One Body | Mandy Lucas – PAX Christian Church (Gifted wk2 | 05/01/22)

This is the Sunday Gathering worship service at 9AM at PAX Christian Church on 05/01/22.
We are a non-denominational church in Gardnerville, NV (in the Ranchos).

This current series is called “Gifted (1 Corinthians 12-14)”.
Wk2: “BODY | 1 Cor. 12:12-31”

Get the notes for this message here: https://www.bible.com/events/48880526
Find out more about PAX: http://paxchristian.church

Give online: http://paxchristian.churchcenter.com/giving
Worship playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Fgw02zRlFzgPYPYRJHa6O
More info about House Churches: http://paxchristian.church/house-church

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NIV
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.

Paul uses the body as an example of the church.

Biblically, the body represents the members of the church.
Metaphorically, the body shows how the members of the church are meant to work together.

Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 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.

Spiritual gifts help members of the church work together to become mature believers.

Romans 1:11 NIV
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—

Spiritual Gifts are for encouraging one another’s faith.

1 Corinthians 12:14-16 NIV
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. 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 stop being part of the body.

1 Corinthians 12:17-19 NIV
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 placed 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?

Paul uses hyperbole, of course it is not possible…
In the same way, we shouldn’t expect everyone to have our gifts.
God has made many parts, with unique purposes.

1 Corinthians 12:21 NIV
21 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!”

The Corinthian church was divided over their gifts and the importance of their gifts.

They assumed the gift itself was the thing of value.

The value in our gifts isn’t the gift itself, it is what the gift is meant for.

Our gifts were made to be used in the church to serve God and one another. To encourage one another and to encourage others to mature in their faith.

Hebrews 10:25 NIV
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Corinthians were not called to go off on their own and depend on themselves, their own gifts and abilities.
They were called to be part of the body—the church. And so are we.

1 Corinthians 12:22-24 NIV
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 put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,

The gifts were given to encourage one another.

Let’s use them to encourage each other.

1 Corinthians 12:25 NIV
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 NIV
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.And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

The early church believed that any one, not the most perfect or most righteous or pious, could receive gifts from the Holy Spirit.
Paul exhorts the church to eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Romans 12:1-8 NIV
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.