Body Unified
Notes
Transcript
Background of the Church in Corinth
Background of the Church in Corinth
Location
Corinth was in a unique location. This once greece city was destroyed by the romans 146 BC and reestablished 29 BC by Julius Caesar. This was the capital of Achaia and placed in a very unique position because it being a bridge between north and south trade between ports and the land link between east and west. Corinth was the capital of the providence of Achaia. The new city was populated by various roman citizens and retired soldiers, freed slaves, Jews, and Greek citizens. The new Corinth under the rule of Rome they were ran by aristocracy of wealth that despised the poor and ignored them.
Paul first preached the Gospel to the Corinthians on his second ministry journey (Acts 18). He did this after he had left Athens and made his way to Corinth, it was an industrious city. He stayed with Aquila and Priscilla who had recently moved from Rome because of the Jews being ran out of town by Claudius the emperor of Rome. As they lived together and even worked together in the same trade of tent making, Paul continued to share the gospel to the Jew first and then to the gentile. Reasoning with them every sabbath. Week in and week out he tried to persuade him and they would not heed his word. So he tells them that he will go to the gentiles. So he goes next door to Titius Justus. Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed and was baptized as well as his entire household. And we see in Acts 18 that many of the Corinthians believed. Paul spend 18 months establishing the church in Corinth. He left and went to Ephesus while he was heading to Jerusalem soon to return to Antioch and shortly after returned to Ephesus. In which he spent two and half years. This is like the time in which he wrote to the Church in Corinth this letter.
So why does Paul write to the Church in Corinth? Paul receive a negative report from Chloe’s people about quarreling and division in the local body of believers. This is the pattern through his encouraging letter to them that they be of one mind, one drive, and one Spirit.
As for our text we will be dealing with the Illustration of the the Body of Christ. Diversity of members - by God and not by mans doing. True Honor, Suffering, and Rejoicing.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
My goal is for you is to relate to God correctly through the preaching of God’s word. Additionally how you must relate to one another in the body of Christ. Paul lays out for us an illustration of the human body and how it corresponds to the Body of Christ. It is truly helpful for me.(ADD MORE) It creates an image in my mind of how the human body is made and performs. The same is true for the church. God has created the church and therefore given it diverse members to perform its kingdom focused tasks.
1 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
1. Body of Christ illustrated
What is Paul describing here? Body is one and has many members? It is pretty clear. He describing a unit. As you look at at athlete that prepares his mind and body to train and prepare unity, not in compromise or settling for an
Who unifies? Christ because He is life.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
If He created the Corinthian and gives the Corinthian life as human then he should have authority over there life. The same is true spiritually for the Corinthian believer. He gives the body a function to walk with the feet to heed the direction of the mind. The hands can bend and beet metal into a desired shape.
The beautiful thing is that is isn’t unreasonable for anyone to follow Christ and His direction. It is irrational not to follow Christ. If He created you, designed you, and gave you life. This life isn’t inanate in us it derives from our creator. He defines the Corinthian.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
How does he unify?
Things that could get in the way from unity.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
2. Diversity of members
Displaying how God has chosen His people, not one but many
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
Paul showing the Corinthians that each part belongs and no member in the Corinthian church can say they are not part.
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
Corinthian church recognizing a part isn’t any less because of it station or gift.
The unreasonableness of everyone holding the same gift or same individual purpose.
God has portion to each based on His good pleasure. This should please us.
If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
Monster!
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
Honor, Suffering, and Rejoicing
Corinthian Church cannot say we don’t need a member because it isn’t prominent or showy.
On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
Weaker are indispensable – heart, lungs, and brain
1 Corinthians 12:23–24a (ESV)
and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require.
Less honorable we bestow great honor – midsection
Great modesty for the unpresentable parts
Presentable parts don’t need – face showy
1 Corinthians 12:24b–25 (ESV)
But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
God has ordained the body and its form.
i. Giving great honor to the parts that lack
ii. Created it
iii. Established it
iv. Will Keep it
v. Created it in such a way to work together just like our physical body.
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
vi. Just like our bodies through pain, it feels and protects this pain, through joy, we all feel joy and praise.