By Steve A. Hamilton

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

Introduction: Jesus said He would build His Church (Matt. 16:18).  Yet, He never built a physical structure for it and He was a carpenter by trade.  In fact, Christ set Himself over His Church which He describes as His body (Eph. 1:22-23).  Obviously, when people talk of the Lord’s Church as a particular structure they have missed the whole concept of the Church that Jesus built.

          In this lesson, we will examine the composition of the Lord’s one true church (Eph. 4:4).

I. The Lord’s body and it’s many members (1 Cor. 12:12-14).

          A. The Lord’s Church is composed of many members.  The members that compose His Church are restricted to those who have been baptized into it.

          B. Only Christ can admit people into His Church (Acts 2:47).  He only admits those who are being saved through baptism.        

II. The Lord’s body is analogous to our own bodies (1 Cor. 12:15-26).

          A. The body is made up of different parts.  Likewise, once we become members of the Lord’s church we make up the different parts of His body.

          B. Like the physical body, each part or member has differing functions and abilities.

          C. God sets these members together as it pleases Him. 

                   1. He puts us together with our differing functions and abilities for a reason.  If we were all the same, how could we function?  If our body was composed of nothing but eyes, where would we go for hearing?

                   2. All of us together compose the body.  I can’t say to another, “I have no need of you” because everyone has a part.  It may not be a more notable part.  But even those with limited functions (the weak or babes) have an important part to fulfill in the body.  Even our big toe is necessary for balance.

                   3. It is the part of the body we least esteem that we display the most honor.  For example, the partial use of an arm will cause us to spend more time exercising it back into shape.  We have cause to rejoice with the problem part we collectively improve.  The attention we give to the weaker parts will cause us to work together for the good of the whole body that no divisions come. If one member hurts, we all hurt.  Have you ever stubbed your toe and it had no effect on the other parts of your body?  

III. Each of us are individual members of the body (1 Cor. 12:27-29).

          A. We are not the same neither in function nor abilities.

          B. God has blessed each of us in different ways (Rom. 12:3-8).

                   1. I might be bold to proclaim God’s word while I find it hard to express sympathies.  Together we round each other out.

                   2. Try walking without one leg.  Ironically, we don’t miss something (or someone) until we lose it.  

IV. Unfortunately, members can become cancerous (1 Cor. 6:15-20).

          A. When we sin, we sin against ourselves as well as Christ’s body.  When a member commits fornication, do people exclusively blame the person or do they look to the church as failing in its obligations?  Sin brings reproach upon the member as well as the church.

          B. What should we do with unrighteous members?

                   1. Physically, we remove any cancer we find in the body.

                   2. Spiritually, we must do the same (Matt. 5:29-30; Col. 3:5-6).   

Conclusion: As Christians we are intimately entwined together in each other’s lives.  The action of one member affects everyone else (Rom. 6:12-13).  Never think that our sins are none of the member’s business.  We are in the same body; the Lord’s Church.  When you sin it hurts all of us!

Last modified: 05/02/08