Biddeford Church of Christ

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,” writes the apostle Paul in 1^st Corinthians 12:13.  You might think this lesson is going to be about baptism, but it is not.  Rather, it is about the “one body” we were all made part of when we were baptized into Christ.  Over and over again, God’s word talks about us as Christ’s body, the church.  “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually,” Paul says in 1^st Corinthians 12:27.  He would face adversity, writing, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).  During one of his missionary journeys, the apostle Paul took time to encourage the elders in Ephesus. He wanted them to stay the course, exhorting them to “shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).  We, the church, the body of Christ, are “His own special people” (1^st Peter 2:9).  Do you think of those truths very much?  As I thought about this, I realized something, “I am not the body of Christ.”  We are!  Each of us, young and old, male and female, with varying levels of maturity and skills, together are the body of Christ here in Biddeford, Maine.  The Holy Spirit would guide Paul to pen these profoundly powerful words, “All of you together are the body of Christ.  Each of you is a part of that body” (1^st Corinthians 12:27).

Sometimes I need to remind myself of these truths.  Why?  It is my experience that our society, which is woefully independent in so many ways, teaches us that we don’t need others, or even worse, I am not needed.  We just started a new study in our life group looking once again at Gene Getz book entitled, Building Up One Another.  We actually went through this very book back in 2017, but with the pandemic and its impact on the church, let alone society, it seemed like a good idea to work through it again.  The analogy of the church being the ”body” of Christ and how we are interdependent is brought out through the Scriptures.  It is that very thing I wish to consider today.

“If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of

the body,’ is it therefore not of the body?”  (1^st Corinthians 12:15)

I love how the letter to the church in Corinth begins, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” (1:2).  Although this was their identity, you don’t have to read far to see they had some maturing to do.  They boasted about who was their “master” so to speak (1:12), were confronted for their permissive approach to sin (5:1) and even took each other to a worldly court (6:1).  When we come to chapter 12-14, it appears that they became divisive over the spiritual gifts given to them by God.  Some seemed to believe that the gift given to them, made them better than the rest, more important if you will.  Paul makes this simple point, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1^st Corinthians 12:11).  It is here that we begin to grasp this analogy of the body as the church.  One of his points, “For in fact the body is not one member but many” (1^st Corinthians 12:14).  It is here we find the broken reasoning of the world being played out.  The foot, since it is not the hand, reasons, “I am really not a necessary part of the body.”  Or the ear (v16), because it is not an eye, also reasons, “I am not needed here.”  I can see here where Satan could do his handy work, trying to convince those of humble service, that they are not very important to the whole.  How wrong this is!  As one commentator writes, “The humbler members ought not to disparage themselves, or to be disparaged by others more noble.”  This brings me to the next thought.

“And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of You’; nor again the head

to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’” (1^st Corinthians 12:21)

I am humbled by this thought, for as the preacher of the church, it is ever so easy to begin to lift myself above the church members, thinking that if I was not here, things would fall apart.  The reality is, whenever any of us pull away for whatever reason, we begin to fall apart.  The Holy Spirit makes it clear through Paul, “No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are NECESSARY” (1^st Corinthians 12:22).  Everyone is needed!  How do we fight against this idea that all are needed, that we are interdependent?  One way is by praising others.  Paul writes, “And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another” (1^st Corinthians 12:23-25).  Encouraging one another!  Especially those behind the scenes who often go unnoticed but are so greatly needed.  That is another subject to consider down the road from the book, Building Up One Another.

It is my prayer that every member here can come to learn just how important you are to the body, because you are a part of it.  May we all renew our commitment to being part of His church, His body so that we can accomplish great things and bring Him glory.  And whenever you might think you are not needed, have nothing to offer, remember what God’s word teaches.  Then, take that thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.  Why?  Because no matter where you find yourself, God wants you to know you are part of His body, His church, which He paid a great price for.  Such a price should remind us just how important we are to Him.  Be blessed.

Dennis