Stronger Together (Part 5)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, January 31, 2021
As we continue our look at STRONGER TOGETHER 2021, we look last week at an overview of several reasons the Word of God gives use to show we are STRONGER TOGETHER as a Church Family.
Let’s review:
On Sunday, January 3 ~ we gave an overview on Hindsight 20/20 – we are STRONGER TOGETHER! But Why?
On Sunday, January 11 ~ we looked at Jesus being the Good Shepherd, Pastors being the under-shepherd to Christ (given charge to watch over His sheep) and we are His sheep.
On Sunday, January 17 ~ we seen that Jesus is the Head of the Church and we, as the church, are His body … the Body of Christ! We, as the body of Christ, must work in unity.
On Sunday, January 24 ~ we looked at using our gifts and calling for the Body of Christ.
Today, January 31 ~ we take a closer look at the Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:20–26 ESV
As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 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.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 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, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Last Sunday we looked at our gifts and callings for the Body of Christ. In that, there are times that some feel they are less gifted and are unimportant to the Body of Christ. However, such feelings and thoughts are false, totally untrue. “There are many parts, yet one body.” Every person who truly belongs to the body of Christ (the church) is significant and important to God and has a gift and function in the body.
1. Each member is necessary. The foot may not be as gifted as the hand in handling things, but the foot is still part of the body. The ear may not be able to envision things like the eye, but the ear is still part of the body.
2. Each member has an essential function. The eye, the ear, the nose – they all have their function.
a. None can do the function of the other. Each member has its function and no other member can do the function of the other member.
b. If the whole body were only an eye, it would be inoperative, nonfunctional, and useless.
• The Body of Christ, the church, can only operate if enough members function as they are gifted to do.
• The Body of Christ, the church, becomes handicapped if some members do not function and do the work they are gifted to do.
• The ability of the Body of Christ, the church, to operate is determined by the number and efficiency of its members. The more the members of the Body of Christ, the church, function and function efficiently, the more the Body of Christ, the church, can do.
There are also times that some feel they are more gifted and therefore more important to the body. This point is a sharp rebuke to those who try to dominate or impost their will upon a church or a ministry within the church. Every member is important and significant and much be considered.
1. The weaker members are actually more necessary. The average layman who serves as a worker in the church, although he is never seen by the crowds on the stage, is much more essential to decision for Christ than the evangelist who is in the center of the stage. The dear saint who has become a prayer warrior is much more essential to the strength of the church than the most eloquent preacher who ever fills the pulpit.
2. The unpresentable parts of the body are treated with greater honor. The reference is to clothing. We take more time dressing the body and therefore giving special nobility. So it should be in the church. The less gifted should be recognized and treated with a very special nobility, for they are actually more necessary.
a. The point is well made: no believer or group of believers are to look down upon, snub, or bypass the less gifted in the church. All are important; in fact, the less gifted who are using their gifts for Christ are more necessary. They are where the “rubber meets the road”; therefore, they should be treated with greater honor.
1 Corinthians 1:27–29 ESV
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
God has put the presentable and unpresentable into one body, the church. The presentable parts of our body have no need for clothing; therefore, we do not clothe them (example, the face and the hands). God has done the same for the church, He has tempered the body together. The word tempered means to mis, combine, and blend together. God has arranged the church as it is: the gifted and less gifted mixed, combined and blended together.
• The prayer warrior is much more essential than the soloist who is out before the people.
• The lay witness for Christ is more necessary than the Pastor who stand in the pulpit.
• The person who ministers to the sick or elderly is more honorable than the church treasurer who carries the checkbook.
All matters are important, but the more honorable are not necessarily those who stand before the church. Sometimes the more honorable are those who are never seen, those who go about their ministry for the Lord, using their gifts and functioning within the church as He has ordained.
• No one may want to work in the nursery, but as parents, we want someone in the nursery that is dependable and will take great care of our babies.
• No one thinks the Children’s Church department is very important, but if we find out that they are not being taught the bible, we get outraged.
• Some may think Student Ministry is not important, yet we want someone to watch our students and teach them each service the Word of God.
• Many want to be the Pastor, because that is the one everyone sees, but they don’t want the 2:00am phone calls nor the sleepless nights before Sunday service spending time in prayer.
• God has tempered or blended the members, the church, together to create a natural care for one another. When a member suffers, the whole body suffers with them. When a member is honored, who whole body rejoices together.
Matthew 25:35–36 ESV
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Acts 20:35 ESV
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Each member is distinct, but as part of the Body of Christ, each member is STRONGER TOGETHER in the body, the Church!
Pastor Andy Lambert