The Church is a Body

November 18, 2007 - Rev. Rurel Ausley

(Romans 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12: 7-21, 27; Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:12; 5:23; Col.1: 24; 2:19)

1. How in the world can we understand spiritual truths? How do you best understand spiritual truths? How did Jesus communicate spiritual truth? Why is it that people will remember an illustration longer than just the plain teaching? Can you think of a particular illustration that helped you understand some spiritual truth? What is your favorite parable?

2. What word picture does the Bible give us in Romans 12 for the Church? Can you think of others? I will preach on three additional ones over the next few weeks. God wants us to understand His Church, so he gives us an ordinary analogy that gets our minds working. Everyone can understand truths about the "body." How is the church like a body?

3. First of all, it is crucial that a body work together! Read Rom. 12:4. There is one body but many members. What if your arms and legs want to do one thing and your head wants to do another? Or your feet want to do another? What is the relationship of "co-ordination" to "accomplishment"? How important is it that our bodies with all of their many parts work together? All of our parts form one. What is the relationship of "co-ordination" in a Church to "accomplishment"? How should we work together? Do you work well with others? What does it take to work well with others? What happens when we don't? Is there anything that you could do to help groups work together better?

4. Secondly, we each do important, different parts of the work. Read 1 Cor.12: 7-21. Why is there no room for boasting about what we do? (12:15-16) How does it help that we are all different parts? How does the fact that we are made up of many different parts increase our individual value? Who decided what gift each person would have? Do you know what spiritual gift you have? What is it? Has God made a mistake in how he gifted you? If we are all different, how important is it that each person does his/her part? Are you doing your part? Do you feel that you are a special part of Christ's body? Why or why not? How well does our church do at valuing everyone? At valuing all gifts? Why does the body not need everyone to have the same gift? Every person is needed in the Body of Christ. But each one must do his/her part!

5. What happens to your body if a part is injured or out of commission? What happens if we lose a part of our body? What happens if a part is neglected? disdained? hurt? With our own body, it affects the whole body. I believe the same is true of the church. How?

6. Lastly, we must remember and never forget: that we are Christ's body and that He is the Head. (Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23) Who should we be trying to please? Who gives the directions to the Body? What differences might there be if everyone in our church sought only to please the Lord? Why are no ministries menial? Why is whatever we do for Him important?