I. The Design Of The Body
A. Jesus Is The Head (Of the Body, and of the Church )
Eph 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; …
Eph 5:24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Mat 16:18 “… I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The physical body is subject to, and dependent upon the physical head.
The Body of Christ, the Church, is subject to and dependent upon Jesus.
There is only one Body of Christ, of which Jesus is Head.
Jesus is the head, the leader, the Master, the Lord.
Jesus said that it was His church.
The parts of our physical body are dependent upon direction only from the brain.
We need to receive our life and direction only from Jesus
The church gets its life from Jesus.
The church gets its direction from Jesus.
B. We Are The Body
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
Rom 12:5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
The physical body is not to direct itself; it is directed by the head.
The Church is not to direct itself; it is directed by Jesus.
Every Christian is a part of that Body.
Every Christian ultimately answers to Jesus.
II. The Oneness Of The Body
A. The Human Body (Verses 15,16 )
B. The Body Of Christ Is One ( Verses 12, 20 )
1. We Are Placed Into One Body ( Verse 13 )
Regardless of background, social standing, denomination, etc.
We are all placed into one Body.
Denominations aren’t wrong unless they split the Body of Christ.
2. We Drink From One Spirit ( Verse 13 )
We all partake of the same Spirit of God.
III. The Diversity Of The Body
A. Diversity Does Not Cancel Out Oneness ( Verse 14-17 )
B. Diversity Is By God’s Design ( Verses 18, 19 )
We should guard ourselves against complaining about who is where in the Body of Christ.
We can think certain people ought not to be what they are.
We can think other people should do certain acts of service.
God, in His infinite and mysterious wisdom, has placed people where He wants them.
We should do 2 things regarding that:
1. Accept what God has made others to be.
2. Accept what God has made us to be. Embrace it.
C. Diversity Causes The Church To Function Properly ( Verse 19 )
IV. The Importance Of Each Part Of The Body
A. Diversity Is Important ( Verse 17 ) Also, 15, 16
B. “Weaker” Parts Are Essential ( Verse 22 )
NIV 1 Cor 12:22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
TLB 1 Cor 12:22 And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.
seem to be weaker- Literally: either truthfully or seemingly are weaker.
necessary- anagkaios, an-ang-kah’-yos; near, necessary, necessity, needful.
C. Greater Honor Given To “Weaker” Parts
honor- time, teemay- also translated: price (paid), value (monetary and otherwise), worth, recognition, honor someone as being valuable and worthy of praise,
dishonor- atimia, at-ee-mee’-ah; infamy, comparative indignity, disgrace:–dishonor, reproach, shame, vile.
1. The Physical Body
The weaker, more modest, less presentable parts are given special attention so as to be included when the whole body is in public.
2. The Body of Christ
People tend to dishonor seemingly weaker and less important people.
People or ministries which are less presentable, less obvious, less visible.
This happens even in the church.
That is exactly opposite to the attitude that God has.
Consider a dinner banquet…
All the attention would be on the rich and famous.
Jesus would be in the corner with the “down and outer”.
God pays more attention to people who need it, rather than those who seem to have the applause of men.
Jesus always chose the underdog, the outcast, the throwaway.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
When the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed are brought into the church, Jesus pays more attention to them.
We would run to the talented, beautiful, gifted, popular, funny, intelligent person.
We line up to talk to them.
Jesus would be in the corner or in back, talking with that person who is still trying to find their place in the Body of Christ.
Does He love them more?
No.
Does He give them greater honor, more attention, more time and love?
Yes.
Why?
Because it’s appropriate and needful.
D. What Is Your Value System?
If I give a good sermon, and you are blessed, that’s great.
But I am only being faithful with the gift given me.
If you were blessed by being given a bulletin, instead of having to look for one, that’s great.
The ushers and greeters were only being faithful with the gifts God has given them.
I am blessed if you line up to talk to me, and thank me, and tell me you were blessed.
Let’s be sure to line up for the ushers and greeters also.
Thank them also.
Thank every teacher in the kid’s ministry.
The ones that take kids to the bathroom.
The ones that privately stay up and prepare curriculum for your kids.
V. Guarding Against Independence And Pride In The Body
(verse 21 )
The illustration is both humorous and striking; yet how often do we resent others in the body because they aren’t what we think they should be?
If you have a gift that is more visible, guard against pride and independence.
Luke 17:7 “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
Luke 17:8 “But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
Luke 17:9 “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
Luke 17:10 “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'”
VI. The Purpose Of The Body
A. Not Just Church Meetings
1. Worship
2. Fellowship
3. Equipping The Saints
Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
My job is to teach and help equip you for ministry and service to God.
The worship team is here to help facilitate part of your worship to God.
The other 111 waking hours/week you are on your own.
B. Don’t Judge Your Usefulness By How You Fit Into Sunday Morning
1. Your Ministry May Be Outside The Congregational Meeting
2. 112 waking hours per week. ( 16 hour days )
Sunday Meetings are 2 hours
Sunday morning accounts for 1.7% of your waking hours.
Don’t judge your effectiveness for Jesus based upon what happens here on Sunday morning.
Don’t disqualify yourself from serving God b/c you aren’t gifted to serve on Sunday morning like some others serve.
3. That would mean I should quit b/c I don’t preach like Charles Spurgeon or Billy Graham.
4. If your ministry is a church meeting kind of ministry, great.
We’ll pray about how you can serve here.
But there is a lot of other ministry out there.