Sermon Title: Swipe to enter
Text: 1 Cor. 12:12-31

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt. 16:18

Point 1: The church isn‘t a building on a street corner, on the town square, or in the middle of turf farms, but rather it‘s the body of Christ on earth.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Cor. 12:12

· And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Col. 1:18

· Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. Col. 1:24

Point 2: Jesus is the head of the church; it‘s not a democracy.

And he is the head of the body, the church. Col. 1:18

· And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Eph. 1:22-23

· For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Eph. 5:23

· So that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Eph. 5:27

· For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. Eph. 5:29

Point 3: We become part of the body, the church, by the Spirit of God, when we are baptized into Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:13

· There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph. 4:4-6

· Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

· Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5

Point 4: We have all been arranged, appointed, and gifted to the well-being and growth of the church.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 1 Cor. 12:14

· Foot | hand | eye | ear – 1 Cor. 12: 15-20

· But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 1 Cor. 12:18

· All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills 1 Cor. 12:11

· Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Cor. 12:27

· Apostles | prophets | teachers | miracles | healing | helping | administrating | tongues – 1 Cor. 12:28

· For as in one body we have many members,[e] and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Rom. 12:4-5