Working As A Body

Many times, when it comes to the church body, there are many designations. The pastoral staff, the choir, the janitorial team, the food staff, the givers, the evangelists and more. However, instead of sticking in your group, I want to show you what the Bible says about the physical body as well as the spiritual body.  

I Corinthians 12: 12-26  "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 For the body is not one member, but many.   If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.

I love this example. What if the hand started complaining that, since it did not have eyeballs, it wasn't going to work anymore. What if the eyeballs were upset that they had no voice and so decided to quit. Friends, we are like this many times. We complain because we do not have the gifts that others have. We need to use the gifts that God has given us.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Also, we tend to look down on others that don't have our talents. "You can't sing? well you should at least give a joyful noise." OR "What? you don't want to visit door to door because you're shy?, you must not be spiritual" They might not have a voice, they might not be able to go door to door, but they may be able to encourage someone at church or help clean up after a special event. They might be the ones who can give a lot financially or just stay at home and pray for those others who have the boldness.

Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't push yourself, develop your talents and try to do more then you feel you can. You should push yourself. However, find out what talents God has given you and give it all back to God. Give as much as you can, encourage as much as you can, witness as much as you can, love as much as you can. I'm sure you probably have more then one gift, so take that gift and use it to it's fullest capacity for God .

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

When one member is suffering, we should encourage them. When the ear has an earache we should give it medicine and nuture. When the throat is sore, let it have a rest, with some warm tea and cough syrup. Encourage the members that are down, help them get back to their fullest capacity

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."

So what is the more excellent way? We go on to I Corinthians 13, The chapter on LOVE...
God has given us all different gifts and talents but one thing He enables in all-- whether you have the gift of prophecy, of preaching, of giving, of singing, of caring. He commands us to do it with LOVE.  

The most excellent way of working together while using your gifts is love. This is not just love, but the most excellent and fullest love that grows out of a sincere, devotion to God. So let us develop our talents, give them fully to God while learning to give these talents in LOVE.

Proverbs 10:12 says that "love covereth all sins."

When you have that divine love, you learn patience and respect for each other's talents. You understand how to work together to move the body and to not just function but to purposeful be working to bring glory, honor and souls to Christ.  - rejoicing in the present