Pastor (Mrs.) Yinka Adeyemi
TEXTS: 1 Cor 12:12-31; Rom 12:1-8
As a Church of Christ, we need to be reminded that we are the body of Christ. We need to be reminded to take our place in the body of Christ. The Church is weak today because the body is weak. Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable. When we understand the intricacies of the body of Christ, then we will be able to deal properly with the body and honour it.
There are two questions we must answer. What is the body of Christ? What is the role of every believer in the body of Christ?
What is the body of Christ?
The body of Christ is made up of you and me. 1 Cor 12:27 says, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” When you come to Church, you are actually coming into a spiritual building which is the body of Christ. Ephe 1:22-23 says, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Every believer whether big or small, poor or rich, is a member of the body of Christ. Even though we are many and hold divers beliefs, the Bible says we are one.
The body of Christ is a living organism. It is a living spiritual entity. When you realise that it is not dead, then you will be able to take your place. Every member is important. There is no part that is less or more important than the other.
The internal organs of our bodies, which cannot be seen, are more important than the external parts. A man without eyes can still survive as compared to a man without a heart or an intestine.
What is the role of every believer in the body of Christ?
- Prov 27:8 says, “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his
- place.” Each man has his place and role in the body of Christ. If a man wanders from his place, it
- indicates that the man is exposed and vulnerable and left alone. The nest is a place of provision and covering.
How do you function?
- Present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God. Rom 12:1; Matt 16:24,25.
- Do not conform to this world.
- Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
How do you perform your role in the body?
- Start doing something. It is in doing something that you will discover your gifting.
- Exercise your gifts. Any body part that is not used easily becomes numb. You need to exercise your gifts because it is in exercising it that the gift begins to grow.
- Serve the body with sincerity and diligence. Serve the body of Christ the way you would if Jesus were to be here.
- Magnify your office and stand in your place. Be faithful in your service to the body of Christ. Appreciate the grace of God upon your life. We should stop comparing ourselves. God is the one that sets each part in its place. To be faithful requires consistency. It is not about starting something and not finishing it. God expects us
