The BODY Of CHRIST-V—1Corinthians 12:12-31
Attention:
The current times in which we live are marked by a continual bombardment by the worldly, by the fleshly, by the man-centered separations that exist in our country.—We have Movements promoting racial division, which ironically encourages racial prejudice & injustice...We have prejudices against the liberties given law enforcement in the performance of their duties...We have rioting protests that perpetrate criminal activity against the innocent...We have historic monuments &/or statues being desecrated, destroyed, & removed.
All those separations, that divisiveness, threatens to bring about the demise of the country we claim to love...the country whose very foundations were laid by Judeo-Christian religious principles.
Likewise the Body of Christ can suffer under the burden of individual & even gathered lusts that are couched in self-aggrandizement.
For some weeks we’ve looked at God’s design for Unity within the Body of Christ, which is the Church.
All the local-to-global manifestations of the Body of Christ are built upon a God-sourced Unity of ‘individual’ Christians. A successful unity of the Body of Christ is seen particularly thru our cooperative successes.
*Remember that the global Church, along with it’s smaller manifestations is the embodiment of Christ Jesus(Col. 1:24).
The apostle Paul maintained the significance of the Church's being the Body of Christ.
What is exhibited by that entity known as the Body of Christ?
Last week we found that ‘The Body Of Christ Exhibits...’
1. An IDENTIFIABLE COMPOSITION(:12)
2. A WILLINGLY EMPOWERED INVITATION(:13)
3. BELONGING(:14-17)
4. A DIVINE PLACEMENT(:18)
5. A REASONABLE UNITY(:19-20)
6. A NECESSITY For DIVERSITY(:21-22)
7. A REASONABLE DIVERSITY(:23-24)
The Body Of Christ Exhibits...
8—A CARING DIVERSITY-Mutual-(:25-26)
Explanation:
:24—“...But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,”...
:25—“that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.”
:26—“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
There is an ultimate purpose to God’s composing the body in such a way that “honors” all the ‘parts’/“members” of it(see:24b)...& that purpose is...
:25a—“that there should be no schism in the body,...”
Division(“schism”) in the body is debilitating, devitalizing, immobilizing, incapacitating, etc.! Division in the Body hinders the work of Christ in the world!
Illustration:
My wife, as of the last few years, has complained about an inability to open jars. As a result of that weakness, we have had to come up with an abnormal means of circumventing the weakness. We use a ‘jar opener’ given to us by her 88year old momma, who has the same problem opening jars/
•A “schism in the body” complicates the normal capabilities of a healthy & unified body.
“Be”—w including the oblique forms, as well as--hv, h, etc.—Present X Subjunctive 3rd Sing.—1) Be, may be, etc.?The subjunctive of—eimi—“I am”—1) To be, to exist, to happen, to be present. Strong—I exist(used only when emphatic); the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary & defective verb.
“Schism/Division”—scisma—Noun Nominative Sing. Neuter—1) A rent; 2) metaph.--A division, dissension. Scisma is actual division, separation. Strong—A split or gap ("schism"), literally or figuratively. Used 8X.
:25b—“that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.”
*Unity in “the body”(physical) & the Body of Christ(spiritual) includes ‘impartial care’ for one another.
•Unlike a machine, which parts are merely ‘interconnected’, the members of the body are not only interconnected but are also inter-cooperative & inter-communicating...so that not only their physical purpose is achieved—hands grasp, head turn, eyes focus, legs walk, etc.—but they are inter-cooperative in that they are all integral to supplying the need of the other.
The key concept in these verses is that the Body of Christ “should” be involved in a particular work. That which they “should” do is to “care for one another.”
•All parts/members are to mutually respond to their brothers &/or sisters in Christ, in an ‘appropriately’ godly fashion.
*The Greek word translated as “care” carries the nuance of ‘being anxious for’ or ‘to be troubled by.’
•Thus all of the family of God should have a healthy concern for the well-being, the state, or the situation of others of their number who are God’s people.
Php. 2:1-5—“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection & mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,”
“Same”—autov—Personal Pronoun Accusative Sing. Neuter—1) Himself, herself, themselves, itself; 2) He, she, it; 3) The same. Strong—from the particle au[perhaps akin to the base of ahr[air] through the idea of a baffling wind]--Backward; the reflexive pronoun--Self, used(alone or in the comparative eautou) of the third person , & (with the proper personal pronoun)of the other persons.
“Care/Concern”—merimnaw—Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Plural—1) To be anxious—1a) To be troubled with cares; 2) To care for, look out for(a thing)—2a) To seek to promote one's interests, 2b) Caring or providing for. Strong—To be anxious about. Used 19X.?From—merimna—Solicitude; Care, anxiety.
“For”—uper—Prep.—1) In behalf of, for the sake of; 2) Over, beyond, more than; 3) More, beyond, over. Strong—a primary preposition; "over", i.e. (with the genitive case)of place--Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case--Superior to, more than.
“One Another”—allhlwn—Reciprocal Pronoun Genitive Plural Neuter—1) One another, reciprocally, mutually. Strong—One another; genitive[?] plural from allov[a primary word; "else," i.e. different(in many applications)] reduplicated.
:26—“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
•Whenever any “one member” of the body “suffers”, then the entire body in turn, “suffers with it.”
•In the same vein, if “one member” of the body is “honored”, then the entire body “rejoices.”
In response to either “suffering” or “honoring”, the members/parts/family are all effected & all go into action!
‘Suffering & rejoicing together’ are marks of unity. ‘Suffering & rejoicing together’ is the result of people truly seeking an advantage for each other.—DEG in BECNT
“And”—kai—Conjunction—1) And, also, even, indeed, but. Strong—apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative & sometimes also a cumulative force; And, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection(or composition) with other particles or small words.
“If”2X—eite—Conjunction—1) If ... If; 2) Whether ... Or. Strong—If too.?From—ei—a primary particle of conditionality; If, whether, that, etc.—&—te—a primary particle(enclitic) of connection or addition; Both or Also(properly, as correlation of kai).
“One”2X(See :12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20)—eiv(including the neuter[etc.] en)—Noun Accusative Sing. Masc.—1) One. Strong—One; a primary numeral.
“Member”4X(See :12, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 27)—melov—Noun Neuter—1)A member or limb--A member of the human body—1a) Of bodies given up to criminal intercourse, because they are as it were members belonging to the harlot's body. Strong—of uncertain affinity; A limb or part of the body.
“Suffers”—pascw/payw/penyw--used only in certain tenses for it—Verb—1) To be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo—1a) in a good sense--To be well off, in good case, 1b) in a bad sense--To suffer sadly, be in a bad plight—1b1) Of a sick person. Strong—used only in certain tenses for it; apparently a primary verb; To experience a sensation or impression(usually painful).
“All”—pav—Adj.—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types. Strong—apparently a primary word; All, any, every, the whole.
“Suffer With”—sumpascw—Verb—1) To suffer or feel pain together; 2) To suffer evils(troubles, persecutions) in the like manner with another. Strong—To experience pain jointly or of the same kind(specifically--persecution). Used 2X--Rom. 8:17; 1Cor. 12:26.?English = “Sympa-thize”?From—sun—1) With. Strong—a primary preposition denoting union; With or together(but much closer than meta or para), i.e. By association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.—&—pascw/payw/penyw—1) To be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo—To be well off, in good case, or To suffer sadly, be in a bad plight; Of a sick person. Strong—used only in certain tenses for it; apparently a primary verb; To experience a sensation or impression(usually painful).
“Honored”—doxazw—Verb—1) To think, suppose, be of opinion; 2) To praise, extol, magnify, celebrate; 3) To honor, do honor to, hold in honor; 4) To make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor—4a) To impart glory to something, render it excellent, 4b) To make renowned, render illustrious—4b1) To cause the dignity & worth of some person or thing to become manifest & acknowledged. Strong—To render(or esteem) glorious(in a wide application).
“Rejoice”—sugcairw—Verb—1) To rejoice with, take part in another's joy; 2) To rejoice together, to congratulate. Strong—To sympathize in gladness, congratulate. Used 7X.?From—sun—1) With. Strong—a primary preposition denoting union; With or together(but much closer than meta or para), i.e. By association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.—&—cairw—1) To rejoice, be glad; 2) To rejoice exceedingly; 3) To be well, thrive; 4) in salutations--Hail!; 5) at the beginning of letters--To give one greeting, salute. Strong—To be “cheer”ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation(on meeting or parting)--Be well.
Illustration:
*A large general hospital/Consists of many different physicians/Most of those physicians specialize in specific ailments &/or parts or closely related areas of the body/The hospital itself is divided into certain ‘floors’, which care for certain ‘types’ of ailments—cardiac floor(heart & circulatory system related ailments & disorders), the neurology ‘floor’(brain & nervous-system related ailments & disorders), Neonatal(infants) floor, etc., etc./There is an ‘Emergency Room’ for unplanned &/or life-threatening immediate care needs/The physicians & the nurses who work in those particular areas have specific talents for ministering in specific ways/All work together as a general hospital to meet the needs of the community & beyond!/A CARING DIVERSITY
*African wildebeasts travel in herds & migrate yearly after their calves have been born/Together the herd minimizes the threat of lions, & cheetahs, & hyenas, & crocodiles, etc./The mothers especially have particular concern for their little ones/Without the herd, they are basically dead while they walk being left alone & defenseless/Yet the herd will inevitably continue in their journey leaving behind those whom the lions cull from the herd!/However IF they were to operate as a unit—caring for each other—they would an intimidating target for the enemy/But then again they are mere animals aren’t they?/They NEED A CARING DIVERSITY
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3 UNUSED:
A quartet known for their tight harmonizations/The quartet would never survive & you would be completely unaware of them, IF each of the members did not ‘care’ to harmonize with the others/A CARING DIVERSITY
Consider a Vehicle(dependable or undependable)/Have you ever been stranded or kept from finishing some work you’ve begun, because of your vehicle’s mechanical failure/All the vehicle’s parts must function together & in response to one another/If the parts, or even one part, functions at ‘less than optimal capacity’, then ALL the remaining working ‘parts’ will still suffer/The owner must apply a 'diverse care', giving attention to many aspects of the parts in need.
•Your truck/car can look great on the outside, but need attention to the inside & vice-versa!/There must be A CARING DIVERSITY
After working up a sweat in the heat & humidity of a cloudless mid-summer afternoon, Consider what it means to your entire body, when you’re able to come inside to an air conditioned area/Consider what it means to your entire body, when you’re able to come out of the burning sun into the shade & to a drink of coooold water/Chances are that lot of someones, in many somewheres, made that water happen for you!/A CARING DIVERSITY
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Are not God’s people better than animals? Why do we ‘shoot’ our wounded, instead of binding them up?(Heb. 12:12-15)
Heb. 12:12-15—“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, & the feeble knees, & make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, & holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, & by this many become defiled;”
Jn. 15:13—Jesus said,—“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
*1Jn. 3:16—“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Application:
?Does the Body of Christ here, exhibit A CARING DIVERSITY?
?Do we faithfully represent the Body of Christ?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The current times—Movements promoting racial division; Prejudice against law enforcement; Protests promoting criminal activity; Historic monuments being desecrated, destroyed, & removed...
Where is the unity which makes us a unified country? It is found in Christ Jesus alone!
Action:
The Body Of Christ Exhibits...
8. A CARING DIVERSITY-Mutual-(:24-26)
1. An IDENTIFIABLE COMPOSITION(:12)
2. A WILLINGLY EMPOWERED INVITATION(:13)
3. BELONGING(:14-17)
4. A DIVINE PLACEMENT(:18)
5. A REASONABLE UNITY(:19-20)
6. A NECESSITY For DIVERSITY(:21-22)
7. A REASONABLE DIVERSITY(:23-24)
Pt# 8 only! Video only! Presented 07/26/2020am to:
1BCCbelle(Video to YouTube shared to Facebook @ ‘Byron Sherman’ & ’First Baptist Church Carrabelle’)
206 SE Ave. A(206 Storrs Ave.)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
