Introduction: When one member of your body hurts (smashed finger, etc), your whole body hurts! Right? Ever dropped something heavy on your toe, got popped in the nose, or stepped on a nail? Ouch!! So it is with the “Body of Christ”! When one member hurts the whole Church hurts with them, granted not in the same sense, but nonetheless it still feels some pain. 

Paul uses this illustration to convey a biblical truth to the Church of Corinth.

“26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1Cor 12:26)

1. The Church is made up of many members!

“12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit….. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?”  (1 Cor 14:12-17) 

Are you a part of a local Body?

2. The Church is made of of many members with different spiritual gifts!

“4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” (1 Cor 12:4-6)

Each gift is designated and delegated to function in the Church, the body of Christ. 

3. The Church is made of of many members with different spiritual gifts and there should be no schisms or division in the Body of Christ!

“18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” (1Cor 12:18-25)

Did you notice that God put the members in the body?

Conclusion: Are you a part of the Body of Christ? Don’t forget. Jesus is the Head of the Body! Whether we are a toe, a finger, a foot, or a hand each member is important. And when one hurts, all the body hurts. Would you reach out to some member of the Body of Christ that is hurting right now? May our Lord bless you with His peace and presence as well as healing power!