Behold, The Wonderful and Beautiful Body of Christ: July 16, 2017

Jul 16, 2017   •     •   1 Corinthians 12:12, 14-15, 27-31; 1 Corinthians 13:13

INTRODUCTION

I. GOD CREATED THIS BODY THROUGH THE SPIRIT    TEXT: 1 Corinthians 12:12 12 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.

II. GOD CREATED US TO BE VERY DIFFERENT, AND WE NEED EACH OTHER TEXT: 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. 

III.  FRIEND, EACH ONE OF YOU IS A PART OF IT (THE BODY) – DESIRE THE GREATER GIFTS

TEXT 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of 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 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

CONCLUSION:  What are these Greater Gifts? Simply look at the next chapter. Paul’s Great Chapter on love. Friends, we have to love one another as brothers and sisters; we should hurt when our brother and sister hurt, rejoice when our brother or sister are honored. We must rejoice in our community. Listen to the Apostle Paul, And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Quotes for Reflection:

  1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1
  2. The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.
  3. Because Christian community is founded solely on Jesus Christ, it is a spiritual and not a psychic reality. In this it differs from all other communities.
  4. For Jesus Christ alone is our unity. “He is our peace.” Through him alone do we have access to one another, joy in one another, and fellowship with one another.

Quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together

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