1 Corinthians 12:12-31a (NRSV)
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a on biblegateway.com
Verse 12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. Verse 13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Verse 14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. Verse 15If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. Verse 16And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. Verse 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? Verse 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. Verse 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? Verse 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. Verse 21The 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." Verse 22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, Verse 23and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; Verse 24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, Verse 25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. Verse 26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
Verse 27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Verse 28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Verse 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Verse 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Verse 31But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
Devotion
A great heresy of American popular religion is that “your religion is a personal thing.” However, Jesus did not only preach and heal - he also formed a community. He called together disciples, bringing together the most unlikely bunch of people and making them a community.
The church is a community. It is not a club for people who have the same interests, like a 4-H, photography or softball club. The church is held together by something much more impressive: God's spirit.
This means the church is not what we make out of it. The church is what God makes out of us through baptism. To those scrappy Corinthians the Apostle Paul said, “For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”
Prayer
Loving Lord, you have called us into holy community through holy baptism. Give us the vision to see the community you created us to be, that we may be a foretaste of your kingdom and the reality of your presence in our homes, our community and our world. Amen.