Spiritual Gifts – Part 2

1 Corinthians 12:12-20 NLT

One Body with Many Parts
¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.

 Examine the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 12:12-20 NLT
One Body with Many Parts
¹² The human body

 Used as an analogy for the church.

Scripture uses the human body as an analogy for the Church of Christ.

has many parts,

Necessary diversity

 but the many parts make up one whole body.

Many parts working together.

Dependent on each other.

One unit

So it is with the body of Christ. 

Many diverse gifts working together.

Dependent on each other.

 ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.

 But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit,

• At salvation all believers receive the Holy Spirit and become a part of Christ’s body, the church.

John 1:12 (NLT)
¹² But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Romans 8:14-17 (NLT)
¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.¹⁵ So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

 and we all share the same Spirit.

 ¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 

 ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 

• No part of the body is any less than any other part of the body.

• No believer should think of himself or his gift as inferior to another believer’s gift. 

¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts,

 and God has put each part just where he wants it.  

• God has put each part just where he wants it.

• Every believer has the gift(s) that God wants him to have.

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Genesis 1:26-27 (NLT)
²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
²⁷ So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 

 ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  

• Many different parts make up one body.

 

Challenge:

• Help other believers identify their spiritual gift(s).

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

 Tell other believers how you see God working in their lives.

Pray for each other.

Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT)
⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.