Group Bible Study: One Body
ONE BODY | 1 Corinthians 12:4-27
ICEBREAKERS
Have everyone introduce themselves, or come up with a fun icebreaker game
READ 1 Corinthians 12:4-27
REFLECT
Corinth was a major Greek city known for its diversity and wealth. It was a cosmopolitan hub, drawing people from all over the Roman Empire due to its location. The Christians at Corinth were navigating life in a culture that valued individualism, status, and competition. The Corinthian Christians had become divided from each other, and were competing with one another over who was most valuable, and whose gifts were better than others. The Corinthian church was made up of individuals from various walks of life. Instead of honoring each other’s gifts, the members of the church were tearing each other down and not loving one another.
Paul’s response in writing his letter to the Corinthians was to remind them that all gifts come from the Holy Spirit, that all gifts should be used for the common good of the church to demonstrate God’s goodness and love, not for personal glory or elevating one’s status. His message of honoring diversity while remaining unified challenged the Corinthians to not succumb to the cultural norms, but to elevate their care for one another by loving each other as God loved them.
Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to demonstrate how deeply interconnected we all are. That each of us have different gifts and are in need of one another, just like our bodies are only able to flourish if all parts are working well together. Each part of the body, though different, is necessary; and it is the collective responsibility of believers to work together for the good of the whole, building one another up in mutual respect.
On the field, everyone has a role. If we were all [sport-related position], nothing would get done. If we were all [sport-related position], the game would fall apart. The same is true for the body of Christ. We are many parts—different in background, tradition, denomination, personality, race, and theology—but one body.
Respecting one another and building each other up offers glory to God.
DISCUSSION
We all come from different religious and cultural backgrounds. What gets in the way of respecting other parts of the body of Christ that may be different than you? Why can it be hard to show respect and love for others who are different from you?
How can we compete on the field while still honoring each other?
What is one action you can take to build up others on your team?
What is one action you can take to show respect and build up others on a team different from your own?
CLOSING PRAYER
Prayer requests - who or what can we pray for?
Lord, make us instruments of your peace:
where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
God, grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
(Prayer of St. Francis)
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1 Corinthians 12 (NIV)
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being 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 stop being 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 placed 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!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 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.