God's Word for Me Today
Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Focus: Our Mission: One Person at a Time
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, May I live for You this day, and may You empower me by Your Holy Spirit to use my gifts and abilities to build up Your body, the church. As I read Your word this day, show me any brother or sister with whom I need to rejoice or share in suffering. Show me where I need to ask forgiveness and where I need to forgive, that I may be an effective part of Jesus’ body. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ’s body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.
14Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17Suppose the whole body were an eye—then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything?
18But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. 19What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! 20Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. 23And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, 24while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. 26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Questions for Reflection
What is the most important part of the human body?
What is the most important part of the Body of Christ?
Think of the greatest celebration you can remember in your lifetime? What was celebrated? What was your part in it?
Questions for Exploration
What analogy does Paul make to explain the workings of the church? (12:12-13)
In what way may a part of the “body” seek to exclude itself from the “body” ? (12:14-16) What is Paul’s response to that? (12:17)
In what way may a part of the “body” seek to exclude another part from the “body”? (12:18-21)
Why are the parts of the body different, and what part is the most important? (12:22-26)
Questions for Understanding
What is Paul’s “punch line” or overall point in this text?
How may you as an individual “part” of the “body of Christ” fulfill Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:25-26?
Questions for Application
What one thing will you do today to include a person who is part of the body of Christ, but who often seems to be excluded or ignored?
Pray for God to bring unity to every portion of the body of Christ—your family, your local congregation, the church of Jesus Christ in the USA, and the church of Jesus Christ around the world. Be specific, and ask God to use His body to bring the new life of Jesus Christ to the world, one person at a time.
One Body, Many Parts!
One of the most amazing realities of Jesus’ church is that while there may be as many as two billion Christians in the world, EACH one of us is vital to the body! You and I not only need each other, but the whole body of Jesus Christ needs us in order to carry out God’s plan to share the new life of Jesus with every person on the planet in this generation. If we fail to pray, if we fail to live out our salvation, if we fail to use the gifts and abilities God gave us, then we weaken the body of Christ, and her witness in the world.
Paul’s body analogy is always one that has struck home with me. The human body is an amazing work of God. How each of the parts work together to enable us to think, talk, walk (run, jump, do somersaults!) manipulate tools, and on and on—is truly incredible! Yet, if one little part of the body doesn’t work, the impact can be immediate and direct. I’ve always thought it ironic that one of the toughest professional football players to ever lace up a pair of cleats and put on shoulder pads—Jack Lambert—was sidelined, not by a bruising hit from a fullback coming out of the back field, or being blindsided by a pulling guard, but by stubbing his toe. That’s right, “turf toe” ended Jack Lambert’s career. Who would have thought that a toe could end Lambert’s career? And who would think that if you or I fail to carry out our little part in God’s plan of salvation, that the entire church of Jesus Christ will suffer, but it’s true! Your gifts and abilities are given by God and are needed by God to move His work forward. God uses people—you and me—to make His appeal to the world. Wow! Isn’t that awesome? God needs us, not because He DOES need us, but because He has decided to need us. He has bound Himself to using us to glorify Himself, and show Jesus’ new life to others—one person at a time!
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