Difference without Division

The Body of Christ is a covenant Community

The Body of Christ is a covenant community and to understand this idea of covenant community we will begin, not in 1st Corinthians but actually in Exodus 24:3–8 So, if you have your copy of God’s word you can turn with me there.

Exodus 24:3–8 ESV

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

We see that the covenant was between the body, the Nation of Israel, and God and it was ratified in blood. Well, we are no longer under that covenant or all of its requirements -those requirements being the law, so what happened. Let’s look, if you will with me at Jeremiah 31:31–34

Jeremiah 31:31–34 ESV

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah was writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and was foretelling a new covenant, lets take a look at that new covenant.

Lets look now at 1st Corinthians 11: 23-26

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We see that Christ, in instituting the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, proclaimed the arrival of the New Covenant, this covenant was ratified by Christ on the cross. The temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom symbolizing the abolishment of the old covenant with the sacrificial system and the dawn of the new covenant where each individual would have the Law of God written on their heart - and the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us through life. It is this passage in 1st Corinthians that Pastor Dennis covered two weeks ago, and it comes just ahead of Paul’s discussion on the body of Christ. Now, in the context Paul was addressing an issue regarding improper handling of communion but what we see is a reminder that we exist in a covenant community. While we are saved individually we live our faith out in community.

Let’s begin to look at our focal passage.

Tun with me if you will to 1st Corinthians 12: 12-31

1 Corinthians 12:12–31 (ESV)

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

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.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 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, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Being a member of the Body of Christ must be the most defining thing about us

verses 12-13 The First thing we see is that being a member of the body of Christ must be the most defining thing about us. Whenever a group is united around something there are inherently differences among the members, but the thing they are united around is more important that any of the differences. Our political party, our race, national origin, favorite sports team, occupation or tax-bracket - or anything else - cannot be more important than our relationship with Christ and therefore our relationship with the rest of the body.

There is not meant to be any division in the body

verses 14 - 20, in the context of the entire passage, are addressing individuals who wanted showier gifts, such as speaking in tongues, and didn’t have them. Instead of using the gifts they did have to the glory of God they weren’t contributing to the body, as if a foot could just stop being a part of the body. God has given the spiritual gifts and God is sovereign. Our lack of self sufficiency is really sanctifying in that it requires us to interact with other believers.

Verse 21-26 address the individuals who had the showy gifts and believed they had no need for anyone else. We all need each other. While the outward appearance of one’s body may get a lot of attention, the internal organs are what keep the body functioning. All the members of the body must work together in unity. If one suffers, we all suffer. We are not meant to live out our faith alone, we are to live out our faith in community with other believers.

We are united for a purpose, there is work to do

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Verses 27-31 highlight different spiritual gifts, Paul demonstrates that there is an order but this does not mean that the first gifts are the only ones that matter. Rather, Paul demonstrates that God has set up the body of Christ to function in an orderly manner. These gifts are both showy and practical, which shows that there is work to do. Living out our faith in community requires effort and intentionality - but the Holy Spirit multiplies our effort in ways we cannot imagine and may not even know about or see come to fruition - but we are to be faithful.