The Body of Christ
Audio Recording The Body of Christ Rev. Tim Chang Download Sermon Outline Speaker: Rev. Tim Chang Sermon Series: Imagining the Church 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV) 12 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. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should 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. 16 And if the ear should 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. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 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.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Sermon Outline 1. We are unique members [12] 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…[14] For the body does not consist of one member but of many ... [20] As it is, there are many parts , yet one body... [27] Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. [22] the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable , [23] and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor , and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty , [24] which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it [15] If the foot should 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. [16] And if the ear should 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. 2. We belong to the body of Christ [13] For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body —Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. [25] …that the members may have the same care for one another. [26] If one member suffers, all suffer together ; if one member is honored, all rejoice together . [21] 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 .” 3. This is God’s design [18] God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose [24] God has so composed the body Genesis 2:23 - Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh .” Prayer of Confession Almighty God, you created us for connection, not isolation. You arranged every member of Christ’s body as indispensable, and your design is beautiful. Yet we confess our sins. We bring division, we measure people’s worth wrongly, we see ourselves too highly and others too lowly. Instead of strengthening