One Body; Many Parts

Friends if you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s word. Today we read from 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

1 Corinthians 12:12–31 (CSB)

For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. Indeed, the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. And if they were all the same 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!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Would you pray with me? Pray. Go ahead and have a seat.

Happy New Year Seed Family! I hope your Christmas breaks were amazing, and I’ve been praying for our church for the coming year, that it would be a year of unity, love, and radical engagement with Christ on mission.

Our rhythm as a church is to take the first Sunday of each month as a refocusing time on where God is calling us to go. And It’s fitting, with the first Sunday of the year, to talk about vision, and how we can all engage with Christ in the church.

As you may have assumed, I spend quite a bit of time in prayer for our church, for your families, and asking God to reveal to us where we are going, where he wants to partner with us, what things we ought to do or not do, who to hire or not hire, what to engage with and what to ignore.

As I’ve been praying for us and our tribe here one thing has come up time and time again - that is the diversity of ecclesiological backgrounds of those represented here. Okay - big words: the differences in the types of churches we all grew up in, or didn’t grow up in.

Different church traditions have different understandings and assumptions of what it means to be meaningfully involved in the Church, and even what is allowed and not allowed for various people.

Our congregation is represented of those who have backgrounds in lutheranism, catholicism, baptists, charismatics, non-denom, and non-christians. And all of us have different expectations and assumptions of how Church is supposed to work.

And yet - we all find ourselves in an American Legion, in a church that is a part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a denomination that many here don’t really know what it’s about and how things work. This can lead to confusion, and hurt, which opens up the door for Satan to come and bring dissent and factions.

And this matters - for governance, mission, and the ability to serve, live, give, and love, all play our differently in various traditions.

some of the traditions are very clergy-centric, in which everything is based on and from the official clergy office. Others are very congregational, where the pastor preaches, but all decisions are handled at meetings and committees.

The C&MA is unique, as it’s a bit of a both and denomination. We have a high view of the pastor / elder, with elder boards that have a lot of constituted authority, but still they are elected by the congregation, and we hold strong to the priesthood of all believers, with a high emphasis on meaningful engagement in the ministry from all people. Which means while the Elders have a lot of authority, the Alliance Family rises and falls on each person as we live and and operate in our gifting in and about the world.

We need pastors, and elders, and missionaries, yes. But we need mothers, and fathers. We need people who are skilled with their hands to build, and people who are gifted with their mind to teach and administrate. We need people who just love to show love and hospitality, and some who are dedicated to prayer. But we need to do it together, and in order.

All said: we need to make sure we are aligned, because if we are going to do the things I believe Christ has called us to do, it will necessitate us being unified on mission and vision, and understand that we all have a part to play.

But here’s the thing - if we do, if we can be united, and we all can be on mission together, the results are going to be spectacular. I don’t mean because our church will be so impressive in and of it self, but because I think we are going to see peoples lives transformed, the lost will be found, and the kingdom will break out here even more. God will get the glory, and we will get to experience the joy of doing life in the kingdom of God.

I mean truly, we are only one year old officially as a church. There’s lots of time for us to grow - but we have to be careful, these early years are so important for the growth and direction of our church for decades to come. Like this time of early formation has drastic consequences both good and bad for our church. That’s why we spend once a month just dedicated to make sure we are headed the right direction, together.

In order to do Church well - it necessitates us all being involved, in a meaningful, orderly, loving way, as we work toward increasing the spiritual temperature of south eastern South Dakota. And as I’ve reflected over the past year, and especially since our annual meeting, is that God has filled our church with Holy Spirit empowered people who want to meaningfully engage.

That’s what Paul is getting at in 1 Corinthians 12.

Paul wrote this letter to the Church in Corinth, which was just… a crazy congregation. They were dynamic to say the least. High Highs, with spiritual fervor and power, and low lows, with just utter depravity and chaos. All in Corinth, which was such an important and influential city in the Roman empire. This church was divided, there were factions, and they had such an awesome ministry opportunity.

Paul is getting at them to work together, look at chapter 12, verse 12-14

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 CSB

For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. Indeed, the body is not one part but many.

Paul is bringing the illustration of a body for the church. Ultimately Christ’s body. And we are all parts of one body. Unique, but united. And even though we are all from different backgrounds, jewish, gentile, slave, free, South Dakotan Minnesotan, African, Norwegian, Male, female - through baptism in the Spirit, which is salvation, we are all given the same spirit and are all one body. And the Church is not one part, it’s not just eye balls - praise Jesus - but many making up the one.

Now Paul continues verses 15-18

1 Corinthians 12:15–19 CSB

If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?

Every part is important! Just because the hand is different then the foot doesn’t make either less of a part of the body. They just serve completely different functions. We need all the differences - as they are arranged by God.

Do you see that? That’s important. Our differences in gifting, temperaments, are ordained and arranged by God.

We need to operate this way, or we wouldn’t be getting anywhere now, would we? Read on through verse 26

1 Corinthians 12:20–26 CSB

As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, which our respectable parts do not need. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

We all need each other - and we all need to care for each other, so that there would be no division - and that we would have the same concern for each other.

Because if we are in a marathon, the foot matters, and the eyes matter, and the heart matters, and the arms matter. We all suffer if one suffers. And when one is great, we all get to share in it.

Man, this is what leads to rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. We need to see each other, and work with and for each other, for each part is part of the whole, so when your down, we all feel that.

This is one reason I think honesty in community is so important. We need to know when someone in the body is struggling so we can help and intervene.

Perhaps even more so, this is why bitterness, lack of forgiveness, and division is so devastating. Imagine if your leg decided your other leg was dumb, and never wanted to be around the other. You better get used to doing the splits quick, right?

When a body part separates itself from the body it shrivels and dies and the body suffers. If we want to heal, it usually means being present, resting, and going through the pain till healing happens. That doesn’t happen in separation. We have to own the togetherness of the Church

Verse 27

1 Corinthians 12:27 CSB

Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.

Paul takes this from the theoritcal and now aims it at the congregation in Corinth. YOU are the body of Christ, YOU ALL make up the body, and each of you is a member of it.

So let me take this from Corinth and zoom in here, Centerville SD. Hi, welcome to the seed Community Church. Are you a believer? Have you been baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ through salvation? Then welcome to the body of Christ - you are needed here.

How are you needed? Paul continues, 28-31

1 Corinthians 12:28–31 CSB

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Paul gives a list of Spiritual gifts here. Most scholars believe this isn’t a conclusive list - meaning there are potentially other gifts - because Remember Paul is writing this letter for a specific purpose.

And a big part of that seems to be the Corinthian church really loving the gift of tongues. We get that from chapter 14. And reading between the lines here - they seemed to really value the showy gifts. We also know they struggled with their sin, they struggled with considering others as better or just as important as themselves. But gosh, they felt good doing the showy stuff.

So Paul lists that there were first apostles, then prophets, then teachers. Next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping or service, leading or administration, then various kinds of tongues.

Notice with me where tongues falls on that list. Last. That’s intentional by the apostle here. He then proceeds to ask a series of rhetorical questions.

Are all apostles - easy answer no. Are all prophets - no. Are all teachers - no. Do all do miracles - of course not. Do all have gifts of healing - no. do all speak in tongues - no, do all interpret - no. Right, those are all driving at of course not.

Then he says that we are supposed to desire the greater gifts. This leads to a huge question - what are the greater gifts? What gifts are we supposed to desire? That is a huge question that scholars debate -

Is he saying we should all try to be apostles? Well that’s hard, because the requirements for apostleship - at least the office of an apostle requires being with Jesus in the flesh. So, biblically speaking at least, no one meets that requirement. Is it prophecy? Teaching? Miracles?

What is he getting at? What are we supposed to desire?

He ends this section with saying he will show us an even better way. And what comes next? the love chapter. 1 Corinthians 13. It’s short - let me read this for you. We typically read this at weddings, which is great - but the context is for a church. Let me read this for us.

1 Corinthians 13 CSB

If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.

We are supposed to beyond anything pursue love. faith. hope. And what that means practically, especially if we take everything in context, is we ought to desire whatever gifts that would most benefit the body of Christ. Whatever would most reveal Christ. Whatever would best strengthen, encourage, console. Whatever would best advance the mission of the gospel. We ought to be all for completing the mission together.

1 Corinthians 14:12 CSB

So also you—since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.

Be zealous for the gifts, but only in as much as the excel in building up the church. Gifts of the Holy Spirit are just that - they are gifts, manifestations of the Spirit for the good of the Church, to help us complete our mission of making disciples. That we would love God and love others.

Okay, let’s take a step back, and ask our question

So What?

Why talk about Spiritual gifts on Church Vision Sunday? What does this mean for us as we fully embrace 2025 and what it means for us as The Seed Community Church.

Friends, I believe that God is on the move. I believe he wants to use The Seed Community Church to raise the spiritual temperature of south eastern South Dakota, by us being fully focused on God and his Word, being fully formed by the Spirit in Community, and fully engaged with Christ on mission. I believe that’s what he has for us. What he wants for us. I believe he wants to sanctify us. I believe he wants to draw us deeper into relationship with him. I believe he wants to rid us from sin. I believe he wants to see the lost saved. I believe he wants us to witness his glory and kingdom pour out in our area.

I truly believe that God has called all of us here for such a time as this, to partner with him as his Gospel takes root.

But, we can’t take it for granted. There are no accidental saints. If you want to see someone hear the Gospel, you need to speak it to them. If you want to see the poor receive help, you need to give them help.

If we want to see our Church become more dynamic, and grow, and flourish, and become more dangerous to the enemy and hell - we all have to engage.

I believe what the Bible says on this. That God has ORDAINED, he arranged each on of the parts in the body just as he wanted.

I believe that means that if you are a believer, and you call this congregation your home - God has gifted you to bless and encourage this congregation for the work of the Gospel.

and if we aren’t all plugged in meaningfully, then the whole body suffers and misses out.

Imagine that perhaps God has brought you to this body to be the foot, but gosh, you just don’t like walking. Or getting to church is tough. So You’d rather just stay grounded. Well that’s going to significantly hamper our ability to march forward!

What usually ends up happening then, is another person ends up serving in a role that isn’t designed for them. The foot is absent, so a hand decides to take its spot. I mean it will get us moving, but it’s not going to be as effective - and that hand is going to be SORE, hurt, burnt out, and NOT doing what the hand ought to be doing.

But if God is honest, that means that our Church has everything it needs to complete what he has called us to do. Amen? But that means we all need to participate meaningfully, and in a well ordered way.

There is a sociological trend that takes place in a lot of Churches, where 10 percent of the people do 90 percent of the work. What if this year, we committed to changing that. Where we had 90 percent of the people doing 90 percent of the work. I think that would mean our ministry would GREATLY expand, deepen, and we would love and protect each other.

Now at this, I first want to confess something. I struggle with some of this sharing the load stuff. I know that Church really matters, and I know that church done poorly really can hurt people. I’ve seen churches and church leaders just mess up and mess people up. And I therefore, often, to protect the mission and vision, will not delegate significant things away. And I won’t speak up when things are not getting done, instead I’ll just do them so that things don’t fall through the cracks.

What this leads to is me getting frustrated and bitter when things dont get done, but then there is no felt need of those things not being done, so no one steps up. This robs people the oppurtunity to get involved. And it means that I end up getting burnt out often which leads to some really nasty consequences on my own health.

I’m sorry. Truly. I apologize.

Now, here’s the ask - there is a lot of stuff, a lot of tasks, a lot of dreams, a lot of callings that Jesus has called us to do and All of them matter, and all of them need our attention.

Some of them seem super menial. We need people to volunteer to keep this place clean. To sweep, to mop, to take out the trash. Simple little things that make a huge difference. Because here’s something I learned from a pastor friend this year - anything that Satan can use to distract someone from the gospel, he will use. Part of our job as being fully focused on God and engaged with Christ, is to be the best at hospitality and welcoming guests with excellence and authenticity. To welcome them like we would if they were JEsus themselves.

Beyond just Cleaning - I could use help from a group who are willing to donate their time to decorate the legion and make it look spectacular throughout the year.

We also need people to help dream and connect with our mission partners and to help on a mission team.

We also need people who can roll up their sleeves and get stuff done. We have permission to paint the legion. We need help organizing the back closet and building shelves. Often I hear form people who need hands and feet tangible help with moving stuff, or little projects. We need a team who can help coordinate the get stuff done.

Friends, one of the most important things we do is community groups. We need people to volunteer to host groups. Ariana and I will host one, but we really ought to have at least 2 or three more. But we could use way more than that.

Another thing that we ought to do is be praying on Sundays. We have kids church, which is amazing - so we are going to start next sunday, a prayer time at 9:30 in the kitchen. Please, come and pray with us.

We have a coffeehouse, and hopefully new executive directors soon - but we need to bring back more evangelistic outreaches for that place. Book studies and other community engagements. Please talk to Christiana or myself and lets fill the calendar at the coffeehouse to engage with our area.

And there are a slew of things that can and need to get done, and I believe God has called everyone we need to complete our mission to this place. We jsut need to engage.

So I’m going to have a few lists in the back,

A list for our new guest services team, a list for people who want to speak into and help with missions, a list for people who want to hear about hosting a community group, and a list of people for our “get stuff done” group. PLEASE let me know how you want to be involved.

But here would be my appeal - if you see something that needs to get done, perhaps God is calling you to step in and do it.

We have the elders and myself who in the fear of God handle the spiritual authority and teaching. But our church needs all the parts of the body working together in unity so that we can partner with God to increase the spiritual temperature of south eastern south dakota.

So What? So I encourage you to be a healthy body part. If you’re a member, you know, reading the bylaws isn’t very sexy - but it is actually really important so we can understand how we are set up orgazationally. If you have church theology questions - well I know a guy who can help you with those,

but if we want to see our church be effective for generations, it is only sustainable if all of the people of God, filled with holy spirit, go to work together, loving and submitting to each other and to the Lord.

Pray with me.