“All in the Family” The Church
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I made three mistakes preparing for my talk today. The first mistake was roping off the first three rows of the middle section, interfering with some of your usual seating. (loud microphone sound.) That would be the second. Apparently I made four. The second is I want to invite all our children and students down to these first three rows. No, you are not in trouble; but if you are under the age of 18, you guys would do me a huge favor by coming down. Parents if you have one that you are a little worried about sitting on their own you can come down too. But, come on guys. I see you in back. You’re not that big, you can’t hide. Don’t be nervous. I like that. I like having them in front. I am used to speaking to this age a little more and you adults are too polite. You don’t let me know if I am completely derailing my talk or not and they will. Mistake three, I chose a lot of Scripture for my Sunday talk. I have heard that you are only supposed to give between five or ten verses otherwise people won’t remember what you talked about; but, I am hoping that by throwing it out, you guys will have some time to view and visually see some of what I am talking about and assimilate. Just sit down wherever you like guys.
As Pastor Chris started talking about last week, we are doing a series called “All in the Family.” We want to talk about what it means to be a family here at Faith Church. He started with a great illustration reminding parents of their baptismal vows and what it takes to raise up a child, to live as a loving Christ symbolizing parent to your kids. I want to turn your direction to the next table over here. We have communion at this table. When that happens we are reminded of another family. We are reminded that we are all part of Christ’s family together. We are reminded that the body and blood of Christ reminds us that we are the Body of the Church and that Christ is our Head.
Will you turn with me to our first Scripture? It is Romans, Chapter 12, we are going to go through the whole Chapter. Again, I will read it for you, but if you could just read along. (Romans 12:1-21)
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
”If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
How many of you guys have that memorized? Me neither. I brought these students down here to give you a clear example. We are called to be the Body of Christ. We have many different functions, many different limbs, and sometimes I think we get that confused. Our head, our shoulders, knees, toes, everything gets switched out of place and we forget that we are a body. That is the example that God gave us through the Scriptures, through the writings of Paul he tells us that we are to act as a body.
Now you guys are really smart. How many of you guys think that you would be able to hear really well if you had a hand growing out of your ear? Anybody? Would that help your hearing? “No.” What if, I bet you guys could smell your food really well if you had a nose growing out of your tongue. What do you think? “It would be disgusting.” It would be disgusting, especially when you had a cold. Alright. How many of you guys think it would be really easy to run and jump and play games and play sports if instead of feet you had elbows? What do you think? They are pointy, you could dig into the ground better, you could run faster, what do you think, elbows instead of feet? “That’s hard.” That’s hard? Our kids are on to something here. God created the body a certain way so that things would work the way they were supposed to work.
I am going to send some more Scripture at you. If you would, turn to 1 Corinthians 12. A lot of you guys have maybe heard this. I am going to read all the way straight through to 31. So a lot of Scripture at you…. Again, I expect it all memorized before you leave here today. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If 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. 16And 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. 17If 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? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
I am going to pause right there for one second before I read a whole other chapter of the Bible to you. Don’t ever forget that you guys are all part of the body. I think sometimes the Church suffers from a multitude of bodily diseases. Sometimes I think we develop phantom limbs. We look and say I still have an arm, or I still have eyes or I still have ears, when really we have forgotten how to use them. Or we forget that they are even there. Sometimes we try to run on our hands and grab things with our feet, smell with our eyes, taste with our noses (“eeeeuuu! That’s freaky”) I swear I am not paying any of them for this… It is freaky, it is messed up, it is not how it is supposed to be. But, you know what guys? Sometimes we adults in this church, we get that wrong. You guys are way better at the “Head and Shoulders game” than we are, sometimes, because you remember where things are supposed to go.
The next Scripture: (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I came to this church just a little over a year ago now and something amazed me when I came. I snuck in a week before I started and spied on all of you. I was hiding over there, I sat by myself and I just spied on you. I am not ashamed of that, I wanted to know what I was getting into before I got into it. And I was amazed by something. It wasn’t the music; it wasn’t the preaching (no offense); it wasn’t the building; it wasn’t the numerous activities; it was I saw a congregation that showed a lot of love, that welcomed me in as a stranger, not knowing that the next week I would be on staff, that hugged each other, that gave handshakes, that were talking afterwards. I have seen in the weeks and months that have passed sometimes we have to push you out with the janitor broom because you want to spend so much time together, and that’s great! You guys remember how to love each other as people. But we have a higher calling than that and that is to love as the Body of Christ, to treat maybe the areas that have become, you know, misused or abused or worn out with special care so that they can be strong again. We can treat maybe some of the undignified or unshown areas with the special attention that they need, the modesty and care they deserve. (I still think this is a good idea.) We can treat the parts of our body that are strong, as our muscles, we can flex them, we can use them. We can treat the parts that are weak with rehabilitation and care. But, the only way we can do that is through love. A lot of you have been at this church for a while, and don’t forget when those baptismal vows are made by parents, you say something too. You commit to something too. You commit to be the body around that child as they grow. When we take communion together, you are committing to something. You are committing to following under our Head, which is Christ, as the Body. A friend of mine who is a pastor says that there is a reason Christ is the Head. “He is the only smart one in the group.” But, we all have a role to play and I think the thing that can separate our church from a lot of churches is if we remember that we still need arms, ears, legs, eyes, nose, head, shoulders, knees, toes. We still need all that. We are having the ministry fair today. I didn’t plan to speak on this day originally months ago when I was starting to think about this idea of “All in the Family”, but I am glad it worked out. Take some time after the service. Walk around. See where you could be and arm, or a leg, or a foot, or an ear, or a nose, you know, anything. You are not done yet. We all have a part to play in making this church the Body and the best way we can do this is through love.
I invited this group right here, the VIP section in the first three rows, because I believe one other thing. If Christ sits at our head, I honestly believe this is the heart. I fully believe that a church lives and breathes and operates on its kids, whether young kids, slightly older kids, way older kids, it doesn’t matter; but we are forced to sit and focus on what really matters here. We have our Head, we have our heart. I want to spend just a quick minute for you guys to look around this room. Where do you see arms and feet, hands, eyes, nose, mouth? Look across the room. Go ahead and take some time to do it. Are there faces you haven’t seen in a while? Are there faces you have never seen? Are there faces that you look at and feelings of anger well up inside of you and you know you need to make that right? Are there people you simply just haven’t spent time with in awhile? Are there people you know that need care, need time together, need love, need a hug, need someone to talk to? Are there ministries you look at and you go, “I have deliberately avoided that person because I know they will ask me to be a part of it?” Are there ministries you go “I never thought I would be good at that but maybe God is calling me to it now?” Are there children up here that you don’t recognize because your children went through school already and have children of their own?
I will put this out and I can pretty much guarantee it, there is probably at least one face in this church you don’t recognize, at least, maybe more. Some of you might have it perfect. I know a couple of you sit and go through the bulletin, look for names, do that, you are great seekers out. Some of you maybe go, I am really glad I don’t know anyone else’s name or face right now because I can dart right out the back, grab my coffee, grab my doughnuts and make it to the car before the Vikings game starts. But take time after the service, get to know some new faces, reconnect with some old, look into some new ministries. Maybe they are not right for you, maybe you are a hand and we really need a foot ministry and that is o.k. But the hand knows the foot is there. The eyes know the ears are there. We all work together and if any part of us is lacking the body is not complete. I will finish with one last thing and it is how important a loving body is. Please go to 1 John, Chapter 4, verse 7. (1 John 4:7-12)
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (That is Jesus Christ, our Head.) 10This is love (Faith Church): not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; (I will repeat that. No one has ever seen God); but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
It is a simple formula. We live in a world that needs to see God and no one can do that unless we live in his love and live in love towards each other so that “his love is made complete in us.” These kids are really good at that, stellar, phenomenal at it. If you don’t know them, get to know them because they might be the best examples of this we have here. I am going to pray and then I think we are going to come up and Steve’s going to bring another high energy song to the mix; but I want you guys to think as you walk through these doors, as you leave this sanctuary, this holy place of God, and go into the other arms and legs and corners of this church, figure out where this body is and where it is going and what it needs, where you can be a part of it.
Would you pray with me?
Lord, Jesus, it was you who God put on this earth to be our sacrifice and to be our connection back in, to be the Head of our body. It was you, Lord Jesus, who had all things appointed under you and you chose us to be the arms and legs and feet that would act that out on earth; so teach us how to do so Lord. Let us love unconditionally with an incredible love, with a love that reaches every corner of this church, that overflows and reaches into every corner of this community. Show us how to do it Lord. Give us grace and patience with each other so that we can. Remind us that you are the Head, these children are your heart, that we are your body, in your name. Amen.