Today
we're talking about a gift we’ve been given to use for God.
One of the ways
the church identifies itself is as the body of Christ.
Now looking at
the natural human body, each part has a specific function. Our legs and feet
they help us walk. Our hands help us signal and pick things up. Our eyes help
us see and our stomach helps us digest nutrition.
Coming back to
the body of Christ, which is the gathering of people who believe in Jesus, we
too are one body, with different parts. that are dependent upon one another.
1 Corinthians
12:12
“The
human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is
with the body of Christ.”
Earlier in that
chapter Paul writes that as members of the body of Christ, God has given each
and every one of us a gift. A gift so we can contribute to the entire body.
1 Corinthians
12:7-9
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each
other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to
another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The
same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit
gives the gift of healing.”
Paul goes on to
talk about how the Holy Spirit distributes these different gifts to each
person. I would encourage you to read the entire chapter on your own.
Now that you have
said “Yes! to Jesus,” I want to welcome you to the body of Christ!
But I also want
to let you know, you are not only a member of the body, but you are also a
gift to the body. A gift that is necessary for the church to function.
This week I want
to challenge you to start thinking about how you can get involved in the local church.
God didn't save
you just for you to go to Heaven, He saved you so you can join His amazing work
here on earth. As you grow in your faith and start joining a local church, you
will start to discover what your part in the body of Christ is.
You're a gift,
but you're also gifted.
Let's learn to
steward the gift as a member of Christ’s body, the church.
See you tomorrow!