c. Vs. 18-20 When we feel superior or inferior to other members of the Body of Christ, we are disapproving of God’s sovereign decisions and placement of His people within the local church and within the Church Universal.
i. V. 18 Does not God have the right to do that which pleases Him?
ii. V. 18 He gifts people in a way that pleases Him and sets them in place in a way that pleases Him.
iii. Vs. 19, 20 It pleases God to have one Body made up of many members. The Body is more functional that way.
iv. If our hearts are in unison with God, God’s design will please us also.
3. V. 21 Some members of the Body can feel superior to others, with the result of thinking that those members are not needed. Imagine the eye seeing a danger, but it refuses to let the hand help. Imagine the brain understanding a danger but refusing to let the feet carry that person to safety. Our human bodies are so wonderfully integrated that we don’t even think about such things, we simply respond appropriately.
4. V. 22 Weaker- “weak; unable to achieve anything great”.
a. Some parts of our body “seem to be unable to achieve anything great”.
b. Consider big toes-they stabilize us to be able to stand, walk, and run.
c. In Judges 1:6, 7 Israel cut off the thumbs and big toes of their enemy leaders. This rendered them useless as warriors. They still lived, but they couldn’t fight.
d. We might consider some members of the Body of Christ as “unable to achieve anything great”, but the Body needs them to function at 100% capacity.
5. Vs. 23, 24 Some parts of the human body which seem less important, we realize that they are very important (thumbs, big toes). Some parts of the body are not designed for human viewing in public, so we are careful to cover them properly.
a. V. 24b We care for the less visible, less public parts of our human bodies. God honors those members of the Body of Christ who are less visible and less public.
b. The point is that God honors every part of the Body, so that all are equally honored.
6. V. 25 If God honors every part of the Body of Christ, then let there be mutual care and let there be divisions among us.
Divisions were commonplace in the church at Corinth.
7. V. 26 When Christians fail, especially publicly, it is a stain against all Christians. When Christians succeed, it sheds a good light on all Christians.
II. Some Of The Giftings In The Church Vs. 28-31
A. Office Within The Church V. 28
1. These offices are callings to lead and equip the church for service to God.
B. Gifts Among The Members Vs. 28, 29
1. These are some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, designed to benefit all Believers.
C. What The Church Should Desire Vs. 30, 31
1. V. 30 Paul teaches that not all of us have every gift. There is diversity.
2. V. 31 Paul say that the church should desire the “best” gifts.
a. Best-more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous.
3. V. 31 Paul will go to tell us that love is more important than gifting. (1 Cor. 13)