Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Grasping Your Value

Theme: Exercising True Church Membership

Series: Essentials for Church Growth

The passages of Scripture I am about to read is one of the most meaningful descriptions of the church of Jesus Christ.

Therefore is it one of the most beautiful passages of Scripture that can be expounded upon in times such as these.

Satan has used the flesh and the world's view to convince many that they have no value in the Body of Christ.

Many sit in the pews convincing themselves that they play no important role in the building of the kingdom of God or in the act of public worship.

Others have withheld their presence, their Spiritual gifts and their support because things don’t go the way they had hoped.

Every born again Christian has gifts from God

I would propose to you that each and every born again Christian has gifts from God that can be exercised under the anointing of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

Regardless of how you feel or what you have been told you have great value in the Body of Christ and when you are not exercising your gift out of sacrificial love, the Body of Christ cannot reach her full potential in the building of the Kingdom of God.

Listen as I read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, "The 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.

For 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.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

If 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.

And 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.

If 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?

But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.

If they were all one part, where would the body be?

As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don't need you!’

And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don't need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.

And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while 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, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

And 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.

Are all apostles?

Are all prophets?

Are all teachers?

Do all work miracles?

Do all have gifts of healing?

Do all speak in tongues?

Do all interpret?

But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And now I will show you the most excellent way."

Pray!

Everyone an active member in the “Great Commission”

God’s heart desire is that we not be ignorant about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12 :1) and He longs for everyone to be an active member in the “Great Commission.”

We are told there are different kinds of gifts, different kinds of service but the same God and Lord works all them in all men.

We are told that each and every person in the Body of Christ is given a gift for the common good.

(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown)

1 Corinthians chapter 13 tells us the way of exercising our Spiritual gifts is through sacrificial love and 1 Corinthians 14:40 gives us this exhortation as we search for understanding about true church membership that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” 1 Corinthians 12-14 holds truths about active church membership that opens the door to Holy Spirit revelation and empowerment for the operating of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)

The Holy Spirit of Christ has this question for all who desire to be seen or recognized as an active member of a local church, “Do you fulfill your position and play your part in a Bible believing Christ honoring church?”

The signing of a church membership card is not the endorsement that benefits the whole Body of Christ and empowers the church to fulfill the “Great Commission,” but faithfulness to exercising your Spiritual gifts does.

Valuable because of what Jesus Christ has done

The first truth to grasp in being useful in the Body of Christ is to cling to the truth that you are found valuable because of what Jesus Christ has done, not because of what you have accomplished.

Revelation 5:9-10 speaks of the vision the beloved John had of the twenty-four elders singing praises to God.

It says, "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

This is a new song because it replaces the old song of a cursed creation with the new song of redemption (Thru the Bible; Dr Stanely Horton; The Expositor’s Bible Commentary) which is available to all who come to Christ and receive Him as Savior and Lord.

Christians become active members of a local church because they grasp the value of Christ’s blood shed for them.

Illuminated Christians become active in service to God and Christ because they know that the blood of Christ offers a universal salvation.

No person is beyond God’s reach.

He is able to save people from every tribe and language and race and nation.

There is no prejudice or discrimination with Christ, no favorites and no partiality.

God so loved the world He gave His only begotten son so that whoever believes in Christ will be saved.

(John 3:16)

Those who surrender to Christ live a life of praise by becoming active in service to Christ with the local and universal Body of Christ.

Their key message proclaims Jesus’ universal salvation to all who will come to Him in repentance.

Christians who grasp their value in the blood of Christ respond to the Apostle Paul’s exhortation, “…stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

(1 Corinthians 15:58)

R.A. Jaffra wrote about the Apostle Paul who was active in the church with joyful zeal.

He writes, “The Apostle Paul was one of the greatest [laborers for the Lord in his day].

He did travel to many different places yet his writings were not about the scenery he passed through, nor about the architecture of his day and not one line set its focus on the customs of the people.

Since his life changing experience with Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul’s vision was focused upon the glory of Christ and the passion of his heart was to speak and teach Christ to all who would hear.”

Christians grasp their value by first grasping a vision of the Christ who purchased them with His life’s blood.

Revelation of this truth opens the heart for full service to Jesus Christ and His church.

For application’s sake: Have you allowed the Holy Spirit of Christ to illuminate your spiritual heart of the fact that Christ paid the ultimate price for you and is your vision to make sure Christ is proclaimed?

The more you allow the Lord Jesus to place His love within you, the more active you will be in the Body of Christ.

Gifts come from the Holy Spirit

Active members in the local Body of Christ have revelation of their value through Christ.

The second key truth to becoming and staying an active member is to understand these gifts come from the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul writes, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.”

(1 Corinthians 12:11)

Holy Spirit gifts are not given by man’s will, according to man’s own pleasure or for his fame.

The Holy Spirit gives on the merit of what will bring the glory of the Lord into the child of God’s life, on the merit of what will accomplish the most for God and for the edification of the church.

Holy Spirit gifts cannot be solicited nor bestowed on basis of personal merit, gifts come only according to the will of God.

Therefore, it is foolish to find our value in seeking fame or super-spirituality and waste time on controversy.

Walking in a humble heart keeps Christians from complaining or being boastful about their gifts.

The Holy Spirit knows what gifts will edify the church most, what will be the most effective to reach out to lost souls and minister to the desperate needs of mankind, especially to the Body of Christ.

Grasping the truth of the Holy Spirit working in and through Christians takes all the pressure of getting results off of them and places full trust in what God can and is doing.

Christians who are active members have grasped the truth of the Holy Spirit blessing through them and this causes them to work diligently, respectfully and joyfully.

Active members grasp the truth of 1 Corinthians 3:7, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

For application sakes: Do you understand that it is the Holy Spirit who has gifted you and do you trust in Him for the results?

One man can plant the seed in the field, another supply water, and another keep the weeds out.

However, none of them can say they are the one who makes the seeds produce, that is completely in God’s hands.

Christians are human instruments and God alone awakens the hearts of men to the seed of God’s Word.

Necessity of being involved

Active members trust completely in the work of the Holy Spirit and they grasp the necessity of being involved, exercising their gifts in the Body of Christ.

Our text says, “The 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.

For 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.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

(1 Corinthians 12;12-14)

It is imperative that you understand that 1 Corinthians 12-14 is about Holy Spirit gifts given for the Body of Christ for edification and in today’s key text the Apostle Paul is using the illustration of the human body to show us the necessity of the gifts working with one another in a Biblically healthy way.