Monday after the Eighth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (NKJV)

12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And 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.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Devotion

Can you even imagine it? Feet saying “I want to be the hands!” and ears saying, “I want to be the eyes!” More shocking, however, is how today’s culture would fully support such confusion. Unbelievers attempt to justify their interchangeability by demanding their version of diversity (i.e., men can date or marry men; women can date or marry women; men can identify as women and women can identify as men). A similar blurring of distinctions has reached its way into certain church bodies as well (i.e., anybody can carry out the duties of what only the pastor is called to do; along with some pastors supposedly being “more gifted”).

In describing the Body of Christ, the Church, by using a metaphor of a human body, St. Paul reveals the God of order. Just as there would be chaos within a human body if the parts started doing what they are not supposed to do, so it is in the body of Christ. God’s Church is ordered, unified, and properly operates as He brings the members to stay true to His Holy Scripture. Unified through God’s Law and Gospel working through His Word and Sacraments—always pointing to Christ’s fully atoning merits—the Body of Christ, although made up of diverse members, suffers together and rejoices together. In it God’s blessings are brought to serve the Church and the world.

Prayer: Grant to us, Lord, the Spirit to think and do always such things as are right, that we, who cannot do anything that is good without You, may be enabled by You to live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.