September 21, 2003         God’s Association     I Cor. 12:4-27

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

Introduction:  God’s body can be compared to a team.  Since it is fall it would be good to compare it to a football team.  Everyone has to know the play and fulfill their job (execute) to be successful and effective in getting the football into the end zone.  This is our goal and this is when we have been successful.  The mission of the church is to:  Live our lives everyday so that others can see Christ living in us.  How can we fulfill that mission?  By coming a part of God’s Association.  Are you committed to becoming a part of God’s family?

 

Scripture Text:  1Cor 12:4  There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be 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 cease to be 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 arranged 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!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

 

God’s Association is God’s Family of believers.

 

We are all different, but we are all equal in God’s association or family of believers.  These differences are necessary to fulfill all of the positions on the team or the family. 

 

Differences: 

We are different people from different places.

We all have different gifts and abilities.

We all have different resources.

We all have different likes and dislikes.

We are all different shapes and sizes so we all have different places to fit into the body/team.

 

Sameness or just like’s:

Same Spirit, Same Lord, Same God.

Same Association or family of believers.

Same local body or team that God has called us into.

Same Calling from God to join the team He has led us to and get involved.

Same Spirit has given all a gift.

Same value as an individual.  How valuable are you?   He paid the price for you.

Same baptism of the Spirit who brings us into the family.

Same care for each other, because we love the Lord who gives us love for one another.

Same honor for each other.  We honor and recognize one another. 

Same desire to honor Christ and each other.

Same desire to fulfill the goal and complete the mission.

 

All with the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God.

 

1. Our decision or Our Reasonable service. of the mind and will to give ourselves to God. 

 

2.  Our Demonstration that God is real and is really working in our lives. 

 

3.  Our Desire is to come together as one so that we may prove to the world that God is real. 

 

Will we give ourselves to one another as God has given himself for us? 

Will we step up so that we can move up?