Where Do You Fit In
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Intro: In the comic strip Peanuts, Charles Shultz created many memorable characters like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and many more. One of the cartoons featured Lucy and Linus. It shows Linus sitting around watching TV and Lucy comes in and sits down then looks at Linus and says that he needs to turn the TV channel. Linus looks at her and says, “What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?”
“These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually they’re nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.”
“Which channel do you want?” asks Linus.
Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, “Why can’t you guys get organized like that?”
. Our scripture today speaks of how God has chosen to assemble His Church.
. Paul writes that we are to work together as a unit. How we are stronger collectively than we are individually.
. Much like Linus and Lucy, when we all work together we accomplish what God calls us to do.
. Paul uses an analogy here in comparing the church to a human body to show how we are to work together and how we cannot function without all the parts that make up the body.
. 12The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.13Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been ibaptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.15If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.16And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?17If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.19How strange a body would be if it had only one part!20Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.21The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.23And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,24while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.25This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
. Paul compares the church, the body of Christ to the Human body.
. While the body has many parts, it cannot function properly without all the parts in place.
. The church functions the same way as the body. It can function as long as all the parts are in place and each limb or piece is doing what God designed the body to do.
. God designed the church so that it can also function with precision just as the body does.
. This morning I gave each of you a gift. I gave you a piece of a puzzle. Now all these pieces make up a complete picture of a church.
. If we were to take these pieces and put them all together, you would see a picture of a church.
. I want you to keep this piece of the puzzle. Use it to remind you that you are a vital piece of the church here at “The Creek”
. My question to you this morning is where do you fit in.
. You also have our survey form that asks where you want to serve this next church year. As we go through the sermon this morning, allow God to speak to you in regards to where you will fit in next year.
. Our scripture this morning assures us that we all fit in.
. As we look at our scripture this morning we will see that the body of Christ is Inclusive, that each part is Important, that the body is Interdependent on the other parts and that we are all Interconnected.
. I have four points this morning rather than my usual three so let’s go through them quickly this morning.
. The body is INCLUSIVE
. In verses 12&13 Paul writes: 12The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.13Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been ibaptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
. We are all different people folks.
. We come from many diverse backgrounds, nationalities, socio- economic circumstances and races. Just like our human bodies has many diverse parts, so does the church.
. The one thing we have in common though is that we are all part of the body of Christ.
. We are all part of the Church of Jesus Christ.
. If we have been “Born Again” as Jesus told Nicodemus in John chapter 3, Paul writes that we all share the same Spirit.
. If we all share the same Spirit folks, we should all share the same goal or mission in our life.
. Ours is “To encourage and develop those we meet into committed followers of Jesus.”
. It doesn’t matter who we are or where we came from, all that matters is that we are all part of the body of Christ and just as parts of the human body sustain life, we as the body Of Christ, sustain Jesus’ body, the Church here on this earth.
. The body must be inclusive of all who are filled with the Spirit of God.
. Next we see that each part of the body is Important.
.Look at verses 18-21 again: 18But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.19How strange a body would be if it had only one part!20Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.21The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
. Paul writes that it would be strange if the body had only one part. This body would be a very limited body.
. This body could only do what the one part could do; Nothing more.
. It doesn’t work that way though. The eyes show the feet and hands what they are touching and which way to walk. The ears hear and send the sounds to the brain for processing and the brain sends out command depending upon the input from the eyes and ears and touch of the hands and feet.
. God placed all these parts in the place they are needed for the body to function.
. The body of Christ is designed the same way.
. God created us all unique. When we are saved He gifts each of us with a gift that is to be used within the body. We are all special. We are all important to the functionality of the body of Christ. Each of us must perform the function that God has gifted and given to us so that His body, The Church, can function properly and efficiently.
. The story is told of a little girl who came home from school one day crying because she had been given only a small part in the children’s program, while her playmate got the leading role. After drying her tears, her mother took off her watch and put it in the little girl’s hand. ‘What do you see?’ she asked. ‘A gold case, a face, and two hands,’ she replied. Opening the back, she repeated the question. She said I see many tiny wheels. ‘This watch would be useless,’ she said, ‘without every part—even the ones you can hardly see.’”
Not all of us will play the leading roles in the Church. Some of us have to be the supporting actors and actresses. But we all have a purpose and a place in the Church. Each of us is important and essential. In order for the Church to function properly, it must have a variety of parts that work together as a whole. Remember: Each Part is important, where do you fit in.
.Next we see that each member or part of the body is Interdependent
.As each part of the body depends on the other parts so does the body of Christ rely upon the proper functioning of all the various parts.
. In a mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to the townspeople. At last he decided to build them a church.
No one saw the complete plans for the church until it was finished. When the people gathered, they marveled at its beauty and completeness. Then someone asked, “But where are the lamps? How will they be lighted?”
The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls. Then he gave each family a lamp that they were to bring with them each time they came to worship.
“Each time you are here the area where you are seated will be lighted,” the nobleman said. “Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God’s house will be dark”
. The functionality of the church is dependent upon the dedication of the members or parts of the body.
. Let me use another example. Have you ever flown a kite?
Ask yourself, who flew the kite?
. If you ask the wind it will say I did. I’m the one who lifted it up so it can fly.
. If you ask the paper, it will say I did. I’m what allows the wind to catch underneath and take it up into the air.
. The tail will say no it was me that kept it from getting out of control.
. The string will say that it was him that held it all together.
. The boy who flew the kite will say that without me, the kite couldn’t fly at all.
. The truth is that they all had a part in flying the kite and none of them were more important or crucial than the other. They were all important and they all depended upon the other part in order to function properly.
. Folks, God has placed you here in this church for a reason. You are an important part of this church and vital to the success or failure of this body of believers.
. Everyone depends on you to carry out you function here in this church. When you fail to do that, the whole body suffers.
. Use you gifts and talents right here right now in order for this body to fulfill the mission that Jesus gave to us.
. I ask you again, where do you fit in.
. Finally we see that each part of the body is Interconnected.
.Look at verse 26: 26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
. Paul is saying that whatever affects one part affects all of us.
. We are all part of one body.
. When we are happy, we rejoice together.
. When we are sad, we cry together.
. We are designed to share each others joy and pain.
. When the body is happy or joyful, the brain may tell the legs to jump for joy or clap the hands together, sharing in the joy.
. When the body is sad, or in pain the rest of the body feels that pain and the brain may tell the eyes to shed a tear or the hand to rub a sore muscle.
. Folks, as the body of Christ we are interconnected with one another. We must share in the experiences of one another. Get to know the various parts. Don’t just spend all of your time with certain parts—make yourself know to others. You take the first step; don’t wait until they come to you. And keep your eyes focused outward to the needs of others. Join others in their grief and joy.
.Look at verse 27 again. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you are part of it.
. Where do you fit in with all of this.
. There is a place for you within the body of Christ.
. I want to close this morning with a fable. I’m sure many of you are familiar with Esop’s fables. I want to close with “The Fable of the Belly” by Esop.
. “One day it occurred to the members of the body that they were doing all the work while the belly was having all the food. So they held a meeting (presumably without inviting the belly) and after a long discussion decided to strike work until the belly consented to take its proper share of the work. So for a day or two the hands refused to take the food, the mouth refused to receive it and the teeth had no work to do. But after a day or two, the members began to find that they themselves were not in very active condition. The hands could hardly move, the mouth was all parched and dry, while the legs were unable to support the rest of the body. Thus they found that even the belly in its dull, quiet way was doing necessary work for the body and that all must work together or the body will go to pieces.”
Our human bodies work together in order that we can live full lives in this world. As the Body of Christ, we must also work together. Remember that the body must be Inclusive and that each member is Important, Interdependent and Interconnected with each other.
. Where do you fit in within the body of Christ.
. The first thing you have to do in order to be a part of the body of Christ is to accept Him as your Savior
.
. Have you done that?
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources:
The Holy Bible, NLT
Dewayne Gamez, Are You Puzzled Yet? (sermon central)
Ritch Grimes, I Need You. (sermon central)
