The third image of the church is that of a body. The church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head; he’s in charge. We are the members of the body (hands, feet eye’s, ears, and so on). When the world looks at the church, they are supposed to see Christ at work through us. Though we all have different roles to pay, we each are needed to make the body effective at carrying out the God’s mission.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
1. What does a local church look like when each member of the body is playing his or her part?
2. What happens when one or some of its members do not fulfill their function?
3. Why is unity crucial to the church fulfilling its mission?
4. Why is diversity crucial to the church fulfilling its mission?
5. What does this passage have to say to the person who feels as if he or she has little to contribute to the mission of the church?
6. How does this passage rebuke the Christ-follower who believes his or her gift is superior to others?
Read Ephesians 4:11-16.
7. How might an “individualistic” mindset (“it’s just me and God”) be counter productive to one’s spiritual maturity?
8. Josh Harris in his book, Stop Dating the Church and Fall in Love with the Family of God, quoting Pastor Mark Dever, writes, “If you are not a member of the church you regularly attend, you may be going to hell… I don’t mean for a second that you literally have to have your name on a membership card in a church somewhere to go to heaven. Joining a church won’t save you… it’s only the death of Christ that saves you… But if He really is our righteousness, if we really love Him who we have not seen, it will show itself by us loving those we do see… The local church is the place where our new life in Christ is lived out and proven.”
Agree or Disagree? Why?
9. In what ways is our sanctification (our growth in maturity) a “community project”?
10. How is God calling you to respond in light of this message?
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