1 Corinthians
Nobody is a Nobody in the Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
May 25, 2003
Intro:
A. [illustration]
Imagine the Master Carpenter’s tools holding a conference:
Brother Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the meeting because he is too noisy.
Brother Hammer replies, “If I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything.”
Brother Screw speaks up. “If you wish, I’ll leave. But Brother Plane must leave, too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.”
To this, Brother Plane responds, “Brother Rule will also have to withdraw, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.”
Brother Rule then complains about Brother Sandpaper: “He ought to leave, too, because he’s so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way.
And so goes the discord.
In the midst of all this discussion, in walks the Carpenter of Nazareth.
He has arrived to start his day’s work.
Putting on his apron, he goes to the bench to make a pulpit from which to proclaim the gospel.
He uses Brothers Hammer, Screw, Plane, Rule, Sandpaper, and all the other tools.
After the day’s work, when the pulpit is finished, Brother Saw arises and remarks, “Brethren, I observe that all of us are workers together with the Lord.”
B. Brothers and Sisters of Somerset, I am here today to say, “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!” (Say it with me.)
I. Everybody is important because we are all part of the body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (NIV), 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.
A. Our bodies have many members.
1. God has created some wonderful bodies.
2. Our physical bodies are the most wonderful creation on the planet.
3. One of the many wonderful things about our bodies is that they have many significant members.
4. Our mouths, our eyes, our teeth, our toenails, our knees, and our hair are all members of one body.
5. We don’t have more than one body (although I know most of us wish we had another one!).
6. We only have one body that is made up of many, many members.
B. And the body of Christ has many members.
1. We are all members of Christ’s body.
2. We are all members of Christ’s church.
3. All those many, many people who are saved are members of Christ’s body.
4. Paul also wrote in Romans 12:4-5, "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
5. Then skipping down to verse 27 of our text in 1 Corinthians 12 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
6. Paul says that just as our physical bodies have many members that form just one body, so the many people who are saved are all members of Christ’s body: the church.
C. In verse 13 Paul says that we are one because we are baptized by one Spirit.
1. The HS has made us one body.
2. If we are saved, we are members of the body of Christ.
3. If we are saved, we are included—no one is excluded.
4. The HS has united us in the body of Christ just like all of the parts of our bodies have been united to form one body.
D. Say it with me: “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!”
E. Everyone is important because we are all part of the body of Christ!
II. Everybody is important because we are different.
1 Corinthians 12:14-20 (NIV), 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.
A. There is diversification in the body of Christ.
1. Notice also the end of verse 13…“whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free…”
2. Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
3. Updated to today we might translate that, “There is neither Baptist nor Methodist, Pentecostal nor Charismatic, black nor white, male nor female.”
4. There is no denominationalism, racism, or sexism in the body of Christ.
5. We are different, but there is only one body!
6. There is diversification in the body of Christ!
7. Then Romans 12:6 says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."
8. When the Bible says “gifts” it refers to what we call talents and abilities.
9. We all have different abilities according to what God has determined.
10. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”
11. We look different: there are different races, there are different theologies, and there are different sexes.
12. We serve differently: there are different talents and abilities that we each possess.
B. So friends, just because you feel different than everyone else, does not mean that you don’t belong here!
1. We are all different!
2. But we are all members of the same body!
3. The members of our physical bodies are all as different as toenails and eyelashes, but they are all members of the same body!
4. Toenails and eyelashes look different and they have different abilities, but they are all members of the same body!
5. So it is in the body of Christ!
6. We are different, but we are all members of the same body.
7. In spite of the fact that each member is unique, we are all still members of the same body.
C. Say it with me: “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!”
D. Everyone is important because we are different!
III. Everybody is important because we need each other.
1 Corinthians 12:21-26 (NIV), 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.
A. Not only are you important, you are needed!
1. You may not feel that you are important, but (hear me) you are indeed needed!
2. You may feel that no one will notice if you are not here, but you are mistaken!
3. You may think that no one will notice whether you are here are not.
4. You may think that there’s nothing for you to do and therefore you are not needed.
5. But I am here to correct that notion today.
6. Everyone is important because we need each other!
7. When you are not here, it is discouraging to those who are here.
8. Hebrews 10:25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
9. When we are gone it is discouraging to others; when we are here it is encouraging!
10. We are all important because we need each other.
B. If one member suffers, we all suffer.
1. When one member of our physical body suffers, the whole body suffers.
2. If you question that, notice how your body reacts the next time stub your little toe.
3. That little toe may think its not important, but when it suffers the whole body suffers.
4. And when someone in the body of Christ suffers, we all suffer with them.
5. You can easily see it each Sunday during our prayer requests; when folks are suffering, we all suffer!
6. You can hear it when people verbally say “Amen” during the prayer time; when folks are suffering, we all suffer!
7. When one of us suffers (even when they think they are no more important than a little toe), we all suffer with them.
C. And likewise when one member rejoices, we all rejoice.
1. When the virus that was in our stomach is gone, the rest of the body rejoices with it!
2. When a member of the body of Christ is healed of cancer, we all rejoice with them!
3. We get excited at the victories in other peoples’ lives—especially when they get themselves right with God!
D. Say it with me: “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!”
E. Everyone is important because we need each other!
IV. Everybody is important because we all have an important purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NIV), Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
A. If one member ignores his purpose, the whole body suffers.
1. If the nose quits smelling, the body will suffer.
2. If the tongue decides to quit tasting, the body will suffer.
3. If the foot decides to quit walking, the body will suffer.
B. Now an important thing that Paul says here is that not everyone has all of the gifts.
1. It is important to note that Jesus is the only one who has all of the gifts.
2. Notice that Paul asks some rhetorical questions; the answer to all of which is: No.
3. Look at verse 29…
a. Are all apostles? No.
b. Are all prophets? No.
c. Are all teachers? No.
d. Do all work miracles? No.
e. Do all have gifts of healing? No.
f. Do all speak in tongues? No.
g. Do all interpret? No.
4. Some people are prophets; some people are prophets; some are teachers; some work miracles; some can heal; some speak in tongues; some interpret.
5. Not everyone does everything.
6. Back in verses 8-10: To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
7. Ephesians 4:11 (NIV), It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
8. You have some of the gifts; I have different gifts.
9. Bill has different gifts than Sue.
10. Steve has different gifts than Larry.
11. Everybody has different gifts, but we all work together for the common good just like toenails, eyelashes, hands, and feet.
12. Everybody is important because we all have an important purpose.
C. Another important thing to notice is verse 31: But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1. There are two words that I should point out here: desire and greater.
2. The first one is desire—actually it is eagerly desire…
a. Now the reason that I point this out is because there are a lot of teachers out there today who like to say that we should seek the giver and not the gifts.
b. That we should seek Jesus and not the gifts.
c. And although we should seek Jesus more than anything or anyone else, both this verse and 14:1 say something different.
d. Both 12:31 and 14:1 say to EAGERLY DESIRE spiritual gifts.
e. We are instructed to eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
3. And the second word in verse 31 tells us which gifts to eagerly desire: the GREATER gifts.
a. Now the question is: Which gifts are the greater gifts?
b. Some have suggested that Paul is saying that love is the greater gift because the second sentence in verse 31 says, “And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
c. Which introduces the thirteenth chapter (commonly known as the “Love Chapter” of the Bible) which begins by saying “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
d. However, Christ has COMMANDED us to love one another.
e. Therefore love is not a spiritual gift that some people have and others don’t it is a commandment.
f. Also, Paul said to eagerly desire the greater giftS (plural), not gift (singular).
g. Therefore, I believe that rather than Paul telling which gifts to desire after this verse, I believe Paul told us which gifts to desire BEFORE this verse; verse 28.
h. And in the church God has appointed FIRST OF ALL apostles, SECOND prophets, THIRD teachers, THEN…”
i. Paul clearly ranked some of the gifts, and then he said to desire the greater ones.
j. Also in 14:1 he said, “Follow the way of love AND eagerly desire spiritual gifts, ESPECIALLY the gift of prophecy.”
k. There, Paul highlighted the gift that he ranked second highest in verse 28.
4. I point this out because today we seem to have an overemphasis on the wrong gifts.
a. Many are moving away from this, and this is good.
b. The gift that has been overemphasized is tongues.
c. For a long time there were many in Christianity who actually said that if you don’t’ speak in tongues, you are not saved.
d. In 1994, we had a couple in Michigan who said that they had been to another church where they were baptized in water and were told that when they came up they were supposed to see a bright light and they would begin speaking in tongues, else wise they had to be taken downstairs to pray until they spoke in tongues. They never spoke in tongues and came to us to ask us whether they were saved or not.
e. Thankfully, most have moved away from that.
f. Still many today belittle other Christians who don’t speak in tongues as somehow less spiritual, as if the poor believer is missing out on something that should be theirs.
5. Now please DON’T MISUNDERSTAND me!!!
a. I speak in tongues; I think tongues are a wonderful thing if used appropriately.
b. Does the Bible teach against speaking in tongues? No.
c. 14:5 “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues.”
d. 1 Corinthians 14:18 (NIV), I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
d. 14:39 “…do not forbid speaking in tongues.”
6. I am simply pointing out that not everyone is supposed to speak in tongues and it doesn’t mean that they are any less spiritual or any less saved; they just have different gifts.
7. I am simply pointing out that the HS is the one who decides who gets what gifts and when they get their gifts.
8. Should we seek to speak in tongues? It is ok to seek the gift of tongues, but it is more important to seek the greater gifts.
9. And I will teach more about the greater gifts in chapter 14.
D. Now this is not Paul’s main point here, it is simply an aside to what he is trying to teach.
1. What Paul is teaching here is that we all have different gifts that are important and should be used to serve others.
2. Tongues has a purpose that is for that person himself when used in private.
3. And tongues has another purpose when used in the church—when it is interpreted (that will be explained in chapter 14).
4. But don’t get lost in this.
5. Paul’s point here is really that everyone has spiritual gifts that need to be used and when they are not used the body suffers in some way.
E. Every believer is important because they have an important God-given talent that is needed in the body of Christ!
1. Our gifts used together will build up the body of Christ; we will grow spiritually and numerically when we use our gifts together as part of the team!
2. Our gifts used together will unify the body of Christ; we will be unified when we use our gifts as part of the team!
3. Our gifts used together will help us mature in Christ; we will mature as a Christian when we use our gifts as part of the team!
F. But I hope that you see that none of these things will happen if our God-given talents are not USED!
1. If you or I chose not to use our God-given abilities, the church will suffer.
2. Let’s say that someone has the ability to smell (not stink, but smell!).
3. But this person recognizes that there are a lot of fingers and hands, and toes and feet, but no other noses in the church.
4. And this person decides that since they don’t really “fit in”, the church really doesn’t need this person.
5. They think that since they are a little different, they won’t “get involved.”
6. But God knew that the body only needed one nose and so He brought only that particular person into that body to be the nose for that body.
7. But then that person has chosen not to smell for the body even though it has the God-given ability to smell.
8. And because that nose chooses not to smell, the whole body suffers.
9. Not because there is no one that knows how to smell, but because the person who does know how to smell has chosen not to smell.
10. Every member is important!
G. Every member has a God-given ability and therefore a God-given purpose!
1. God doesn’t expect you or me or anyone else to do everything.
2. God expects us to do what He has gifted us to do!
3. God does not expect noses to see.
4. God does not expect eyes to walk.
5. God does not expect every member of the body to taste.
6. God does not expect every member of the body to teach.
7. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”
8. God only expects us to do what he has gifted us to do!
9. And when we all use our gifts together we become a church!
a. When I teach…
b. When Marilee prophesizes…
c. When Jill exhorts…
d. When Christine prays in tongues…
e. When Larry helps…
f. When David ministers to the widows…
g. When Ty prays for healings…
h. When Bill administers…
i. When we all do our part, we become the greatest organization on the planet!
Conclusion:
A. [illustration]
A man broke his left arm.
One night when he couldn’t sleep, he imagined a dialogue between his right and left hands.
Right Hand said, “Left Hand, you are not missed. Everybody’s glad it was you that was broken and not me. You are not very important.”
Left Hand asked, “How are you superior?”
Right Hand replied, “Why, my owner cannot write a letter without me.”
Left Hand: “But who holds the paper on which he writes?”
Right Hand: “Who swings the hammer?”
Left Hand: “Who holds the nail?”
Right Hand: “Who guides the plane when the carpenter smooths a board?”
Left Hand: “Who steadies the board?”
Right Hand: “When our owner walks down the street and lifts his hat to greet someone, which of us does it?”
Left Hand: “Who holds the briefcase while he does it?”
Then he continued, “Let me ask you a question. When our owner shaved yesterday, you held the razor, but his face is cut because I wasn’t there to help. Also, our owner’s watch has stopped. Why? You may do the winding, but if I’m not there to hold it, the watch won’t get wound. You can’t take money out of his wallet to pay for something because I’m not there to hold it. The master can do very few things without me.”
1. So, too, does each of us have a place of service for the Lord.
2. None is greater—just different!
3. Nobody is a Nobody in the Body of Christ.
4. And I must also say that it that way with different churches, we are all different, but we are still one body.
B. [illustration]
When a speck of dust blow into an eye, instinctively the eye is rubbed with a finger.
There is no debate with the finger about whether to help the eye.
Later, after pulling down the lid, causing the eye to water, the speck is washed out.
In a short time the eye is back to normal.
But without the hand, including its specially functioning fingers, the irritant would have remained.
1. Each member in the body of Christ is equally important!
2. We need each other!
C. “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!”
1. Everyone is important because we all have an important purpose.
2. Everyone is important because we are all part of the body of Christ!
3. Everyone is important because we are different!
4. Everyone is important because we need each other!
5. Say it with me: “Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ!”
D. [illustration]
Imagine the Master Carpenter’s tools holding a conference:
Brother Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the meeting because he is too noisy.
Brother Hammer replies, “If I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything.”
Brother Screw speaks up. “If you wish, I’ll leave. But Brother Plane must leave, too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.”
To this, Brother Plane responds, “Brother Rule will also have to withdraw, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.”
Brother Rule then complains about Brother Sandpaper: “He ought to leave, too, because he’s so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way.
And so goes the discord.
In the midst of all this discussion, in walks the Carpenter of Nazareth.
He has arrived to start his day’s work.
Putting on his apron, he goes to the bench to make a pulpit from which to proclaim the gospel.
He uses Brothers Hammer, Screw, Plane, Rule, Sandpaper, and all the other tools.
After the day’s work, when the pulpit is finished, Brother Saw arises and remarks, “Brethren, I observe that all of us are workers together with the Lord.”
E. We live in a very confused society…
1. It doesn’t know why it is here.
2. It doesn’t know what it believes anymore.
3. It doesn’t recognize truth anymore.
4. People are blown from one pleasure to another.
5. People are blown from one philosophy to another.
6. We have leaders that don’t believe anything for themselves anymore.
7. They have to take a poll to see what everyone thinks before they can state “their” opinion.
8. And next week the poll will show different results and the leader’s opinion will likewise change—just like the wind.
9. Our society is indeed blown around with every shifting wind.
F. Are you fulfilling your purpose for which God brought you to Somerset?
1. If you are a Christian, God has given you a specific ability that Somerset needs.
2. If you choose not to fulfill that purpose, the body will suffer.
3. On the other hand, if one member insists on everyone else doing the same job that he does, the body will suffer.
4. We all need to simply allow God to use us by using the abilities that he has given us and encourage those around us to do the things that God has gifted them to do.
5. Then when every member is fulfilling the purpose to which God called and gifted them to do, Ephesians 4 says the church will look like this…"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
6. Are you fulfilling the purpose for which God has brought you to Somerset?
7. If you’re not, you need to commit yourself to that today.
8. Maybe your an immersed believer and you need to get serious about the purpose for which God has called and gifted you by placing your membership in a local church that will help you to do just that.
9. Or maybe you have not yet given yourself to Him in Christian baptism yet.
10. Maybe you need to get that taken care of today.
11. Nobody is a Nobody in the Body of Christ!
