Community of the Body

Missing Body Parts

Ties of Some Kind

Tape

Obstacle Course

Pitcher of Water

Cup

Table

Set up a simple obstacle course and place a pitcher of water at the end of the course. Next have volunteers go through the course, pick up the pitcher, and return to pour it into a cup, and drink the cup. Each participant will have a different body part taken away from them.

Legs Together

Hands Behind the Back

Blindfolded

Mouth Taped Shut

Once they have struggled to finish the course (or not finished the course) have them work together as a team to go retrieve the pitcher and drink the four glasses of water.

Questions:

In this game each participant was missing an important ability, legs, hands, eyes, and mouth.

Was the game harder for some participants than others? In what ways?

How was the game easy in some ways for one person, but harder in other ways?

Was there anyone who could not complete the task as given?

Did everyone benefit from working together?

How does this apply to life?

How would this apply to the church?

Romans 12:3-8

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 12

3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Lesson

American culture is almost exclusively focused on the priority of the individual, but Paul tells us that there is something valuable to living in community together. His first statement in verse 3 is that one should not think of himself more highly than he is.

In what ways does the culture you live in promote thinking too highly of yourself?

What does it mean to not think of yourself more highly than you should?

What are some ways that you can think of yourself in a realistic fashion?

After Paul challenges prideful thinking, he then continues to explain that God has provided community to help make up for our personal short comings. To explain this point, Paul uses the human body as a metaphor.

What does Paul mean that we are all part of one body?

If God has called us to be a part of the body, how important is it to live in Christian community together?

The model of doing church and ministry that focuses on one individual doing everything is flawed based on Paul’s explanation of what it means to live in community. He explains that we each have a role to play.

What happens if one part of the body decides it does not want to function and ignores the body?

If each part of the body has a function and Paul tells us we are each part of the Christian Body, what may happen if you ignore your role?

How have you seen yourself fulfilling a role in the local body?

If you cannot think of a role that you have been actively serving in, what is a role that you could see yourself fulfilling?

Serving Your Community Practice

Youth Game Night -Monday-September 21st 6pm-8pm

Invitations

Devotion Leader

Food Preparations

Time Manager

Game Planning

Game Facilitator