1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 4:15-16
So Why Do I Need a Church (Part 1)?
Sunday Morning, November 7, 2021
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12–14).
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16).
Main Point: Alone we are handicapped spiritually, but together in Christ as a Church we become a community with infinite potential.
I. Each of us is a part of Christ’s Body, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So, it is with the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12).
II. We are unique in Christ, “Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free” (1 Cor. 12:13a).
“For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:4–6).
III. The Holy Spirit baptizes each believer into Christ’s body and dwells in believers. “But we have all been baptized into Christ’s body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13b).
a. The baptism of the Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5–7).
b. Christ hasn’t saved you if you don’t have the Holy Spirit. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9).
IV. We need each other to become more like Christ,“We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” (Eph. 4:15).
V. We need each other to grow spiritually, “Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Eph. 4:16).
You need to make sure you are saved! “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37–39).
Challenge: We need each other to serve Christ effectively, have an abundant life, and overcome our problems.
Invitation: Come forward today and talk to the pastor if you want to profess your faith in Christ, join the church, request baptism, or rededicate your life to the Lord.