In the same way we would give priority to caring for our own body (to make sure that all of our bodily members are functioning properly), God is concerned with keeping the “body of Christ” healthy and functioning. As a member of the church we are gifted with the task of serving Christ, and each one has the opportunity to serve for the betterment of the whole body. As the old children’s song goes, “All God’s children have a place in the choir, some sing low, and some sing higher.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NIV)
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If 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? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
What does it mean to be a member of the church?
To be a new Creation in Christ is to BELONG to His body called the church, and church membership means an ACTIVE role of participation in His body with a UNITY of purpose and a DIVERSITY of service to the building up and benefit of the WHOLE BODY, for the glory of God.”
#1 – To be a new Creation in Christ is to BELONG to His body called the church,
#2 – and church membership means an ACTIVE role of participation in His body
#3 – with a UNITY of purpose and a DIVERSITY of service
#4 – to the building up and benefit of the WHOLE BODY, for the glory of God.
We all must answer the question:
I contribute to the body of Christ by ________________?
- Imagine the God of the universe has picked YOU to help build His kingdom – WHAT A PRIVILEGE!