Date:   1/20/08

Text:   1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Title:   No Little People

Theme: Since every person is precious to God, there are no little people in the body of Christ

Introduction:

  Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. On this day, churches across this country are reminded of the sanctity and dignity of life. Since its about life, lets take a brief review of Biology 101.

  I mentioned to you earlier that my high school class is getting reconnected after 45 years. We have been sending pictures of ourselves to each other. We sent one picture taken in 1962 and another one taken recently. Immediately we notice the little amount of hair still remaining and our body size. I guess we gained an average of 1lb per year.

Since we're on the subject of hair, let's take a look at this. There are about 100,000 hair follicles on a person's head. Each follicle can grow 20 hairs in a person's life time. Some of us have already used up that 20.

How about our brain? It is that part of the body that gives us the capacity for art, language, moral judgments, and rational thought. It's also responsible for each individual's personality, memories, movements, and how we sense the world. All this comes from a jellylike mass of fat and protein weighing about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms). It is, nevertheless, one of the body's biggest organs, consisting of some 100 billion nerve cells that not only put together thoughts and highly coordinated physical actions but regulate our unconscious body processes, such as digestion and breathing.

  Take the heart. The heart is the body's engine room, responsible for pumping life-sustaining blood via a 60,000-mile-long (97,000-kilometer-long) network of vessels. The organ works ceaselessly, contracts and relaxes between 70 and 80 times per minute, about 100,000 times a day, 40 million times a year—in total clocking up three billion heartbeats over an average lifetime. It keeps the body freshly supplied with oxygen and nutrients, while clearing away harmful waste matter.

  Take the skin. The skin is our largest organ—adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. This fleshy covering does a lot more than make us look presentable. In fact, without it, we'd literally evaporate. The skin acts as a waterproof, insulating shield, guarding the body against extremes of temperature, damaging sunlight, and harmful chemicals. It also exudes antibacterial substances that prevent infection and manufactures vitamin D for converting calcium into healthy bones. The skin, additionally, is a huge sensor packed with nerves for keeping the brain in touch with the outside world. At the same time, the skin allows us free movement, proving it an amazingly versatile organ.

Let's come back to the hair. Assuming you still have 100,000 of them. If I am to pluck one hair, just one out of 100,000, will you feel it? Of course, it hurts to pluck even one out of 100,000. Or if one or two cells in the brain stop working, or the heart cells decide to beat faster or slower, or one skin cell decides to divide faster, disaster will happen, right? You know what it's like to have one tiny canker sore on your tongue. It hurts, it affects your appetite and makes you feel real miserable. Or how about a toothache? Just that little tooth, can cause excruciating pain and unable to eat, drink and perform daily functions. I also remember a time when I was waiting to put on a crown over one of my front tooth. The temporary one was broken. During those waiting days, I would cover my mouth when I talked or laughed. One would say, oh, it's just a small front tooth. But when part of it is missing, it affects the whole body; or the joy and confidence once it was restored. If I had a crooked nose, it will affect how I look and could even affect my self-image.

You see, there is not one part of the body that is unimportant or insignificant. Every part is vital. And when one part of the body is not right, or hurting, the whole body will be affected. When the broken or hurting part is restored, the whole body is healthy again.

This is the meaning of the passage we read earlier. In this chapter Paul used the human body as an analogy to the church. Vs.12, “ For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” He brought out the point that the church is like a human body, made up of many parts. Each part of the body is critical and different from the other. Each member, believer, in this community is also important and different from each other. Some are very talented and gifted, others are not. Some have much financial resources while others have little. Physically and emotionally, some are strong and healthy; others are weak and sick.

In the midst of such diversity, Paul reminded us that it was God who brought each one of us here. Vs.18, “ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” And because it is God who brought us together, therefore no one can decide who is useful or not useful. Vs.21, “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” God is the one who puts the weak next to the strong, the have not's to those who have.

The truth that is evident in this passage is: since God brings us together, therefore in this community of the redeemed, there is no insignificant people, there is no little people. Because we are made in his image; we're his image bearers; therefore everyone is very important and precious in God's sight.. In this body, like the human body, we also need each other and are interdependent of each other. Vs.26, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

What does this mean to us today? The truth in this chapter is quite familiar to us. When we discuss spiritual gifts, we turn to it. When we discuss ministry in a local church, we turn to this passage. This morning we want to draw several applications from it in the context of the Sanctity of life.

I •  We are to reach out to every one that God brings into the community of the redeemed.

Let's first take another look at vs.21, “ “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” In the human body, this is unthinkable, right? If the leg is missing, we put on an artificial leg. If the hair is missing, we put on a wig or a toupee. But how about the body of Christ? The reason Paul wrote this was the fact that in the Corinthian church, some believers either spoke out or acted out that certain individuals were not important and therefore the church had no need of them. We probably say, ‘what kind of church is that?' or ‘ what do you expect from the Corinthian church.' But wait, before we point our fingers at others, should we also take a look at ourselves?

These are some of the statements I heard in this and other churches:

“We're all highly educated here, we really can't relate to those without or with little education.”

“The way he/she dresses is so different from us, it seems to make him/her feel uncomfortable among us.”

“We really cannot handle any more divorcees or single parents. They are draining too much of our small group's resources.”

“This single's group does not fit into our church's vision and objectives, therefore we can't continue to provide supervision to them.”

“Our group cannot relate to or help those victims of abuse, their world is so different from ours.”

“We don't have the facility or resource to minister to children and adults with special needs.”

I think we have all heard such remarks somewhere and sometime. They may even have come from our mouths. Yes, we cannot do everything, but what is the sentiment behind these statements? We don't really need you here, go somewhere else. Isn't this one reason many have left the church not wanting to return again?

There are times for the church leaders, including us pastors, spending much time with those whom we feel are important to our ministry. They are the more gifted and talented ones. They are the ones that carry out most of the ministries. They are the important ones; therefore we need to spend more time with them. I remember many years ago, a church member said to me, “I guess, being the pastor here, you will have to spend more time with the elders and deacons.” There is a certain element of truth in this. But the more I think of this, especially in recent years, I wonder what kind of messages are we sending to the congregation. This creates the impression that other people are not as important. From time to time I hear comments like, “I am not important to you, therefore I don't want to take up your time”; it hurts. It reflects that we are not doing our job right. Yes, Jesus spent time with the 12 disciples. But isn't it also true most of his public ministry was among the poor, the weak and the sick? The ones society had no use for?

The scripture clearly tells us that vs.18, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” Vs.24, “……But God has so composed the body,….” Each person is very precious in God's sight. There is no little people in his church. He puts each one of us here. He decides who he wants in this and other churches.

Our responsibility is to reach out, to care for those whom God has brought to us. It's good to remember that God puts the have not's next to the have's; the weak next to the strong. He places the smart ones next to the not so smart ones; the quick thinkers next to the slow thinkers; the decisive ones next to the indecisive ones. He does this so we can minister to one another. If you have more, you are to help those who have little. Those who are not so smart or quick in thinking can help others to slow down a little and learn to be patient with each other. We need each other and we are interdependent of each other. This is what Jesus said, “When you do this to the littlest one among you, you do it undo me.”

I am so glad to see our church begin to pay attention and do our best to serve those with special needs. We are reaching out to those physically and emotionally weak. Some had travelled great distances to come to Houston for medical treatment, and God gave us the opportunity to care for them and help them to experience the ultimate healing: to be reconciled with the creator God.”

II •  We are to care for the weak and speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

God is the one who brings different people to this body. He alone decides who is to be here and who is not. We don't decide who is useful and not useful. Yet, in our society, we are constantly making decisions on this matter. We hear voices such as:

“We can't really afford a child now. We still have not saved enough money to buy that house. Financially we are not ready.”

“We are in the midst of our career climb, there is no time for us to devote to the child.”

“It is too inconvenient at this time of life to have a child.”

“Why should we encourage anyone to bring an unwanted child into the world? We should make abortion available anytime throughout the entire pregnancy period.”

“It is a burden to the society to take care of an unwanted child.”

“It is a woman's right to choose what she wants to do with what is in her body.”

“It's too much of a burden to care for a handicapped child. Besides, what quality of life is there for this child?”

“How can you afford to give birth to quadruplets? You should consider selective reduction.”

“Since you cannot make the right choice, then let society decide for you.”

“Those who pass a certain age, really have no quality of life, no contribution to the society, and a burden to all. What's wrong with euthanasia?”

In the recent issue of Focus on the family magazine, it was reported that in Switzerland , people suffering unbearable psychiatric condition is able to seek a doctor's help in killing themselves. Robert and Jennifer Stokes died in Switzerland 3 years ago by swallowing lethal doses of drugs. Mr. Stokes, 59, reportedly had epilepsy while Mrs. Stokes, 53, had diabetes and back problems. Neither was terminally ill. In Oregon state, it is legal for physicians to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill people. Similar efforts are going on in other states.

Do we see what is happening here? We, and the society are constantly making the decision who is useful and not useful.

When we hear about the tragedy of extreme poverty and AIDS epidemic in certain parts of Africa and we do nothing about it. This is the same as saying we don't care, we have no use of you. We don't need you. You are not fit to live in this world.

The scripture clearly teaches us in vs.26, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” Yes, they are not one of this local body, but many of them are part of God's universal church. They are now not part of the body of Christ, but many of them will respond to the gospel and become part of the body of Christ. God puts them next to us, only about 16 hours of flight away from us. Why? So we can feel their pain, and we too suffer with them. We not only suffer with them, we also reach to speak out for them. We are to speak for those who are voiceless, to defend for those who are defenseless. They are the unborn, the elderly, the sick and the physically or mentally challenged individuals.

Most of us have heard of Toni Eareckson Tada. In 1967, as a result of a diving accident, she was paralyzed from the neck down. She was wheel chair bond for the last 40 years. Now she is working with the Christian Institute on Disability. She helps people with disabilities and the elderly face complex health care issues.

Last year, our church council voted to be involved in an effort to help relieve the poverty and AIDS crisis in Africa . In the next several months, you will be hearing more about this ministry. It is my prayer that this church, with its resources will not forget the sick and weak in this neighborhood and city. We will also reach across the ocean to help the weaker members of the body.

We want to help the weak and the poor. We want to donate our finance and time to organizations that reach out to those forgotten by the society. We can volunteer in various kinds of prison ministry. I am so glad to see how we've began to help those with special needs, both children and adult. Some of us have volunteered to help those with crisis pregnancy or the victims of domestic violence. Others are also actively involved in helping those who are sick, especially the may cancer patients God has brought to our attention.

You see, when we make the weak strong, we are honoring them. And when they are honored, the entire body will rejoice.

Conclusion:

  The church is like the human body. It is made up of many parts and each part is important. It is God who put these different parts together in this church. Some are strong and healthy, gifted and talented with plenty of resources. Others are weak and have little. Together we make up this local body of Christ. In this body of Christ, there are no little people, everyone is important.

  As a church, including us pastors, elders and deacons, we are to remember that we will not treat people as things we can use and discard. Our interest in you is not what you can contribute to this church, how you can help this church to grow. We must treat each person as individuals with intrinsic worth and dignity. We love and care for you because you are very precious. You are God's image bearers.

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