Sunday Morning Sermon Series - 02/06/2022

The Body of Christ and the Diversity of Its Members

Now, I want you to pay attention. It wasn't anything in Israel. It wasn't their military style. It wasn't the type of people they were going to be.

Buenos dias. Good morning, everybody. Le damos gracias a Dios. We thank the Lord. Por la confianza que el Pastor Jeff deposita en nosotros.

With the confidence that Pastor Jeff has given me.

Por la invitación. For the invitation. Por la aceptación de todos ustedes. With the acceptance of everyone here. De poder estar aquí y compartir la palabra.

With the ability to be with you guys to share the word of God.

Voy a invitar que abran su Biblia en Primera de Corintios. We'll be in First Corinthians. Capítulo 12. Chapter 12. Versículo 27. Starting in verse 27. Es un versículo que el Pastor Jeff al inicio.

This is a verse that Pastor Jeff aimed to. Estaba comentando. He was commenting on it. Y dice de esta manera. And this is what it says.

Vosotros pues. You guys. Sois el cuerpo de Cristo. You guys are the body of Christ. Y miembros cada uno en particular. And everyone here is a member. El contexto bíblico. The biblical context of this.

El Apóstol Pablo. The Apostle Paul. Está dando algunas recomendaciones. He's given a couple of recommendations. Acerca de los dones del Espíritu. Concerning the gifts and the anointings. Pero también se refiere al cuerpo místico.

But he's also talking about the spiritual body. Que es la Iglesia de Cristo. Which is the Church of Christ. Y este pasaje. In this particular passage. El Apóstol Pablo compara al cuerpo. Pone de ejemplo.

The Apostle Paul is comparing the body, for example. El cuerpo físico.

The physical body. Lo compara a la Iglesia. To the Church. Y el Apóstol Pablo nos muestra. And the Apostle Paul here is showing us. A través de su palabra. Through the word. Dice algunos de los versículos del 14.

Del capítulo 12.

In verse 14. Además el cuerpo. And the body. No es un solo miembro. It isn't just a member. Sino muchos. In fact it's many members. Dice el versículo 15. Verse 15 states. Si dijera el pie. What then? ¿Por qué no soy mano?

If I'm the foot. Why am I not the hand? No soy del cuerpo. I'm not part of the body. ¿Por eso no será del cuerpo? Otherwise I'm not part of the body. ¿Y si dejara la oreja? And if I were to leave the ear.

¿Por qué no soy ojo? Why am I not the eye? ¿No soy del cuerpo? I'm not from the body. ¿Por eso no dejará el cuerpo? That way he doesn't leave the body. ¿Si todo el cuerpo fuese ojo?

If every piece of the body was the eye. ¿Dónde estaría el oído? Where would the ear be? ¿Si todo fuese oído? If everybody was an ear. ¿Dónde estaría el olfato?

Where would the hand be? En estos cuatro versículos. In these four verses. Lo que el apóstol Pablo quiere decir. What the apostle Paul is telling us. Que el cuerpo es uno. The body is one. Pero muchos miembros.

But with a lot of members. Y que ninguno de los miembros. And none of the members. Se menosprecie. Is less than the other. Amen. O ningún otro miembro. And no other member. Sea más que el otro. Is more important than the other.

Porque cada miembro. For each member. Es parte del cuerpo. Is part of the body. Y no necesitamos. And we need it. Dice el versículo 18. Go on to verse 18. Mas ahora Dios ha colocado los miembros.

And God Himself has organized the members. Cada uno de ellos. Each one of them. En el cuerpo.

In the body. Como Él quiso. The way He wills it. Porque si todos fueran un solo miembro.

Because if everybody was the same thing. ¿Dónde estaría el cuerpo?

Where would the body be? Pero ahora son muchos los miembros. But now there are many members. Pero el cuerpo. But the body. Es uno solo. Is one only. Ni el ojo puede decir a la mano.

The eye can't tell the hand. No te necesito.

We don't need you. Ni tampoco la cabeza a los pies.

And the hand can't do the same with the feet.

Poniendo el ejemplo del cuerpo físico. For example, the human body. No tengo necesidad de vosotros. I don't have a need of you. Versículo 22. Going on to verse 22. Antes bien, los miembros del cuerpo. The members of the body.

Que parecen más débiles. That appear to be less strong.

Son los más necesarios. Or actually the most important. Y aquellos del cuerpo que nos parecen menos dignos.

And the members of the body that appear to be less dignified.

A estos vestimos dignamente.

And we are to clothe them with honor.

Y los que nosotros somos menos decorosos. What verse is that?

Que versículo? El 23. If therefore the whole church assembles together. And all are speaking in tongues. And the people who are outside or unbelievers come in. Will they not say you are out of your minds?

Versículo 24.

Going to verse 24. Porque los que nosotros son más decorosos. Those of us that are more decorated. No tienen necesidad. Don't have a necessity. Pero Dios ordenó el cuerpo. But God is the one that ordained the body.

Dando más abundante honor. Giving more honor. Al que le faltaba. To those that lacked it. En otras palabras. In other words. Hay miembros del cuerpo. There are members of the body. Que no se ven. That you can't see.

Por ejemplo. For example. Razón. The heart. Que no está a la visibilidad del ojo humano.

You can't see the heart with the human eyes. Pero que es muy importante. But it's very important. Ninguna persona. No person. Puede vivir. Can live. En el corazón.

Without the heart. Pero sí. El cuerpo. The body. Puede vivir. Can live. Cuando le hace falta una mano. Or without a hand. Entonces son todos miembros. We are all members. Muy importantes. All of which are very important.

En el cuerpo de Cristo. In the body of Christ. Versículo 25. Go to verse 25, please. Para que no haya desaveniencia en el cuerpo.

And so that there is no division in the body.

Sino que los miembros todos se preocupen.

So that all the members should occupy themselves.

Los unos por los otros. That they should take care of one another. Es glorioso. It's awesome. De manera que si un miembro. Versículo 26. Verse 26. Padece. If one member appears to be.

Todos los miembros. All the members. Se duelen con él. Can join with that one member. Y si un miembro recibe honra. That if one member receives honor. Todos los miembros. All the members. Con él se gozan. Will rejoice with it.

Quiero recordar. Ought to remind. Un pasaje de la escritura. A passage of scripture. Que dice. That says. Que lloremos con los que lloran. Mourn with those who mourn.

Y gocemos con los que se gozan. And rejoice with those that rejoice. Es parte del cuerpo de Cristo. It's part of the body of Christ. Versículo 27. Go on to verse 27 please. Vosotros pues. You guys as well.

Sois el cuerpo de Cristo. You are the body of Christ. Y miembros cada uno en particular.

And each of you are a member of the body of Christ. Cada miembro.

Every member. Por más insignificante.

No matter how small it seems to be. Tiene una función. Has a function.

Muy importante. It's important. Aún las uñas de nuestros dedos.

Even the very fingernails that we have. Las uñas de nuestros pies.

Even our toenails. Si no tuviéramos uñas en nuestros pies. If we didn't have any toenails. No podríamos caminar. We wouldn't even walk normally. Entonces los miembros más pequeños. The smallest members.

Son importantes. Are very important. Todos importamos en el cuerpo de Cristo. Everybody's important in the body of Christ. Go on to verse 28. And to some God. For example, the Apostle Paul. Talks about the gifts.

Verse 31 please. Gather yourself. Get yourself the greater gifts. The way that I show you. A much better way. ¿Quién cree que es el camino más excelente? What's the greatest way? Es Cristo. It's Christ Jesus.

Él es el camino. He is the way. Que nos lleva al Padre. The person that gives us to the Father. Jesús dijo. Jesus said. Yo soy el camino. I am the way. Yo soy la verdad. I am the truth. Yo soy la vida.

I am the life. Nadie viene al Padre. Nobody goes to the Father. Si no es por mí. But by me. Entonces todos. Everybody. Gloria a Dios. Glory to God. Todos. Everybody. Somos parte del cuerpo de Cristo. We are all part of Christ's body.

Ahora. Now. Dice su palabra. The scriptures say. Que Jesús. That Jesus. Vino a darnos entrada. Came to give us a way. A su reino. To his kingdom. Allí entramos. And by him we are walking. Judíos. Jews.

Griegos. Greeks. Libres. Liberals. Esclavos. Slaves. De todo color. Every color. De toda raza. Every race. De toda lengua. Every tongue. De toda tribu. Every tribe. De toda nación. Every nation. Y es uno el cuerpo.

En todo el mundo. In the entire world. Gloria a Dios. Glory to God. Gloria. Entonces quiero recordar. I want to remind you guys. El versículo 27. Verse 27. Vosotros pues. You guys. Sois el cuerpo de Cristo.

Are the body of Christ. Cuántos de nosotros. How many of us. Nos sentimos bendecidos. Do we feel blessed. Por ser parte. To be part of. Del cuerpo de Cristo. The body of Christ. Aún el servicio. Even the service.

Que algunos. De nosotros. That some of us. Hacemos dentro de una congregación. That we do within the service. Dentro de una iglesia. Inside of a church. Y muchas veces. And most of the times. O algunas veces.

Or sometimes. No se ve el servicio. Aren't seen. Pero es muy importante para Dios. But you guys are very important. Porque dice su palabra. Because the scripture states. Que lo que él ve en secreto. That what he sees in secret.

Lo recompensará en público. He will reward you publicly. Sintamonos bendecidos. Man, we are blessed. Por ser parte. To be part of. Del cuerpo de Cristo. The body of Christ. Y miembros dicen. And members.

Cada uno. Each one of you. En particular. In particular. Hay una. Algún miembro. Is there a member? No. Muy pequeño. So small. Tal vez. Muy insignificante. Super insignificant. Por ejemplo. For example.

Las pestañas. The eyelashes. Por alguna razón. For some reason. Y una función. And some sort of function. Muy importante. Very important. Muy específicas. Very specific. El Señor no los dio. The Lord gave it to us.

Y es para proteger. And it's to protect. Y es para cubrir. It's to cover. El ojo. The eye. Del polvo. From the dust. Aún el miembro más pequeño. Even the smallest member. Es muy importante. Is incredibly important.

El ejemplo que el apóstol Pablo. Or for example. The Apostle Paul says. Que pone de decir. No te necesito. Le dice al pie. We can't just say. We don't need you foot. O a la mano. Or to the hand. Son indispensables.

They're indispensable. Para el cuerpo físico. For your human body. Mucho más importante. Even more important. Somos. We are. Todos. All of us. En el cuerpo de Cristo. In the body of Christ. Y para mí.

And for me. Es muy importante. It's very important. Y recibo. And I receive. La bendición. The blessing. De haber invitado al Pastor Jeff.

To be invited here by Pastor Jeff. Y poder estar aquí. And to be here. Compartir con ustedes. To share with you guys. La palabra. The word. Las alabanzas. The worship. Las alabanzas.

La bienvenida. The welcoming. Y todo lo que hacemos. And everything we do. Al Señor. To the Lord. Muy importante. It's very important. Nada tenemos que menospreciar.

There is no insignificant thing.

Nada se tiene que desechar. Nothing needs to be thrown away. Es muy importante. Everything is important. Venimos a congregar. To congregate together. Para alabar juntos. To worship together. Para bendecir juntos.

To bless together. Como un pueblo. Like one people. Como un cuerpo. Like one body. En Cristo Jesucristo. En Cristo Jesus. Y la unidad. Y la unidad. En the unity. Dice el Salmo. Says Psalm. 133. 113. Que ahí hay.

That here. Bendición. There is blessing. Y vida eterna. And life eternal. En el Salmo 133. In Psalm 133. Muchas gracias. Thank you. Y Dios les bendiga a cada uno. And God bless each and every one of you.

Amen.

The Unity of the Church Across Language and Culture

Yeah. And so we see this morning that everything he taught was from the word of God. Everything he taught was from the spirit. What God did today, he just changed mouthpieces. The same word of God that Pastor Jeff is preaching over here is the same word of God that he just finished preaching.

What he said is super true. It is one body, one word. It is one family. And so language, ain't no way that's gonna separate us. Either God will provide an interpreter or supernatural. I'm curious to see if anybody here received the gift of speaking in tongues to interpret what he was saying.

But take what he said. There is no such thing as races. There's only one race. Like Pastor Jeff says, there's only one race. We are human. And so what he said, take it, apply it. Don't let it just go to your head as some sort of theological knowledge.

Because if it goes to your head and not your heart, it becomes pride and arrogance. Apply it. Minister to people who don't look like you, who don't worship like you, who don't talk like you. I promise you, God will make a way.

For instance, I was at the mall witnessing a couple years back and there was this Asian lady who didn't speak a lick of English. And you know, what is 17-year-old Christian gonna do? Can I pray for you?

And I swear, this lady didn't understand me. But once I started praying with her, she bowed her head. Almost like she understood what was going on. And it was a surreal moment of, language will not separate the love between a brother and a sister in Christ.

So take what we learned today and apply it in our lives.

Fulfilling Your Own Ministry

I will double down what Pastor Obeid said in the passage we went yesterday in the funeral. Paul speaking in his last words to Timothy. He says, do the work of an evangelist, whether in season or out, whether convenient or not.

And that last part, he says, fulfill your ministry. And what hit me so much about that, he didn't say fulfill the ministry. Fulfill your ministry. And what pastors are saying, you specifically, as a person, have a ministry.

You have a work to do. You are not insignificant. Unimportant, irrelevant. If you did not come here today, would it be noticed? Would it be noticed if you weren't here? Are you fulfilling the ministry that God has for you specifically?

You cannot rely and bank on the pastor or the minister or the, it's your job. And if you don't do your job, it doesn't get done. That's what you gotta realize. If you do not fulfill your ministry, the ministry doesn't get fulfilled.

There's no safety net here. There's no people to fall back on. We as the people of God have to fulfill the ministry he's given to us specifically. But the problem is some of you don't even know what your ministry is.

Some of you don't even understand what God has called you to do. Mainly because you're not seeking and you're not asking. Let us take the word that pastor has given us today and fulfill it. Do not look down on your calling.

Do not look down because if your ministry is less public than as he said, it is the Lord and the people of God who are to lift you up and raise you and honor you. Don't do that yourself either.