THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Corinthians 12:21-26
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
Does this describe any group you belong to?
Your club, your group of friends, your family… your church?
What Paul is describing here is Spirit-formed, Christ-centered community.
He is describing life in the kingdom of God, the way things were made to be.
Some people would say their churches reflect this.
But I would guess that many would say their churches have not yet reached that goal.
And that makes sense, for it is a goal, a future the Spirit is leading us towards.
We should not be surprised that our churches do not measure up.
A church is made up of individual disciples, and that is where the change needs to start.
You need to start with yourself, and I need to start with me.
Do I suffer with those who are suffering, do I rejoice with those who rejoice?
Am I at least trying, taking steps in the right direction?
By praying for others, asking how they’re doing, sending a note, offering to help?
If I am connected to Jesus, then He connects me to others.
His Spirit is prompting us in this direction, to aim for this goal.
What good does it do to complain that your church is not like this.
Maybe as you grow in this, the Spirit will also grow your church more like this.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, our church is not perfect. We still fail to suffer and rejoice with each other. Help me to see that changing the church starts with changing me.