1 Corinthians 12 : 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Paul makes a good point here that when there is suffering or injury to any member of a body of Christ, then  the whole body suffers. We also know that when someone is blessed or has had a miracle or prayer answered in their life thew whole body rejoices with them. We should always strive to know the needs of the body of Christ we are in and help when needed and rejoice when needs are met. Prayer and praise are what makes this work according to the will of God. Sometimes the only thing we can do is pray for the needs of someone to met, but we can always praise God when he blesses people and us.

1 Corinthians 12 :22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that partwhich lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

We have to realize that even what we might think is the most insignificant part of the body is important because the body cannot function properly without it.  Again it shows us that even the jobs that are not out front are just as important as the one that are in full view. Rich and poor, old and young, white and black, all make up the family of God. Even sometimes there are parts of the body that are not that presentable but God had a purpose for them, just like he has a purpose for everyone that makes up a body of Christ. The thing that bonds us together is the Lord and we are all family.

1 Corinthians 12 : 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

We can see here that you cannot be someone else and that only one member does not make the body. We have to be the best we can be for what the lord has called us to do. We see that every person plays an important part in the church from the janitor to the preacher. No job is small in the eyes of God and we should always do them as if we were doing it for God. Also with the members of the church we should never tell someone there job is not important or feel that what we do is more important. We see it often where some think there importance is above everyone else because they are more gifted than the rest.  But we must always remember that God uses  the all who humble themselves and do all they can to follow His will.

1 Corinthians 12 : 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

This teaching here sounds a little ridiculous, but people sometimes think that their contribution to a body of Christ is not as important as what someone else does. But it can clearly be seen here in 15, 16, and 17 that all parts of the body have a specific job to do just as God has given each of His followers a specific job to do. Each follower is unique in the qualities and gifts that God has given them and if they do not do them to best of their abilities then the body of Christ will not function properly. In verse 18 Paul tells us that God has given each the gifts they need to help the church function in full harmony and unity. God puts everyone where they will do the most good no matter how big or how small the task is they are all important in the eyes of God.

1 Corinthians 12 : 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.

Paul is teaching here that we are all immersed by Christ with the Holy Spirit. He is not talking of a water baptism but of a baptism where Christ immerses each believer with the Spirit into unity with all other believers. It does not matter if it Jews or Gentiles we are all grafted into the Tree of Life, which is the Lord Jesus Christ and we are adopted children of the Father and our adoption was paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ. He states again to that the body is made up of many members that have to work in unity to function properly. The same is true of the church it is made made up of many members who all possess gifts from God that for the church to function properly they have to work in unity. Everyone in a church if they are born again believers should have gifts that they can use to unify the body of Christ. Please attend church today and see how God can use the gifts He has given you.

1 Corinthians 12 : 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Here we see Paul begins using the human body as an analogy to symbolize the make up of the church. We will see just how things work together from here through verse 27. First he lays it out that there are many things that make up the structure and working of the human body. He places emphasis on the fact  that there may be many members of the body working together but they are all one. If we are Christians then are one in Christ. When we become a Christian then we no longer live, but Christ lives in us and we are part of Him. All Christians make up the body of Christ of which Christ Himself is the head. It is through Christ that we gain the power to accomplish the will of the Father.

1 Corinthians 12 : 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Here we see several gifts the first being miracles, and some think this pertains to healing but not so, this is when we see the impossible done, like parting the red sea. Then the gift of prophecy when most of the time when we here a profit speak we may not like what he says or it could be just the opposite and be just what we need to here about what is going to take place. Then the discerning  of spirits is one we should all desire so we are not deceived into thinking someone is of God and in realty they are not and we follow them down the wrong path. The word tells us to try the spirits to see if they are of God. If we have this gift we could tell recognize what type of spirit it is right off. Then we have speaking in tongues which is a manifestation of the Spirit of God.  When a message is given in tongues there should always be an interpreter for the message so if it is from God everyone in the congregation will know what God said. We can have as many of these gifts as we desire, if we will be willing to use them fully to minister with. These are free gifts from God by the Holy Spirit of God and we must show a desire to receive them and we must use them for God’s purposes and not our own.

1 Corinthians 12 : 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

Anyone who has accepted Jesus as their savior has a measure of faith because that is what it took to make that decision. As we grow as Christians our faith should grow as well and this is a persevering faith which all Christians should have. Faith grows even more as we exercise persistent prayer and endurance in intercession and a strong trust in God in the midst of difficult circumstances. This faith is that faith that it takes to move a mountain. The gift of healing also comes with this measure of faith. We do not see today many people who singly pray for and heal  people but we do know that prayer coupled with faith by a body of Christ has been responsible for many to be healed. We know that Christ and the apostles healed people and even Peter’s shadow healed. Healing is still present today though prayer and faith to God our Father where when He answers these prayers He gets the glory and not man. We just need always be ready to pray for anyone who needs healing because it could be our prayer and our faith that God answers.

1 Corinthians 12 : 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

The two gifts mention hear kind of work together. Wisdom being a gift that comes straight from God and knowledge being a gift that comes from what we learn while God gives us the to acquire knowledge. Wisdom in one since helps us to understand and apply the knowledge we have gained and likewise knowledge can sometimes help us to understand the wisdom God has given us. There have been many preachers who did not have a formal education , and possibly not even graduate from grammar school, but could preach better than some of the most highly educated preachers because of the wisdom God had instilled in them. Wisdom again is a gift from God that you earn and accumulate while knowledge is accumulated learning.  The gift of knowledge could be explained by someone who studies his Bible regularly and the Holy Spirit helps him understand what it is saying. The gift of wisdom is the ability to understand God’s Word and His will, and to skillfully apply that understanding to life.

1 Corinthians 12 : 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For us to be more effective ministers of the Gospel we need the gifts of the spirit. Just like you cannot build a house without a hammer you have to the gifts of the spirit to build your ministry, they are a very present help. If something is made manifest it is made real. we should be so full of the Lord Jesus that when people look on us they do see us but but see Christ in us. The world cannot see God with their eyes but they can see the followers of Jesus. A person once  explained Jesus in us, this way. He says, we are the glove, and Jesus is the Hand in the glove.  We are better workers when we have the Holy Spirit inside of us guiding us and teaching us as we minister. Whatever gift , ministry, or effect we have on people , all spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit. All who receive their ministry will make Jesus known, understood, and evident in the church and in the world.