1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
Today, when we gather for our congregational meeting, we will discuss the successful and the unsuccessful attempts of our congregation to minister, to grow, to fellowship with each other, to learn about Jesus and participate in the ministry of Jesus Christ. In addition, we will surely discuss our church finances, for good or for bad. It is important to understand that none of what we will be doing in this meeting is about seeking praise or pointing fingers of blame. A congregational meeting is about recognizing that we are the Body of Christ, together. You see we all share in St. Peter’s successful and unsuccessful attempts at ministry; as the Apostle Paul would say, if we do well, we all do well and get the praise together and if we do not do well, we all share in the responsibility.
Unfortunately, that is not the way that most of us, maybe all of us, like to do things. We are unapologetically, so called, rugged individuals, and as such we are very willing to point out blame, but at the same time, we are slow to praise each deserving member for the church’s successes. When repairs are made, we will sometimes but not often, turn to thank Mike, Chris or the Property Committee to thank them for their work. However, when something goes wrong, we are very quick to complain and point out blame. If we love the hymns, sometimes but not often, we will turn to Peggy, Gabriel and the Music and Worship Committee to thank them. However, when the preacher preaches too long or a hymn doesn’t meet with our approval or something in the service doesn’t quite work, we are quick to complain and blame. When the refreshments are great for the fellowship hour, we may sometimes, but not often, approach Dave and the Fellowship Committee to express our appreciation. However, if the snacks are lacking, we are quick to complain and blame. We are, it seems, slow to praise and quick to complain and blame.
We might not be so willing to complain, if we were to really understand the Apostle Paul’s meaning, when he described Christianity as the Body of Christ. Paul is most certainly, not a spokesman for individuality. Christianity, as described by Paul, is all about community, a “body”, Christ’s body, which is made up of “Jews and Greeks, slaves and free”. Paul makes it clear that all people are welcome and the “Body” is enhanced by the variety of people and their gifts. Paul also makes it clear that all of the members of the Body of Christ are blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is especially helpful since, if we remember the reading from last Sunday, also written by Paul, the Holy Spirit’s gifts, are given for the “common good” of the community of faith and the world. Our reports, whether from the Pastor, church officers, committee leaders or leaders of organizations, all reflect how we did as a congregation, as the body of Christ. There is no place for individual glory or blame.
Paul’s description of the church as the Body of Christ is telling.
Each of us, according to the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given us, are important for the working of the “Body”. We are the hands and feet, the eyes and ears, the heart and the brain, the stomach and the lungs, the nose and the mouth, and so on, of the Body of Christ known to us as St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. As such, some of the parts do not get as much of the recognition as others, but are very much needed for the Body of Christ to function. Some of the parts that do not get much of the recognition, translate into things like folding bulletins, and checking on the oil for the heater, and meeting with contractors, and clearing snow, and washing dishes and wiping tables after the fellowship hour, and taking the trash and recycling to the trash enclosure, but think about what the church would be like without those services. Other body parts, or services, get the greater recognition, like those who sing in the choir and those who distribute Holy Communion and those who serve as church officers. We need them all, but we should, as the Body of Christ, not need to be reminded of that. The fact is, we are all the Body of Christ together! We can’t deny each other’s importance and we shouldn’t. We are all of us needed; we are all of us gifted, the church, through us, has been provided with all of the gifts needed for the common good of St. Peter’s; all the gifts needed to accomplish the Lord’s expectations for the ministry of Jesus Christ here.
With that in mind, each member of the Body of Christ is missed, when the member is not here to provide his or her special gifts for ministry. In a small congregation like ours we depend all the more, on the gifts and talents of each member to be a congregation in ministry. And it is not just members that we depend on, some of those we depend on are friends of our congregational who participate in the life and ministry of the church (we have some friends that are as much a part of the life of the congregation as some members.). Personally, I thank God for all of you; I pray for all of you and I pray that those who live on the fringes of the congregation will someday get involved, share their gifts and enjoy the fellowship of St. Peter’s.
As the Body of Christ, we will function best when all of the parts of the Body, each using his/her gifts, come together and focus on God’s purpose and ministry, and the mutual care of one another.