Advancing the Kingdom Together
Week #6: Cooperate to Get it Done
Good Question: These lessons have groups talking.
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Big Idea: we must each one use our gifts to grow our group to advance the kingdom together.

1 Corinthians 12.12 - 30 ⁽¹⁾

OPEN

• Let's each share our name and one gift you received last Christmas.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• How are plans for our second monthly fellowship going? Who is planning the fellowships? Who is geared up to call every member? Every prospect?
• Last week we talked about trying to invite every visitor to this church who is a prospect to this class to a hospitality event. Who wants to sign up this week?

DIG

1. As we read this, count the number of body parts that are mentioned.
2. Verse 15. What is the foot feeling? ⁽²⁾
3. The foot said, "I don't belong." Ever been in a group that felt that way for you-like you didn't belong? What did that feel like? Tell us your story.
4. What does it take for you to feel like you belong in a group. Be specific-don't just say thing like, "people are nice to me." What specific behavior makes you feel included? ⁽³⁾
5. Ever had a situation where having a job in a church or some other organization made you feel like you belonged?
6. Verse 16. Is the ear saying more or less the same thing as the foot?
7. Why are all parts of the body important?
8. Verse 21. Is the eye saying more or less the same thing as the foot and the ear?
9. Ever known anyone who made you feel this way: I don't need you? How did that feel? Tell us your story.
10. Verse 22. What are the really important parts of the body, the visible parts, or the internal parts? How does this metaphor of the physical body compare with the body of Christ? ⁽⁴⁾
11. Verse 27. What percentage of Christians are to play a part, have a role, do a job?
12. How many people do we have here today? Of that number, how many of us are to be involved doing something?
13. Why is it important that everyone gets involved?
14. What consequences happen if only a few of us, half or less, get involved?
15. What are some examples of spiritual gifts? Let's make a long list on the board.
16. Now, let's make a list of roles or jobs or things we need done for this micro-church to function in a healthy way. Let's make a list of these on the board. ⁽⁵⁾
17. What spiritual gifts would kind of fit with each of these roles. Let's match these up.
18. How do you go about discovering your gift. ⁽⁶⁾
19. What are the benefits to me of knowing my spiritual gifts?
20. Let's see if we can get volunteers to take on this roles for a three months period of time. The first volunteer we want to find is our Group President. This is the person who, among other things, will remind us in three months and we may reshuffle and take different assignments. In between now and then, he will remind everyone and keep us on target to invite every member and every prospect to every fellowship every month. Who do you think would be good at this role?
21. Let's talk about the other roles. I'd encourage all of you to try one of these things for three months.
22. Let's pray that God would advance his kingdom through us. What else shall we pray about?

1. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

[14] Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. [15] If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be 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 cease to be 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 arranged 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 combined the members of the body and has given 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. [28] And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. [29] Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? [30] Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? [31] But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And now I will show you the most excellent way. 1 Cor. 12:12-31 [NIV]

2. Insecurity. "I don't matter."

3. It takes friends and something to do.

4. The internal organs are more important than the hands or eyes or ears. In a similar way, many of the behind the scenes parts of the body of Christ are the really important parts.

5. I am thinking of inreach leaders, outreach leaders, fellowship leaders, class president. You may have a different list.

6. Ultimately, by trying.