I Corinthians 12:12-31 - The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is wit Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many, If the foot should say, "Because i am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 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 cease to be part of the body. 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? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 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!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts of that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unrepresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that ts parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one parts in honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to heal others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
This idea of One Body, Many Parts, is meant to show the church that it is to be a unit. This idea is to be shown in the local church AND the church worldwide by the inclusiveness of the body, regardless of race, gender, background, financial status, job, education, or gifts and talents. We are to accept the God given diversity of our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we might truly be one body of believers made up of all kinds of people. Preachers, teachers, prophets, healers, musicians, vocalists, servants, prayer warriors, etc... We are to think of and act like the church as a great melting pot that welcomes all parts into God's family.
It is important that I stress one very important point here. We are also to welcome those who practice a homosexual lifestyle into the Church. Yes, there are clear verses in Leviticus 18 & 20, as well as I Corinthians 6, that state God's true feelings about homosexuality. However, there are also many other verses that state God's true feelings about other sins as well, not to mention that God doesn't rate one sin higher than another. God loves them, but detests their lifestyle choice. How else are we to show them the love God has and the truth about their sinful condition if we don't even let them in the doors? Let me be clear: I am NOT saying that we should invite them to serve on the Worship Team, teach a Sunday School class, or be a Youth Sponsor. I would not be kosher with that, just as I would not be kosher with a raging alcoholic, pedophile, or adulterer doing any of those things. I AM saying that we should invite them in so that they might hear the Good News, believe, and turn from their sin to go the direction that God would have them go.
Another part of being One Body, Many Parts, is recognizing that not all of us will have the same function within the body. We are not made from a cookie cutter! Each of us has had a diverse set of experiences, and no two people have had the exact same experiences. That means that we are all designed to do things that another is not, and God planned it that way! Not everyone is an amazing musician, gifted speaker, or well studied teacher. Some have those gifts, but some might just be good at service oriented things, and others still might have a bigger knack for prayer and encouragement. The body has many different skill sets on purpose, so that we might better serve when we're together.
The problem here is when folks get the idea that one gift or another is bigger, better, or more important than another. Folks, we're all called to the same mission! Our call is to continue the work of Christ here on earth until He returns. How we do that depends on our gifts and abilities! Just because I'm called to continue Christ's work on earth through Worship Arts doesn't mean that I'm any better than my friend Dave who's called to continue Christ's work on earth through being an electrician. We simply do different things within the body to further the kingdom! Ministry is our full time job, regardless of what we do for gainful employment. His is turning on lights, and mine is turning on amps and computers.
We cannot seek status with our gifts and talents, and still expect to be One Body. It just won't happen. When people use their gifts as a way to build themselves up, it creates the "pedestal complex", in which one is all of a sudden better and more distinguished than another.
I've worked with pastors and lay leaders that were doing their jobs for the status within the Body that it gave them, and they used that status as leverage to get what they wanted. Did that create unity? Quite the opposite. It almost always created a fair amount of dis-unity and chaos within the Body.
On the other end of the spectrum, the pastor I work for now has every right (by the world's standards) to be on a pedestal. He's been here almost 4 decades, and has a powerful and dynamic personality and preaching style that captures your attention from beginning to end. He could easily just go about his days prepping to preach and leaving the rest to others. Instead, he doesn't even consider his status as anything to talk about, rolls up his sleeves, and gets dirty just like the rest of us. There is no "pedestal complex" in his heart; he only has the love of Jesus and the desire for unity within the Body.
Where did he learn how to do that? What was His example? It was the example Jesus set for us that Paul speaks of in his letter to the Church at Philippi.
Philippians 2:5-11 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
THIS is how we become One Body, Many Parts. We consider status nothing and humble ourselves to become obedient to what it is that God has set before us. Only then will we be able to live together in unity and allow God to increase our ability to further His kingdom for His glory.
One Body. Many Parts. All ages, races, countries, denominations... Globally and locally, all working together for the sole purpose of combining our gifts and talents in order to give God glory.
I'm in. Are you?
