1 Corinthians 12:12-27
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be 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 cease to be 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 arranged 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 combined the members of the body and has given 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.
Step Forward 2 (Congregation) [The Sermon of the Stinky Foot]
It is perhaps destiny that during a sermon series based on a beach… we are reading a scripture text that talks about all the different parts of the body. I mean, there is no other place on earth that we are ever more exposed out in public. And there is one thing that is almost universally true… no matter how good you look… you hate thinking about what you look like at the beach.
Most of us would rather not think about our bodies and if we do think about them… we probably don’t think very complementary things. It’s too fat or too skinny, too short or too tall. Bumpy, lumpy or just plain ugly! Kind of like when I was growing up… I was so ugly… my parents would have to take me everywhere they went just so they wouldn’t have to kiss me goodbye.
But our bodies… even if they are known to be beautiful… have parts that we are embarrassed of… parts we want to cover up… parts that we wish we could improve… parts we wish we could do without out. Just look at the statistics… last year alone… there were 12 million plastic surgery procedures. In a survey… 73% of women said they wanted plastic surgery. No matter how good we look, there is always something that could be better. It is a tension that exists in our personal lives… and oddly… it is the same kind of tension that Paul writes about in his letter to the Corinthians.
It is so tempting in a church family… to look around… at all the different people that make up the body of Christ… some people we will just naturally get along with… some people we will struggle to get along with… and we will wonder… “Lord, I understand why you made feet… but did you have to make them stink!” Lord, O Lord… wouldn’t the church be better without the stinky feet. Now, stop looking around for the stinky foot… cause it’s you. I’m just joking… we don’t have any stinky feet… we’re awesome! (scratch head and look away).
But it’s amazing to me how Paul just jumps in so unabashedly… and talks about this issue. Lets peek back to verse 12:
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
You see… there was a major problem with the Corinthian church… the church was struggling with so many divisive issues… different view points… different attitudes… different status’ in life… and most of all… different cultures. It was the classic fight back then… Jews versus Gentiles… and they almost tore the church apart because they just couldn’t come together. Aren’t we so very lucky that we don’t have any cultural differences in our church.
[Go through Chart of all the generational differences we have in the church] - general research done online... I can send you the Excel file if you e-mail me at spencerhoman@msn.com
Alright… we have these huge cultural differences. So many different viewpoints… so many different attitudes… so many different characteristics… why… we don’t even really speak the same language all the time. When I say “ministry” there are 6 OR MORE different definitions flying around the room. How do we come together as one church? Is it even worth trying? Wouldn’t it be easier to have the GI church, the Pioneer church, the Boomer church, the X church, and the Y church and we could all just have it exactly the way we want it? Not have to put up with ideas we don’t agree with. Never have to tolerate a ministry that goes against are core worldview.
Paul thinks it’s worth it… not only that… he thinks it’s mandatory. Let’s look at what he has to say to us starting at verse 18 and going to 23.
18 But in fact God has arranged 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,
See… it’s right there in black and white we NEED those stinky feet. No part of the body is unnecessary! Every part serves a purpose! Every single person contributes to make this church the body of Christ!
That’s fine and good but really… isn’t the body better off without some parts. I mean… can’t we at least get some odor eaters for those stinky feet? Isn’t there something part we can REALLY do without? Couldn’t we get by just fine without them?
Lets take it to Paul one last time and throw it to verse 25:
But God has combined the members of the body and has given 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.
The head bone is connected to the… neck bone! The neck bone’s connected to the… shoulder bone! The shoulder bone’s connected to… well you get the idea. Paul stresses that no matter which way you slice it… there is no division in the body. If one part suffers… every part suffers with it. It’s like how you hear about people who have “bad right hips.” They go to the doctor and say my right hip is killing me… I need a new hip. The doctor does some tests and comes back, your hip is fine… but you need a new left knee! When one body part is hurting… the body compensates to help that body part and every single part of the body is affected.
And this is a perfect lesson for any congregation during a stewardship series. We are all connected. We are all one body. We can not get by without all the parts of the body doing what that part of the body is supposed to do. So to bring it full circle there is a challenge here for everyone who says “But I have so little to give, I have no talent, I have NOTHING to give!” You are an important child of God and a very important part of the body of Christ i.e. the church. You are needed to contribute to the life in this church whatever way it is that God has called you to be a part of the life in this church. Every person makes a difference… no matter how big or how small.
Another way to put it is to say that there is a place in life for candles as well as stars. How dark the world’s darkness would become if all the lesser lights were extinguished. We need lights big and small to light the way. We need parts big and small to make up the body of Christ. Even if you are scared… you can step out knowing that every step of the way… you have to footprints of the maker right by your side in the sand! You can walk boldly… and act greatly!
Now, there is one last idea that I can’t ignore while on this topic… stewardship of the congregation really has a two point challenge: the first is to be a part of the body… volunteer, but there are more people God wants to be a part of this church, it is part of our stewardship of this congregation’s resources to invite them in.
There is a story about a little old lady was amazed at how nice the young man was next door. Everyday he would help her gather things from her car or help her in her yard. One day the old lady finally ask the young man, "son, how did you become such a fine young man". The young man replied, "well, when I was a boy, I had a drug problem". The old lady was shocked, "I can’t believe that". The young man replied, "it’s true, my parents drug me to church on Sunday morning, drug me to church on Sunday night and drug me to church on Wednesday night" Who are we dragging to church?
Brothers and sisters… we are one body… we are one family in Christ. Despite our different viewpoints, our different talents, our different ideas and way of doing things… we are all a part of Christ… and we have been called to be a part of First Presbyterian Fairbury. You are here to serve a purpose for God. So go… be the best stinky foot you can be.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
