How to Serve
the Church
1 Corinthians 12:18-26
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.
When I talk about serving the
church with God-given talents and gifts, people oftentimes think too small.
They picture the choir singer or the Sunday school teacher. But if they don't
happen to be naturallly adept at singing or teaching,
they give up.
It's time we stop thinking in
terms of a "Sunday only" establishment. The church is not a place or
a time; it is a body of believers, each one uniquely gifted by God to guide,
help, challenge, and support the rest. In fact, most service to the Lord
doesn't take place inside the church building. It happens out in the world,
where we do all the things that Scripture commands.
Most believers are not in a
position to influence a lot of people. When we act or speak, only those closest
to us notice, but a chain reaction ripples outward to affect an entire
community. Paul's metaphor of body parts working together harmoniously is a
helpful description of how one small action can have a widespread impact.
Consider the way tensing your big toe keeps your foot stable and thereby
steadies your whole body. In the same way, a gentle rebuke, a listening ear, or
a loving deed benefits the church by strengthening one brother or sister, who
then supports another...
We are on this earth to serve the
kingdom of God and His church. And we do that by ministering to each other in
small ways that steady the whole body as we give extra support to one member.
In talking about such service, I am challenging you to find a need that God can
meet through you.