•I Corinthians 12:15-26
•Value in the Design
•14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
(I Corinthians 12:14-20, ESV)
•21 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.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
(I Corinthians 12:21-26, ESV)
•Main Point
•We consider the body analogy presented by Paul
•There he focused on what unifies
•Now he shows the body as a plurality for one body
•Each member plays a role according to the design
•No part can seek to separate without loss
•Without each other the body loses…and ceases to be what it was designed to be
•Application Points
•Value in the Design
•There is something profound about the way Paul is utilizing the imagery
• That it does not depend on any one part to make the body, but all together
•This kind of understanding was not new to the world
•These other writers would utilize the body imagery as a means of showing why those with lower status should serve the needs of those with higher status
• They expected those other members of supporting the greater members out of necessity
•Application Points
•Value in the Design (2)
•If we consider the way the world understands the body…then we can contrast this with how Paul understands it
•For Paul it is to show two things
•The first is the need for each member to be where they are by design
•The second to show each member has significance
•The world will tell us that particular elites deserve all the best things
•Conversely, Paul shows that each member does serve one another, but that each member is also deserving recognition
•The body is a representation of the Church
•The Spirit has given certain abilities to certain members
•Application Points
•Value in the Design (3)
•Not all in the congregation are going to be teachers…preachers…on the worship team…etc.
•There will be places for each of us to serve for the purpose of God’s glory and the betterment of the congregation
• Unfortunately we live in a world which likes to do three things
•The first is to create hierarchies of greater and lesser values
•When hierarchies change from order to value based, then it leads to those who are the head receiving greater glory
•This can occur in the Church
•God has called particular individuals to lead the congregation
•The purpose of the role is where it ends
•Application Points
•Value in the Design (4)
•We are all connected together
•Leadership without people to lead is worthless
•People without leaders leads to anarchy
•No matter what kind of gift is being used, no matter what kind of service being performed, it finds its value based upon the design set by God
•The second thing the world likes to do is encourage individuals to be as individualistic as possible
•“Me and God!”
•It can lead to what Paul describes today, the foot saying it is not he hand therefore “I will separate.”
•Application Points
•Value in the Design (5)
•But what, then, of the design of the foot and hand?
•By doing this we go against the design God has established
•Our gifts given are not for ourselves
•By becoming so individualistic we can forget the reason for our existence is more than ourselves
•We are to serve one another in love
•It also leads to an incredible amount of pride
•Dare anyone claim to have all the gifts?
•Dare anyone claim to be utterly self-sufficient?
•The remedy is not to separate…but to be faithful
•Application Points
•Value in the Design (6)
•Consider the people to your left and right
•It isn’t just that you were called to serve them
•You are called to be served by them
•They aren’t called just to serve you
•They are called to be served by you
•We are called to be served by the different gifts of each individual
•By design we need each other
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•Application Points
•Value in the Design (7)
•The third is that the ultimate purpose is our ultimate happiness
•It is able to say you can achieve anything you want
•Is this reality?
•There are things I cannot be
•I am who I am based upon the design set for me by God
•My greatest amount of happiness I can achieve…is found in how faithful I can be to my calling
•Happiness and peace wont be found in being able to do it all, but in doing what I am called to do well
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•Application Points
•Value in the Design (8)
•When we are in tune with the Designer we will find our greatest amount of peace and happiness
•It will be by accepting the will of the Designer and living according to His purpose
•All of what are seeing in today’s text is a reminder
•We can assume we do not need others in one of two ways
•The first is that our relationship with the Lord is enough…the second is that our particular gifts are of greater value than others
•We need to recognize the great value in each other, and to walk humbly before God
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•Application Points
•Value in the Design (9)
•Humility to walk along side one another in love
•To rejoice with each other in love
•To serve one another in love
•To be served in love
•Be encouraged today to not be discouraged by the failings of others
•There are those who have betrayed the intentions God has made
•This can lead anyone to believe it is better to not be involved
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•Application Points
•Value in the Design (10)
•Do not let the failings of so many dictate who you are called to be!
•Do not let the failings of others ruin your call to be part of the congregation, part of the body
•Do not let pride lead to more pride!
•Be encouraged to cherish each other
•Each of us fulfills a function and a need that the other cannot fulfill
•Rejoice in this Designer who has created such a design!
•Encourage one another into faithfulness to the Designer, seeking value in the design He has created
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•Application Points
•The Gospel of Christ
•Origins
•Where it begins
•Fall
•What went wrong
•Redemption
•How it is fixed
•Glorification
•Where it at leads
