Intro:

1. Tools are a wonderful thing, if you use the right

a. My Dad used to struggle putting toys together for me, with a butter knife

b. There are certain things that will not function unless used right

2. That is the problem with church splits today, the church has ceased to function corrrectly

3. TEXT: I Cor 12:12-27

4. Prop: As Christ’s church we need to function correctly

5. 3 Principles to Recognize for how (I call them the 3 ONES)

A. Metaphor to show intimacy of the church

B. Why this written? There was a lack of intimacy in the Corinthian church

1. There were divisions:

a. Over preachers

b. Christians were suing each other (6:7, take the loss)

c. Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols

-Causing certain Christians to stumble

-Attitude, it’s not my problem, I’m mature, he’s not

d. Divisions in the Lord’s Supper

-We’re not eating the Lord’s Supper (sarcastically)

-Not discerning the body (dual meaning)

-All they cared about was the "approved" (11:20)

-Shaming those with nothing (11:22)

e. Cared about feeling good that I can use my gifts, ignoring edification

2. Never once did he praise them for this division and fighting

3. They were not functioning correctly as one body

C. What is a body that does not function properly a sign of? (3:1-4 - Immaturity)

1. Babes can hardly walk (they walk with hands up and toddle)

2. Trouble Feeding Selves (Don’t want Rasberry while eating pea soup)

3. Diaper Time (other always want your kid until they get ripe)

4. Babies are a lot of work YOU DO IT UNTIL THEY BECOME MATURE

5. Paul recognized they were immature (4:14 - "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children")

D. Body can only mature and develop as all the parts work together

1. Muscles, eye hand coordination, it takes time, and all are different

2. Have to work at it together, if not, seizure develops, and pain

A. By one spirit we were baptized into one body

B. Why would Paul make the point there is only one Spirit?

1. Chap 12:1-11, Back in days of miraculous gifts

a. v. 11 Many gifts, very exciting time in the church

b. ONLY ONE SPIRIT who gives all the gifts

c. Doesn’t mean one has a greater spirit, if he has a particular gift

d. Doesn’t mean you are more spiritual if you have a certain gift or ability (Paul said none of you are spiritual! in 3:1-3)

e. All it means is you have a different FUNCTION, and there are many functions

2. Competition over who was the most spiritual by the type of ability they had

a. Pauls point: (v15-17) There are many functions

b. Different function doesn’t mean different status (v.13, whether Jew or Greek...)

c. GOD has placed the members in the body as he desired (v 18)

-God doesn’t do things for no reason

-God doesn’t make junk

d. I’m not very important because I can’t preach, teach, read well,.... NO!

e. I’m not very spiritual because I can’t quote scriptures well.... NO!

3. Spirituality is not about abilities, or knowing every jot & tittle

4. Then what is Spirituality about?

a. Notice 3:3 - Jealousy and Strife, that is why they were unspiritual

b. Was something missing? (YES I Cor 13:1-3)

-They could speak in wonderful tongues

-They could prophesy

-They could give their possessions or even die

-BUT THERE WAS NO LOVE!!!

5. Spirituality is about Love!!! GOD’S LOVE

6. Love seems to be a recurring theme in I Corinthians, it is the solution for:

a. Quarrells and Divisions

b. Suing each other

c. Eating Meat (Total disregard for brethren, insenstitive)

d. Lord’s Supper (Shaming those who were without)

e. Arrogance from Spiritual Gifts

C. A woman once got on a plane and sat next a a black man

1. She called the stewardess and said it was unacceptable in a loud voice for everyone to hear

2. Stewardess said all seats were taken in coach and only one was left in first class, so she would talk to the captain

3. Stewardess came back and told the woman that the captain said it was an outrage that anyone should have to sit next to someone so obnoxious

4. So she then turned to the black man and continued, "so if you will get your things and come with me sir, I'll show you to your new seat"

5. Everyone sitting around them applauded

C. We may not say words such as this woman, but if we feel this way there is a problem

1. Just because you know scriptures doesn’t mean you know God

2. If you don’t Love, you don’t know God (I John 4:8)

3. Pharisees had forgotten love, mercy, kindness, compassion

4. There is one Spirit, and One Body, which belongs to Christ

A. The church is one body and has many members

B. Each of the members need each other

1. My arm doesn’t bandage its own cuts alone, my hand and eyes help

2. The whole body is involved in the care of itself

3. Never have the attitude "it’s their problem if they're spiritually sick", if we are one body, then it’s our problem too.

4. Ground at the cross is level (v.23-25)

a. Ones who seem less honorable - more honor

b. Unseemly members - more abundant seemliness

c. We might say these are the big toes of the body

-Do we have any here today

-We either think, I’m not a lowly toe, or are too ashamed to admit we are a worthless toe

-But a Toe is not worthless, they have honor

5. (v 24) God gives more honor to the member which lacks. Why?

a. No division in the body

b. Same care for one another

c. Share in suffering and joy

6. Boils down to cherishing each member

C. ILL: What does it take?

1. Little things matter

2. Minus sign, absence of it 2.6 billion blunder for Fidelity Investments (someone forgot to put a minus sign on a net loss of 1.3 billion)

3. A dot, Nasa tried to send a rocket to Mars, missed by 200 million miles due to a period mission from the computers computations

4. Air Force, someone left a screwdriver in an LRU, found it, could have caused a plane to crash

D. Leaving and forgetting little things aren’t really little

1. Don’t be inconsiderate of ANY of you brethren

2. Are you honoring or dishonoring the big toe?

1. The only way to function correctly is to recognize the loving one-ness of the church

-One Body

-One God, Spirit, & Son

-One Memebers

3. Whole point in conclusion in Chap 14

a. Pursue Love (14:1)

b. All things for edification (build up)