1 Cor. 12:14 – 20
Introduction:
Christians are not dead-end streets in the sense that God’s blessings are to stop with them and travel no farther. They are channels of blessings, conduits of mercy. They are doors through whom opportunity must flow. God’s word is to be spoken through Christians, and His works are to be done by their hands.
The church is not only a fellowship of believers, but also an organization that provides an outlet and a channel of service for all who believe. Your church affords you joyous tasks that will make your life count for good, and will cause your heart to be filled with happiness. Now turn the picture around and look at it another way. What can you do through your church?
Through YOUR CHURCH you can do many things:
1. You can co-operate with other Christians in Christian work and Fellowship (1 Cor.3:9)
(a) Necessity for co-operation: (Ps. 133:1)
A group of football players cannot be called a team if each man plays independently and seek to steal the attention of the spectators.
Teamwork makes winning teams!
The individual must be buried voluntarily in the group in united action so that the team can play as one man. This makes for concerted action and for winning team.
The devil would destroy unity in the church if he could do so or if he is allowed. We dare not do that as Christians in a Church of Jesus
(b) Disunity, the devil’s scheme (1 Cor. 12:14- 20)– Since a Baptist church is a pure democracy, the devil would delight in creating a minority group in each church which would always oppose the majority. Yet in every democracy the will of the majority must prevail. If the minority does not co-operate with the majority, democracy fails. Baptists must ever beware of the devil’s desires and devices. Just as each part of the human body has a specific function and yet must work in the interest of the whole body ( 1 Cor 12:14 ff). So each person and each church, while free and independent in function and purpose, must work together voluntarily for the common good.
(c) How Baptists work together (Eph. 1: 4 – 6) – carrying out this principle of co-operation, your church voluntarily cooperates with other Baptist churches in what is known as Association, conference and Convention. Baptist are learning the fine art of working harmoniously together, and this is increasing their efficiency and effectiveness. With your life added to this group it will be still stronger.
2. You can give that His Word May Grow (1 Cor. 16:2)
(a) Giving is God’s plan (2 Cor 9:7) – the Christian’s privilege of giving is one of his greatest joys once he has caught the spirit of stewardship. Non-Christian men or women often look at giving as waste and useless investment. They see the church’s, teaching of the tithe as the church’s plan of getting money for the church programmes.
Christian giving, however, is not a matter of law in which one is forced to donate to missionary and benevolent causes. It is indeed, a matter of grace and one who knows Jesus views Calvary as he or she makes his contribution.
He/she sees that Jesus gave His all, and feels that any amount which a Christian can give is too little by contrast to the CROSS (Psalm 4:1) says “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness there of; the world, and the that swell therein”
Christians are keepers or steward of God possessions, and must someday give an account of our faithfulness in that assigned duty.
Old Testament taught the tithe, or the giving of one tenth of one’s income for the advancement of God’s work . Lev. 27:30
It was practiced by Abraham – Gen. 14:20
The tithe was practiced in olden times – Mal 3:8, 9, 10
Jesus commended it – Matt. 23:23
(b) The Baptist cooperative program (1 Cor. 3:9(a) - As each Christian gives, his offering goes into the Church’s budget, and the church channels an agreed proportion of it to the cooperative programmes.
3. You Can Witness That Others May Be won – (2 Tim. 4:23) (Lk 24:46 – 48)
(a) Sharing our Christian faith (Prov. 11:30) -soul winning is a Christian’s privilege. Christianity is a religion of sharing instead of getting. On attends church for what he can give rather than for what he can give
Solomon wisely said, “He that women souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30) The Christian must manifest this wisdom if he is to be a truly happy Christlike follower.
(b) The joy of witnessing (Acts. 1:8)– A witness is one who expresses an opinion. He relates an experience or gives a testimony of what he had seen and felt. When Jesus said “Ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts1:8) he expressed his wish that his followers might not maintain a selfish secrecy about their religious experiences, but that they would bear full testimony of those experiences to the ends of the earth.
4. You can sacrifice that Christ May be saved (Acts 20:35)
The desire of the world is to get. The spirit of the Christian is to give. “It is more blessed to give that’s received” (Acts 20:35)
(a) Sacrifice required: (Lk 5:11)
To follow Christ means to give up as well as to give.
The sacrifice is limited to those things which are best for us not to possess. It is a process of punning
How?... Those things we are asked by Christ to give up are the things which it would not be wise for us to keep at all
(b) Separation from worldliness it is hard to be a pleasing servant if one is a reluctant disciple. He will be limited in influence and success if he does not lay aside the weights of the work, and the questionable deeds which will mar his fruit-bearing.
Conclusion:
Your church challenges you to give up those pleasures of the world that are sinful, and that are even questionable and to yield all of your talents and time in sacrificial service to the Christ who requests them
As hardship toughens soldiers, it will strengthen you as a Christian! Christ came to bear a cross, not to provide a cushion…
Your church will guide your spiritual growth as you give it opportunity to do so. You are blessed.