It Does A Body Good - Winona 7-27-08 AM

It Does a Body Good

I Corinthians 12:12-26 - Sunday, July 27, AM – FBC Winona

Imagine if you came into your Sunday School class next Sunday . . .

·         Everyone decided they were going to be the teacher and began teaching at once

·         Or . . . if everyone decided they were going to be a student

Imagine if you lined up with a football team this fall . . .

·         Everyone decided they would be the quarterback . . .

·         Or the line just decided to take a seat on the ground . . .

Each player and coach has a specific role – each teacher and student has a role

·         Each works to make that body of work successful

·         Same with the body of Christ

·         Each body part has a responsibility, accountability, and has to trust the others

I Corinthians 12:12-26

12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If 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? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Exegesis – note – word body is used 16 times in this passage

Paul needed to address the Corinthian church because of their misuse of gifts, their worldliness and divisiveness

v. 12 – the parts are many, but form one body

v. 13 – when we became children of God, we were baptized by one Spirit into one body

v. 13 – we were all given the one Spirit to drink – nourishes and directs the soul and spirit

v. 15 – each body part has a role and is important to the body – not jealous of another’s role

v. 22 – “those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable”

            Those parts that are “out front” seem to get the glory”

            Same with the team

            Imagine the qb without the offensive line

            Imagine the body without liver, kidneys, heart, lungs

v. 24 – God will give greater honor to those who do not receive it now

v. 26 – all parts suffer when one suffers – all rejoice when one is honored

Application

As parts of the body, we are accountable to the one who created us

·         Each of us struggles with rebellion from time to time – rebellion from God or others

·         As our Creator, our Owner, He has the right to determine the use for the body parts

·         We were not created so we might get out on our own without His leading

·         We are accountable not only for our actions, but our attitudes – I Samuel 16:7, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

·         Once we become part of the body, we are no longer allowed our own agenda

As part of the body, we are also accountable to each other

·         In the body, the foot is accountable to the leg, the hand to the arm, head to neck, etc.

·         Living in God’s will involves “submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21)

·         Accountability depends on trust – essential to each relationship

·         Trust only develops over time, experience, and development

As part of the body, you have a responsibility to build up the other parts

·         We can have unity through diversity – working for the same goal and leader

·         I Cor. 12:7, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

·         As a functioning part of the body, are you working to help the weaker parts get on board?

·         Dad Speer “I’ve heard so much off-key singing I’m beginning to like it”

·         Are we really content to continue to minister without all of our parts functioning?

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

Are you? . . .

·         Living your life in such a way that you are surrendering your gifts and talents to the One who gave them?

·         Placing yourself in service so that you are accountable to the leaders God has placed in your life as well as those around you – that is God’s pattern

·         Investing your lives in others in order to build up the Body of Christ?