The Courageous Church: Embracing Our Differences
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” vs. 27
Broken Leg
A few years ago, Snoopy, the lovable beagle in the Peanuts cartoon, had his left leg broken. Hundreds wrote letters to Snoopy or sent sympathy cards. Snoopy himself philosophized about his plight one day while perched on top of his doghouse and looking at the huge white cast on his leg. “My body blames my foot for not being able to go places. My foot says it was my head’s fault, and my head blamed my eyes…. My eyes say my feet are clumsy, and my right foot says not to blame him for what my left foot did….” Snoopy then confesses, “I don’t say anything because I don’t want to get involved.”
Our bodies are a great picture of how God works in the church and Paul uses that as a picture for us here in 1 Corinthians 12. The way everything in our bodies work together to produce who we are and how we act and react is a pretty incredible thing. Today, we are going to finish our series on The Courageous Church and today we are looking at Embracing Our Differences. Paul uses this to spur us on so if you are able will you please stand as we read God’s Word.
Read Passage – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
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. 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. 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? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 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!” 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, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
A Beautiful Scene?
The church Paul is writing to here is in the city of Corinth. This was a port town that was a major area for trading and commerce. The Roman Empire had taken over this area and they saw the importance of this city and the great location and importance it could play in their empire so they tore the city down and built a new and beautiful city. The city was filled with merchandizing booths and it was a bustling place. We might liken it to New York City and it being this hub of activity. People were really drawn to it because of the many opportunities and the things that it offered.
It was also a place that would make for a good church and outreach into a community that needed to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. In fact, there was a church there but the church at Corinth was not living up to its potential. In fact, it had some distinct, troublesome problems.
I. Ever hear the saying, “Beauty only goes skin deep, but ugly goes straight to the bone?” The Church of Christ at Corinth was an ugly place – ugly to the bone.
-I Corinthians 3:1-4 tells us of jealousy and division.
-I Corinthians 4:18 talks about arrogant men
-I Corinthians 5:1-2 speaks of their sin of pride
-I Corinthians 9:1-6 tells of the church’s tendency to be backbiters of Paul’s ministry
-I Corinthians 11:17-22 tells of division and gluttony
-Chapter 12 talks about the conflict between those who had the gift of tongues vs. those with other gifts
-Chapters 15 & 16 that talked about a bad doctrine about the resurrection that had leaked into the congregation.
If you lived in Corinth, you’d probably think about going to another church. Corinth was a congregation on a downhill slide but Paul Hadn’t given up on it yet.
The Changing Definition Of Unity
This passage does raise an important thing for us to consider; what is unity? It seems that many people might be tempted to define unity as everything being the same or everyone being the same. I’d like to challenge that. Unity might better be defined not as everything being the same, but everyone or everything working together for a common good or for a purpose. Notice Paul’s words in verse 12:
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” vs. 12
Paul uses the analogy of a body and the many parts working together. Within that understanding we can look at our differences not as divisions, but as opportunities to work in unity to accomplish a common good or purpose.
Unity In Diversity
So that’s what we are focusing on today, how diversity can unify us and bring us together and how God does that for us in our differences with our gifts, talents, and individuality.
• Each One Is Unique
Look around you for just a second. Notice how different each one of us is from one another. You can see a difference in hair (or lack thereof), color, eyes, height, weight, styles, etc. We are all unique in who we are. I have always found it interesting that we all have a unique fingerprint. No two are alike. We are all unique in our own way. Verse 14 tells us:
“Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” vs. 14
Our physical bodies are made up of many parts, so is our spiritual body; the church. We are made up of many parts and together we constitute a body. The funny thing is that we can look alike on the outside but be very different on the inside.
Ex. Our friends that had twins when the girls were growing up. On the outside people had a tough time telling them apart. Natalie was the first to really be able to distinguish between the two. On the outside they looked almost exactly alike but on the inside:
Jimmy – out going, big presence, would take things apart and seemed mechanically oriented
Johnny – more quiet, very sweet in nature, everybody’s friend
See, on the outside they looked the same but inside they were unique. Let me add a bit to this by giving you a verse from Psalm 139:14:
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
Now if you have a pen or pencil, take it out and underline or circle this part; your works are wonderful. Here is what God is telling us; you are wonderful. You are wonderful because God made you, he designed you, and it’s wonderful. Sometimes we might not feel that about ourselves but I believe God’s Word and he tells us here that we, you, are wonderfully made. Each of us have qualities and talents and gifts given to us just by God and you are exactly who you God wanted you to be, and that is wonderful.
• Each One Has A Part
Because you are unique and wonderfully made, you also have a part in the body. Paul uses an interesting analogy here. He says in verse 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.” vs. 15
And he goes on to explain how the ear can’t say to the mouth “I don’t need you” and how the eye can’t just decide not to be a part of the body. What he is getting at here is that each different part of the body has a specific part to play for the body to be whole. Most of the time we don’t think about some of the smaller parts of the body until they aren’t working properly.
Ex. Many of us live with parts of our bodies that don’t do their job. You may have a pancreas that doesn’t work and you have diabetes. You may have a liver not working right and you need to have dialysis to filter your blood. And a variety of other things. But each of these things also affects other things like eye sight, how your heart works, etc. We can affect others and not even realize it.
The same is true for each of us. You may feel insignificant. You might not think you make a difference. You might not realize your value. But God does. He created you to have a part in the body. How do I know you have a part? He has told us that he has made us specifically that way, c.f. 1 Cor. 7:7:
“But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” 1 Cor. 7:7
Here is the reality of what God is saying: God had gifted you with specific talents and skills. Those that are gifted are not just those you see up front. Not just Fil, me, etc. See all of us have gifts and when you use them for God, you are fulfilling your part of being the body of Christ.
Ex. those that handle the finances, those that fix things around the church, those that fold the bulletins or do office work, those that clean, those that work with the kids, and so many more.
• The Body Loses When You Aren’t Active
Now here is the thing about having gifts and talents from God, you are expected to use them and if you don’t, the body losses when you aren’t active.
“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” vs. 18
You are not who you are by accident. Notice in the verse that God has placed the parts just where he wanted them. You are where you are supposed to be because God wants you there and your part in important.
Ex. Ever kick a chair or a post or something like that and hurt your little toe? Most of us have done something like that at some point and isn’t it amazing how much you really need that toe and you didn’t even notice it before. When it hurts, everything hurts and is affected. Your sense of balance is off. You have to walk slightly differently. You can’t run. You have difficulty putting on certain shoes. It affects almost everything you do. That little toe that you very rarely think about has a big part in all that you do.
God says in verse 24:
“But God has put the body together…” vs. 24
Now God does give us choices but he puts the body together; the physical body as well as the church body. He has brought us and put us together. That is pretty cool when you think about it. God wants us to be together and to work together so we can accomplish his work. But when we don’t do our part, the rest of the body loses.
Ex. Let tell you a story about a woman who work for me from U.P.S. She came to me one day and told me how she had picked up a package and it really hurt her wrist but she refused to go to the doctor. She could handle it. About a week later she show up in my office again but this time she was pulling a heavy package off the top shelf in her package car and because here wrist was hurt she couldn’t hold it right and she pulled the muscles in her shoulder. Again, she refused to go to the doctor. It took a bit longer but a couple weeks later she shows up limping. Trying to compensate for her wrist and shoulder she slipped and hurt her knee. Again, refused to go to the doctor. The final straw was that because of her wrist, her shoulder and now her knee she was compensating for all of that and ended up throwing out her back. This time she went to the doctor. I never her saw her work another day at UPS. Her career was over because when she hurt her wrist she wouldn’t take care of it. It seemed insignificant but her whole body ended up paying the price. True story.
• Diversity Leads To Unity
Finally, as odd as it may seem, our diversity leads to a greater unity. Our diversity helps us work together in unity to accomplish more that we could on our own. Paul says in verse 25:
“…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” vs. 25
So here is the thing. We discovered that all have gifts from God. We all have strengths. And, we all have weaknesses. But God’s desire is for us to work together and do our part so that unity is achieved and so the work load is manageable. We have a tendency to think that there are more important parts than others. Those that are upfront, louder, more prominent we tend to give a greater importance to. But that kind of thinking is not accurate. Notice in this verse how he points out that the different parts are equal. Because they each play a part.
Yes some people are louder, some are more upfront, some have roles of leadership, some take care of big things, but that does not nullify or lessen the value of those that are quieter, those working behind the scenes, those that are not doing the things that are easily seen or noticed.
Your Part of the Body
Finally, I believe this passage just reaffirms that you are to be the body of Christ. This passage emphasizes that in verse 27:
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” vs. 27
So here is the challenge that comes from knowing that you are part of the body; how does that change your life. Let me bring back that verse from Psalm 139:
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
I bring this back because I want to point out the end of the verse. It says: “I know that fully well” Do you know fully well that you are wonderfully made and that you are wonderful?
If so, how does that change your life?
If you take this seriously and truly believe it, how would this effect my self-esteem, my inward being, and my how I see myself?
How does this change my view of the world?
What might God be showing me about what I do with my life and my ministry?
Communion
