Sermon – January 24

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-21, 26-27

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. {13} For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. {14} For in fact the body is not one member but many. {15} If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? {16} And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? {17} If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? {18} But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. {19} And if they were all one member, where would the body be? {20} But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. {21} And 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.” …{26} And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. {27} Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

All for One

Dear fellow redeemed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

A few years ago there was an NFL team which went into the new season with the motto 53 for 60. That is to say that all 53 players on the roster would give their all for the entire 60 minutes of the game. Great things can happen when individuals join together for a common cause. Think of a few decades ago when President Kennedy set the goal of putting a man on the moon. At the time that was thought to be too lofty of a goal, but it happened. When a single goal is put above the needs of individuals great things can be accomplished.

Today we wish to consider the unified goals that we have as Christians. We are very different and unique individuals, but God has united us in Him and given us a purpose in this life. May the Holy Spirit open our hearts to receive His message.

1. Christians are of one body

The Lord gives us several pictures of the Holy Christian Church (all believers in Christ). Last week we heard of the comparison that believers are the bride of Christ. There is also the picture of a building with Christ being the cornerstone. We are called the flock of God, with the Lord being our Shepherd. These pictures help us to understand the relationship that God has with us, and that we have with each other.

Here and in Colossians the comparison is made between believers and the human body. Christ is pictured to us as the Head of the body and we are the individual members. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. We ask ourselves, then, what message is the Lord conveying to us with this picture?

The idea is that while a body has individual members, they are all connected together and part of only one body. Your hands and feet and organs all have different functions, but they all belong to one body. In the same way, while there are many Christians in this world, and there are different strengths and weaknesses of faith, and different fruits of faith that are being produced, there is but one body. There is a commonness in Christ.

There are many different Christian denominations and synods. This is because there are, quite frankly, many incorrect teachings about Christ, and there have been disagreements as to what is true and what is not. There are many different non-Christian religions as well. But when you boil it all down, there are only two religions in this world. There are believers and there are unbelievers. There are members of the body of Christ, and those outside of the body of Christ. On Judgment Day there will only be two groups of people – those who believe in Jesus as their Savior and those who do not.

Those who believe, no matter what visible group they belong to, belong to the body of Christ. All Christians share common enemies. All who have faith in Jesus share the common hope of salvation and everlasting life. All who believe in Jesus share in the same, complete forgiveness of sins. It’s a shame that we can’t see and share that perfect unity visibly because Satan has sown so many seeds of false teaching, but nevertheless the Lord teaches that there is an invisible unity in the body of Christ. The body is one. I am not espousing that there should be compromises in the truth, but we also do not want to go too far in the other direction and make a false claim that only one denomination is the universal Church. It is important that the truth is not compromised.

We read also in verse 13, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. Some in our country like to see it segmented and promote a class warfare pitting the poor against the rich. Others try to divide based on ethnicity by using such terms as Native-Americans or African-Americans. The truth is our country was founded on principles that had nothing to do with race. We are drawn together as Americans first and foremost.

As we talked about a few weeks ago, there are no distinctions in the Church when it comes to race or social class. No matter what our background we have all been baptized into one body. If a person comes into our church who has already been baptized in the name of the Triune God, they are not required to be re-baptized. You are baptized a Christian, not as Lutheran or Catholic or Methodist.

The second phrase about being made to drink into one Spirit should not be confused with communion, though there is a unity expressed in communion. Here the emphasis is on the life-giving quality of the Holy Spirit. Though we were once spiritually dead, He regenerates us. It doesn’t matter how sinful you are or how rigid your unbelief was. The Holy Spirit brings life.

2. Christians are individual members

At the same time, the Lord makes it clear that this one body is made up of individual members. Just consider your body and the different uses of all of your body parts. They all have different functions, yet they all work for the good of the body. Your hands and fingers and feet and heart and lungs all are unique in the work that they do, but they are all part of the body. They all have the same goal.

The same is true of the church. Here I’ll shift to the narrower focus of a congregation and synod to help understand this point. Each member here has different gifts and different functions. Some are able to contribute their time for various tasks. Others are able to contribute more financially than others. Still others teach. Others are good at going out and inviting others in. Still others have a knack for planning or repair work. Others are good at reaching out to those who have fallen. Each member is unique in what he brings to the body. We have the common goal of glorifying God. We have the common goal of worshiping Him in spirit and in truth, but there are many members working in the body. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

In verses 15-19 the Lord illustrates how ridiculous it is for the members of a body not to be satisfied with their function or the function of another. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? {16} And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? {17} If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? {18} But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. {19} And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

I shudder to think if this group were limited to my gifts only. That would be true for anyone. Just think if everybody else here could do only what you could do. Each one of us should strive to use the talents that God has given us, and also should appreciate what everybody else brings to the table. Let’s say that one is very organized and can help with record keeping and so forth. He should not complain about one who is unorganized, but whom the Lord has blessed with the gift to reach out to others. All gifts are needed. That’s the beauty of belonging to a group. Your strengths and weaknesses are balanced out with the strengths and weaknesses of others.

The Lord has given you a role in His Kingdom. He has work for you to do. His body functions much better when all the members are working. Rather than longing for gifts that we don’t have, we can strive to excel in using and developing what God has given to us.

The final aspect that we consider is found in verse 26: And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. If a young lady is told that she has beautiful hair, that makes her whole body feel good. If one part of your body is in pain, your whole body is affected. You might not ever think about your little toe, but if you stub it while walking around barefoot, you entire body knows it.

In the same way the Lord gather us together to share sorrow and joy. It is a great benefit for us as Christians. We function better when we can help those who are suffering. We feel better when one of us has cause to rejoice. We are connected to each other in that way. If somebody’s hurting, get to that person. You both will benefit.

The Lord could have kept us all separated until Judgment Day, and said you all are on your own. Instead He says in verse 27 , Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. You have the privilege of living for Christ and for each other. Amen.