1 Corinthians 12 :12-31

1 Corinthians 12:12–31 HCSB

12 For 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. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 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? 18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body. 21 So 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!” 22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. 24 But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in other languages? Do all interpret? 31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Operation

I need 2 volunteers. I will take one from the right side of the room and one from the left side of the room.

Come on up

Have you ever played the game of operation?

Here is how the game of operation works. There is a guy on the operating table and it is your job to do the operation. You have to use the tongs to reach in and take out a body part that is sick. If you get the body part out without setting off the buzzer you can take another body part out...

But if you make the buzzer go off then you will have to hand the tongs over to the other player. We go until all the body parts have been removed. The player that fixes the most body parts wins the game.

The right side will cheer for the right side individual and the left side will cheer for the left side individual. The middle will cheer for both sides. Is everyone ready.

We will play till all the parts are gone. Got it?

Pick a number between 1 and 20

(14)

Alright you get to go first

Now the game is over. What you didn’t like the game?

Why not?

Only one part...

What do you say we play the game one more time and this time you go until I say stop.

You like getting the same part out over and over again?

That’s not the way the game is played.

Give both volunteers a hand

The game is played when each part is available to start. (Place the parts in their place.

Each person who surrenders to the Lordship of Jesus receives spiritual gifts as the Lord wills.

Your spiritual gift is from the Lord to build up the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:11 HCSB

11 But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 HCSB

12 For 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. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

The game of operation is played when each body part is filled with its piece. We started with just one part in the body.

(place the parts back in the body)

Unity in Diversity

The body has many different parts. Each part has been gifted by the will of God.

Though the body has many parts they make up one body.

I intentionally split each of you up cheering for your side of the room. Often we forget in the Body of Christ we all make up one body. If we are not careful we find ourselves cheering for others, jealous of others, and not playing on the same team.

The parts of the body are many but they make up one body.

1 Corinthians 12:15–20 HCSB

15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 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? 18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body.

Each part belongs

In this section I notice that the parts of the body are eliminating themselves. The foot says because I am not a hand then I don’t belong and the ear says because I am not an eye I don’t belong.

Once you surrender to the Lordship of Jesus you belong.

(Say it again)

Once you surrender to the Lordship of Jesus you belong

The common bond for us is that Jesus is the Lord of our lives. Notice I didn’t say you belong if you failed out of high school, you belong if you are middle class, you belong if you have a car, or you belong if you grew up in a tuff environment.

No in all these things. You belong to the Body of Christ when you surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ or get saved.

You belong

Jesus in his word calls people from all walks of life to follow him. The word is full of diversity. As I lead Bridge of Faith, it is my desire that this body continues to reflect diversity.

It is my desire that people who think they would never belong to a church start to belong.

In our community we have many people that their whole life they have been told that they are an outcast or a no body and that they don’t belong.

I want to lead us in a way that we don’t just do ministry for these people but that we do ministry with them and they know they belong.

I want to move people into this body so that each person in the body knows that they belong.

Our desire is to keep implementing systems that cause people to belong.

Example: We pay local high schoolers to do the work of ministry. We train these students to do the work of ministry. We don’t tell these students to sit back and let the professionals do it. We train them to do the work of ministry. We don’t just do ministry for students or too students, but we engage students to do ministry with us.

You will see this idea throughout this ministry. We don’t just provide free clothes to the community. We have two thrift stores that bring in great quality items at a price people can afford and in so doing we give people who buy things from the thrift stores the opportunity to do ministry with us.

Each person this morning must understand that you belong to the Body of Christ.

A thought occurred to me that the way that we get more diversity is for you to invite your friends and make them feel comfortable. Your friends don’t look like me.

You belong.

Sometimes when we greet each other everyone here acts like a visitor and that you don’t belong. Find someone who looks like you and make them feel welcome or find someone who doesn’t and make them feel welcome.

Everyone belongs and we can’t all act like it’s our first time in church.

If you can’t find people that look like you then invite some.

You belong to the body and you can’t eliminate yourself from the body once you belong.

You belong and you have a part to play

(What happens if a part tries to function without the rest of the body) It dies!

We need each other

Each part has value

1 Corinthians 12:21–26 HCSB

21 So 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!” 22 But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. 24 But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:21-

In the last set of verses, the body part would try to eliminate itself from the body. Here the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you” or the head can’t say to the feet, I don’t need you.

Each part of the body has value and you can’t eliminate another part of the body because you don’t think it has as much value.

Each part of the body has value.

This is an essential part of our structure here at Bridge of Faith. We believe that everyone who comes to know Jesus has value in the Body of Christ. We intentionally serve each other in ways not to rob the value that people bring to the kingdom.

What do I mean by this?

We strive to create two way relationships. For example: In giving and receiving, the exchange happens between people. We serve in ways that make it possible for the receiver to also be the giver. We are not always just giving stuff away. We invite those we give to to join us in serving Jesus so that we might receive from them. We strive to give and then receive from those that we gave too.

When we do this, we elevate the receiver and humble the giver to receive from those they gave too. This exchange is done in a way that tells the individual that they bring value to the body of Christ.

Each part of the Body of Christ (that means you and I) has value.

If each part of the boy has value, then we can’t eliminate nor compare parts of the body.

in fact verse 23 he says those parts of the body that we think have less honor then we clothe them with greater honor.

God has designed it that the parts we think are less honorable we clothe them with honor so that there is no division.

No Division

In the body of Christ, things get really sticky when we start to compare our parts with other parts of the body. Things also get sticky when we think others should be playing our part or when we desire to play someone else’s part.

Think of the Body of Christ as a team.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielan tied an NFL record with 8 consecutive 100 yard receiving games. Thielan got a $500 scholarship at a D2 College. He had to pay to try out for the NFL.

In interview they asked him did you enjoy that run where you had 8 consecutive games with over 100 yards as a team and he said

Not really because we weren’t winning games

No matter what you do individually it does not feel good unless you are winning as a team Adam Thielen Minnesota Vikings Receiver

Adam Thielan

The body of Christ is a team and each member plays an important part on the team.

Check out this video

Minnesota Vikings Receiver

(Play video No Sound on the video)

What happens when the girl in this video says I want to go first you always get to go first. Or she says I want to be the person on the bottom pushing you over. It does not work!

In the same way when we don’t play the role Jesus has given us to play then the whole team suffers.

If one member suffers then all the members suffer with it and if one member is honored all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:27–31 HCSB

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in other languages? Do all interpret? 31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

1 Corinthians 12:27-

Unity in Diversity

Each part Belongs

Each part has value

No Division

We are a team