1 Corinthians Ch12v12-27 - Members Of The Body

And just to say that after our gathering this morning, there is tea and coffee and it's a great opportunity to catch up with people, to meet people who perhaps you don't know, to talk to people who we've met this morning, talk to the students.

And I wonder if there's any here, if you put up your hand, were you here yesterday afternoon, evening? So there's a few here and they had a great time.

And I popped in for a short while as they learned how we can trust the Bible, God's word.

So if you want to know what that was all about, ask one of the younger people who are here and they'll tell you over tea and coffee.

I'd like you to turn in your Bible, please, to 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

1 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

Well, we're in a short series of healthy membership or meaningful membership.

Ralph kicked us off last week as we looked at members of the kingdom.

And today we're looking at members of the body.

And just to remind you that from today's talk, we're going to be meeting on Wednesday.

So if there's anything that you want to follow up on or questions that you may have, certainly ask them today.

But come along Wednesday night as we think about it a bit more together.

You're all very, very welcome.

So let's read 1 Corinthians chapter 12, starting at verse 12 to 27.

1 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

Let's hear God's word.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

For we were all baptized by one spirit so as to form one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free.

And we were all given the one spirit to drink.

And so the body is made up of one part, not made up of one part, but of many.

Now if the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

And if the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?

And if the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

If they were all one part, where would the body be?

As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you.

And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you.

On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.

And the parts that we think are less honourable, we treat with special honour.

And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,

while our presentable parts need no special treatment.

But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it,

so that there should be no division in the body,

but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.

If one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ.

And each one of you is a part of it.

Well, let's pray.

Father, thank you that you have not left us alone in the dark,

but you have given to us your word,

and you have given to us your spirit that we may have understanding.

And we pray for each one of us as we gather this morning,

that as a result of what we hear and think about,

we would live, we would leave with a greater and bigger picture

of what it means to be part of the body of Christ.

Help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, we're all used to memberships.

Maybe you're a member of a sports club,

or members of the Men's Shed,

or the Credit Union, or a political party.

Membership of all kinds of different things.

I'm a member of the local gym,

and I'm sure you can tell by just looking at me.

I pay my fees,

and I have access to all the facilities.

Being a member means I can work out every single day,

and I can talk to all the other members.

But I can also decide not to go at all,

and I can choose not to talk to anybody else.

But you know what?

I'm still a member.

I've paid my fees.

I have my rights.

I decide on the level of commitment I give

to that membership.

Now, membership of the church

is not like that.

When the Bible talks about church membership,

it uses deep and rich imagery.

We are citizens of a kingdom.

We are blocks in a temple.

We are children in a family.

Each image,

the individuals make up the whole.

So the citizens make up a kingdom.

The stones or the blocks

together make up the temple.

The children together make up a family.

Each part is related to the other.

There's a union.

There's an interdependence.

There's a relationship

between the parts.

And we are,

as we're going to look at together,

members of the body.

Look at the key verse.

It was the last verse we read together,

verse 27.

This is our memory verse for today.

Verse 27.

Now you are the body of Christ,

and each one of you

is a part of it.

Did you get that?

You are the body of Christ,

and each one of you

is a part of it.

So let's together unpack this image

of the church.

What does it mean

to be members of the body?

Well, first,

Christ is the head.

If there's a body,

that it implies

there is a head of the body.

Now it doesn't talk about it explicitly

in the text that we just read

in Corinthians,

but in other parts of the New Testament

it makes it very clear.

So in Colossians 1, verse 18,

Colossians 1:18

the Apostle Paul says this,

speaking of Christ,

Christ,

and he,

that is Christ,

is the head

of the body,

that is,

the church.

Now,

if you're the head,

Sam referred to this earlier,

if the head,

well, it can mean

something like rule

or authority,

like your headmaster

in school.

They're the head.

But head can also mean

source

or beginning.

So we talk about

the head

of a river.

In other words,

in that context,

Christ is the source

of life.

Christ has the authority

to give people

new

and eternal life

through his death

and the cross

and his resurrection

from the grave.

One writer put it like this,

the church

receives all its life

from Christ

and has no life

apart from him.

I'll read that again.

It's important.

The church

receives all its life

from Christ

and has no life

apart from him.

So from the head

flows

life

to the body.

And the idea

of Christ

being the source

of life

is picked up again

in Colossians 2.

Here it's talking

about those

who might turn

from Christ

or want to

separate themselves

from Christ.

Look at the language

used.

Colossians 2

Colossians 2:19

verse 19.

It's on the screen.

It says

they've lost

connection

with the head

from whom

the whole body

supported

and held together

by its ligaments

and sinews

grows

as God

causes it

to grow.

So to live

without Christ

is like to

sever the head

from the body.

It's cutting yourself

off

from the source

of all life.

So

Christ

is

the head.

And second

if Christ

is the head

then the church

is the body.

That's what we read

in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12:27

12

verse 27.

Now you

are the body

of Christ.

Now question

for us here.

I want us to think

about that verse.

Look at it with me.

Who is the you

in this

verse?

You

are the body

of Christ.

Who's it referring

to?

Each one of

you

is a part

of it.

So who's the you?

Does it mean

everybody?

Does everyone

right now

in this building

does it refer

to each person

here that

they are

the body

of Christ?

Well the

Bible makes

it very

clear

that the

you

are those

who confess

that Jesus

Christ

is Lord.

You might

remember

from last

week

Ralph talked

about the

church

being built

on the

right

confession

confession

and the

right

confessor.

Well the

same idea

is picked

up here.

Have a look

with me

at chapter

12

verse 3.

Chapter

12

verse 3.

As we

think about

who it

is

who does

belong

to the

body.

Chapter

12

verse 3.

Therefore

I want

you to

know

that

no one

who is

speaking

by the

spirit

of God

says

Jesus

be

cursed

and no

one can

say

Jesus

is

Lord

except

by the

Holy

Spirit.

Only

those

who have

the

spirit

of God

only

those

who've

been

changed

or

saved

by

Jesus

can

truly

say

from

their

heart

Jesus

is

Lord.

Lord.

Only

those

who

submit

to

the

Lordship

of

Jesus

only

those

who

are

living

according

to

the

confession

are

part

of

the

body

of

Christ.

Now

when

this was

written

this would

have been

very

clear

to

everybody

because

in

that

time

under

the

Romans

Caesar

was

Lord.

So

to

claim

that

anybody

else

was

Lord

to

say

that

Jesus

is

Lord

well

that

was

a

direct

threat

against

the

authority

of

Caesar.

It

could

cost

you

your

life.

So

the

confession

to

say

yes

I

believe

Jesus

is

Lord

could

only

come

from

the

very

fact

that

you

had

been

changed

and

you

were

trusting

!

Jesus

an

evidence

of

the

work

of

the

Holy

Spirit.

So

if

you

have

turned

to

Jesus

today

if

you

are

here

and

you

have

submitted

your

life

to

Jesus

then

let's

be

clear

you

are

part

of

the

body

of

Christ

you

have

received

life

but

if

you

haven't

yet

turned

to

Jesus

as

Lord

if

you

haven't

submitted

to

his

rulership

to

his

authority

then

you

are

not

yet

part

of

the

body

you

don't

have

that

new

and

eternal

life

but

here's

the

good

news

you

can

by

turning

to

Jesus

right

now

where

you

are

by

confessing

and

saying

yes

I

truly

believe

Jesus

is

Lord

I

submit

to

his

authority

I

want

to

live

under

his

rule

he

is

my

king

my

savior

you

can

do

that

right

now

where

you

are

and

know

the

life

that

comes

from

God

life

in

all

its

fullness

so

Christ

is

the

head

the

church

is

the

body

now

just

as

our

physical

heads

are

joined

to

our

physical

bodies

so

Christ

and

his

church

are

joined

and

can't

be

separated

the

body

is

united

to

the

head

so

wherever

the

head

goes

the

body

naturally

follows

and

that

is

true

spiritually

in

our

relationship

with

Christ

so

just

as

Christ

died

if

I'm

trusting

in

him

we

can

say

that

I

died

with

Christ

and

just

as

Christ

was

raised

we

can

truly

say

that

we

were

raised

with

him

his

life

is

our

life

we

are

joined

to

the

very

source

of

life

have

a

look

at

our

verse

chapter

12

verse

27

now

you

are

the

body

of

Christ

and

each

one

of

you

is

a

part

of

it

you

see

membership

of the

church

is not

like being

a member

of your

favorite

club

membership

of the

church

starts

with being

in

the

body

of

Christ

a

body

uniquely

joined

to

Christ

who

is

our

head

the

source

of

all

life

life

in

all

its

fullness

today

and

life

for

all

eternity

in

his

glorious

kingdom

to

come

now

we've

looked at

the

head

we've

looked

at

the

body

we've

looked

at

how

the

head

and

the

body

may

relate

to

each

other

now

we

want

to

look

together

at

the

body

parts

look

at

verse

12

Christ

is

the

head

the

church

is

the

body

now

we're

going

to

look

at

the

body

parts

so

look

at

verse

12

chapter

12

verse

12

here

we're

given

a

picture

of

the

physical

body

that

we

all

have

that's

why

we're

here

and

in

case

you

don't

think

you're

here

pinch

yourself

and

you'll

know

you're

here

your

physical

body

is

to

illustrate

the

body

of

Christ

or

the

church

so

I

have

an

arm

I

have

a

leg

I

have

an

ear

I

have

a

nose

but

an

arm

by

itself

or

a

nose

by

itself

is

not

a

body

right

but

you

put

all

the

different

parts

of

my

body

together

and

you've

got

a

most

glorious

body

a

body

like

mine

and

you've

got

your

own

body

of

course

verse

12

just

as a

body

though

one

has

many

parts

but

all

its

many

parts

form

one

body

so

it

is

with

Christ

or

so

it

is

with

the

body

of

Christ

the

church

let's

read

on

verse

13

for

we

were

all

baptized

by

one

spirit

that's

referring

to

your

conversion

as the

spirit

of

God

worked

in

your

life

for

we

were

all

baptized

by

one

spirit

so

as

to

form

one

body

whether

Jew

or

Gentile

whatever

race

or

religion

it

may

be

slave

or

free

whatever

your

status

in

life

is

and

we

were

all

given

the

one

spirit

to

drink

God

gives

his

one

spirit

the

holy

spirit

to

all

who

believe

and

by

that

same

spirit

supernaturally

joins us

to Christ

who is

the head

but also

joins us

to one

another

the

spirit

unites

us

to

Christ

and

he

unites

us

to

one

another

verse

14

and

so

the

body

is

not

made

up

of

one

part

but

of

many

in

other

words

if

you

say

you're

in

relationship

with

Christ

then

that

means

you're

also

in

relationship

with

his

church

God's

people

one

writer

put it

like

this

I'll

put it

up on

the

screen

and you

can

read

along

with

me

he's

referring

to

Christ

he says

joining

Christ

means

also

being

joined

to

others

who

are

joined

to

Christ

we

don't

get

Jesus

without

also

getting

his

people

being

in

Christ

means

being

part

of

others

who

are

also

in

him

we

don't

get

him

without

them

we

don't

get

Jesus

without

getting

his

people

now

some

of you

might

be

thinking

well

yes

I

agree

with

that

doesn't

that

mean

that

we're

all

part

of

the

universal

church

yes

that's

wonderfully

true

we

are

part

of

the

body

of

Christ

that

is

Christians

from

all

time

and

all

ages

from

all

the

nations

of

the

world

those

who've

gone

before

us

and

those

who

may

come

after

we

are

part

of

the

universal

church

the

body

of

Christ

and

that

is

rich

and

wonderful

but

being

part

of

the

universal

church

is

always

lived

out

and

practiced

in

the

local

church

church

that's

the

point

look at

the

key

verse

verse

27

chapter

12

verse

27

hopefully

you know

it by

now

now

you're

the

body

of

Christ

and

each

one

of

you

is

a

part

of

it

we're

connected

to

Christ

and

we're

also

connected

to

each

other

in

fact

being

part

of

the

body

means

that

we

need

each

other

we'll

never

become

the

kind

of

people

God

has

called

us

to

be

if

we

live

in

isolation

or

if

I

think

of

being

a

Christian

all

on

my

own

the

new

testament

never

ever

thinks

of

Christians

like

that

it

always

assumes

!

we're

part

of

the

body

of

Christ

the

local

church

so

how

do

we

function

as

members

of

the

body

what's

it

going

to

look

like

well

two

things

first

we

are

indispensable

every

individual

part

of the

body

every

member

of the

church

is

of

vital

importance

let's

read

together

from

verse

15

chapter

12

verse

15

now

if the

foot

should

say

because

I

am

not

a

hand

I

do

not

belong

to

the

body

it

would

not

for

that

reason

stop

being

part

of

the

body

and

if

the

ear

should

say

because

I

am

not

an

eye

I

do

not

belong

to

the

body

it

would

not

for

that

reason

stop

being

part

of

the

body

if

the

whole

body

were

an

eye

where

would

the

sense

of

hearing

be

if

the

whole

body

were

an

ear

where

would

the

sense

of

smell

be

now

switch

on

your

little

imagination

switch

because

this is

really

quite

comical

isn't

it

imagine

your

whole

body

consisted

of

an

eyeball

no

arms

no

legs

just

one

enormous

eye

bouncing

along

you

would

be

great

at

seeing

things

wouldn't

you

360

all

the

it

would

be

amazing

but

the

terrible

thing

is

you

wouldn't

hear

a

thing

and

you

wouldn't

get

very

far

because

you

couldn't

walk

and

you

couldn't

do

anything

you

just

be

this

enormous

eye

or

imagine

if

your

whole

body

was

an

enormous

ear

sitting

beside

you

you're

an

eye

and

there's

this

big

huge

ear

massive

where

you

could

hear

everything

you

could

hear

from

miles

away

but

you

would

be

useless

at

telling

the

person

the

eye

next

to

you

well

they

couldn't

hear

you

anyway

because

they

haven't

got

an

ear

they're

just

an

eye

it's

really

quite

comical

but

verse

18

in

fact

God

has

placed

the

parts

in

the

body

every

one

of

them

just

as

he

wanted

them

to

be

if

they

were

all

one

part

where

would

the

body

be

as

it

is

there

are

many

parts

but

one

body

you

see

just

as

every

part

of

our

physical

body

is

indispensable

so

every

member

of

the

church

is

indispensable

no

one

who

is

a

member

can

say

to

the

church

I

don't

belong

no

you

are

a

necessary

and

essential

part

the

church

doesn't

function

properly

without

you

God

designed

you

and

made

you

uniquely

and

gave

you

the

gifts

and

abilities

that

you

had

he

designed

and

planned

and

brought

you

into

the

fellowship

of

the

body

of

the

church

because

you

are

indispensable

you

belong

but

not only

are we

indispensable

we

are

also

interdependent

each

part

of the

body

each

member

of the

church

is

dependent

on the

others

let's

pick it

up in

verse 21

the eye

cannot say

to the

hand

I don't

need

you

and the

heads

cannot say

to the

feet

I don't

need

you

on the

contrary

those

parts

of the

body

that

seem

to be

weaker

are

indispensable

and the

parts

that we

think

are less

honorable

we treat

with special

honor

and the

parts

that are

unpresentable

are treated

with special

modesty

now there's

parts of

our own

physical

bodies

that we

think

are

weaker

trying to

think about

this

what are the

weaker

parts of

your body

well I was

thinking maybe

the big

toe

we don't

really look

at it very

much

it's covered

up most

of the

time

but cut

your big

toe

off and

you'll

notice

the

difference

you won't

be able

to balance

very well

you may

think of

it being

weaker

but it's

vitally

important

or what

about the

less

honorable

parts of

your body

that you

don't really

like to

think about

like the

large intestine

well you

don't think

that's very

honorable but

try and live

without it

it's most

needed because

it gets rid

of all the

waste

or what

about the

unpresentable

parts the

male and

female parts

well they're

needed too

you see we

need every