1 Corinthians 12:1-13 May 11, 2008
One Step At a Time, Part 4
What is the Church?
Rev. Meagan M. Boozer
A Nun was taking a shower one day and she heard the doorbell ring, she yelled, "Who is it?" And the person ringing the doorbell yelled, "I'm the blind man." So the Nun got out of the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel, she didn't bother putting a towel around herself because the person behind the door was blind. She opened the door and said, "What do you want?" The man answered, "I'm here to check your blinds."
Sometimes we hear a word, and we think one thing – but it is another thing that is being said altogether.
Lots of people think of lots of different things when they hear the word “church.” What words come to your mind when you think of “church?” For many people, their only association with church is through someone else’s experiences, or through what they see on TV. The majority of people in our country, and certainly right here in these valleys, are not active participants in a church.
What is the Church? What did God mean the Church to be after Jesus went back into Heaven? Let’s begin by reading from 1 Corinthians 12:1-13: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans [non-believers in Christ], you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak [possessions, intellectual pursuits, family systems, traditions, hobbies, and the like]. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says, “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 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. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
Here’s where we’re going: The Church is a group of diverse people, who confess Jesus as LORD, who are gathered together by the one Holy Spirit, who work together for the common good, and who enjoy drinking together! Yes! Look at that last phrase – “and we were all made to drink of one Spirit!” See, we probably have in our minds that “drinking together” is sitting around the bar together – just like that nun had in her mind what a “blind man” was. The apostle Paul tells us that we were all made to drink of one Spirit – the third person in the Trinity – the Holy Spirit is ours to drink!
Let us pray: O Lord, we need your help hearing, understanding, and applying what you are teaching us. Thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit here with us, and thank you for your grace. Help us to take a long drink of your precious Spirit today, for we know we are in need of that which only comes from the Spirit. We pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
One of the most wonderful pictures the Scriptures give to us of the Church, is the picture of a human body. Back in our passage for today we read, "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. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” If we read a bit further in chapter 12, we get a whole lot more of the “body” imagery:
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
I hear people say, from time to time, “I just don’t feel a part of the church.” This sometimes comes from people who are new, or from people who have been here a long time. “I just don’t feel a part of the church. I don’t feel like I fit.” I’ve heard people say, “There are so many new people, I just don’t know hardly anyone anymore.” Listen again to a couple of those verses: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Listen to these verses from Eugene Peterson’s The Message: “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful!”
The Church is a group of diverse people, who confess Jesus as LORD, who are gathered together by the one Holy Spirit, who work together for the common good, and who enjoy drinking of the Spirit together!
According to the Scripture, every person that God brings to become part of this congregation or a different congregation, has something important to offer to the overall health and work of the body in that place. When we allow ourselves to become lone rangers and focus on ourselves saying: “I don’t feel a part. I don’t feel like I fit. I don’t know anyone,” we give in to becoming part of the dysfunction of the body, instead of becoming part of its God-given purpose. You know what happens when you don’t use some muscles for a while: they atrophy, they get lazy, and are of little use until built back up again. Everyone called here, because of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, has a part in this body – an important part (whether you’ve just been connected by the Spirit, or whether you’ve been here for decades). Some of what happens when a church is growing, is often a feeling of disconnection between newer and former members. That’s part of the mission of Sunday school, mission trips, fellowship events, clean-up days, etc.: to connect people with others whom they might not interact with in any other way. Let’s face it: if we only come to worship and sit in these pews that only face in one direction, and if we always sit in the same place with the same people around us, it’s pretty tough to feel connected to the whole body. However, if you serve alongside others, if you show up for other gatherings, it helps in the function of the whole body! Every person is important - including those who are unable to come and gather with us on Sunday mornings because they are homebound or suffering from affliction of some sort. Listen again to Paul’s words, “But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” I especially love these verses, because they remind us that if we are focusing on the needs of others and not on our own wants and disappointments, there will be no dissension within the body! Now, that’s the Church I’ve been called to the ministry to bring forth, for the sake of those who do not know the Lord.
Today, we celebrate the birthday of the Church on the Day of Pentecost. It’s important to remember on this day who we are – who God has called us to be. It’s important to be challenged to live into what God intended when he gave us the one Spirit to unify us and mobilize us to care for the world in the name of Jesus. It’s also important to stop and thank God for the ways the Spirit has manifested in the lives of others within the body – for what’s a birthday without some celebration?!
We have several personal messages to share this morning: 1 in person, and a couple in writing (shared with permission from the writers). I’d like to begin by asking Dawn and Drew Johnson to come and share with us some things about their sons, Gabriel and Clay. (to the reader: I’m sorry I don’t have this to share with you in writing.)
This past Thursday, Bill Wolf, closed the door to the trailer he rented from Vivian Baker for the last time, and went to a place in Fayetteville called Candleheart Ministries. The ministry at Candleheart is a residential ministry, providing a minimum of 120 days of room & board, including life-skill instruction from a biblical perspective for people in need of such ministry. Bill wrote the following message for us before he left:
To my church family: I have the opportunity, and I am taking the opportunity, to go to Candleheart, which is a place to rebuild my mind, body, and soul. I entered Candleheart on Thursday, May 8th. Classes begin on Monday, May 12. It is a program of 120 days. I can have visitation on Sunday afternoons after church. I don’t know about the phone calls yet. Many of you have already said that you will be praying for me; so pray that I will keep a good attitude so I can learn as much as possible. After I am done with the program, I do not know where God is going to lead me, but I will be more than happy to come back here. I will miss all of you. God bless you. Bill Wolf
This next message is contained in a card from Betty Myers: Dear church family, I would like to thank you all for your encouragement and love over the past year as ministry assistant here at Upper Path. It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I must say that I know God is calling me out of my comfort zone, and into the unknown. Though the plans for my future are unknown to me, they are very well known to God, and I am making a commitment to trust, learn, listen, and follow His leading. He knows me, He knows my stubbornness, and I pray He will use that stubbornness for the building of His kingdom – and put a fire within me that will burn with a deep passion for Him alone. I must add, we are blessed to have a pastor who is just as stubborn as I am – one who would not give in, one who would not let me give up. Thank you, dear church. Love, Betty Myers
Finally, a reflection from Donna Galipo that Donna gave me about a month ago: Before I left Toledo, OH, I asked the Lord God to choose a church of His choice for me. You see I learned to trust Him for everything for my life, and besides He knows what I need more than I do. I was going through some things and I had this desire to walk “in Christ.” I knew what the Word of God said concerning the phrase, “In Christ,” and what the Bible says – “we are joint-heirs in Christ Jesus, that in Him we share “His righteousness, His inheritance, His holiness.” It was important to me that I understand this phrase. What I didn’t expect was – He was going to show me how to identify with Christ Jesus and see myself “in Him.” This may sound crazy, but for me to identify with Christ Jesus, I had to connect and be joined together with the Body of Christ. But God wouldn’t put me with any “Body of Believers.” It was His choice and selection when He chose and selected this church. You may not or maybe you do see that there is a consciousness of Christ at work here, or should I say “an awareness of Christ working through and in the Body. There’s a sense of connection and belonging. If you will bear with me, I’d like to try to describe what I’m feeling. I feel there is the ability for the church to come alongside and move in the same direction as God directs. And, I sense an ease and naturalness about it. I also would like to add – this is a friendly and supportive church, something I’ve never experienced from a body of people. The love and care for others is wonderful and refreshing. Trust me, it is lovely and it is beautiful before the Lord. It’s obvious to me that the hand of God is touching others and bringing change through your giving and sowing of God’s love, hope, and support. It is a wonderful thing to take the unbroken fellowship of God and share it with God’s creation. What I like most is that you’re not rigid. You know how to laugh and have fun. You love people and you’re not afraid to step out and do something different. I’m talking about freedom – freely following the leading of the Holy Spirit. You know how to be flexible – which leaves me with this conclusion (I see it very clearly): “This church is a channel for God to flow through, and not a reservoir that sits and collects things.” God bless your hearts – love, Donna
How do we live into God’s purpose for us as a church?
We proclaim Jesus as LORD,
we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God as an expression of trust in Jesus as LORD, relaxing in His plan, thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to freely flow into and out of us,
we practice putting every thought under the microscope of God’s Word, and respond accordingly in a way that pleases God in word and in deed,
we do our part in the body for the common good as servants of the King,
and we eagerly drink together from the refreshing spring of life – the Holy Spirit of God.
When we die, our bodies stay here while our spirit goes on to heaven to await our new resurrection bodies. When Jesus died and rose again right here on earth, we were able to see his resurrection body while he walked around for those 40 days after the first Easter Day! But, when Jesus went into Heaven, he took his resurrection body with him. WE ARE NOW HIS BODY ON EARTH. Jesus is the Head of the Body (1 Cor. 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ) – and we make up all of the other parts! All of the great teaching, preaching, and healing ministries that Jesus provided when he was here among us, have now become our joyful calling as the Holy Spirit equips and directs. Jesus was Immanuel: God with us. The Church is also supposed to be: God with us – God with the world.
As we celebrate Holy Communion together now, eating and drinking together in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus for us on the cross, may we be supernaturally built up and knit together by the Holy Spirit in new and deep ways, so that we may move freely and purposefully as the Body of Christ. Amen.
One Step At a Time, Part 4
What is the Church?
Rev. Meagan M. Boozer
A Nun was taking a shower one day and she heard the doorbell ring, she yelled, "Who is it?" And the person ringing the doorbell yelled, "I'm the blind man." So the Nun got out of the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel, she didn't bother putting a towel around herself because the person behind the door was blind. She opened the door and said, "What do you want?" The man answered, "I'm here to check your blinds."
Sometimes we hear a word, and we think one thing – but it is another thing that is being said altogether.
Lots of people think of lots of different things when they hear the word “church.” What words come to your mind when you think of “church?” For many people, their only association with church is through someone else’s experiences, or through what they see on TV. The majority of people in our country, and certainly right here in these valleys, are not active participants in a church.
What is the Church? What did God mean the Church to be after Jesus went back into Heaven? Let’s begin by reading from 1 Corinthians 12:1-13: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans [non-believers in Christ], you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak [possessions, intellectual pursuits, family systems, traditions, hobbies, and the like]. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says, “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 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. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
Here’s where we’re going: The Church is a group of diverse people, who confess Jesus as LORD, who are gathered together by the one Holy Spirit, who work together for the common good, and who enjoy drinking together! Yes! Look at that last phrase – “and we were all made to drink of one Spirit!” See, we probably have in our minds that “drinking together” is sitting around the bar together – just like that nun had in her mind what a “blind man” was. The apostle Paul tells us that we were all made to drink of one Spirit – the third person in the Trinity – the Holy Spirit is ours to drink!
Let us pray: O Lord, we need your help hearing, understanding, and applying what you are teaching us. Thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit here with us, and thank you for your grace. Help us to take a long drink of your precious Spirit today, for we know we are in need of that which only comes from the Spirit. We pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
One of the most wonderful pictures the Scriptures give to us of the Church, is the picture of a human body. Back in our passage for today we read, "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. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” If we read a bit further in chapter 12, we get a whole lot more of the “body” imagery:
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
I hear people say, from time to time, “I just don’t feel a part of the church.” This sometimes comes from people who are new, or from people who have been here a long time. “I just don’t feel a part of the church. I don’t feel like I fit.” I’ve heard people say, “There are so many new people, I just don’t know hardly anyone anymore.” Listen again to a couple of those verses: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Listen to these verses from Eugene Peterson’s The Message: “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful!”
The Church is a group of diverse people, who confess Jesus as LORD, who are gathered together by the one Holy Spirit, who work together for the common good, and who enjoy drinking of the Spirit together!
According to the Scripture, every person that God brings to become part of this congregation or a different congregation, has something important to offer to the overall health and work of the body in that place. When we allow ourselves to become lone rangers and focus on ourselves saying: “I don’t feel a part. I don’t feel like I fit. I don’t know anyone,” we give in to becoming part of the dysfunction of the body, instead of becoming part of its God-given purpose. You know what happens when you don’t use some muscles for a while: they atrophy, they get lazy, and are of little use until built back up again. Everyone called here, because of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, has a part in this body – an important part (whether you’ve just been connected by the Spirit, or whether you’ve been here for decades). Some of what happens when a church is growing, is often a feeling of disconnection between newer and former members. That’s part of the mission of Sunday school, mission trips, fellowship events, clean-up days, etc.: to connect people with others whom they might not interact with in any other way. Let’s face it: if we only come to worship and sit in these pews that only face in one direction, and if we always sit in the same place with the same people around us, it’s pretty tough to feel connected to the whole body. However, if you serve alongside others, if you show up for other gatherings, it helps in the function of the whole body! Every person is important - including those who are unable to come and gather with us on Sunday mornings because they are homebound or suffering from affliction of some sort. Listen again to Paul’s words, “But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” I especially love these verses, because they remind us that if we are focusing on the needs of others and not on our own wants and disappointments, there will be no dissension within the body! Now, that’s the Church I’ve been called to the ministry to bring forth, for the sake of those who do not know the Lord.
Today, we celebrate the birthday of the Church on the Day of Pentecost. It’s important to remember on this day who we are – who God has called us to be. It’s important to be challenged to live into what God intended when he gave us the one Spirit to unify us and mobilize us to care for the world in the name of Jesus. It’s also important to stop and thank God for the ways the Spirit has manifested in the lives of others within the body – for what’s a birthday without some celebration?!
We have several personal messages to share this morning: 1 in person, and a couple in writing (shared with permission from the writers). I’d like to begin by asking Dawn and Drew Johnson to come and share with us some things about their sons, Gabriel and Clay. (to the reader: I’m sorry I don’t have this to share with you in writing.)
This past Thursday, Bill Wolf, closed the door to the trailer he rented from Vivian Baker for the last time, and went to a place in Fayetteville called Candleheart Ministries. The ministry at Candleheart is a residential ministry, providing a minimum of 120 days of room & board, including life-skill instruction from a biblical perspective for people in need of such ministry. Bill wrote the following message for us before he left:
To my church family: I have the opportunity, and I am taking the opportunity, to go to Candleheart, which is a place to rebuild my mind, body, and soul. I entered Candleheart on Thursday, May 8th. Classes begin on Monday, May 12. It is a program of 120 days. I can have visitation on Sunday afternoons after church. I don’t know about the phone calls yet. Many of you have already said that you will be praying for me; so pray that I will keep a good attitude so I can learn as much as possible. After I am done with the program, I do not know where God is going to lead me, but I will be more than happy to come back here. I will miss all of you. God bless you. Bill Wolf
This next message is contained in a card from Betty Myers: Dear church family, I would like to thank you all for your encouragement and love over the past year as ministry assistant here at Upper Path. It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I must say that I know God is calling me out of my comfort zone, and into the unknown. Though the plans for my future are unknown to me, they are very well known to God, and I am making a commitment to trust, learn, listen, and follow His leading. He knows me, He knows my stubbornness, and I pray He will use that stubbornness for the building of His kingdom – and put a fire within me that will burn with a deep passion for Him alone. I must add, we are blessed to have a pastor who is just as stubborn as I am – one who would not give in, one who would not let me give up. Thank you, dear church. Love, Betty Myers
Finally, a reflection from Donna Galipo that Donna gave me about a month ago: Before I left Toledo, OH, I asked the Lord God to choose a church of His choice for me. You see I learned to trust Him for everything for my life, and besides He knows what I need more than I do. I was going through some things and I had this desire to walk “in Christ.” I knew what the Word of God said concerning the phrase, “In Christ,” and what the Bible says – “we are joint-heirs in Christ Jesus, that in Him we share “His righteousness, His inheritance, His holiness.” It was important to me that I understand this phrase. What I didn’t expect was – He was going to show me how to identify with Christ Jesus and see myself “in Him.” This may sound crazy, but for me to identify with Christ Jesus, I had to connect and be joined together with the Body of Christ. But God wouldn’t put me with any “Body of Believers.” It was His choice and selection when He chose and selected this church. You may not or maybe you do see that there is a consciousness of Christ at work here, or should I say “an awareness of Christ working through and in the Body. There’s a sense of connection and belonging. If you will bear with me, I’d like to try to describe what I’m feeling. I feel there is the ability for the church to come alongside and move in the same direction as God directs. And, I sense an ease and naturalness about it. I also would like to add – this is a friendly and supportive church, something I’ve never experienced from a body of people. The love and care for others is wonderful and refreshing. Trust me, it is lovely and it is beautiful before the Lord. It’s obvious to me that the hand of God is touching others and bringing change through your giving and sowing of God’s love, hope, and support. It is a wonderful thing to take the unbroken fellowship of God and share it with God’s creation. What I like most is that you’re not rigid. You know how to laugh and have fun. You love people and you’re not afraid to step out and do something different. I’m talking about freedom – freely following the leading of the Holy Spirit. You know how to be flexible – which leaves me with this conclusion (I see it very clearly): “This church is a channel for God to flow through, and not a reservoir that sits and collects things.” God bless your hearts – love, Donna
How do we live into God’s purpose for us as a church?
We proclaim Jesus as LORD,
we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God as an expression of trust in Jesus as LORD, relaxing in His plan, thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to freely flow into and out of us,
we practice putting every thought under the microscope of God’s Word, and respond accordingly in a way that pleases God in word and in deed,
we do our part in the body for the common good as servants of the King,
and we eagerly drink together from the refreshing spring of life – the Holy Spirit of God.
When we die, our bodies stay here while our spirit goes on to heaven to await our new resurrection bodies. When Jesus died and rose again right here on earth, we were able to see his resurrection body while he walked around for those 40 days after the first Easter Day! But, when Jesus went into Heaven, he took his resurrection body with him. WE ARE NOW HIS BODY ON EARTH. Jesus is the Head of the Body (1 Cor. 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ) – and we make up all of the other parts! All of the great teaching, preaching, and healing ministries that Jesus provided when he was here among us, have now become our joyful calling as the Holy Spirit equips and directs. Jesus was Immanuel: God with us. The Church is also supposed to be: God with us – God with the world.
As we celebrate Holy Communion together now, eating and drinking together in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus for us on the cross, may we be supernaturally built up and knit together by the Holy Spirit in new and deep ways, so that we may move freely and purposefully as the Body of Christ. Amen.
