THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST: LEADERSHIP IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY

THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST: LEADERSHIP IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY

THREE BIBLICAL IMAGES OF THE CHURCH • The People of God • The Body of Christ • The Community/Fellowship of Holy Spirit

THE HUMAN BODY ISA WONDERFUL CREATION “ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14, KJV)

THE HUMAN BODY HAS ELEVEN ORGAN SYSTEMS • Integumentary System • Skeletal System • Muscular System • Cardiovascular System • Nervous System • Respiratory System • Digestive System • Excretory System • Endocrine System • Reproductive System • Lymphatic System

FIRST CORINTHIANS AUTHOR: Paul, the Apostle DATE: Uncertain, Probably A.D. 54-56 on Paul’s third missionary journey TO WHOM WRITTEN: “To the Church of God at Corinth, to those set apart in Christ Jesus” (1:2) PURPOSE: 1. To draw the church back together in a spirit of unity as one body in Christ 2. To deal with moral laxity in the Church. 3. To answer certain questions (marriage, Christian liberty and rights, public worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection)

POTENTIAL DANGERS SURROUNDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS(1 Corinthians 12:1-3) • Danger of being ignorant about the gifts • Danger of being carried away to false worship • Danger of speaking false messages • Danger of speaking the truth apart from the Spirit

DANGER OF BEING IGNORANT ABOUT THE GIFTSThree Ways: • A person can be ignorant that there is such a thing as spiritual gifts. • A person may know that the Holy Spirit gifts His people, but he may not know what special gifts the Holy Spirit has given him. • A person may know what his gifts are, but he may not know how to properly use them.

DANGER OF BEING CARRIED AWAY TO FALSE WORSHIP • Using a counterfeit gift to imitate the real gift. • Misusing the gift and ending up not worshipping God, but worshipping in a meaningless way. • Beginning to feel and act super-spiritual, worshipping the gift and self rather than focusing attention upon God.

DANGER OF SPEAKING THE TRUTH APART FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT Speaking (mouthing) the truth without being truly converted. Professing without committing.

DANGER OF SPEAKING FALSE MESSAGES Some persons in the Corinth church apparently spoke in tongues and distorted the great truth that “Jesus is Lord.”

THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS(12:4-11) • The unity of the gifts • The purpose of spiritual gifts • The list of the different gifts • The unity of the gifts restressed

THE UNITY OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS • Paul says there should be absolutely no pride, controversy, or division over the gifts. • Three reasons: • There are different gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. • There are different ministries or ways of serving, but they are all done by the authority of the same Spirit. • There are different activities and operations in carrying out the various ministries, but the same Spirit who works and give the power to do all.

THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS • The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to enable members of the body to do the ministry of the Body.

THE LISTING OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS • Wisdom • Knowledge • Faith • Healing • Miracles • Discernment of spirits • Tongues • Interpretation of Tongues • Apostle • Prophet • Teacher • Helps • Administration

THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST(12:12-31) • The human body is a picture of Christ and His Body – the Church • Some less gifted felt they were unimportant to the Body of Christ • Some more gifted felt they were more important in the Body • God has put both the presentable and unpresentable into one Body – the Church • Each is a member of the Body of Christ and has his/her own place in it • Each is to covet the very best gifts

THE HUMAN BODY IS A PICTURE OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH • The Holy Spirit baptizes us into one body, Christ Himself – His Church. • The Spirit causes us to drink of Himself.

SOME LESS GIFTED FEEL THEY ARE UNIMPORTANT TO THE BODY • Each member is necessary • Each member has an essential function • Each member is set in the Body as the Holy Spirit wills • Each member is distinct, but together there is only one body

SOME MORE GIFTED FEEL THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO THE BODY • The weaken members (less gifted) are actually more necessary • The unpresentable parts are treated with greater honor

GOD HAS PUT BOTH THE PRESENTABLE & UNPRESENTABLE INTO ONE BODY • To keep the members from clashing. • To create a natural care for one another.

EACH IS A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AND HAS HIS OWN PLACE IN IT • God sets and gifts each member in the church. • All do not have the same gift.

EACH BELIEVER IS TO COVET THE BEST GIFTS • So he can more effectively serve the Lord. • However, there is a more excellent way than gifts, love.

CONCLUSIONS • The Church is His Body, because she is His creation. • Jesus Christ is the Head of His Church. She receives her directions/orders from Him. • Two can accomplish much more than one. (Illustration: Two lepers once seen sowing peas in a field. On had no hands, the other had no feet). • We are to seek unity in diversity.

CONCLUSIONS (Continued) • The interdependence of members of the Body of Christ. • The Need for collaboration (Working Together) can’t we all work together, and get along, for the good of the Body? • A Tools Convention (Illustration) • Every member is important (Illustration: The Missing Typewriter Key)

THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST: LEADERSHIP IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY