UNITY AMONG BROTHERS/SISTERS

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

1 Corinthians 12:12–26 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. 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.

Know that you are different.

If you were all the same, how boring would this world be? Everyone would get up at the same time, wear the same clothes, do the same things, and it would be boring chaos.

Being different adds individuality to this world. It is actually the reason that progress happens. If everyone is the same, it hinders progression. Being different is cool.

Embrace Being Different.

Look at your teams. If you all played point guard, who would there be to knock around in the paint? If everyone was pitchers, who would catch? If you are working on a school project and everyone does the same step, how does the project get completed?

God wants you to be different. God uses your differences to work in His kingdom. Many of you run in different circles. If you run in one circle, you may not reach the others as well. Your differences make you, you. Embrace them. Use them.

Embrace Others Being Different.

Other people are going to be different as well. Do not look down on someone because they are a little different than you. We are not the same, but no one is better than the other. Whether you know it or not, God uses everyone to weave plans together and make this huge tapestry of work going on behind the scenes. It is a massive network that each and every one of you are involved in. One work, with many MANY different members. One goal, but each and every one of you are your own and are unique. Embrace it. Embrace and even encourage others differences.

Love one another despite differences.

john 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

We are to live united. Uniquely different, but united. We are called to love one another. Looking around the room you will probably notice that there are a lot of young men and women that are not necessarily your “friends” or they are not in your friend circle. But you have one thing in common. You have made some sort of a choice to come to FCS today, and hear about Christ. These are those who are unique, these are the ones who God calls to be united.

Let there be no separation in you.