2014-11-02
You Are Indispensable
Ray Van Gilst

1 Corinthians 12:14-23

14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,

Verses 15-17 – If unity is based on similarity, it will create inferiority.

Verses 21-22 – The other side of imbalance is that it will create superiority.

Balance in the Body means there are more visible, but no more important parts. And invisible, but no less important parts. And all are needed.

Verse 23 – The parts that are less honorable are just as important.

Verses 18-20 is the crux of the matter. God has arranged the parts in the Body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.

Three questions to find our part:

1. Are we paying attention?

2. Are we listening?

3. Are we seeking?

And then –
Are you being faithful to what He wants to accomplish through you?