Why Does Church Matter?

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

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Introduction

Imagine you show up to watch a basketball game.

The teams run out onto the court, the crowd is excited, the referee blows the whistle… but something seems off.

One team only has four players on the court.

The ref stops the game and says, “Hey… where’s your fifth player?”

And the coach says, “Oh, he’s good. He just didn’t feel like coming today.”

The ref says, “You can’t play a basketball game with four players.”

The coach shrugs and says, “Yeah, but the other four are really talented. They’ll figure it out.”

Now imagine the game starts.

Immediately the team is struggling.

They can’t guard everyone. They can’t run their plays. They’re exhausted halfway through the first quarter.

Why?

Because the team was designed to work with every player on the court.

One missing player affects the entire team.

Today we’re answering a question that more and more Christians are asking:

“Why does church matter?”

For a lot of people today, church has become optional. If we’re tired, we skip. If something better comes along, we skip. If someone hurts our feelings, we leave.

But the Bible paints a very different picture of what the church is.

Before we jump into the passage, let’s understand the context of 1 Corinthians.

Context of 1 Corinthians

Author

The Letter was written by the Apostle Paul

Who is he writing to?

He is writing to the church of Corinth. Believers in the body

Corinth was

Wealthy

diverse

morally chaotic

full of pride and competition

Unfortunately that culture crept in the church of Corinth

Why is he writing

The church in Corinth had problems:

division in the church

people choosing sides between leaders

immorality

arguments

pride over spiritual gifts

Instead of being one church that was unified, they were like a bunch of individuals fighting for attention

How did we get to 1 Corinthians 12.

By the time we get to chapter 12, Paul is addressing spiritual gifts

In Corinth people were arguing over who was more important in the church

Some thought certain gifts made them better Christians

Paul responds with truth which is what we are seeing today

The church is a body

And every believer is apart of that body

Pray over the text

We are part of the larger Body of Christ- V. 12-13

Explanation

Paul says something incredible here.

When we become Christians, we don’t just gain forgiveness.

We are placed into something bigger than ourselves.

V.13 Says “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.”

When someone puts their faith in Jesus:

they receive the Holy Spirit

they become part of the family of God

they are connected to every other believer

Christianity was never meant to be lived alone.

You were designed to belong to the body of Christ.

Church isn’t just a weekly event.

It’s a spiritual family.

Illustration

Imagine someone saying:

“I love being married, but I just never want to go home to my spouse.”

That wouldn’t make sense.

In the same way, people sometimes say:

“I love Jesus, but I don’t need the church.”

But Jesus didn’t just save individuals.

He created a body.

And if you belong to Jesus, you belong to His people.

Since you belong to His people, you also have a role to play in the family. Or

We each have a part in the local church - V.14-23

Explanation

Walk through 14-23 and break it down as you go

14-16

17-20

21-24A

Paul now explains that the body has many parts.

Every part has a function.

Some are visible. Some are behind the scenes.

But all of them matter.

The problem in Corinth was that people were comparing themselves.

Some thought:

“My role isn’t important.”

Others thought:

“My role is more important than everyone else.”

Paul corrects both attitudes.

Every believer has been given:

gifts

abilities

opportunities

All to serve the body of Christ.

God didn’t accidentally place you in a church.

He has placed you here on purpose

But also, keep this in mind when you move off to college.

As we talk and walk through all these things. It doesn’t just stop when you graduate, rather it goes on.

Illustration

Think about a football team.

Everybody notices the quarterback.

But imagine if:

the offensive line didn’t show up

the equipment managers didn’t prepare the gear

the trainers didn’t treat injuries

The team would fall apart quickly.

Some roles are visible.

Some are behind the scenes.

But every role matters.

The same is true in the church.

We are called to unity in the body V.24B-25

Explanation

God intentionally designed the church so that we need each other.

Different personalities. Different gifts. Different strengths.

Why?

So we would depend on one another.

Division destroys churches.

Unity builds them.

The goal isn’t that we all look the same.

The goal is that we work together for the same mission.

What is the mission of our church here at Bardwell Baptist

We exists to make disciples by gathering, growing, and going

Illustration

Think about an orchestra.

An orchestra might have:

violins

trumpets

drums

flutes

If every instrument tried to play the same part, the music would be terrible.

But when every instrument plays its part in harmony, the result is beautiful.

That’s the picture of the church.

We have community in the body V.26

Explanation

It’s meant to be a place where people:

carry each other’s burdens

celebrate victories together

walk through life together

Christian community means:

When someone hurts, we hurt with them.

When someone celebrates, we celebrate with them.

That kind of connection only happens when people are committed to the body

How do we apply it to us today, and as you go?

Application/ Takeaways

Being consistent in a local church is a must

You can not be a functioning part of the body if you are rarely present

Consistency matters

The body works when the parts show up

Having a christ-centered community in the church is a must

Church is more than attending a service

It’s about relationships

Thats why things like

Sunday school

DNOW

Summer Camp

Fall retreat

Youth Nights

Matter so so much, they build community in the body

We seek Unity in the church

We do not leave over

petty drama.

Or our feelings get hurt

Or small disagreements

If every time someone’s feeling were to be hurt and they left the body. The church would fall apart.

Unity requires humility

Having a place to serve in a church is a must

Imagine if all of our volunteers in the church refused to show up for one week

No vans

No meal

No small groups

I would lose my mind

No Sunday school

Hardly any worship

No children’s church

No church.

The church is able to operate because of volunteers serve.

What ways do you need to be servung now?

What about in the future>

God has designed you as a part of the body, if you are in Christ, to serve. Where will you serve?

Having a shepherd in the church is a must

We are to have pastoral leadership

1 Peter 5:1–5 “I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Show how the shepherd has a flock. Not stealing or caring for others sheep.

What does Paul mean when he says believers are all part of one body?

Why do you think some Christians today believe they can follow Jesus without being part of a church?

What problems happen when someone thinks their role in the church isn’t important?

Why do you think God designed the church so that we need each other?

What does it practically look like to suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice?

Why is it important to be apart of one flock, and not have several shepherds?