Church---It does the "BODY" good
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I Cor 12:12-27
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12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14: For the body is not one member, but many.
15: If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16: And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17: If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18: But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19: And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20: But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21: And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22: Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24: For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26: And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27: Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
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The "Body"of Christ refers to all Christian believers all over the world as well as the local church that gathers together
in His name !!!
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Each and every Christian is an important part of the "Body" of Christ !!!
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All those who call Jesus, LORD, are special in God’s eyes !!! Amen !!!
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God has given each of us talents, and skills, and gifts that were given to strengthen the Body of Christ !!!
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The Body of Christ is a team effort---and every one of us are an important part of God’s team !!! Amen !!!
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Turn to the person next to you right now---give em a high five---tell-em---"We’re on God’s Team !!!"
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A church isn’t an individual effort---it takes teamwork !!!---Everyone doin their part towards the same goal---bringing the Lost to Christ !!! Amen !!!
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The Bible uses a different example---it compares the church to the Human Body !!!
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(Hold up complete picture of cartoon jogger or runner)
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(with your computer you can dissect the cartoon til it’s just a torso---now hold up cartoon picture of torso---missing head/eyes/ears/nose/mouth/arms/legs)
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(Pass out paper cutouts of the missing body parts(in sealed envelopes)---head-eyes-nose-mouth-arms-legs-ears----whatever part you get---is the part you have in the Body of Christ---label envelopes)
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If we’re gonna put the Body of Christ back together we gotta start someplace---can a human body survive without a head ???
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Can God’s church survive without the head ???
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Better start at the top
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(paste Herad on Torso) Now that our body has a head---who does the Head represent ???
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Look up Ephesians 5:23---says that Christ is the Head of the
church---Amen !!!
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The Bible says Christ is the head of the church---yet today church after church after church are denying Christ and the truth and preaching a watered down---powerless---do-gooder
social Gospel !!!
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Now our picture has a head---but thar’s still something wrong with this picture ??? What is it ???---there is no face---part of the Body is still missing !!!
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Let’s give our picture some eyes---who is an eye ???---who is the other eye ???
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You are an eye---what purpose is an eye in the Body of Christ ???
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An eye can be used to see a need in somebody’s life !!!---Maybe yer the only person that can see that need !!!---If yer part in the church is bein an eye and yer missing from the body---what could happen ???----That need may go un-noticed !!!
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Why do you suppose God gave our bodies two eyes ???
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Who are the ears ??? (stick ears on picture)
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If yer an ear in the body of Christ---what might your job be ???
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Hear the word---be a GOOD listener when talking to people---James 1:22---not only hearers but doers !!!
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If yer part in the Body of Christ is being an ear---what might happen if yer part is missing ???
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Who is the nose ???(stick nose on picture)
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If yer a nose in the Body of Christ---what would your
purpose be ???
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What does a nose do ???---breathe---smell
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As a nose in the Body of Christ---yer a part of the very breath of life in the Church !!!---Maybe yer job is to smell out problems in the church so they can be solved !!!
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Who is the mouth ??? (stick mouth on picture)
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What does the mouth do on human body ???---Eat---drink---taste---speak---
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If yer a mouth in the Body of Christ---what would be a negative use of yer mouth ???
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Gossip---Slander---liying---cussing
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What would be possitive use of mouth ???
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Feast on God’s word---Drink living water---encourage one another---take communion---Teach Sunday School---Lead Bible Study---Preach the word---prayer---singing---(witness) speak about God---Gift of Tongues---Gift of Prophecy---etc.
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If someone took your mouth away---could you survive ???
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In this day and age it might be possible---but the body wouldn’t be operating in a normal fashion---the body needs a mouth---Amen !!!
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If yer part in God’s Family was to be a mouth---and yer part is missing---what might happen ???---others fill in---no singing---no gifts---etc
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Who are the arms ???(paste on arms)
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What do our arms do on our bodies ???---work---grasp---lift---pull---hold---defend ourselves
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If you are an ARM in the Body of Christ---what would your
job be ???---Fold hands in prayer---lift hands to praise God---lay hands on the sick---hold Bible---give hugs
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If yer job is being an arm in the Church---what might happen if yer not there to do yer part ???
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Can the human body survive without arms ???
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Can the Body of Christ survive without arms ???
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When part of the body is missing---the Body cannot funtion to it’s fullest ability !!!
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Why did God give people two arms ??? God gave us two arms so we could give each other HUGS !!! Amen !!!
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Who are the legs ???(paste on legs)
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What part do the legs play on the human body ???---Walk-Run-kick-push-pull-climb-
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If yer the legs in the Body of Christ what would yer job be ???
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Matthew 5:41---walk the extra mile with someone
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If yer not there to go that extra mile---who will ???---Who is gonna do it if that part of the Body of Christ is missing ???
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Does each part of the human body depend on each other ???
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If our body is hungry---what do we do ???---walk to fridge(feet)---reach in and grab food(arms)---put in mouth !!!
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If our body was only mouth could it survive on it’s own ???
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What if we needed to go someplace unfamiliar---but we have no eyes !!!
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Our legs are working fine---but we have no idea where we are going---so what’s bound to happen ???
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Can a human body survive without eyes ???
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Is the body fully complete without eyes ???
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Are the eyes important ???
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Suppose our body is missing a number of parts---lets say we are missing one leg---one arm---one ear---and one eye !!!
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Can that body survive ???
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Can a body with all those parts missing operate as effectively as a body that is fully intact ???
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For the human body to function to it’s fullest potential it needs to be complete---and the same is true of the Body of Christ !!!
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Apathy among Christians today is causing many churches to hobble along---crippled---blind---deaf---and mute !!!
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Cowboys would say---gettin ever-one ta church at one time is almost like tryin ta herd cats !!!
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Is getting together with our church family important ??? Of course it is !!!
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Hebrews 10:25---tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together---we are to exhort and strengthen
one another !!!
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Can every Christian be at their home church every single
Sunday ???---not likely
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Will they be missed if they’re not there ???---Of course they,ll be missed !!!
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Should attending our home church be a priority ???
---absolutely !!!
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This little country church isn’t about me or you---it’s about all of us working together as one body---to help bring lost souls
to Christ !!!
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And above all---remember Collossians 3:23---whatever your part is in the Body of Christ---do it HEARTILY as to the
Lord !!! Amen !!!
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Lets Pray/invitation
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Departing song
