This week in our Rooted in Christ, we are going to continue in a path of that we started last week, look at finding our role in the church.  Last week we talk about the vine and branches.  This week we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 12: 12-26.  We will be talking about spiritual gifts.  

Today as we look at the world of the text, we see some very interesting things happening here on paper. Paul appeals to the unity of the Body by pointing to the fact that there are so many persons who make up the body, Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free.  Just as there is a variety of persons that make up the body, and they can find unity in Jesus, so can all the variety of gifts within the church find unity.  

Part of the thing that I never noticed until looking at this passage is that the “lesser” parts of that body seem to have some issues of worth, The foot can’t say, since I’m not a hand, I don’t matter. Nor can the ear say, since I’m not an eye, I don’t matter.

We should not judge ourselves against others and say that since we don’t have their gifts, we don’t matter. That simply isn’t true.  The “lesser” gifts are as essential as the “greater” gifts.  

But likewise, the “greater” gifts shouldn’t hold it over the heads of the “lesser” that they are seen as more important.  That is not the way that the body works. 

The body needs all of us, all our gifts, all our talents.  The body is not complete without the old and the young. The ones on stage and the ones behind the scene. Every gift is essential for the kingdom.  Every person is essential for the kingdom.  It matters.  

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