1 Corinthians 12:12-14
The beauty of the church is that it’s NOT about any one individual’s abilities, talents, or personality. It’s about the glory of God displayed through the cooperation of his people. No one stands out, only God. Too many American churches are the opposite. They are known for having a dynamic speaker, or an inspirational worship leader, or a fun youth or kid’s pastor. The church finds its identity in a singular leader or a small group of leaders which leads to a dangerous and eventually damning reality - “I AM NOT REALLY NEEDED FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD!” We cannot let this ever happen at Emmanuel!
The Apostle Paul wanted the Corinthians to realize that each and every one of them had a role to play for Kingdom impact. He used an illustration that would be familiar to them, and it’s surely familiar to us. He used the human body. Think about our bodies. As I get older, I am starting to realize this more and more. For many years, as a young person, I took the individual parts of my body for granted. Why? It’s because they were all fulfilling their roles leading to physical health. As I get older, that’s not always the case anymore. Suddenly, I have back problems. I have digestive problems. I have the beginning of varicose veins in my legs. To be honest, I don’t worry about any of it, but it still affects me. When my back hurts, it causes my neck to “feel it.” When my stomach is bothering me, it causes my mind to be distracted. When my leg is struggling, it causes my pace to be much slower. I think you are getting the point. Each part of our bodies affects the other parts. It truly does.
Paul compares the body of Christ to the human body. Each part has a specific function that is necessary for the body as a whole. The parts all have different purposes for one ultimate purpose - health and function. In their differences, they all work together. If one struggles, the others struggle. If one succeeds, the others succeed. As disciples of Jesus, we must avoid two common mistakes: (1) Thinking our abilities are more important than the abilities of others in the church (2) Thinking we have little to nothing to offer to the body of Christ. The Corinthians had fallen into these traps. In particular, they began to compare themselves to others trying to steal glory away from God. It was beginning to weaken their influence. The loving apostle wanted them to correct this now before it was too late.
We are just finishing up August Training Month here at Emmanuel. Just recently, I had a couple of people come up to me and ask how they can serve the Lord this upcoming fall. We had a great conversation. Here are a few things that I suggested to them, and here are a few things that I suggest to you as you consider what your part is in Kingdom living here at Emmanuel:
In Corinth, there were so many different people coming to Christ. There were different religious groups (Jews & Gentiles) and social groups (Slaves & Free). The fact was that they had to overcome stereotypes, social statuses, and religious dogmatism, understanding that they were all now “one in Christ!” I think of our church. So many different backgrounds. So many different religious experiences. So many different social groups. So many different beautiful people all looking to “find their way” to Christ. I love it! I am so excited for our future! So, let’s love each other. Let’s engage in a growth group together. Let’s, ALL OF US, use our spiritual gifts for the glory of God THIS FALL! You. Are. Needed.
The Apostle Paul wanted the Corinthians to realize that each and every one of them had a role to play for Kingdom impact. He used an illustration that would be familiar to them, and it’s surely familiar to us. He used the human body. Think about our bodies. As I get older, I am starting to realize this more and more. For many years, as a young person, I took the individual parts of my body for granted. Why? It’s because they were all fulfilling their roles leading to physical health. As I get older, that’s not always the case anymore. Suddenly, I have back problems. I have digestive problems. I have the beginning of varicose veins in my legs. To be honest, I don’t worry about any of it, but it still affects me. When my back hurts, it causes my neck to “feel it.” When my stomach is bothering me, it causes my mind to be distracted. When my leg is struggling, it causes my pace to be much slower. I think you are getting the point. Each part of our bodies affects the other parts. It truly does.
Paul compares the body of Christ to the human body. Each part has a specific function that is necessary for the body as a whole. The parts all have different purposes for one ultimate purpose - health and function. In their differences, they all work together. If one struggles, the others struggle. If one succeeds, the others succeed. As disciples of Jesus, we must avoid two common mistakes: (1) Thinking our abilities are more important than the abilities of others in the church (2) Thinking we have little to nothing to offer to the body of Christ. The Corinthians had fallen into these traps. In particular, they began to compare themselves to others trying to steal glory away from God. It was beginning to weaken their influence. The loving apostle wanted them to correct this now before it was too late.
We are just finishing up August Training Month here at Emmanuel. Just recently, I had a couple of people come up to me and ask how they can serve the Lord this upcoming fall. We had a great conversation. Here are a few things that I suggested to them, and here are a few things that I suggest to you as you consider what your part is in Kingdom living here at Emmanuel:
- What do you like to do? How has God “hard-wired” you?
- What do people see in you as a ministry that you are capable of doing?
- Sign up and someone will contact you:
In Corinth, there were so many different people coming to Christ. There were different religious groups (Jews & Gentiles) and social groups (Slaves & Free). The fact was that they had to overcome stereotypes, social statuses, and religious dogmatism, understanding that they were all now “one in Christ!” I think of our church. So many different backgrounds. So many different religious experiences. So many different social groups. So many different beautiful people all looking to “find their way” to Christ. I love it! I am so excited for our future! So, let’s love each other. Let’s engage in a growth group together. Let’s, ALL OF US, use our spiritual gifts for the glory of God THIS FALL! You. Are. Needed.
Posted in Devotional