The last message I shared was about how God has led me through the past 3 years with writing 2 books and starting 2 YouTube channels. I still sit here amazed that this transformation in my life. Today I was thinking about what would have happened if I had not followed the Spirits leading in this.
Possible outcomes for others –
Maybe there is one person who has found encouragement in any of the scriptures or devotionals I have shared over the past year.
Maybe hearing the story of what God has done in my life challenged any one of you to listen to those “nudges” that God sometimes speaks through.
Maybe you’ve had an idea for quite a while but have just been hanging back due to fear or not sure how to move forward? Feel like you have been alone in this kind of “stuck” phase?
Possible outcomes for me –
I would not have felt the peace that God has given me with knowing I am stepping out like He asked me to.
I would not have increased the confidence I have that comes from being obedient to God and stepping out into this challenge.
I would have missed all the intense Bible study and research I have had to do write these messages as well and the books.
I would not have learned to use the tools available to me when I want to increase my knowledge in these areas
I would not have learned the skill set I have to edit videos and such
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
I read the verses about how God uses us first because I wanted you to hear how valuable all of us are. As I read through those verse, all of us were feeling pretty equal and it didn’t feel like there was much of any competition for who could be the greatest. We really cannot function alone. There is no part more important than any of the others. God is pretty self-explanatory here. So, what was Paul clarifying? There are few verses prior to this where he lays out what the gifts are and some of them sound pretty awesome!
Here are the previous verses –
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Some of these seem pretty daunting or pretty awesome…depending on how you look at them. Some of you might be all up and ready to do some miracles or healing or prophesy. These are some of the scarier sounding ones to me, but if you like a challenge and maybe are a bit if a glory hunter or thrill seeker, these might be right up your ally. But look at the other ones… message of wisdom and interpretation, message of knowledge, faith…some of these do not sound so glorious or exciting.
But what did I read a minute ago?
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
None of you can say to anyone – I don’t need you! All of us have gifts, we all work together, one part doesn’t function without the other or would have limited function without the other….see where this is going?
I love this scripture – for those of you who might be saying “I don’t have enough experience” or “I am too young” or “insert another excuse here”
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
There are times when the young need to lead the old! Fresh perspective, new ideas, young bodies and minds.
This is exactly what Paul was talking about. Young, old, rich, poor, what every nationality you are, whatever skills set you bring ….we are 1 body and cannot be effective alone!