Scripture Reading(s)
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
12:12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
12:13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
12:14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.
12:15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
12:16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
12:18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
12:19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?
12:20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body.
12:21 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.”
12:22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
12:23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect;
12:24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member,
12:25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.
12:26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
12:28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.
12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
12:30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
12:31 But strive for the greater gifts.
Reflections
I truly believe that the Christian life was not meant to be lived alone. The reason why God established the church was so that we as its members can be there to encourage and fellowship with one another. More importantly, the unity of the church is something that is essential and important in order for it to survive.
Here Paul is outline essential truths that the church needs to have in order to successfully preach the word of God, grow daily and ultimately point back to Him.
1. Each part of the body is equally important
There are those that would say that some positions in the church hold a greater deal of importance then others. Here Paul debunks that notion by stating that without each part, the body of Christ would essentially fall apart. There would be disfunction and the church would remain crippled. The essential focus is not on what position you carry, but rather what you are doing with your position to benefit the church and its members and ultimately give the Glory to God.
2. Each part of the body is to be treated with love and respect
In verses 23-26 Paul outlines for us how each member is to act in love and respect towards the other. Verse 26 summarizes the most important note that when one member goes through suffering, the church’s role is to come along side that member and help take off the burden. He also says that when a member is celebrating so then should the church be genuinely happy for that person. I remember when I was talking to a friend who had just suffered a terrible loss in her family. Her dad had died in a car accident and her family was essentially met with unspeakable grief and pain. What truly helped her and her family cope with the loss was the fact that the church came along side them and helped take on the burden. Her church family would do things like clean the house, cook, do laundry, drive them to work, pay for grocery’s. This is a beautiful picture on what the body of Christ is to act like when one goes through a hard trial.
Christ calls us to gather together as one unit, one body, sharing in a common love for God and a desire to serve Him. Let us make it a point to put that desire into action.
If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (1 Cor 12:26)
While it is easy to say we should both suffer and rejoice with our brothers as sisters, it’s much harder to actually do it. But it is essential for the body of Christ to operate like like a family. A family mourns when a member is hurt and celebrates when something should be rejoiced over. What a difference it would make in the church at large if we all treated each other like our actual brothers and sisters.
I am reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan and I wonder if we treated people like the Samaritan man if we would change the world. The Samaritan gave of his time, money, social norms, and probably even emotions. Can we say that we are willing to pour our own time, money, status, and heart, into caring for others? Each day, let us pray that God will soften our hearts and teach us how to have unity in our church bodies.