you are needed

Can I share with you something? 

You are needed in the body of Christ.  You are needed at Stone Church.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:27, "All of you form the one body of Christ and each one is a separate and necessary part of it."  Necessary.  You are needed!

Paul  also writes in 1 Corinthians 12:14,15, "For the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the ear should say, 'because I'm not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body."

Paul is saying that in your physical body, if your foot should say, "I can't do all the things a hand does.  It's so flexible, it's hooked onto that long arm, and it's used all the time.  I can't wiggle my toes like the hand can wiggle the fingers.  I really don't belong in this body."

That's ridiculous.  That doesn't make it any less a part of the body.

The foot is deceiving itself. 

If the ear says, "Because I can't see like an yes, I am not part of the body," the ear is deceiving itself.

Paul is teaching us that if we think of ourselves as a member of the body of Christ and say to ourselves, Because I can't stand up and preach or teach or leading a meeting, there is really nothing I can do," you are deceiving yourself.  You haven't changed reality; you are still a part of the body.  But you have shut your eyes to the truth.  You need to open them to see the part God has given you. 

There are no insignificant members of the body.

Why do we do this?  Why do we think that we have nothing to offer?

Well, part of the reason is this:  We often have the wrong idea about what the work of the church is. 

Here me well my friends:  THE CHURCH IS MORE THAN WHAT "JUST" HAPPENS ON SUNDAY MORNING!

Don't get me wrong, it is very, very important as to what takes place Sunday morning.  People who lead the meetings, speak and lead in worship have certain gifts; they have to keep everything in order and carry out everything in a helpful way.

But some people in our church family look at them and say, "now that's the work of the church, and I can't do any of those things.  Therefore, I have no part to play in the church."

That isn't the work of the church (in it's entirety) at all.  The work of the church is to heal the brokenhearted in the world, to give deliverance to the captives, to open the eyes of the blind, to reach the good news to the poor and despairing of heart.

That's the work of the church - to encourage and strengthen and help and especially to deliver form the guilt and the loneliness and the misery of sin and to set people free form all bondage of foul tempers and evil habits and all the "stuff" of life.

You see, we don't come to church to fulfill the work of the church here.  We come here to get ready to fulfill the work of the church "out there" using the gifts that God has given us.

So then, with that in mind, there is definitely a part for you to play.  Without exception.