Many Members, One Body // 1 Corinthians 12:14-27

The letter of 1 Corinthians is a treasure. It contains more teaching on the resurrection, spiritual gifts, marriage, and the virtue of love than any other book in the Bible.

! But it is not cold theology. 1 Corinthians is an urgent call for us to remember the gospel. And as a result, it's a call for us to be a cross-centered, holy, and united people until He returns.

Listen in to what God has to say to us through this inspired letter. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 12. For just as the body is one, and as many members, and all of the members of the body, though many are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in one spirit we were all baptized in 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, we think less honorable, we bestow 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, given 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.

Father, now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. This is the word of the Lord. Hallelujah.

Please be seated. Do you ever wonder what secret ingredients make up Chick-fil-A's homemade sauce?

Do you ever question what untold delights and disciplines make up a marriage that lives happily ever after for 30, 40, 50 years?

Do you ever ask what unknown routines and regimens set apart championship teams from all the rest? Several years ago, my wife and I read the book, Boys in the Boat, that left us asking that very question.

What set apart these boys? It's a story of nine boys on the varsity rowing team of the University of Washington who were in the boat at the 1936 Olympics.

Now, we began knowing a bit about the 1936 Olympics. If you don't know much about it, it was hosted in Nazi Germany. So it was a bit of a charade for Nazi Germany.

And we knew the boys won gold. Sorry for the spoiler alert, but that was 90 years ago. What was their secret? What were the ingredients?

What set apart these nine boys from all the other Olympic rowers? Now, these boys, we came to learn, were studs. Many of them grew up in small town USA.

All of them grew up during the Depression. They were in the boat. Literally learning and having to learn how to scrape by. And together in the boat, day after day, they were pushed to the physical limits.

It's almost unbearable to read what they endured in the boat day after day. But their strength was not their secret.

They had to learn an often hard lesson. Success would not come through personal strength and resolve. These guys were studs individually.

But success would not come through personal strength and resolve. It wasn't enough for each of them to be disciplined and strong. They had to learn to depend on one another.

They had to learn to row together. The author said, To be of championship caliber, a crew must have total confidence in each other.

Able to drive with abandon. Confident that no man will get the full weight of the pull. Captures this reality of learning to depend on one another.

And the rest, as they say, is history. In these verses, the living God urges us to learn a similar lesson when it comes to spiritual gifts.

Often when we think about spiritual gifts, when we do our little spiritual gift survey, we turn inward and think individually about our contribution. About what we have to bring.

We focus on the gifts we have. Or maybe the gifts we don't have. Or the experience we've had. Or the experiences we have not had. And so often these spiritual gifts are meant to lead to the building of the body of Christ.

Lead us to turn inwardly. And lead to comparison and competition. Envy and arrogance. Rivalry and one-upmanship. And that's what was going on in Corinth.

In first century Corinth. This Roman colony in the midst of Greece. But these verses urge us to realize that the Spirit was not given so that we'd be empowered individuals.

The Spirit was given so that we would be an empowered people with diverse gifts. United by a single purpose.

The Spirit was given to the church. To the people. A people divided against itself will not stand.

But a people of the Spirit depending on one another. Working with one another. Serving alongside one another. The gates of hell will not prevail against. In these verses Paul continues with this analogy of the human body.

Capturing this idea that the human body. Which is moving right now as I speak. Has many parts. And yet is united in a single body. For a single purpose.

Some of the parts of the body are more prominent. There are some parts we would like for you to keep clothed. You know. There are some parts of the body are more prominent. But none are more important.

So too the church is not a voluntary association of individual believers. It is a Spirit filled people with many different members. None important.

None unnecessary. And this in fact is the secret ingredient of the Spirit filled church. Sometimes I think we can think about the church like. Man the church would really be doing well.

If we got some celebrity to get saved. I mean what if Taylor Swift got saved. Or Ronaldo got saved. We would be set.

The church would be set. And yet. And yet. The church did not thrive. Through the experiences and the gifting of the few. But.

To the empowerment of the many. And a single cause. Working together. Depending on one another. And these verses are written. Not merely so that we kind of find our spiritual gift.

Or. Learn how to work it out. But that we would be caught up in wonder. About what God has done. In trusting the Spirit's ministry. Not to individuals.

But to a people. In a word where we're going is. May we never lose the wonder. Of being empowered by the Spirit. To serve the body of Christ. May we never lose the wonder.

Of being empowered by the Spirit. To serve the body of Christ. And break this out. Three points. The first is. None should say. They don't need my gifts.

None should say. They don't need my gifts. Having taught. Paul's been teaching. We've gone through this. Two weeks. He's been teaching that the body is. One body. But many different members. And Paul addresses.

Two objections. In our text. Two objections. The first objection is. They don't need me. That's kind of the objection. You know.

My gifts aren't impressive. My gifts aren't important. My gifts are the old man gifts. Or something like that. I don't do miracles. Or share prophecy. Or teach. Or whatever.

So obviously. The church doesn't need me. Paul takes up the analogy. The Bible. Look down. Of the body. Rather. Look down in verse 15.

He says. If the foot should say. Because I'm not a hand. I don't belong to the body. That wouldn't make it. Any less a part of the body. It's just fascinating. He's drawn out this metaverge. He's getting us into the mind.

Of the foot. The foot might be saying. The hand is where it's at. I mean. You see what the hand's been up to. I mean. The hand gets to open doors. Write words. Touch the face of loved ones.

And spread mayonnaise. But I'm a foot. All I. The only thing I touch. Is the pavement. And you know what. No one ever compliments me.

No one says. Oh. You have such pretty feet. But they do say. Gross. What ugly feet you have. Why is your second toe so long?

And your nails. You'd need an orbital sander. To file those things down. So the foot says. I'm not a hand. I don't want any part of this. I don't belong here.

Next fall moves. To the sensory. Faculties of the body. Look at verse 15. He says. Actually. Be 16. If the ear should say. Because I'm not an eye.

I don't belong to the body. So he's talking about the eye. And the ear. These sensory. Faculties of the body. That would not make it. Any less a part of the body. And so. We're kind of brought into. What the ear's thinking. The eye is where it's at.

Don't get me wrong. It's wonderful to hear. A good song. Or hear a baby. Say its first words. But no one goes to a concert. To hear. They go to see. And wouldn't you rather.

See the baby walk. Than to say. It's first words. And so. The ear says. I mean. Yeah. The ear says. I'm not an eye. I don't belong in this body. I don't fit.

I don't matter. And you know. It's obvious what Paul's doing. While Paul is talking about. The parts of the body. He's talking about. Gifts in the. In the body of Christ. It's so common. When we talk about.

Spiritual gifts. It just rolls off. Our tongues. That some of them. Are natural. And some. Supernatural. Some. Spectacular.

And some. Non-spectacular. That's what's going on. In Corinth. They began to think. Of tongues and prophecy. As the really. Supernatural gifts. Where the action is.

And they. And it appears. That those with tongues and prophecy. Began to strut around the church. Because. They had. What. Really happened. This often. Can sometimes happen. Among the. Prophetically.

Incline. This. Elevated status. That they. Think. Assuming. They. Are better than anyone else. Maybe they. Refused to sign up. For children's ministry. Or for the set up team. Or to.

Serve some smoked food. At the picnic. Because they had. More important things to do. Like pray in the spirit. Whatever they did. Many of those.

Who didn't have those. Impressive gifts. Felt. They didn't belong. It's easy to notice. When we don't belong. I read. Of researchers.

Doing this. Particular scenario. In which a group of people. Played a simple game of catch. Tossing the ball around. You know. You kill time. Doing stuff like that. All the time. But the scientists.

Had one condition. When they began. This little scenario. They told everybody. Except this one person. That they were going to pass it. To one another. But never pass it. To this one person. Selected her.

Ahead of time. To see what the response. Would be in the experiment. Put yourself in their shoes. You start playing catch. You know. You laugh. As the ball popcorns. Around the circle. You keep waiting.

For your chance. To join in the fun. You're ready to jump in. You know. Kind of on your tips. Ready to jump in. Hoping the ball comes your way. The ball never comes.

You're patient at first. You laugh. You smile a bit. You inch closer. To be seen. Hey guys. I'm over here. Open. Have been. You know.

You keep hoping. It's all random. Until you conclude. The ball is never coming to me. This game wasn't for me. We all know that feeling.

And that's. Kind of what was going on. In spiritual gifts. In Corinth. I think that can go on here too. So easy. To slip into.

Comparison. I used to sing. Now Gil doesn't schedule me anymore. You know. Used to teach.

I used to teach. Couldn't commit to whatever. Not teaching anymore. Or small group leader. Whatever. We compare. We compare. We see. Man. Well. You know. This person's got gifts. Or I've been discarded.

I've been distanced. And so we then. Kind of retreat away. Into. Self pity. And Paul. Just kind of lovingly. Addresses these people.

And I love. I love it. He just kind of says a few things. First. He says. What you've concluded. Doesn't change. What God has done. Because you say. I'm not a hand. Foot. Because you say.

I'm not a foot. Does that make you. No longer a part of the body. No longer a foot. But. So too. It is God. Who makes us part of the church. And lacking some gift. Or some opportunity.

To express our gifts. Doesn't make us. Any less. Of the part. Part of the body. He adds though. What you've concluded. Doesn't even make sense. You're saying. That only the hand matters.

Or only the eye matters. But it cannot be true. If the whole body. Were an eye. Or the whole body. Were a hand. That wouldn't make any sense. I mean. Can you imagine.

If every tool. Was a hammer. Or every instrument. Was a tuba. Or every food. Was collards. Praise God. You know. We can. But we can live that way.

Right. If we don't have this gift. Then. Then we must not matter. It must not matter. But then he concludes. Most powerfully. It goes against God's design. Don't you remember.

There are varieties of gifts. We learn that. It's the same spirit. Same Lord. Same God. Who empowers them all. But now he underlined. Not just that they all had the same source. In the one. Living.

Triune. God. But. That they were all ordered. According to God's design. Look. Verse 18. This is jump off the page. But as it is. God arranged the members of the body. Each one.

As he chose. That means. It cannot be unimportant. Because it's ordered by God's design. And this is where I'd like to have a word with Mr. Foot.

There's a lot of wonder wrapped up in your feet. When was the last time you paused and wonder at your feet? Leonardo da Vinci called the foot a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.

Do you know that one quarter of the bones in your body are in your feet? The centerpiece of your foot is the arch. The greatest weight bearing design ever created.

Because it gets stronger and stronger under pressure. One author says. Buttressing the foot's arch from all sides is a high tensile web of 26 bones.

33 joints. 12 rubbery tendons. And 18 muscles. All stretching and flexing like an earthquake resistant suspension bridge. Maybe we should go to the podiatrist.

But regardless. Down with anybody who says the foot doesn't belong. But everything is according to God's design. That's what's going on here.

It's crucial. The culture manufactures unity in uniformity. Like a communist block. But God creates unity in diversity.

God creates different things united. We see this in the Trinity. Three persons in one divine essence. We see it in the prism. You know. Light goes through a prism.

And refracts into all these beautiful colors. We see that in music. You know. Music is wonderful and beautiful. Not merely when it's unison. But when unison is matched with harmony.

United. We see in the human body all these things. All these parts of the body working together. I visited a young baby. Our newest member of the church yesterday. The other. Yesterday. And you see this beautiful body that God has made.

All these parts of the body God has formed to work. We see it in marriage. We see it in spiritual gifts in the church. So here's the idea. Spiritual gifts are not meant to lead us into comparison and competition.

Envy and rivalry. Spiritual gifts are meant to leave us wondering at God's creative design. And I have one application for you. Learn to give thanks for those gifted in ways unlike you.

Learn to give thanks for those gifted in ways unlikely. Or maybe in some ways gifted more powerfully than you. Instead of slinking away in self-pity.

Because you feel you're always second fiddle. Always the bridesmaid. Learn to give thanks. Like our culture just wants us to be competitive.

It's so good. I'm not like that. One of the things I often say is no one has ever told me how thoughtful I am. But they stop me all the time and say your wife is so thoughtful.

Part of the reason I say that publicly is just to say you know what? You're right. I stink at being thoughtful at remembering things. And she does. She prays for you. More often sometimes than I do.

I do pray for you. So I don't want to slam myself there. But remembers things so well. And it's so good. You know? We can just think. There's immediate competition.

That shouldn't be the way in church. Man. You're so compassionate. So encouraging. Thank you for coming early and serving coffee.

I never would have thought. You know? To fill up the coffers with diapers back in children's ministry. I didn't know we were going out. I mean just people. That's the way the body is meant to work.

So learn to give thanks. It's such a gift to the body when we do it. So none should stay. They don't need me. Also none should say I don't need their gifts. None should say I don't need their gifts.

He's taught us that the church is one body with many members. And Paul addresses these objections. The first is some say they don't need me.

The second is some say I don't need them. Look at verse 21. The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you. Nor again head to the feet.

The eye and the hand now. The head and the feet now. It's critical to see what's going on. Earlier he was comparing the extremities of the body with one another. The sensory faculties of the body with one another.

Here he compares things of different categories. Right? The eye is in a different category than the hand. Extremity with sensory faculty.

The head is definitely in a different category than the feet. The idea is I think. And when we're talking about things that compare well together. We often fall into comparison. To kind of rivalry.

Which one's inferior to the other. When we compare those in different categories. We often fall into superiority. It's obvious why.

It's easy to say that honey is better than kale. It's easy to say that beef is better than broccoli. Although the Chinese combine those and it's pretty amazing.

Because they're in different categories. So the eye thinks it's better than the hand. Says I don't need you. The eye can see.

Can take in the world. Can process the world. It's better. And so the head. Quite obviously at the top of the body. Says it's better than the foot. The head thinks.

The head makes decisions. The head's the controlled center of the body. But it's not true. The answer here.

Is not merely that God arranged all the parts of the body. According to his design. The answer is that God arranged the body. So that all the members have a love for one another.

That all the parts of the body have a regard for one another. Now for the original readers. This would have been staggering. This idea of the body referring. Being used as a metaphor was very common in philosophy.

So it's often kind of used to refer to a society. So society had different parts of the society. The hands you know. The workmen or something like that. Or the strong. The head would be those guys that sat at the city gates.

And made decisions. The feet were the commoners doing all the work. And so actually a couple hundred years before this book. Or this letter was written. One Roman senator was kind of talking about how the slaves or the servants of the society had stopped working.

It was a revolt. It was a strike. And he says you should stop working. You should start working again. Because your job is to feed those above you.

Your job is to supply their needs. But Paul reverses that common image here. And said instead.

Instead. Those heads. Should have regard for the feet. Those eyes should have regard for the hand. Look at verse 22.

On the contrary. The parts of the body that seem weaker. You remember that language all throughout this book. The contrast between weakness and strength. Paul's trying to give it a gospel centered understanding.

Are indispensable. The head needs the feet. Might be able to make decisions. But wouldn't be able to go anywhere. And the eye needs the hands.

In the context of spiritual gifts. This point is so important. Needs to be carefully appreciated. Tongues. Prophecy. These tongues of interpretation.

All these kind of spectacular. Quote unquote. Gifts in Corinth. Paul is saying. Are not the most important. They're not the only important.

They're not. The only gifts that matter. Misstep. Is so easy. I believe. In these. These. Higher spiritual gifts.

Is the term Paul uses. Refer to them. When the gifts of tongues. And prophecy. And so on. Are. Pursued. Without appreciation. For how God works. Through other gifts.

It can lead to an elite class. It kind of looks down. On everybody else. Without appreciation. For how God. Ordinarily works. I believe. In the gifts of prophecy.

And tongues. And. Part of the reason. We're in this series. Is. We are. Continuationist. And. We want. The whole church. To be built up. Through those gifts. I want.

A church. That pursues. These gifts. I remember. Years ago. Actually. Ron. Clayton. I barely recovered. From honoring. Ron. Who I think. Is on Phyllis's. 80th birthday.

Is that right? Oh my goodness. That's the Lord. Because we're clueless. I remember. Ron. Actually. Just a gift of prophecy. That I felt.

Impressed to share. Two years. Before. We had an idea. About planting a church. In Athens. Ron says. I saw a vision. Of you. Standing on the stage.

Shaking hands. With Bill Kittrell. And him. Praying for you. I was like. Well Ron. That might have been. The lasagna. You ate for lunch.

I don't know. What you're talking about. And. Obviously. The Sunday. We were sent out. October 13. Or. I think. 14.

2018. We were shaking hands. And he was praying for me. He was sending us out. I mean. That's the way the mission goes forward. Now. I didn't. Sign my mortgage.

Confident. Because Ron. Gave me a prophecy. But man. That was encouraging. To think back. Say. God. You're so kind.

To build my faith. And I want that. I want that. But you know. The mistake happens. When we don't. Appreciate how God. Ordinarily works. God's often.

Ordinary means of grace. Of the word. And prayer. Encouragement. Service. You know. We call children's ministry. The dishes. Of our life together. Why? Because God needs us. To do ordinary things together.

He needs us. To walk together. And often. The error. When it comes to spiritual gifts. Is when we think. The extraordinary. And exceptional. Are to be frequent. And habitual.

Oh. I guess we have that quote for you. Many of the areas. Errors. Where spiritual gifts. Are concerned. Arise when we want to make. The extraordinary. And exceptional. To be made frequent. And habitual.

That's Donald Gia. Long time. Uh. Uh. Uh. Denominational. Denominational leader. For the assemblies of God. But I see. I want us to be a gift. I want us to be a church.

That pursues the fullness of the spirit. And in many days. The fullness of the spirit. Will be quite. Ordinary. Carl Truman says. In a word. Where excitement.

Celebrity. You know. The power of the few. And cultural power. The ideal. Ideal. It's tempting. Amid the circumstances. Of ordinary church life. To forget. That this. The routine of the ordinary. The boring.

The plodding. Is actually the norm. For the church life. And has been so. Throughout many places. For most of the history. Of the church. That mega whatevers. Are the exception. Not the rule.

That the church has survived. Through the ages. Not just. Or even primarily. Because of the high profile. Fireworks displays. Of the great and the good. But because of the day to day. Faithfulness.

Of the mundane. Anonymous. Nondescript people. Who constitute most. Of the church. And to do the grunt work. And the tedious jobs. That need to be done. History does not generally.

Record their names. Churches. But the likelihood. That you're sitting. Next to one of them. That you worship. In a church. That owes everything. Humanly speaking. To such people. That's so good.

We want the fullness of the spirit. But we want to remember. Not lose sight. Of the routine. Of the ordinary. The boring. The plodding. The ones who do the grunt work. It's fascinating.

Paul says. In this. This. This. This. Greater regard. For one another. Is supposed to be a part of the church. And the parts that are honorable. Honor. The parts that are not honorable.

The idea is. Those who stand on stage. Do not need honor. Those who sing and play. Do not need honor. Those who. Are up front. So to speak. Don't need honor. But the other parts of the body.

Do need honor. Why? So that it's kind of. Mutual affirmation. Society. No, no, no. It's so that the whole body. Is built up. So that there's no division. In the body. And so.

So. So. In this area. Where it's so easy. To lead to. Comparison. Competition. Arrogance. And one. Upmanship. It should not be. So. In the church. Let no one. In the church.

Slink away. In self-pity. In isolation. And say. They don't need my gifts. But let no one. In the church. Become puffed up. And arrogant. And say. I don't need their gifts.

It's a body. It only works. When each part. Is working. Properly. So that the whole body. Is built up in love. That's what's going on. It's amazing. It's not a spirit.

Empowered individual. But a spirit. Empowered people. It's a blast. When it works out. Last week. I got back from the Philippines. I appreciate your prayers. It's such a joy.

To be over there. My son. Rev. And I. Went to a conference. For young adults. In. Cavite. Or outside of Cavite. Tagetai. Philippines. And. People came from Pakistan.

Australia. Korea. And many. From the Philippines. It was a total blast. There were lots of highlights. I did receive my very own bobble head. Which we have for you.

My head is very large. I don't know that the world needed another one of them. So. But. We have this. I have this. It will be in my office. If you ever want to take a look at it. Or. Don't try to throw it. And bash it. Because it's kind of cool. But they.

They give that to everybody who comes. And I thought it was pretty funny. One highlight was spending time with Jeffrey Joe. I think we have a picture of Jeffrey Joe. And my son. This man. Leads.

The church in Cavite. Philippines. He's a godly. Humble. Courageous. Gospel centered man. Who loves planting and strengthening churches. He's been there in Cavite. For 33 years.

He serves 15 churches. That we partner with in the Philippines. And is. He's combined so much. His integrity. His humility. His gospel centeredness.

And his courage and faith. He's telling us about. The next couple churches. They plan to plant. And these churches are not. When we arrived in the Philippines.

He looked at my son Reb. And said. Have you ever been in a third world country? Philippines is a third world country. And the areas outside. The major population. Are cosmopolitan areas. Manila.

Cebu City. Are very depressed. These are the places. He's going into. With the gospel. Into the Mendenau region. Planting. Planting. Christian churches. And primarily.

Muslim speaking areas. That are. Persecuting. These guys. So these guys. Are awesome. But another highlight. Though. Was seeing the army of servants. In the Filipino church.

I want to tell you about. One man named Mark. If you look on this. Well. It's a little far. But. From the left side. He's the fourth. From the left. Looking.

Pretty normal. It's fitting. That I didn't have a good picture with him. Never took a selfie with him. He works a full time job.

And yet. He directed the whole conference. That means. I interact with him repeatedly. 250 people there.

900 came to this. Worship night. Where we just. Gathered around the gospel. To praise God. Mark arranged. Travel. Itineraries. Buses. Hotels. Meals.

And each night. After I'd gone to sleep. He went to his other job. And was working on his laptop. In the night. That'd be easy.

To go to a conference like that. And thank guys like me. But you know what? Humanly speaking. A conference wouldn't happen without Mark. And that's the way the church is.

That's what Paul is trying to alert us to. Man. It's the utmost of folly. To think the guy with the microphone. Is doing the great work. Or holding it all together.

No. The church is built. On so many people. Contributing. We can just go through the list. Because this church is filled with an army of servants. I thank God for him. I'm so humbled. To be numbered among you.

And it's. But that's what's going on. The church has this regard for one another. So. Down with competition. But up. With regard and love for one another. Oh. You're so good at that. Oh. Thanks for attacking that.

You know. There's people that just run for problems. There's people that just walk oblivious into him. Like myself. And it's just such a gift to the church. And that's what's going on. Don't buy the lie.

The church is an empowered people. God's at work. Doing this wonderful thing. And so we honor all the parts of the body. We have particular love for one another. So much so. That he says.

If one member suffers. All suffer together. If one member rejoices. All rejoice together. The word literally. Is trying to say.

Like one member suffers. I'm suffering too. Like it's. I'm suffering with. Not merely. Because it becomes my pain too. When one of the members suffers. And if you don't know what that feels like. Then you need to get close to the body.

One member rejoices. One gets a great promotion. One gets a blessing of a child. We're all rejoicing. That's what's going on. We're so intertwined. And the spirit has joined us together. United us.

Such that all of our troubles are halved. And all our joys are doubled. That's the life. That God has for us. In the church. Through the power of the spirit. So none should say.

I don't need. They don't need me. And none should say. I don't need them. All should say. Point three. Christ's body needs. All of the spirit's gifts. Christ's body needs. All of the spirit's gifts.

Verse 12. Began by talking about Christ. Being the body. With many members. With many gifts. Now the section concludes. Applying it again. If the analogy weren't clear enough.

Paul makes it clear once more. You are the body of Christ. Lest you be confused. With all this talk about body. Of talk about members. You are the body of Christ. That should sing.

Individually members of it. Staggeringly. The Bible does not say. Each local church. Each local church. Is a part of the body of Christ. It doesn't say you are born again. Into the universal body of Christ.

Merely. It says. Each local church. Is simply. The church. Running through the. First Corinthians. Six times I think. When Paul refers to other churches.

He calls them churches. Is. He calls the church. The church. Each local church. Paul learned this out. The hard way. When he was going down. To hunt down. More Christians.

To persecute. Remember that. He was on the road to Damascus. And the Lord struck him with light. He fell off the camel. He says. Who are you? I am Jesus of Nazareth.

Whom you are persecuting. What? I was persecuting Christians. He said. You were persecuting me. So.

The body of Christ. And each church. Is the body of Christ. The truth. This truth should result in commitment. Each Christian should be committed.

To a specific local church. They are a part of the body. Should use their gifts to serve. And build up the body. There's no vision. For an individual body part. Out there roaming around. You know. No hands lost.

Out there. You know. And so. It should result in this personal commitment. You know. We often read. And think of the church. Like a body. Like. It's just a wonderful metaphor. It would be great if it worked out in reality.

But that's not the way. The New Testament talks. If it's just a metaphor. Then our relationships. With brothers and sisters in the church. A little more than a voluntary association. Just like the. A fraternity.

Or the. A social club. Country club. Something like that. Something we enter and exit. As it suits us. Just an affiliation we enjoy. As long as it feeds us.

Or blesses us. Or makes us feel warm and fuzzy. But if it's not a metaphor. Which I do not think it's a metaphor. It's a biblical truth. We're meant to see ourselves as bound.

To a body. Serving. Committed. That four letter word. That our generation hates. Committed to a body. Laying down our lives for a body.

And it should result. In utter wonder. You who are not a people. God has made a people. You had not received mercy.

God has received. You lost rumbling rolling stone. God has gathered you into his house. In the midst of World War II. Or after World War II.

German soldiers volunteered. I don't always do World War II illustrations. But you know. It is. One of my favorite periods of history. German soldiers volunteered. To help rebuild a cathedral.

In England. That's kind of fascinating. Germans coming over. And rebuilding this cathedral. One of the many losses. Due to German bombing. As the work continued.

Debate began. On how to best restore. A large statue of Jesus Christ. Outside this cathedral. His arms were outstretched. And they were discussing.

Kind of completing the statue. And adding the inscription. Come unto me. All you weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest. Matthew 11. As the work continued. They were not able to repair.

They were able to repair. Quite a bit of the damage. But not repair his hands. The hands of Christ. And the statue. Were destroyed by bomb fragments. They began to ask.

Should we attempt. To restore his hands. Should we attempt. To kind of put them together. Mold something. That looks like his hands. Finally. The workers reached.

A decision. That still stands today. They decided. To leave Christ. With no hands. And instead of. Come unto me. All you weary. And heavy laden. Underneath.

They put. Christ has no hands. But ours. Christ has no hands. But ours. Now surely. Christ doesn't need.

Your hands. But the wonder is. He's asked you to use them. In his mission. Isn't that amazing?

We're the body of Christ. If there's a brother. In financial distress. May God use. Our hands to help. You think about that?

Our hands to give. Our hands to serve. There's a sister suffering. And crying out for help. May God use our ears. To hear. And our words.

To comfort. There's a young family. That needs assistance. May God use our arms. To help. There's a believer. Buried in discouragement.

May God use. Our encouragement. Our prophetic gifts. To build up. That's what those gifts. Were designed for. Or if there's a new believer. In need of instruction. May God use.

Our exhortations. And sermons. To shed light. If there's an open door. For ministry. May God use our feet. To go. Moving. Out of our comfort zone.

Into the mission of God. That's why you have feet. To go and share the good news. If there's an unbeliever near. May God use our mouths. To preach the good news. The Bible says.

How can they hear. Unless someone preaches. Faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of Christ. We offer that to you. We celebrate. The wonderful news. Of the gospel.

Of Jesus Christ. The law said. Sin and die. God said. You have a problem. Your sin against God. Is your greatest. Spiritual problem. It's not your burden.

It's not anything else going on. Your sin against God. And the wrath of God. That is deserved for your sin. And so we go. Into all the world. Proclaiming.

A gospel. That saves. It's wonderful. The gospel is not. Good advice. Or good counsel. It's good news. There is a God. That has done everything. So that you might know him.

There's one mediator. Between God and man. The man Jesus Christ. And today. Any day. And any place. Can be the day.

And the place of salvation. For those who are here. Through. Ordinary. Ordinary. Human. Preaching. Of the gospel.

As the University of Washington team. Approached Berlin. They realized. Pretty quickly. They were on the world stage. Just like Jesse Owens. And others. They had an opportunity.

To stand on the shoulders. Of all who had helped them. Get there. But they were. Undistracted. After passing numerous tests. They focused on the prize.

They remembered the key. Row with all your heart. And with one another. They had a phrase. They would often say. M-I-B.

Mind. In. Boat. You start resting on your own strength. You start pulling on your own strength. You're going to get out. Out of sync. Mind.

In. Both. So too. That's what the spirit wants to do. Not gather a collection of empowered individuals.

But gather an empowered people. With their mind. On the prize. On the church. Diverse gifts. United. Single purpose.

People that never loses the wonder. Being empowered by the spirit. To serve the body of Christ. Cast ourselves on to you. Let us pray. Father in heaven. We thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.

To think. Care for these things. Lord. We thank you for the gift of the spirit. We thank you for how he revives us. Gives us new life.

Applies all the finished work of Jesus Christ. To us. Assuring us. Of your great love for us. Sealing us. As people set apart for you.

Animating our life. Our responses. Our eagerness. To hear your word. And our love for truth. And love for prayer. Love for communion with you. Energizing us in the things of God.

Making us eager. To go to places we would never go. To do things we would never do. Because of power that comes from on high. We thank for the way it unites us. In the church of Jesus Christ.

And gives us gifts to serve one another. We pray Holy Spirit. That you would come. That you would continue your work. We praise you. That we have not all the fullness of the spirit.

We are daily. Hourly. Moment by moment. Depended on you. And we confess it. It's a glad confession. To hide in you.

And pray. Oh God. By your spirit. Work. Work. We pray against any works of the enemy in this body. We know he comes to steal, kill and destroy.

But you came that you might give us life. And life abundantly. We resist his work of competition and comparison. Of envy and rivalry.

Anyone who's put themselves in a place where they do not belong. Lord I pray that you would refresh them. I pray that there would be a fresh spirit empowered appreciation for one another.

That we rejoice with one another. That we would celebrate when you're at work. Amazed that you would give gifts. That we don't have to build up the body that we love. Oh God.

Would you do it? I pray that we continue to be a people that suffers with one another. That does not just live our life. But lives a thousand lives. Because we love one another. We're aware that you've brought us together.

That you've carved us out. And gave us to one another. Lord help us and unite us. Keep us. We pray. Continue your work in our midst.

Oh Holy Spirit of God. Glorify Christ. In our midst we pray. In Jesus name. Amen. You've been listening to a message on 1 Corinthians.

During a Sunday service at Trinity Grace Church. For more information. Please visit us at trinitygraceathens.com Please visit us at T sank away.