SWEET FELLOWSHIP

Introduction
Corinth--unlikely place for the followers of Jesus Christ to spring forth as a community of believers, unusual place for Paul to spend 18 months, and Paul himself wondered at times at the wisdom of God in keeping him there in the midst of problems, persecutions, and dangers.

In the first century, Corinth may have had 1/4 million people, probably augmented by another ½ million slaves. Corinth was a city characterized by sea-going commerce; Greek culture, philosophy, and wisdom; idolatry, and unbridled immorality.

Perhaps we ought not be surprised that in the midst of such challenges, the church at Corinth was born into problems. In fact, Paul's first letter deals with multiplied problems-- divisions, carnal attitudes, immorality, legal wranglings, marital problems, the problem of eating meats offered to idols, worship issues, pride exhibited in inordinate seeking after spiritual gifts, and misunderstandings of the resurrection.

Although the church was gifted, it was characterized by immaturity and lack of spirituality. Paul writes to address the severest problems, and in our text we get a glimpse of the root of the problems--lack of community.

Today--A great need in our impersonal world is for acceptance, bonding, community. We know that acceptance is best done in small groups, bonding in medium sized groups (such as Bible classes), community in the context of the assembly. Distinct purposes in the life of the church. How does God make us community--how does he bind us together.

The Problem at Corinth
A tension exists in 1 Corinthians between problems at Corinth and solutions. And look at the world we know. Individualism is rampant, feelings of insignificance, mere numbers, pride, self-anger, loss of community, cocooning, nesting. In the midst of an impersonal world (Illus: I have only one friend and I don't like him), is there a word from God? Is there a solution? We see the problem, is there a solution? While we may think of Paul's instructions in 1 Cor. 12-14 as focused on spiritual gifts, he begins the solution by reminding the church what it means to be spiritual.

This is the background for Paul's topic in 1 Cor. 12, because some of the selfishness and pride which are of the world had come into the church and was exhibiting itself in the use of gifts. Togetherness was not in view. Separation and individualism were present Even with the passing of these specific spiritual gifts, such can happen today. Pride for position, prominence, power. Paul says, yes, there is a word from God. It is a word about togetherness, the nature of church.

The Solution at Corinth
"Now about things spiritual...." Every church, every Christian, ought to know about these things spiritual. We have found new life in Jesus as Lord. We share a community life. The origin of our gifts and abilities is not individual, but spiritual. We exist together for a common purpose, for the common good. No man is an island.

There is variety in the gifts, but the purpose of God is the oneness of the body. This is genuine spirituality. This is first, before the admonition to love, and the specific instructions concerning the proper use of the gifts, especially tongue-speaking.
Notice these principles:

The Principles of Fellowship
Riddle. Where does many equal one? Where does one equal many? In the body of Christ. The pivot in the text of 1 Cor. 12 is 1 Cor. 12:12-13. Let us read it together.

Beginning in vs. 12, we see Paul's appeal to unity. We also see here two basic principles: we cannot exclude anyone, we must care for all. We act in imitation of God. From these two principles grow four lessons. These are the heart of our study. From this first century understanding of church, we can derive several principles which we apply to church today, because of God's actions.

I. We must emphasize community.
The NT church emphasizes community, togetherness, commonality in Christ. The many are one, the one are many. Community is not automatic. Unity is not a given without maintenance. We are community. If the church does not exist as Christian community where the forgiving, caring, supporting nature of Christianity is visible, the church is destined to fail. This emphasis on community is evidenced first in our baptism by one spirit into one body. The one spirit binds us. Despite our uniqueness, we emphasize the oneness of the body in Christ.

II. We must emphasize Christ.
The NT church emphasizes Christ. Gifts and works in the body are from God. These are not from our own power, they are from God. They are not our raw abilities. We are mere stewards of these gifts, and that gives every member significance. Church is from God, as is the power for church (Illus: "I hope they place membership....")
In emphasizing Christ and the body of Christ, we are reminded also that the many parts are interdependent. None can exist without the other. We are dependent. When I hit the wrong nail (fingernail), all of my body sympathizes. So it is in the body.

III. We must emphasize connections.
Every member is significant, v. 22, even the insignificant. We need all our body parts. Nothing is unneeded. We may compensate, but the body functions best with every part. I think of my little toe. I understand that balance is difficult without the little toe. But my little toe spends almost all of its life in a dark, smelly place. Someone says, "It is not important." But the Bible says otherwise, my body says otherwise. We must see the significant loss of ability that comes when the body is spastic, uncontrolled. We must see the diminished body of Christ for what it is when all of the members of the body are not present.
All are important, needed, even the weak, because honor is given by God. This significance is from God for he is the one who bestows honor, not human beings. This means we cannot exclude any, cannot get along without any one.

IV. We must emphasize caring and compassion.
We must care for all, for each other. To understand this is a major antidote to division. We have a mutual compassion, care, we are a bound together people, the unified body of Christ on earth, baptized by one spirit into one body.
This all means that gifts are to be used. Paul begins with the illustration about the body. In midst of practical lessons to be learned, Paul mentions three actions of God we must see.

This work is of God, among us, through us, in us, connecting us, binding us, equipping us, for a purpose.

This idea may be a dream, but it is a realistic dream because the power is from God. The church is a place where called people meet the challenge of Christianity in the context of community. My dream is for a church that is assembly, body, overflowing into this world, sharing a life that is based on our common allegiance and loyalty to Jesus Christ. That this is the place where those whose allegiance is to Jesus Christ may find a home. That is the Lord's prayer, his desire, and it is the task to which we have dedicated ourselves as church.

He invites all to join in this commonality, to allow him to place and arrange and mix you into the body. His invitation is that you might become a part of the body, through which the cleansing blood of Jesus flows, by accepting his salvation through baptism by one spirit into one body. His invitation is that we might answer his call, meet the challenge, be his church. When we have begun and faltered, he waits with open arms, and we invite you to answer his invitation as we stand and sing.


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Last updated March 20, 2005.