My Part in the Body
My Part in the Body Romans 12:3-8
Verse 3: How important am I in the body?
Paul warns us not to think of ourselves more highly that we are in actuality. However, we also must recognize that we each serve a function in the body of Christ that can best be fill by each individual member.
Hold up your hand in front of you and try to move any single digit; if you can your doing better than me. I find that when I try to move any one of my fingers one or more others on that hand will move, even if it is ever so slightly. Now, grip your seat and try to lift yourself with only one hand. If your made like me, when you create stress for one side of your body the other side responds in turn.
My point is that God had made the body of Christ similar to the human body. When one part of the body functions, the other parts assist it in support.
For these reasons alone each of us is intricately important to the entire body of Christ.
Verse 4: What is my God given function in the body?
Each of us need to determine what function we serve in the body of Christ and then fulfill that particular function to the very best of our ability. How we blend together may depend on whether the body that we are attached to is a highly successful and active athlete of an overweight couch-potato.
Verse 5: Where do I fit in the body?
Think about how devastating it would be to have an ear on your hand and a finger where your ear belongs? I will often tell someone their right ear is lower than their left one, but think how it would be if someone literally had no part of their body in the place where it normally is attached; it would either be funny looking or very scary.
Now, think about this being a picture of the body of Christ, the Church. Think about a kneecap or an elbow being the spokesman for the body, or the smallest toe on my left foot telling my right hand what to touch or pick up?
We all need to find out what our gifts and talents are and then do them all to the best of our ability to, not only do them but also get better at doing them.
Verse 6: What can I do to benefit others in the body?
Verse 7: Am I doing what God has given me to do?
This might inter-connect with what has just been said; but be sure that you and I are not trying to take over an area of influence where we are not to be functioning. Often we might do so by becoming critical of others efforts in a particular area of the body. I can recall serving in one church where a number of elderly women desired to cease leading the Vacation Bible School. Three younger ladies who had children in their homes decided to take care of planning and overseeing the Bible School. We had a marvelous attendance and follow-up with families resulted in the church starting to grow until those older ladies became critical about how the younger women were not controlling their children. Ultimately, when things got around to the younger ladies they started to leave the church to go to other congregations that were more inviting and accommodating to their children.
These older women did not wish to carry on with the ministry to children; they lacked the energy to do so, but they didn’t want anyone else to do it either.
Remember, criticism kills growth in the body of Christ.
Verse 8: Do I rejoice that I have found my purpose in fulfilling my calling in Christ?
If you do not wish to get better at doing what you do in the body, or if you get frustrated easily, you may be filling out a position in the body that you were not meant to fill. It may not be possible for you to make an immediate change, but how about taking on someone to train who would like to serve in that particular capacity.
Verse: 9 Do I, as a member of the body of Christ, cause hurt to other members of the Body?
There are various ways that the body of Christ gets wounded, sometimes, all too often, it occurs because of another member of the body of Christ. We are either insensitive to the feelings of others or overtly critical of dress, or behaviors they exhibit.
We need to understand that not everyone has grown in a church family atmosphere. Some people might be searching for belonging and Christian love that we talk about so often but so seldom exhibit in our lives.
Remember "We Are the Body."
Verse 3: How important am I in the body?
Paul warns us not to think of ourselves more highly that we are in actuality. However, we also must recognize that we each serve a function in the body of Christ that can best be fill by each individual member.
Hold up your hand in front of you and try to move any single digit; if you can your doing better than me. I find that when I try to move any one of my fingers one or more others on that hand will move, even if it is ever so slightly. Now, grip your seat and try to lift yourself with only one hand. If your made like me, when you create stress for one side of your body the other side responds in turn.
My point is that God had made the body of Christ similar to the human body. When one part of the body functions, the other parts assist it in support.
For these reasons alone each of us is intricately important to the entire body of Christ.
Verse 4: What is my God given function in the body?
Each of us need to determine what function we serve in the body of Christ and then fulfill that particular function to the very best of our ability. How we blend together may depend on whether the body that we are attached to is a highly successful and active athlete of an overweight couch-potato.
Verse 5: Where do I fit in the body?
Think about how devastating it would be to have an ear on your hand and a finger where your ear belongs? I will often tell someone their right ear is lower than their left one, but think how it would be if someone literally had no part of their body in the place where it normally is attached; it would either be funny looking or very scary.
Now, think about this being a picture of the body of Christ, the Church. Think about a kneecap or an elbow being the spokesman for the body, or the smallest toe on my left foot telling my right hand what to touch or pick up?
We all need to find out what our gifts and talents are and then do them all to the best of our ability to, not only do them but also get better at doing them.
Verse 6: What can I do to benefit others in the body?
Verse 7: Am I doing what God has given me to do?
This might inter-connect with what has just been said; but be sure that you and I are not trying to take over an area of influence where we are not to be functioning. Often we might do so by becoming critical of others efforts in a particular area of the body. I can recall serving in one church where a number of elderly women desired to cease leading the Vacation Bible School. Three younger ladies who had children in their homes decided to take care of planning and overseeing the Bible School. We had a marvelous attendance and follow-up with families resulted in the church starting to grow until those older ladies became critical about how the younger women were not controlling their children. Ultimately, when things got around to the younger ladies they started to leave the church to go to other congregations that were more inviting and accommodating to their children.
These older women did not wish to carry on with the ministry to children; they lacked the energy to do so, but they didn’t want anyone else to do it either.
Remember, criticism kills growth in the body of Christ.
Verse 8: Do I rejoice that I have found my purpose in fulfilling my calling in Christ?
If you do not wish to get better at doing what you do in the body, or if you get frustrated easily, you may be filling out a position in the body that you were not meant to fill. It may not be possible for you to make an immediate change, but how about taking on someone to train who would like to serve in that particular capacity.
Verse: 9 Do I, as a member of the body of Christ, cause hurt to other members of the Body?
There are various ways that the body of Christ gets wounded, sometimes, all too often, it occurs because of another member of the body of Christ. We are either insensitive to the feelings of others or overtly critical of dress, or behaviors they exhibit.
We need to understand that not everyone has grown in a church family atmosphere. Some people might be searching for belonging and Christian love that we talk about so often but so seldom exhibit in our lives.
Remember "We Are the Body."
posted by Pastor Al at 10:30 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home