Text:
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.
If you are a Christian, you are born again, added to the kingdom of God, adopted into the family of God. The family of God is His Church. We are all members of the body of Christ, His Church. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.
Now, let's illustrate this like Paul did. Envision a human body. Jesus is the head, which houses the brain. The brain controls everything in the body. So Jesus is the supreme authority in the body of Christ, His Church.
Just like the human body has all kinds of different parts, each with specific purposes, and is controlled by the brain, the Church has many different parts (people), each with specific purposes, and are controlled by Jesus Christ. He is the brain of the body, His Church.
So we are all different parts of the body, the Church. We all have different functions and purposes. Jesus is over all of it. By the Holy Spirit, who lives in each one of us, He oversees and guides the whole body, just like the brain oversees and guides all the functions of the human body.
God made each one of us with specific characteristics, personality traits, temperaments, dispositions, talents, strengths, and weaknesses. We are uniquely made by God, in our mother's womb. We were not born to just live on Earth for no reason. We were born to find God, believe in Jesus, be born again, and adopted into the family of God, His Church. We were born to serve a unique purpose or function in the body of Christ with our varying unique characteristics.
Everyone is different for this reason. So everyone is important in the Church. You are important in the Church and have a work to do, specific to you, so that the Body functions properly. No one else in all of humanity can do what you do, because there is only one you. So if you don't do it, it will not get done, and the Church will not function properly. So everyone in the Church is important and has something to do, something to offer, to make the Church the healthy and vibrant Body of Christ that it is today.
Think to yourself about who you are and what you offer in this life. Then use it in the Body of Christ. You are important and we need what only you can provide.
Why? So that the love of God will be spread throughout the world by all of us, and others will be saved and get to go to heaven too.
Note: This is in your life and not just church service.
Share this with others!!!
Love you all,
Jeffrey Post
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