Rom 12-One Body
| One Body! Romans 12:4-5
February 24, 2008 (NIV) 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (The Message) 3I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.4In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? 5So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.(NLT) 4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. PRAY Scripture Memory:Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. – Romans 12:4-5 (NIV) Intro:When we were at Epcot I remember one exhibit portraying different groups of people running various bodily functions. Now, imagine that scenario and imagine that the various “departments” were competing with each other for prominence…The visual department being so caught up with the images they were taking in that they saw no reason to watch out for where the feet were stepping…The audio dept. being so bothered by the rumblings of the stomach that they refused to acknowledge the call to dinner…The transportation dept.being so caught up in the painful steps that they go on strike and refuse to work anymore…The food processing department being so focused on the hunger pains that they cut off nourishment to certain parts of the body…The Scriptures use several different analogies to show us what the church is to be like:Ø A BrideØ A TempleØ A NationØ A BodyNote: in each case the whole is FAR more important than the individual parts…The American Church: a head with all the body parts sticking out of it. The Three Characteristics of the Body: Diversity, Harmony and Mutuality1. The Diversity of the Body(The Message) 5since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.God’s glory is revealed in the diversity of his people. R. Hughes1 Peter 2:10 (NIV) – Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.What is it that brings us together…?The church SHOULD be different from the world…One of the ways it should be significantly different is in our ability to love each other even in the face of our significant differences.The problems:Ø Wishing or wanting to be what others arePicture a body in which this was true:The nose resenting the eyes because they are more attractive, the liver envying the bones because they are stronger…This is seen, particularly, when we envy the gifts that others have – music, teaching, organization…Ø Resenting others for being different / lack of appreciation for those are different from usPicture a body in which this was true:The hands resenting the feet because they are so clumsy, the eyes dismissing the ears because they cannot see…This is seen when we look down on others in the body because they are weak where we are strong… or when we surround ourselves with others who are very much like us…Ø PridePicture a body in which this was true:The eyes being critical of the hair because it won’t stay in place, the heart resenting the feet because it takes so much effort to keep them warm…This is seen in the way we get embarrassed by others in our fellowship because they have some rough edges, or because we have to help them in ways that cost us in some way…Think about it, in terms of the body analogy I just mentioned: hair that is unruly, vs. no hair, feet that are always cold vs. no feet… | | Ø Quickness to take offense at others who do things differently than we do, or who rub us the wrong way…Picture a body in which this was true:The head being offended by the eyes because they didn’t see the low ceiling, the hands being offended by the feet because they are so caloused…The problem: It’s all about ME & MY discomfort… Ø Lack of concern for other members of the body since it is THEIR problem, not mine…Picture a body in which this was true:The mouth not caring about the stomach and therefore not taking the time to chew the food, one finger not caring about another finger and refusing to work together…This is seen in the way that we fail to support each other in our attempts to build this body…Or in the way we, all too often, fail to notice when others are hurting… The painful picture of a body which is missing certain parts…The Challenge: Are you willing to appreciate the diversity of the Body of Christ? This may mean having to look a little harder for that which is good in someone. It may mean trying a little harder to FOCUS on a person’s GOOD traits rather than their more blatant weaknesses…2. The Harmony of the BodyThe problems:Ø Self-consumptionThe world’s way is all too often to measure people against each other. How well we compete, and how much better we are than others, are ways we are measured. This competitive dimension of society shows up in everything. School grades are a way of measuring people against others. Sports are designed to select winners, and to separate them from losers. Our economy and businesses are again expressions of a competitive approach to life. The way we view others and our opinion of them are all directly related to how they compare, in terms of skills, education, looks, talents, character, etc. In tremendously significant ways, measured against others, each individual stands or falls alone. Richards, L.Once again, Picture a body in which these things were true:The eyes being so consumed with how things look that they don’t watch for things that will hurt, the lungs being satisfied as long as THEY get enough air… Ø Quarreling / dislike / disagreementsPicture a body in which these things were true:The eyes blaming the hands and the hands blaming the eyes for lack of athletic ability…Ø Spastic bodiesThe impact of a team – vs. a bunch of individualsPicture a body in which these things were true:The hands refusing to work with the eyes to bring food to the mouth, the feet wanting to go one direction, while the torso wants to go another …The monstrosity of a body with abnormally big or small parts, or the sad picture of a person with something like cerebral palsy…The Challenge: Are you contributing to the greater harmony and coordination of the Body of Christ, particularly here at Hope Church; or are you, through lack of support or dislike of others hindering what this body COULD be accomplishing? 3. The Mutuality of the BodyReview: v. 3 the Message: The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.(The Message) 4Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. As a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? The problems:Ø Lack of concern for othersØ Defining “needed” too narrowlyØ Connection to the HEAD of the bodyØ The need to support other partsØ Living for SELF rather than for the bodyØ Feeling unneeded or unwanted Each member exists for the body, rather than the other way around.The problem of a body which does not feel pain…When I was in college I broke my leg, and the rest of my body felt so bad that it stayed up all night to keep my leg company! Hughes, R. K When I develop the divine viewpoint:Ø I am released from jealousy.Ø I can find fulfillment in being who I am, rather than wanting to be like someone else.Ø My friendships are not distorted by status—I am awed by none, and look down on none.Ø I appreciate others for themselves, without feeling they must be different or must be like me. Richards, L.Ø Rather than having to watch out for myself, I have a group around me that watches my back giving me the satisfaction and joy of ministering to others.Ø I stand or fall with my brothers and sisters. I don’t have to stand alone.Ø My connection to Jesus is all the stronger for being strongly connected to His body.A Truth to Remember: It was never God’s intention to save a bunch of individuals. It was always His intent to build a community.A Challenge to Consider:Are you working to strengthen the BODY of Christ, finding fulfillment in the body as a whole rather than just your individual life?One thing I heard this morning was… |