One body, many parts Sunday 21st April

One body, many parts Context Foundations for body life, applies to Different gifts, but one Spirit (1 Cor 12:1-11) Many parts, but one Body (1 Cor 12:12-31) Love above all else (1 Cor 13) Practical guidance on expressing the gifts (1 Cor 14) Foundations for body life, applies to Using spiritual gifts (supernatural enablings of the Spirit) Natural abilities Just getting things done!

One body, many parts How do I see myself in the church? How do I see others in the church?

One body, many parts We’re different, but we’re born of one Spirit “For we were all baptised 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. And so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” 1 Cor 12:13-14 Unity, not uniformity Same Spirit: conversion, indwelling, origins

One body, many parts We’re the way God has designed the church “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” 1 Cor 12:18 “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Cor 12:11 Don’t argue with God

One body, many parts We’re the way God has designed the church

One body, many parts We are interdependent – we need each other to function “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? … 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’” 1 Cor 12:17,21 Step out in gifts, respond to the leaders Recognise practical needs and respond Play an active part in meetings (1 Cor 14:26) Church life is more than Sundays!

One body, many parts We need to honour all of the gifts (and the gifted) “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.” 1 Cor 12:22 Not all gifts / service are upfront How do we honour all the gifts?

One body, many parts Building one another up should be our priority “Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.” 1 Cor 14:12

One body, many parts How do I see myself in the church? We’re different, but we’re born of one Spirit We’re the way God has designed the church We are interdependent – we need each other to function We need to honour all of the gifts (and the gifted) Building one another up should be our priority How do I see myself in the church? How do I see others in the church?