Meadows Church
Welcome to Meadows - in person AND online!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We believe that God is with us in both the times of peace and the times of uncertainty. As you learn to navigate these days, we are here along side of you. Thank you for joining us virtually today!
STRONGER TOGETHER
Exploring the power of one-another
“Body Building at its Finest:
Exploring the power of belonging to one another”
1 Corinthians 12
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. . . .
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-- whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!” . . .
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1. Paul casts a body-building vision for the church.
- A transforming vision
“baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body” v. 13
2 Corinthians 5:17
- A transcendent vision
“the body is not made up of one part but of many” v. 14
Matthew 16:24-25
- A team vision
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” v. 7
What’s your vision of the church?
>>> Fast-food restaurant
>>> Sports team
>>> A family
2. Paul confronts a body-attacking virus infiltrating the church.
- The virus of intolerance
Ethnic bias: “Jews or Gentiles” (v. 13)
Economic bias: “slave or free” (v. 13)
Romans 2:11
- The virus of insecurity
Now if the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body (v. 15)
Philippians 4:13
- The virus of isolation
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" (v. 21)
Hebrews 10:24-25
What virus do you most need protection from?
3. Paul celebrates a body-complementing vitality that grows the church.
- The blessing of diversity
“different gifts”
“different service”
“different workings”
1 Peter 4:10
- The blessing of unity
“one Spirit”
“one body”
John 17:22-23
- The blessing of inclusivity
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” v. 27
Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT
Are you connected and committed to God’s vision of church?