Made To Belong
Made – Part 3
January 11-12, 2020
Dr. Jeffrey Allen Love
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13a (p.877)
Greek – Koinonia: sharing in common, with an outcome of contribution, a partaker or partner.
- I Am Made To Belong.
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” Ephesians 2:19 (p.896)
Levels of Belonging:
Level 1: Choosing to belong.
“We have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13b (p.877)
“We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:5b (p.866*)
Level 2: Doing my part.
“Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part…If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?” 1 Corinthians 12:14,17 (p.877)
Level 3: Learning to rely.
“The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’” 1 Corinthians 12:21 (p.877)
Level 4: Loving one another like family.
“If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” 1 Corinthians 12:26 (p.877)
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (p.926)
Next Step: __ I am choosing to belong to God’s family. I will sign up for a Life Group by going to the Groups sign up table in the Lobby or to alivechurch.com/groups.
* The Life Transformation Bible is the New Living Translation of the Bible, including many useful tools to help you better understand God’s Word, including our own Alive Church Life Transformation Discipleship Plan. They are available FREE in the church lobby.
Discussion Starters
- What kind of things do people “belong” to?
- Why do people like to belong?
- Why do you think “doing my part” is important?
- Which of the Four Levels of Belonging is hardest for you?