SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1-16 (Page 1351); 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 (Page 1366); Ephesians 4:1-16 (Page 1392)
SERMON: It Takes All Kinds!								         12 August 2001

INTRODUCTION

A. ORDERLINESS & RELATIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH (see 1Cor.12:18)

B. NEW CHURCH YEAR: REFLECTION & RENEWAL

C. REMINDER: WEEKLY AND MONTHLY OCCASIONS FOR THIS

I. THE CHURCH IS ONE BODY

A. ONE BODY (Rom.12:4,5,16; 1Cor.12:12a,25,27a; Eph.4:4,16)

B. COMMON GOOD (1Cor.12:7)

C. ONE GOD, ONE LORD, ONE SPIRIT (1Cor.12:4b,5b,6b,11-13; Eph.4:4-6)

D. UNITY (Eph.4:3,13; see Ps.133)

E. COMMON VALUE (1Cor.12:14f,22f; see 28f; Eph.4:12,13)

F. COMMON GRACES
1. commitment (Rom.12:10a; see 12:4; 1Cor.12:12f)

2. humility (Rom.12:3&16,10c)

3. love (Rom.12:9,10b; 1Cor.12:31-13:1f; Eph.4:2&15,16; 1Pt.4:8-11; see Jn.3:16; 15:13; 2Cor.8:9)

G. COMMON DUTIES (Rom.12:9-16; 1Pt.4:7-9)

H. COMMON GOAL (1Pt.4:11b; see 1Cor.12:18)

II. THE CHURCH IS MANY MEMBERS

A. MANY MEMBERS (Rom.12:4a,5a; 1Cor.12:4a,5a,6a; 12bc,14-21)

B. DIFFERENT GIFTS (Rom.12:6; 1Cor.12:7f,11b; Eph.4:7f; 1Pt.4:10)
1. summary: words & works (1Pt.4:11)

2. selected lists (Rom.12:6b-8; 1Cor.12:8-10; 28-31)

C. DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS (Rom.12:4b)

D. ACCORDING TO NATURE OF GIFT & WORK (Rom.12:6-8a & 8b; 1Pt.4:11; see 1Cor.12:4a,5a,6a)

E. IMPORTANCE OF EACH PART (Eph.4:16; see 1Cor.12:7,25)

III. IT TAKES ALL KINDS! (1Pt.4:10; Eph.4:12,16; Phil.4:15)

A. CONCLUSIONS
1. most of God’s gifts to you are through others in the church (Eph.4:7; 1Cor.12:4-6,11; Acts 2:3; Heb.2:4b w/Jn.3:34)

2. no one should be doing everything; no one should be doing nothing (see Rom.12; 1Cor.12; Eph.4; 1Pt.4)

3. gifts & calling: ability + desire + opportunity (Ex.31:2f + 1Cor.9:16 + Tt.2:14; 3:1,8,14; see Rom.11:29)

4. get equipped and go serve; receive and give (Eph.4:12; Phil.4:15)

B. SELF-ASSESSMENT
1. in place and at work? (1Cor.12:18; Eph.4:16; see Mt.25:21f or 26f)

2. out of body experience? (1Cor.12:12,13)

C. BE A PART, NOT APART! (Eph.4:16; 1Pt.4:10; see Heb.10:24,25)