Celebrate Diversity (1 Cor. 12:12-31) *All verses in NKJV*
– Last week Pastor Kevin preached about unity in the Holy Spirit. How there is diversity in the gifts that God has given us to use for His glory, and it is by the same Holy Spirit that works through us.
– There is diversity in our gifts and ministries, but the same God who gives them to us. The purpose of these gifts is not to make you special, but to be used for the benefit of the whole church.
– The Christian “body” should celebrate its diversity and recognize that we are not all the same, but we are all necessary to fulfill the will of God in our church body.
– 1 Cor 12:12-31, 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 [g]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.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no [h]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 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. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the [i]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
– Just because your gifts, talents, or position in the body is not like someone else’s, doesn’t mean it is less valuable. Everyone fits in where God has placed us. Don’t compare yourself to others…
1. We are a “Church of One.” (like… “Army of One”)
– 1 Cor 12:12, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body…
– Example: US Army slogans over the years… you could call them “banners”, they represent how the Army wanted to portray its membership… Also, it reflects the culture it was trying to reach out to…
– “Army of ONE”, (2001-2006). I actually liked this one the best. It was disliked and misunderstood by many. What it meant was that the army is made up of many, but is one, together.
– “Be one” with the group, and not just individuals wearing the same clothes… many parts working together to be “an army of one.”
– In churches this would be like, “This is what we believe and are doing. You are welcome to join us.”
– Ironically, many interpreted this slogan as focusing on the individual rather than the whole group together, and contrary to the idea of teamwork. (this interpretation shows their frame of mind…)
– “Be all YOU can be”, (1980-2001, 2023). This is the classic I grew up with. This is an outreach to Generation X, one that focuses your commitment on what YOU can get out of it, instead of what you could contribute back to the group. (In 2023, they brought this one back.)
– In churches it can lead to a “consumer mindset.” Here are our “product offerings” and what we can do for you, if you would grace us with your presence, whenever you can fit it in your schedule…
– Trying to switch from the army being about YOU, to being about the ONE was a hard jump…
– BOTH of these implied that by joining the group, you become your best, and so does the group.
– The WORST one?! (1971-1973) The draft had ended, so for a new all-volunteer Army, “Today’s Army wants to join you.” And “Today’s Army is changing; we want to meet you half way.”
– Trying to lure in the rebellious generations to join with the promise that they will have to do very little and change only a little. A compromising of Army values just to gain a few more members…
– Unfortunately, many churches have gone this way now, trying to meet a sinful world half-way, and completely comprising their Christian doctrine and values.
– It changed again quickly in 1973, and simply became, “This is the Army.” Okay, unimaginative, but it is solid. It plants a flag in the ground as says, “We are who we are.”
– We are a Church of ONE. All one body in Jesus Christ, sharing the same Holy Spirit.
– Gal 3:28, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Celebrate the diversity that God has created in The Church.
– I love that we can be so different in looks and experiences, but share the same values and worth.
– Like Maya Angelou said in her famous poem, Human Family, “I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
– Romans 12:4-6a, For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…
– What makes us different does make us special and interesting, but it doesn’t make us more or less valuable to the body. How would we function if we were all the same?
– The foot doesn’t have to be a hand, or an eye, or an ear to be part of the body. No part can say that it doesn’t need any other part. Every part that God created has a purpose!
– We used to say, “Don’t be the butt of the body,” meaning, don’t just sit around and stink up the place… but even the butt has a purpose… cushion for sitting, large muscles for walking/running…
– 1 Cor 12:18, But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
– God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, and greater modesty for our unpresentable parts. This makes me think of our internal organs.
– There is a large portion of social media and the internet dedicated to people’s “presentable parts.”
– People don’t often consider or care about their internal organs unless there is a problem, and even then, only if their symptoms become too much and start affecting the external body operations.
– Example: Kidneys, my PKD, transplant needs vs availability…
– I have PKD, one day I will need a new kidney. (My dad and brother both had transplants…)
– “According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are awaiting an organ for transplant, and 17 people die each day waiting for an organ. Kidneys are the most common organs needed, according to literature published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Of the estimated 36 million people in the U.S. affected by chronic kidney disease, some 800,000 have end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure, a terminal condition that requires either a new kidney or painful, prolonged dialysis sessions that filter waste from the blood and can last several hours at a time, several times a week.”
– That means there are a lot of “bodies” out there looking for a kidney, but they all won’t get one… because even though there are millions of extra kidneys in the USA, one needs to volunteer to help.
– The need is great!
– I just found out that they have successfully transplanted a genetically edited kidney from a PIG to a human! (The long-term success of this is not yet clear, but it is amazing! Last month, this patient was discharged from the hospital to continue recovery at home…)
Video World’s 1st genetically edited pig kidney transplanted into human – ABC News (go.com)
Mass. patient who received pig kidney leaves hospital, continues recovery at home | WBUR News
– If you won’t step up to fill the gap in the spiritual body, God might just replace you! (w/ a pig???)
– Some people are the parts of the body that we don’t see or think about, they don’t get the attention like the head or hands, but we can’t function without them…. THE NEED IS GREAT!
– Reminds me of when Queen Esther was called to stand up to the King and risk death to defend her people, the Hebrews…
– Esther 4:14, For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
- Where would the body be without you?!
– 1 Cor 12:26, And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
– We win together, and we lose together. Every part relies on the others to live a healthy life. We need to have harmony and balance in the body.
– Example: Metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Metabolic syndrome is increasingly common, and up to one-third of U.S. adults have it.
– Most of the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome don’t have obvious signs or symptoms. High BP is the “silent killer”. High Cholesterol needs a test to find out. It’s a combination of things.
– Metabolic syndrome is not the cause of your health problems, it is an outcome of them…
– A lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle may prevent the conditions that cause metabolic syndrome… “prevention” is the “cure”. Don’t get “sick” in the first place, if you can prevent it!
– The church works the same way!
– To prevent spiritual disease in the Church body, we need to consume truth, and exercise our faith.
– We need to monitor our vitals and pay attention to the numbers, so we don’t become sick.
– The whole body must work together to be and stay healthy, not just the parts you see.
– We can celebrate our diversity while simultaneously becoming united as “ONE church.”
Let me leave you with this from the Apostle Paul,
– Eph 4:1-6, I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, [b]beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [c]you all.
– prayer –
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