Slices
Prepare
Pray: ‘Help me, Lord Christ, to love your body, the church, as you do. Amen.’
Bible passage
21 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!’ 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Explore
A local church can be prone to ‘division’ (v 25), with some members at odds with others. A sense of self-importance or superiority (vs 21,22) can creep in, and rivalries or rifts soon emerge.
The answer is that we are each a different part of the body of Christ, and care for each other (vs 25–27). In the human body, each part depends on the others. The eye looks out for the hand, and the hand washes the foot. Obscure organs, the thyroid for instance, are also vital for the whole, and we show great respect for them too. So too in the body of Christ, all the members value and respect all the others, whatever role or gift God has allocated to each.
We do not choose who has which gifts. God distributes his gifts as he sees best (vs 4,11,18,24,28). His provision ranges (v 28) from the apostles’ foundational witness through to those who administer and help the church’s life; and from those who guide the church to the deeply personal, inarticulate praise/prayer of ‘speaking in tongues’. Paul might surely have listed many more gifts the Spirit gives the church through the people (eg music?).
Our calling is to seek the best (v 31) and work humbly together, each playing our part.
Respond
Don’t leave it to church leaders to thank and value those whose gifts are less prominent. We can all express appreciation to those whose part may go unnoticed.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 25,26; Psalm 49
Pray for Scripture Union
Faith Guides in local churches are passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus with the 95. Pray that God will call others into this role so that many more children and young people can be reached.
Have you discovered Deep Sea Divers?
Deep Sea Divers is an underwater-themed holiday club resource that invites children to deep dive into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus using the book of Matthew.
Suitable for children and young people both familiar and unfamiliar with church this great new addition to our holiday club resources offers all the usual brilliant content and additional online downloads, alongside workbooks for children to complete and take home.
Help children discover the depths of Jesus' love for them with Deep Sea Divers.
