"Church"

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So reading this morning is, 1 Corinthians 12. This is 1 to 26, which is on page 1 1 5 3 of the church bibles. Now about the gifts of the spirit brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other, you were influenced and they're destroyed, dumb idols. Therefore, I want you to know that no 1 who is speaking by the spirit of God says Jesus be cursed, and no 1 can say Jesus is lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them, and in everyone, it is the same God at work. Now to each 1, the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. To 1, there is given the spirit of a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, and to another gifts of healing by that 1 spirit.

To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the 1 the work of 1 and the same spirit, and he distributes them to each 1 just as he determines. Just as a body, though 1 has many parts, but all its many parts form 1 body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by 1 spirit.

So as to form 1 body, whether Jews or gentiles, slave, or free. We were all given the 1 spirit to drink, and so the body is not made up of 1 part but of many. Now if the foot should say because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body. It would not for that reason stop being 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 stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were in ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every 1 of them just as he wanted them to be. If they were all 1 part, where would the body be?

As it is, there are many parts, but 1 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 that we think are less honorable, we treat with special honor.

And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty. While our presentable parts need no such treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lack it lacked it. So that there should be no division in the body. But that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

If 1 part suffers, every part suffers with it. If 1 part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Okay. Well, good morning from me. My name is Steven.

I'm 1 of the elders here at Hope Church. I think we're on. I can hear myself. There's a green light here, so that's that's a good start. But as we begin, let let me pray.

I've gotta be due. Thank you for your word. We thank you that it is given to us that we may walk in step with the spirit. That we may live a life that is pleasing to you. And or as we, open your words now for these few few minutes, we pray that you'd be working in our lives by by your spirit, that we'd be equipped and ready.

To live your life. That is pleasing to you this week, into you this name, amen. So as Matt was saying, we have been looking at a kind of mini series here at Hopechurch, during, the month of January, a sort of health check, a spiritual, spiritual MOC, maybe giving a particular, attention to to what's under the bonnet. Not just sort of coasting along the road, hoping things will be okay. I'm so fine in this series, over the last few weeks, we've been looking at both the the need to to meditate on god's words.

And under the power of prayer in in our lives, the the need to prioritize prayer. And this morning, we're gonna be looking at this this next subject in this spiritual MAT And you might wanna tell you what it is on the face of it. You might be thinking, well, why do we need to do that? Surely, it's sort of worth it. That's a that's a given, isn't it?

You see, this morning, we're gonna be looking at the the subject of church. And you might be thinking, well, that's obvious. We know what church is. We come to church every week. We're called Hope Church.

We're not called Hope Society or or Hope Sunday Club, but we're called Hope Church. Maybe maybe maybe we say to to friends, during the week. Oh, I I was at church on Sunday. Yeah. There's a new church.

We we go to to hope church on the on the Sunday Estate. For we meet in a school called, Nomi's every Sunday morning, 10 30. That is when we do church. And it it's right, isn't it? In 1 sense, we do come and do church.

It's a sort of shorthand we use for for gathering together as gospel. But it isn't a isn't there a chance. I'll I'll be in danger that we We just go through the motions. This Sunday morning, this is just part of our routine. We go to work in the week.

We play football on Saturdays. We come to church on Sundays. Well, may and maybe maybe maybe you're here even for the first time. Maybe you've got no idea what church is, and you're just trying to explore it. Well, it is my prayer this morning, whatever we think church is about, that we would allow God to shape our thinking.

Ship our thinking again what church is And as our as our thinking is shaped, we would let our understanding see churches God sees it. And not only as he sees it, but as he plans it, And as we and as we start this new year, let's refocus what it means to be a church and live in light of it. So as we as we shape our thinking, for the the next few minutes, we're gonna be looking at this passage in, 1 corinthians 12. That was red for us. And before we go on, Mike, can you just, makes it a little bit lower.

I feel like I'm at a table with a emergency chairs. That's it. That's fine. Thanks. So if you know anything about the the Christian church, it's a church.

It's a church that has problems. I don't know what problems do you think we've got here in hope church, but the Corinthians church has got problems. We see in verse chapter 1 verse 11. It's a church, of disunity. It's a church where rivalry is right.

And it's a church because of this disunity that they've needed the apostle poll to write to them 3 times. And it's frightening to them about issues that are that are divisive issues that they've, that have caused them disunity, that they have been arguing about. Don't know if you know that in church issues that you argue about, things where maybe 1 1 person has has an idea of, oh, we should be doing it this way. We should set the chairs out this way. And so he says, no, I think we should to set the chairs up this way, we should be facing that way as a much better rule to have the screen on.

And there there's things in churches in there that that divide us. And This is what's happening in this Corinthians Church. And in in this section of of 1 Corinthians we are we are looking at, these issues that are dividing the Corinthians Church. And, actually, it's a little bit like a like a question and answer session with Paul. Ask Paul anything, and he will tell you what he thinks.

So from chapter 7 onwards, Paul is answering these questions that the Corinthians Church has, and and Paul is answering them with all the authority that Jesus has given him as 1 of the apostles. And we get to this question in chapter 12 regarding spiritual gifts. And this more than anything maybe in this book is an issue that is dividing the Corinthians Church, where where they have they have their own own, gifting from god. They have their own differences. I mean, in in those differences, they they start preparing themselves, starts, such as trying to say, well, my gift's better than your gift.

Have you ever known this in church? Well, I've got this gift. Well, my gift is more needed than your gift. To be honest, I don't really even care what your gift is. Have you ever known this in church life?

I was reflecting, after a prayer meeting with with a brother. We were we were reflecting on a conference we we went through together. Some of you might have been at this conference. I won't say what it is. You might start thinking of, but maybe me, but what's that?

This conference was what was 1 where, what what what are the keynote speakers came in from another country, and he came in to to to open the word of god. And he was a very engaging person that that that the the the the the room was engaged. They were they were they had the their bibles open. They were looking at him. He was a great communicator.

He was he had a fantastic, a fantastic gift. But actually, He didn't really care much about the people around. He didn't care about the other giftings around. I was led to believe actually he ignored largely most people. On that day.

He finished finished his talk, got got got down off the stage, got in a taxi, went back to the airport, went back back home. Fantastic gift, but did he really care about the people around him? I wonder if we've never known this go on in in our churches. Maybe may may maybe we come in. Be coming on Sunday morning.

If we've got responsibilities, we've got good things, we've got to get on with it. We sort of have to get past her, the door, the welcomeers, get past the people, get the coffee. Oh, sorry. Can't chat. I'd great to see you.

Sorry I have to go. I've got something to do. Yeah. I'll text you in the week. Yeah.

That'd be great. Yeah. We should meet up. Yeah. Let's do that.

Sorry. I've got I've got to use my gift. We can always be here. I've risked doing this to call me. Thinking that we are sort of better than others, needing to to do our thing without really acknowledging other people.

And you you might be thinking What what is this got to do with church? Why are we going on about spiritual gifts? I thought I'd come in here to get a spiritual health check about church, and now we're talking about spiritual gifts. Well, here we see in this passage that that Paul has for us. Those 2 things are linked.

You see, we need to be careful that as we use the gifts that God has given us, We should do so in the right way, and in doing so should fulfill his purpose for the church. We need to be careful that as we use the gift God has given us, we should do so in the right way and in doing so fulfill his purpose for the church. So as we look at this in in more detail, I have 3 points for us to open, 1 for instance, 12 to 26. First of all, we're gonna be looking at together that we are part of 1 body ordered by god. Did you see that in, verses 12 and 13?

We get this concept repeated twice. Just as a body though 1 has many parts, but all is part form 1 body. And again, it's 13. And so the body is not made up of 1 part, but of many. Sorry.

But but but before that, this we're baptized by 1 spirit and to form 1 body We we we sang, didn't we? Earlier in the service? Do do do you remember? We sang 1 body, 1 baptism. Should we sing it again?

Should we sing it together now? 1 body, 1 baptism, we won't? Said, well, 1 of the highest points of the song, we might struggle to go straight in there. You see, we're we're called together to be 1 body. And what what is the body anyway?

Well, it is something that is that is bigger than ourselves, we come together to be something bigger than ourselves. And that that is what a body is, but what does it mean here? What is this body? What is this body? Well, we get it in verse 27 if you read on.

This is the body. It says you are the body of Christ. That is the body. And again, that some of you may have been looking at ephesians in your gospel community this week. It says in ephesians chapter 1 verse 22, and God placed all things under his feet and appointed him that is Christ to be head over everything for the church, which is what, which is his body.

That is that is what we're talking about here. That we are part of Christ. The the church, the gathered people of God are so connected to Christ. He is the head and we're known as his body. I wonder, have you ever considered that about church?

That we together are part of the body of Christ. Coming together as something bigger than ourselves. And I wonder if if we were if we were in charge of church and and the membership to the church, What would what would be our our criteria to let people through the door? Often clubs have criteria. You can't just walk in anyone.

And what would what would our criteria be? Maybe people like ourselves, maybe people with our our own interests, like the same sports we do, like the same films we do. People we can tolerate people who aren't too annoying. But we we get it. What what is what is the church built up with?

Who who are in the church? What is what does Paul say here that the church is made up of? We get this in verse 13. The church is made up of people from all backgrounds, Jews, and Greeks, slaves, and people who are free. That is your background, your social order.

Through the work of god, you've been brought into the church. You've been brought brought into the to the the body of Christ. We have this image here that is if those who have been baptized by the spirits, and that's not some sort of occasion, special occasion that's happened. That is that is our our picture of our salvation, but when we have have chosen to repent and believe the gospel, and as we have been brought into to the church, God has has done this for us. He's brought us in.

That is the amazing mystery of of those who have chosen to follow Jesus. Actually, who is behind that? Well, it is it is God himself drawing us. To to to be part of the body of Christ. And we see that this isn't just a, like, a chaotic work.

But it is purpose purposeful. Like, god, it's bringing together people from from different places, different backgrounds, people who are educated, people who are less educated, people who are rich, people are poor, people from the north, people from the south. God is bringing people from all backgrounds to be united under Christ. Not as all the same person. We're gonna be looking at shortly what it means to be sort of, a a a diverse body.

So if we don't have to be all the same, it would would not, like, work for some reason, when I have this image of all being the same, I was taken back to, a beach a few years ago. I and when I look in the water, I see jellyfish. Hundreds of jellyfish just floating independently together, in in this in this in this water. So much so that the kids decided going in the water wasn't for them, and I thought fair enough. Is that is that all we are?

Are we just sort of floating jellyfish in the ocean of church on Connectes? Just existing? No. There's order here. There's purpose God is bringing us together all from different backgrounds, and he even gives us a spirit, to to each work differently.

There is purpose. And just as there's purpose, we see that all these parts are important. And that is my second point. We are many parts under all our importance. So Paul has been, looking at the body of Christ.

He's been looking at particularly the the manifestation of the spirit in it, but he wants to stress the point. Although we have come from different backgrounds, Although we have, in 1 sense, all being blessed differently, all having different gifts. There shouldn't really there shouldn't be a point of our our a point of division. It shouldn't cause disunity So often differences cause, just disunity, don't they? We either see this in the world, you might see this at work.

Those who are different, are outcast. That our differences can can cause the vision. But Paul wants to to show us in the church, that shouldn't be the case. That should not be the case. And do do do do you notice what, illustration he uses to make this point?

It's quite it's quite it's quite a comical, actually, illustration and if you've got if you've got, an imagination and you just imagine what's going on here, I'm sure it wasn't me anyway. It's quite a comical scene. It's quite a comical scenario. And, we're gonna look at this this now. So, if you've if you've learned how engaged back in, see what's going on here.

Paul uses quite a simple concept, and that is that is 1 of the the human body. I was quite glad when I when I got this talk. I thought, well, that's my expertise. I know I know a little bit about that I bought the human body. I know at least what it says in verse, 14 that the body is made up of many parts.

So that's 2 3 years of nursing to to to work that out when I was. But what what does what does Paul say about these parts? It's actually it's comical that the parts start talking to each other, and that that's something I didn't learn in nursing. That the that the body starts talking. But Paul Paul wants us to listen to our bodies this morning.

We're told to listen to our bodies, aren't we? Well, listen to your body now. Listen to what your body is saying. It says here, press 15. Now if the foot should say, because I'm not at hand, I do not belong to the body.

It would, but not that it would not, for that reason, stop being part of the body. And if the air should say, because I'm not an eye, I do not belong to the body. It would not be for that reason, stop being part of the body. I mean, isn't this pretty obvious stuff? If a foot if a foot is speaking and saying, because I'm on a hand, I don't belong to the body.

Yeah. I mean, even he even pulls sort of interjects in his own thoughts here. He interjects and says, Well, well, that's silly, isn't it? The body is made up of many parts. Why is the approach saying through a through a hand?

I don't belong to the body. Why is an ears saying because I'm not an eye. I don't belong to the body. Imagine if the body was just 1 big eye just looking around, what would what would be the point in that? Imagine the body was just an ear, that that that could hear, maybe could could hear hear the the the the sausage sizzling in the pan.

But they can't smell it. So what's the point? There's no there's no smell. You see the body is meant to be altogether. And it is a it's a comical thing here.

And then we get this this section again. The body goes on. And, actually, this time, Paul actually bans the body from speaking. He said, well, you're clearly not speaking to each other. So you should probably stop talking now.

And so he says here verse 21. 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 either. What on earth is going on here?

Why is Paul making the body speak? Well, let's not get caught up in the illustration too much. Although we've how you hope you can have fun with that and thinking about it. Paul is stressing the point that the body is important, and that the the parts of the body are important. And the body is the body of Christ.

And I think he's trying to show us 2 things, 2 pitfalls we could fall into when we think of Christ's body. And I'm gonna do this by, reminding you maybe of a childhood's story of, Winnie the poo. I'm sure you know the story of Winnie the poo. And his various couch is in Winnie the poo, isn't there? This 1 you meet you may you may know.

This is, this is EOR. I think that's how you see his name. And this is what I think the what the first section is, as the as the foot distorting to the hand saying, I don't belong to the body. Have you have you ever noticed that in in a church like have you ever seen this guy in church? Maybe maybe doesn't look quite like that.

But at times, there there could be occasions where where where you come into church and you say, no 1 ever noticed me. I'm not, like, the other other animals. I'm not, like, 2 year bouncing around, doing all these things. I'm not, like, winnie the pooh. Being the main focus, someone who everyone knows, somebody may be up, maybe's up front, sitting in the background.

I'm not a hand. I'm not an ear. Don't really belong here. I don't even know why I was reading the story. Is that you ever you ever come into church with with that attitude?

Or maybe you're 1 of, a sort of, a spiritual figure. You're kind of bouncing around, getting signed up to all the routers, getting involved in in ministry. Maybe maybe you're serving on the band every week, maybe you're out doing hope kids, maybe you're leading, maybe you're preaching, maybe you're running a gospel community, maybe you're having refreshments, maybe you're your your focused on on serving god, using your gift for god. But as you do this, you're not really noticing anyone else around you. You can fly in to London.

You can you can preach at a conference. But I I did you notice other people? Are you sort of coming through saying, oh, sorry. Yeah. Nice to see you, but sorry.

I put I put to go. You don't really notice people. You don't want to notice people. Do we ever have that that feeling and that, that's attitude in our in our hearts? Maybe maybe we do notice people.

Maybe we do see people doing doing their thing using their gifts. And maybe we think, oh, actually, I could probably do a better job than that. He never heard that thought? And I I know I know I know I know I know I have. Maybe may maybe maybe you come in, you taste the coffee.

He said, I I can make a better cup in that. I know I know the perfect beans of water ratio. I know how many tea bags to put in the tea pot. Do we ever think we can do a better job than others? But what is saying?

What is saying about that that attitude? Isn't it saying that we don't really need you? Maybe on me just being ahead saying to a foot, I don't really need you, I'll make the coffee, I'll play the piano, I'll preach, or do the car park, or tidy up after. You can all go home. I don't really need you.

This is so dangerous in church life. And this is this is something that goes on and maybe goes on more in the world where where we're striving for towards independence. I've got a quote that says every step towards independence to the victory we're celebrating. Is that what we're we're trying to do in church? And are we just trying to celebrate independence?

I mean, we've just joined the, the FIAEC, the policy of independent churches. I don't know why we did that. Why why we why do we wanna become independent? That is not what Paul's saying here. It should be com it should be called the fellowship of non independent even in in even the ethical churches.

We should settle our own organization. See, church isn't about independence. It's not about trying to do things ourselves. It's not about casting aside other people in their gifts, but we have to be part of the body And as Paul looks at this, he can interjects. And what does he do with his thinking?

Well, it goes back to our own bodies, our own human bodies. It says, well, would you do that with your own body? Maybe with with the the parts of the body, maybe you to see this weaker or maybe less honorable. What do we do with these? Do we just chop them off?

Do we cast them aside? No. If we do the opposite, we treat them verse 23 with greater respect We clothe them. We treat them with special modesty. What does that mean?

It's taking care. We take care of our own bodies, don't we? The whole industry to take care of your own body, go to boots, go to Superdrug, take take care of your own body, go to a spa weekend, join David Lloyd gym, float in the air, whatever the they do in the advert. Take care of take care of your bodies. And that's what we should do in church.

We should be taking care of each other just like we take care of our own bodies. Rather than saying, I don't need you, we should be saying, how can I care for you better? And in fact, Do you know what God thinks of the people you think you don't need? What what does God think of these people? Or even what does what does God say to you when you're got the attitude of I don't think I belong here.

What does God say to you to those 2 groups of people. Those who have cast aside and those who don't think they belong, it's he says the same thing, and it's in verse 18. It says, but in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every 1 of them, just as he wanted them to be. Do you see that? What a glorious picture this is?

Those who think they are inadequate, and I'm seeing God says, I have placed you where I want you. Stop looking for your worth in others. Stop thinking about your your role in church isn't important. God has put you where he wants you. And those those members you were looking down upon, even dismissing us unimportant or or less needed than you, What does God say?

What God says, I have placed those people exactly where I want them. I love I love I love I love I love I love the phrase every 1 of them. It it it just feels like God knows, doesn't it? God places every 1 of us where he wants them. It's a bit like it's a bit it's a bit like a, I I kind of librarian, putting the books in order, arranging the books, taking everyone, think, oh, I'll put this book here.

This book fits there. I'll I'll I'll I'll put the the the the history section on the top. I might put the, the the the the wisdom mixture at the bottom for the the, the fiction in the in the in the in the middle. Whatever it is, it's all arranged. It's all arranged.

And god, he in his great mercy to us, brings us into the church, and he he orders us, as he wants, he places the parts of the body, every 1 of them, we're all there. We're all arranged in this in this body. Like, books and a bookcase, and he and he wants us exactly where he wants us to be. So don't think you can discard others whom God has placed. And also, maybe to go back to, an earlier illustration.

Maybe you've been coming to church for a while. Maybe maybe having feeling like you're, or maybe on the peripheral, maybe not so much connected. Maybe you feel a little bit like the sort of jellyfish in the ocean, just sort of, church floating around, sort of do your own thing a little bit, but not not reconnected with others. But can can you see here that church is much more than that. That like like God brings the church together.

And he brings you into the church, and he he says that you're important that he wants to place you in the body where you can use your your gifts for him. All are needed in the body of Christ. Well, as we finish, Where does this all lead us? We've seen, haven't we that all are important in the eyes of god? That he himself through the blood of Jesus had just brought the church together.

What does that matter? So we just go out and celebrate that fact that that God has saved us and and we're part of the church. Should it just remain there? No. The the passage doesn't stop there.

We've still got a couple of verses to go. Where does it bring us? Well, it leads me to my third point, which is There should be no division, but the same concern for each other. The Corinthians Church has been a mess, hasn't it? It's looking to to rival each other.

I do not really care much about each other's needs. But we see here as the body functions together as each part comes together as we see each other as needing to belong as we see each other as all needed. As we don't reject each other, but as we are brought in and as we relate to each other, this is what it should be like. It should have the same concern for each other. Equal concern.

All on a even keel, all on a even playing field. You see, there's no hierarchy in church. There's no status in church. We are all on the same playing field. We have all received the mercy of god.

We all are together as 1 body. And as we are together, and as we show concern, what should that look like in practice? Well, we should have we have we should have such a heartfelt concern for each other that we we should be able to do 2 things and we get this in, versus 25 over the page. First 26. If 1 part suffers, every part suffers with it, and if 1 part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

You see, you can't you can't really do this when you're divided, can you? You can't really relate to each other when you're not looking to each other's needs, but as we have concern for each other, we can we can know this. Have you known this in church? This is a glorious thing. That we can suffer together.

And I think we should take encouragement, our home search, that we we we we do this we do this well, even this week, as as we maybe had difficult news as we've, some of us been through difficult days, dark days, maybe, days where where we are hurting, where we've lost, maybe loved ones, lost friends. Having a hard time at work, maybe a hard time at home. Maybe we have health difficulties. I like it's tough. The glorious news of the gospel, and the glorious purpose of the churches that we suffer together.

And I don't know this week if you've if you felt the the concern of the church as we read WhatsApp messages of comfort to each other, we suffer together. But, also, we rejoice, don't we? We can rejoice together. We can rejoice. Maybe as we share news of of joy, maybe when a friend becomes interested in spiritual things.

When we have an opportunity to witness at work, we rejoice, don't we? We do this as the as the body. We do this without status or without focusing on our own lives, but focusing on each other. So do do you see with the body you're part of? Do you see what God has done for you?

Has he brought you into the the body of Christ We've come from different backgrounds. It come from with different jobs, different upbringings, God has brought us together. So let's honor, give him great honor and praise what he has done for us, and let us live our lives as Christ's body in a way that is pleasing to him, and that fulfills his purpose for the church.