Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom we have all been united into one body. Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:12-21,26,27 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. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ 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? ¹⁸ But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 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!" … ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

A high school had a career day for the seniors. They assembled all the students in the gym and, one-by-one, the recruiters stood and explained how great it would be to come and work for them. They encouraged the students telling them that they had what it took to make it in their respective civilian jobs.

After these presentations a tough, muscular-looking Army recruiter stood at the podium. He looked around at the crowd of students and shook his head. He said, "I don’t see anyone here who could make it in the military. It’s the toughest challenge you could ever face. You will do twice the work of a civilian for half the pay. You have to be willing to save a life or take it, because that is your job. I don’t think any of you have the guts to become a soldier in the U.S. Army. If you think you’ve got what it takes come and see me after the presentations."

After the presentation, the students could stop by booths and fill out applications or hand in a resume. Guess which booth had the largest number of inquiries? The Army was flooded with applicants.

We hold our military in high regard because of the sacrifices and commitment it takes to be in the military. Membership in the church of Jesus Christ should be held in the same high regard. The problem is that we’ve made it a weak, easy, limp-wristed thing that’s usually nothing more than a name on a piece of paper. Many of us have become "in and out Christians" – the kind of members who come to worship and leave right away after service, but aren’t really involved in the fellowship, education, and commitment it takes for a growing, thriving congregation.

God intends for it to be something more. Today we are going to examine the benefits of being a member in God’s Church – in Christ’s body. Being a member of this congregation means that you have certain responsibilities and commitments. It also means you enjoy certain rights and privileges. We will examine two benefits in particular this morning: first, that we are privileged to be united with other members and second, that we are privileged to give our service to other members.

Paul begins this section: "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." One of the privileges of membership is that we are given a new identity.

The beauty of the church is that individuals from vastly different backgrounds can come together through membership and be united into a new identity. As you may know, Jews were not supposed to associate with non-Jews (here the word used for non-Jew is Greek). Faith in Christ obliterates the distinction. In Greek culture slavery was an accepted norm of life. It was not uncommon for both a master and his slave to become Christians. There were occasions when slaves actually held authority over their masters in the church. It didn’t matter because membership brings a new identity.

God dreams of a church where former Klansman and former Black Panther, rich and poor, cop and convict, reformed prostitute and youthful virgin, lifelong saint and former sinner can all join hands and celebrate new life in Christ. Membership is a status that brings new identity with the people of God no matter your background. We are all united around Christ and what he has done for us. Nothing else really matters.

I pray that this congregation becomes such a place. If we take our membership seriously it will be a reality.

I pray that this congregation also becomes a place where there are no factions or divisions. Paul continues: "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?"

I love Paul’s "divine sarcasm." Paul is showing the absurdity of body parts being jealous of each other. Yet, it is just as absurd that members of Christ’s body – you and I – argue and complain and disagree. A pastor doesn’t need to be in the ministry very long before he encounters people who have quit coming to worship, quit contributing financially or quit the congregation altogether – all for some silly, absurd reason. Maybe it was because the music was too loud or the pastor was wearing a white alb instead of a black gown for preaching. Maybe it was because they didn’t like how money was spent or how money wasn’t spent. Maybe it was because an usher said something they didn’t like or they didn’t get a card from the church for their birthday. I have had people get mad at me and complain that I didn’t visit them in the hospital. After I apologized for not visiting them, I asked them when they left a message for me that they were in the hospital. They said, "I never left you a message. I just figured that you would know." I may be smart, but I’m not all-knowing.

Still, these kinds of silly things happen all the time in churches around the world. People don’t like something, so they stay home and pout. They act like spoiled children.

Instead of dividing over differences, Paul says that we should embrace and encourage our differences. Paul uses the human body as an illustration of this fact. Not every part of the human body is exactly the same – a foot is not a hand, an ear is not an eye. But each one of those parts serves a purpose in the function of that body. Every part of the body is useful. Medical science used to believe that the tonsils, the appendix and certain other body parts were expendable. This notion came from a false belief in evolution. But now medical science recognizes what God’s Word has known all along, that every body part has a use. And every part is connected to the body.

That means that the people around you are all a part of God’s body. That means you’re sitting next to people with whom you will spend eternity. It means that we have a room filled with men and women, boys and girls who are your real family! You are brothers and sisters in Christ. You may look different, speak differently, and have different spiritual gifts, but you are all a part of God’s holy family. You are part of a family whose bonds are based on the spilled blood of God that washed away the guilt of your sins. You are part of a family whose bond no war can disrupt and not even death can destroy! We are part of a family, a body, a Church that is united. A bond has been created between us that is unbreakable. That bond is the love, blood, and sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

What a blessing it is to know that we are united together with other members to form this wonderful body.

As members of this body and members of this church, that means that we are also privileged to serve one another.

I think too often as Americans, we take for granted the rights and privileges we enjoy in this country. We forget that others have gone before us to protect our freedoms with their lives and their blood. We sit around in our easy chairs eating bon-bons, drinking lattes, and watching American Idol, while soldiers are fighting half a world away so that we can enjoy those freedoms. Sometimes we forget. We become lazy. We take our privileges as Americans for granted.

And sometimes, many times, we take our privileges as church members for granted. We forget that others have gone before us to fight and die for their Christian faith. We become comfortable and complacent in our salvation. We take our freedoms in Christ for granted. We argue that we don’t have the time, we are too tired, we already did our share of the work – that is why we can’t serve Christ in his church.

Paul writes: "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!’ 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." Paul is saying that we need each other. We need to serve one another.

Look around you, none of this would be here if it weren’t for concerned and committed Christians. We wouldn’t be a congregation and we wouldn’t have this church building, if it wasn’t for Christian servants. Your children wouldn’t be receiving a Christian education if it weren’t for fellow Christians serving as teachers and volunteers on school committees and church councils. We wouldn’t have beautiful music to sing or listen to if it wasn’t for dedicated and gifted organists and members of the choir. We wouldn’t have stained glass windows or altar or communion ware, if it wasn’t for the gifts and offerings of fellow members over these past 80 years. We wouldn’t have anything, if God didn’t use us to serve each other.

God has called all of us to be involved in the ministry of the church!

The beauty of God’s plan is this: The gifts we have are gifts from God. Our talents, our abilities, our gifts are not our own. They belong to the body, to the church, to each other. That means that no matter how great the gifts we might have we have no basis for pride or arrogance in those gifts – after all these gifts are on loan from God – to be put to use. They are not to be put on display as some sort of trophy case dedicated to our own honor. Nor are they to be hidden and kept to ourselves. God has given each of us gifts – some great and some small – all for the glory of him and to the growth of his Church.

Because each one of us is a unique creation – God has given each one of us something special and something valuable that we can contribute to the body.

Paul says that "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." What God has arranged is perfect. Yet who of us here this morning can say that we always been faithful and diligent in putting all of the gifts God has given us to use all the time? How many times have we wasted the good gifts that God has given us because we let differing personalities, or misplaced priorities, or sinful stubbornness keep us from works of service? God doesn’t give gifts so that we might squander them! God gives gifts to be used for the good of others – and when they aren’t used for that purpose – the whole body suffers!

Thank God that in his infinite love he came to this earth and assumed a human body putting his gifts and abilities to work for our good. Be grateful to God that his Son used all of his abilities perfectly in accord with his Father’s will in our place. Be glad that in perfect obedience the Son of God in his human body willingly suffered the crash of the whip on his bare back, the pain of the thorns as they were compressed into his skull, and the crushing blow of the hammer upon the nails that were driven through his hands and his feet. Break forth in songs of joy that the Son of God willingly allowed the weight of the guilt of our sins of faithlessness in the use of our gifts collapse upon his shoulders so that he was the one who was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Through his death on the cross Jesus has rescued us from under the rubble of our guilt.

If God was recruiting you for a position in his church he might ask you: "How many of you have the guts to become a servant in Christ’s body? If you think you’ve got what it takes come and see me and I will put you to work." How will you respond to God’s challenge? Will you enjoy the privileges of membership? Will you take on the rights and responsibilities of membership – of uniting with and serving your fellow members? I believe you will. I believe that will respond by saying, "Jesus Christ gave his life for me. Now it is time for me to give my life to him and his followers." Amen.