We All Belong

· Welcome & Thanks for prayers

· 1990: Travis Tritt song: “Country Club”

o Sees girl on the interstate

o Follows her down Clubhouse Drive

o Offers to go in with her

o She tells him that only members are allowed

o He starts naming his qualifications

· Numerous exclusive groups in society – must have certain “credentials”, wealth, or prestige to join or belong

· All of the redeemed are members of the body of Christ

· Prayer

· 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

o 12. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

o 13. 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.

o 14. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

o 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.

o 16. 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.

o 17. 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?

o 18. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

o 19. If they were all one part, where would the body be?

o 20. As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

o 21. 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!”

o 22. On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

o 23. 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,

o 24. while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,

o 25. so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

o 26. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

o This is the Word of God to the people of God.

· 1 Corinthians – 55 A.D. by Paul to believers at Corinth

o Written at Ephesus during 3rd missionary journey

o Received news that factions and immorality had come into the church

o To instruct and restore the church in areas of weakness – divisions, immorality, suing in pagan courts, abuse of Lord’s Supper, false teachings concerning resurrection, and call to obedience

· Corinth

o Thriving city – chief city of Greece economically and politically

o Located on the isthmus between Greek mainland and the Peloponnesian peninsula

o Crossroads for traders and travelers

o Two harbors connected by stone road across the isthmus

o People and goods could easily go from one to the other

o Characterized by typical Greek culture – high emphasis on Greek philosophy and wisdom

o Religion – at least 12 temples - Asclepius, the god of healing; Apollo, and Aphrodite, goddess of love and sexual pleasure which promoted prostitution in the name of religion

o Crossroads of commerce and trade – problem of immorality

o Same problems that plagued Israel centuries before

o Church – established by Paul, Timothy & Silas on Paul’s 2nd missionary journey

o In Corinth, Paul worked with tentmakers Aquilla and Priscilla – Jewish-Christian couple who fled Rome due to persecution

o Paul remained there for 1½ years preaching and teaching

o Church was spiritually gifted, but immature

· In today’s passage, Paul emphasizes the unity and diversity of the Church, likening it to a single body with many parts, each playing a unique and vital role, reflecting the interdependence of believers.

· This passage encourages Christians to recognize their unique contributions to the Church and the importance of working together in harmony.

· It reminds individuals that they are not alone and that they belong to a community where their gifts and roles are essential for the overall health of the body of Christ.

· It teaches the vital importance of unity and diversity within the body of Christ, showing that every member, regardless of their role or gift, is indispensable to the whole.

· It inspires believers to embrace their identity within the Church and to actively engage with others in fellowship and service.

· Christ is the head of the body (the Church), and this passage reveals how believers are united with Him and with one another.

· This unity illustrates the intimate relationship between Christ and His followers and highlights the role of the Church in accomplishing Christ’s mission on earth.

· Every believer is a crucial part of the body of Christ, and through our diverse gifts and roles, we enable the Church to function properly and fulfill its mission in the world.

· V. 12, 13 – The body has many parts, but the many parts form one body

· The amazing body - Ps 139:13–14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

· It is the same with Christ

· All are baptized in one Spirit to form one body – Jew & Gentile; slave and free

· Unity, not unvarying uniformity, is the law of God in the world of grace, as in that of nature. As the many members of the body compose an organic whole and none can be dispensed with as needless, so those variously gifted by the Spirit, compose a spiritual organic whole, the body of Christ, into which all are baptized by the one Spirit.

· The designed effect of baptism, which is realized when not frustrated by the unfaithfulness of man.

· V 14. Reminds us again that the body is not made of one part but many

· The analogy of the body, not consisting exclusively of one, but of many members, illustrates the mutual dependence of the various members in the one body, the Church. The well-known fable of the time of the belly and the other members, was probably on Paul’s mind, as it was with classical literature.

· V. 15-20. Paul uses various comparisons of the different parts of the body.

o 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.

o 16. 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.

o 17. 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?

o 18. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

o 19. If they were all one part, where would the body be?

o 20. As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

· The humbler members ought not to disparage themselves, or to be disparaged by others more noble.

· The humble speaks of the more honorable member which most nearly resembles itself: so the “ear” of the “eye” (the nobler and more commanding member.

· In life each compares himself with those whom he approaches nearest in gifts, not those far superior. The foot and hand represent men of active life; the ear and eye, those of contemplative life.

· Superior as the eyeis, it would not do if it were the sole member to the exclusion of the rest.

· God designed the human body as He wanted it to be – many parts, but only one body

· V. 21-24:

o 21. 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!”

o 22. On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

o 23. 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,

o 24. while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,

· The higher cannot dispense with the lower members.

· Weaker - more feeble—more susceptible of injury: for example, the brain, the belly, the eye. Their very feebleness, so far from doing away with the need for them, calls forth our greater care for their preservation, as being felt “necessary.”

· less honorable—“We think” the feet and the belly “less honorable,” though not really so in the nature of things.

· bestow … honor—putting shoes on the feet, and clothes to cover the belly.

· V. 25. so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

· No disunion; referring to the “divisions” noticed.

· V. 26. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

· Suffers - John Chrysostom was an important early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople, said “When a thorn enters the heel, the whole body feels it, and is concerned: the back bends, the belly and thighs contract themselves, the hands come forward and draw out the thorn, the head stoops, and the eyes regard the affected member with intense gaze.”

· Honored - “When the head is crowned, the whole man feels honored, the mouth expresses, and the eyes look, gladness.”

· 27. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

· 28. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

· 29. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

· 30. Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

· Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, “the body of Christ”: and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.

· God has “set the members … in the body.

· First apostles—above even the prophets. Not merely the Twelve, but others are so called, for example, Barnabas, Paul himself & c. (Ro 16:7).

· Teachers—who taught, for the most part, truths already revealed; whereas the prophets made new revelations and spoke all their prophesyings under the Spirit’s influence. As the teachers had the “word of knowledge,” so the prophets “the word of wisdom” (1 Co 12:8). Under “teachers” are included “evangelists and pastors.”

· Miracles—literally, “powers” (1 Co 12:10): ranked below “teachers,” as the function of teaching is more edifying, though less dazzling than working miracles.

· Helps, governments—lower and higher departments of “ministrations” (1 Co 12:5);

o Deacons whose office it was to help in the relief of the poor, and in baptizing and preaching, subordinate to higher ministers (Ac 6:1–10; 8:5–17);

o Others who helped with their time and means, in the Lord’s cause (compare 1 Co 13:13; Nu 11:17).

o Presbyters, or bishops, whose office it was to govern the Church (1 Ti 5:17; Heb 13:17, 24). These officers, though now ordinary and permanent, were originally specially endowed with the Spirit for their office, whence they are here classified with other functions of an inspired character.

o Government (literally, “guiding the helm” of affairs), as being occupied with external things, notwithstanding the outward status it gives, is ranked by the Spirit with the lower functions.

· Today – Pastors, teachers, committee members, secretaries, prayer warriors, custodians

· ALL of these are members of the body of Christ – we can’t do without any of them.

· Never feel that you are not an important member of the body of Christ.

· Move into Communion