The Body
Reading 1:1 Cor 12:12-27
Activity 1: Arrange the body parts
The church likened to a body.
Local and universal
q Previous verses: gifts of the Spirit
q Next verses: the ministry gifts
The body sandwiched in between.
Corinth a place where people were thinking they were better than others; mainly Greeks.
As Corinth was not only the political capital of Greece, but the seat of its commercial and intellectual life; the place of concourse for the people not only of the neighboring cities, but of nations; a source where influences of all kinds emanated.
Reading 2: Rom 12:3-6
Diversity different functions
All important
Age, gender, qualifications etc, make no difference.
Which body part is most important? Why?
Can we function without hands, feet or head?
Activity 2: pick up without hands
Activity 3: Walk without feet
Activity 4: Blindfolded, get from A-B
We need each other
We are not in competition like: Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s
If someone gets it wrong, does it matter?
Quote: ‘if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly until you can do it well!’
My testimony of broken foot and hand.
Pain, inconvenience, I had to depend on others
(We have to; no one person has everything)
Diseased, lame, at worst DEAD!
God has set us in the body, 1 Cor 12:18
Each in the place He wants (you are exactly where He wants you!)
What if the body was arranged incorrectly? (re-arrange the body)
Monster!! All eyes, hands, feet, etc.
Activity 6: Slide show, monsters inc. name the monsters game
I hope the church doesn’t look like that!
Reading 3: Eph. 4: 1-6
Unity
You are Significant
Be content, accept who you are, where you are.
Don’t look at others, be you! God arranged it this way.
England football club/local club: Teamwork
We need to accept one another even though we’re different and we must function in the position we’re in
The Godhead unity in diversity, the family unity in diversity, the Church unity in diversity
Diversity is essential to unity; for unless the body consisted of many members, it would not be a body, i.e. an organic whole.
Jesus wants to show the world He is interested, He uses His body, the church.
The first and most obvious conclusion from the view, which Paul had given of the nature of the church, is the duty of contentment
The Spirit of God dwelling in the church manifests himself under one form in one member and under a different form in another; and that the selection of his organs and distribution of his gifts are according to his sovereign pleasure. We are contending against him, therefore, when we contend against the position and the office, which he has assigned us in the church.
We need mutual dependence of each member of the church.
One purpose: to glorify Jesus
We are the image of Jesus to this world.
The body is in one of many states:
1) Baby
2) Child
3) Young adult
4) Mature adult
5) Middle aged
6) Elderly
What do we look like to those around?
q Monsters
q Perverts
q Suspicious
q Money grabbers
People know that our agenda is to get them into church, but it should be secondary; Christ the perfect body is what they need; and church, that’s US!
Matt 16:8 I will build my church…
