When does a person become a part of God’s church?
When that happens you are not automatically a part of a local church body. You are a part of the church as a whole.
What does that mean, local church body? All around the world there are different kinds of churches, all of which have similar but different doctrinal beliefs. Some are like us and are Pentecostal in thought. Some are Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, and the list goes on.
Because a person is a part of God’s church, does that mean that it is not important to be a part of a local church body?
The author of Hebrews gave the local church some good advice in Hebrews 10.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-24 NIV
There are some great benefits from being a part of the church as a whole and there are some great benefits from being a part of a local church body.
Some people however do not believe that you need the local church body to survive as a Christian. Debbie and I have given our lives to the service of the church because we believe that the local church body is extremely important.
Even though we believe it is important for a believer to be a part of a local church, there is something you should know about the local church, it is not perfect.
I know that some of you might be shocked right now.
But even though the church is not perfect it is an important part of the believers life. The important thing to remember when thinking about the local church is to make sure that it is healthy.
A healthy church will have healthy vital signs.
I remember as an EMT back in Iowa, when we received a medical call one of the first things we did when we arrived on scene was to check the vital signs of the patient.
There are three very important vital signs. They are called the ABC’s. That stands for airway, breathing and circulation. For example part of the circulation is the blood Pressure, super high BP’s are not good! Personal Experience!
If the patient did not have good ABC’s well then we had a problem.
When it comes to a healthy, living body, good vital signs are important.
The same holds true for the church, the body of Christ.
PRAY
Heavenly Father,
open my eyes so I can see Your truth.
Open my ears so I can hear Your voice.
Open my mind so I can understand Your Word.
And open my heart so I may receive all that You want me to receive. AMEN
Today we are looking at 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. The Apostle Paul discusses the body of Christ and he mentions 5 vital signs for a healthy church.
Let’s look at this.
2 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. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV
The Apostle Paul describes the church as an organism that is not much different than the human body. His example is clear and concise. Regardless of who you are, when you are in Christ, you are united into the greater body of believers.
The first vital sign that Paul shows us is the presence of unity and harmony.
Look at verse 12 again only this time let me show you the Message version. “You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12 The Message
There is harmony and there is unity within the human body. All of the parts and all of the organs work together to keep our bodies in operation.
Not one part or organ of our body can say to any other part or organ, we don’t need you. Even the appendix is useful!
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center say that the function of the frequently discarded appendix, an organ often credited with little importance and often dismissed as having no significant function, does have a role to play after all.
According to the researchers, the appendix's job is to "reboot" the digestive system when that happens with the bacteria safely harbored in the appendix.
There is perfect harmony and unity within the human body and there should be the same within the church.
The church is made up of many different types of people. But we are all united in purpose, to glorify God, to edify each other and to build God’s kingdom.
There must be unity in the body.
The second vital sign is that there should be an absence of favoritism, status and prejudice.
Paul writes, 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. 1 Corinthians 12:13
The body of Christ has no place for preferred customers or second class members.
A man was walking across a bridge one day, and saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. Immediately he ran over and said "Stop! Don't do it!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he said. The other man said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"
"Like what?" "Well ... are you religious or atheist?"
"Religious." "Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?"
"Christian." "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant." "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist." "Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God." "Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God." "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!"
To which the first man said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed the other man off the bridge.
There is no room for favoritism, prejudice, or class status within the church.
The church should be as our name suggests, a family.
The Hawaiians have a word, Ohana. In the movie Lilo and Stitch we learn the meaning of the word when Lilo says, “Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten.”
The Apostle wrote to the Galatian church 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christhave clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28 NIV
We are family.
The third vital sign is an emphasis on individual dignity and mutual variety. To illustrate this Paul shows a sense of humor.
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? 1 Corinthians 12:15-17 NIV
Can you picture a 6 foot tall eye ball? That’s kind of weird. How would you give it a hug? If your body was only a big eye you would always have an irritated eye from rolling around all the time.
The point is, no one person comprises the entire body of Christ.
That is why we are all different and diverse but we are all placed into the greater body of Christ and into the local body of Christ.
Paul quickly brings us to the fourth vital sign and that is there should be no self sufficiency. We need each other!
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. 1 Cor. 12:21-23a NIV
Every part of the human body needs the rest of the parts. The foot can’t do it alone. The human body works at its best when all the part are working together.
The same is true with the church. The joy and sadness of the church is dependent upon the whole body functioning together.
We need each other.
Which brings us to the fifth vital sign, the support of others.
Paul writes, “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.”
1 Corinthians 12:24b-26
If someone in the church is hurting then everyone should feel that pain with them.
If someone is down, then we come along side them and help them up.
If someone is honored, then we rejoice with them; we applaud, we cheer. We rejoice with those who rejoice and we mourn with those who mourn.
That is the way the church is supposed to work! That is a healthy body.
I believe these vital signs to be present in our church. What makes it possible and why I believe this is because of who we allow to be the head of the body.
Paul describe Christ as the head of the church in Ephesians 5:23.
We must always remember as a body of believers who the head of the church is, Jesus Christ, He alone is Lord. He alone is our salvation. He alone is our shield.
Jesus is the one that ties the body together.
I believe that these vital signs are at work in our church but that does not mean that things can go wrong.
We always need to be proactive in regards to the health of the body. We need to exercise and we need to eat right.
We also need to be on the alert for diseases that can spread infection into the body. We must do all we can to guard against them.
Diseases like pride that affects our mind. Or indifference because of sin that turns our hearts cold.
We must watch out for sterile theologies or theology that does not get applied to our lives because they will clog the churches digestive system.
Other diseases could be lust, greed, wagging tongues, loose lips, knees that do not bend to the Lordship of Christ, hands that applaud the works of man instead of the works of God, minds that are closed to God’s Word, emotions that are out of control and emotions that are under too much control.
And still we need to guard against spiritual and mental muscles not being exercised by the Word of God and by prayer and praise. Financial muscles that are not being stretched because we fail to give and be generous. Faith muscles that become flabby because of unbelief.
All these things are diseases that can cripple the church. They are like cancer that eats at the body.
If we are not careful, if we do not keep these things out of the body, the body of Christ will lose its effectiveness within the communities that it lives.
Church we cannot afford for the vital signs of the church to suffer. And since we are the church, we cannot allow these vital signs to fail in our own lives.
Today as we close would you take an inventory of your own vital signs?
Ask the Holy Spirit to point out any of these spiritual disease that might be in your life and then ask the doctor of our souls, Jesus Christ to remove every last disease so that we might be spiritual healthy children of God and that we can continue to be a church in which vital signs are in full operation.
When the churches vital signs are right, when your vital signs are right, then we can make a difference and we can build His kingdom.
CLOSE.
