“PUZZLED By The BIG Picture”
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
This morning, as we continue in our study of 1 Corinthians 12,
I would like to talk to you with regard to the word “Church.”
There are a lot of people that would define the word as a building that
a group of people gather. They would undoubtedly say that this
building is a church. If that were so, then if we did not worship the
Lord here, & let’s say we rented the building out, it would still be a
church building. I do not subscribe to this thinking & I know a good
number of you don’t either.
Jesus Christ told us that ‘wherever two or more gather in My honor,
that is where He will be!’ We have also been taught that the Church is
the body of Christ. Therefore, I believe that the church is by no means
the bricks that make up a building, but the people that worship the
Lord God Almighty!
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, (NLT) we read
“12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one
whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews,
some are Gentiles, some are slaves, & some are free. But we have all
been baptized into one body by one Spirit, & we all share the same
Spirit.
14
Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the
foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that
does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I
am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it
any less a part of the body?
17
If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?
Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18
But our bodies have many parts, & God has put each part just where
He wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!
20
Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.
21
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.”
22
In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest & least important
23
are actually the most necessary.
And the parts we regard as less
1
honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully
protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable
parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together
such that extra honor & care are given to those parts that have less
dignity.
25
This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the
members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer
with it, & if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27
All of you together are Christ’s body, & each of you is a part of it.
28
Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:
first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.
29
Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we
all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing?
Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all
have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31a So
you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts…”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These scriptures teach us just how vital each of us are. And we have
heard this many times, but today, I’d like to explain it from a different
way! One that might stick in your mind a little more.
I believe we are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Sounds a little hokey, huh? But…Just hear me out.
This morning, on the way in to the sanctuary, you were handed a
piece of a jigsaw puzzle. You probably thought that was a little
strange. That’s understandable. But most of you are getting used to
me & my ‘sometimes strange or unorthodox ’ way of making a point!
2
I had them handed out to you as a reminder. A reminder of what you
may ask? As a reminder to all who enter, that we are all of equal
value to the overall picture of the Church!
If even one piece were missing, then the picture would not be
complete. You are vital to the Church. When you accepted Christ as
your Savior you accepted this commitment. That you would be more
Christ like & that you would help His church any way you could. And
that is admirable. He gave his life that you would be saved, & you
commit yours that his church would be complete!
(I may have told you this before but if I have, please bear me out.)
I heard about a high school that had a career day for the seniors.
To kick off the meeting they assembled all the students in the gym & the
recruiter, one by one, stood & explained how great it would be to come
& work for them. After the presentation, the students could stop by
booths & fill out applications or hand in a resume.
Included in the program were representatives from the local Armed
Forces recruiting offices.
The Army went first & touted the virtues of the education & training one
could receive in the Army.
The Air Force talked about the Technical advantages they had to offer
for those interested in High Tech.
The Navy recruiter spoke on the advantages of a career with his
organization & encouraged the students by telling them that they had
what it took to make it in the Navy.
By this point the time for the presentations was running out but there
was one recruiter left, a tough, muscular-looking Marine.
He came to the podium an stood there for a moment. He looked around
at the crowd of students & then just shook his head. He said, "I don’t
see anyone here who could make it in our program. It’s the
toughest challenge you could ever face. I don’t think any of you
have the guts to become a Marine. But I could be wrong so if you
think you’ve got what it takes come & see me after this."
After the assembly was over guess which booth had the largest number
of inquiries? The Marine was flooded with applicants.
3
We know instinctively that a commitment that requires a lot of us will
also be of the most benefit to us. When the cost & requirements &
sacrifice is high to belong to an organization, the payoff is always a
stronger character, a sense of real accomplishment, & a deeper
commitment to its success & mission.
Membership in the church of Jesus Christ should be held in the same
high regard & importance. The problem is that we’ve made it a weak,
easy, limp-wristed thing that’s usually nothing more than a name on a
piece of paper. God intends for it to be something more!!!!!
We are all equally important to the Church.
If even one piece were missing, the picture would not be complete.
Oh, you would have most of a picture, but not all.
What would it be like if you had…
 Most of your heart?
 Most of your brain?
 Most of your salvation?
It would be of no value, would it?
If you were forgiven for 99% of your sins, would you go to heaven?
No!…The wages of sin is death.
One day, a Pastor went to visit a member of his Church…One that had
not been to worship in several weeks. The man was pleased to receive
the visit. They sat having a hot cup of coffee, in front of a blazing
fireplace. The Pastor asked the man if he was okay, & the man said all
was fine. When asked why he had missed so many services, the man
replied, “Reverend, I have been studying the Bible each & every
day, praying in a very consistent manner. I have kept close to
the Lord. Why would I need to go to a Church building to study
the word & praise Him, I can do that here, at home!??”
As he was talking, a piece of the burning wood fell from the fire, rolling
off to the side. It turned a dark black color as the man spoke.
Then the Pastor said nothing. He just got up, used the tongs to pick
up this black piece of wood, & placed in back in the middle of the
fire. It instantly began to burn ever so bright.
Not a word was spoken, but the man “GOT IT!”
4
The man became one of the most active men in the Church.
You can, & should read “The Word” at home.
Study the Bible.
Praise God at home.
But to be truly on fire, we need to be where the source of fire is.
In God’s house…With God’s people…The Body of Christ…His Church!
Right now, I would like everyone to pull out that piece of the
puzzle you were given. Now look at it closely.
Have you noticed that there are no complete pictures on any
individual piece?
 Why is that?
This is because the puzzle is not completed by any one person, or
piece. It takes many to complete this picture.
Now I’d like you to look closely again at the piece you were given.
Notice that each piece is different…they are all shaped differently.
Sure, they are all similar, yet not exact. They are all different.
That is kind of like people, wouldn’t you say?
We are all similar in that most of us have 2 eyes, ears, arms, legs, a
nose, a mouth, etc….
But we are all very different in our personalities.
We all have different finger prints, different DNA.
There are men, women, blacks, Hispanics, whites, Asians,
tall people, short people, skinny people, overweight people, etc…
We are so much alike, yet so different.
I hope you can truly see the correlation here!
Each individual piece helps to complete the picture, just like each
individual person helps to complete the Body of Christ…the Church!
That is a very amazing little piece of a cardboard that you are holding.
And you are truly an amazing piece of this church!
And now, if you would, try to connect your piece of the puzzle to the
person sitting next to you!
I bet it does not fit. Do not try to force it…just see if it is from the
same cut. They don’t fit, do they?
5
Now, does that mean that you are not important to the Big Picture?
Or that your neighbor is not important to it?...Of course not!
It simply means that your 2 pieces don’t necessarily complement each
other, but they are both an equally important part of the overall
picture.
Or do you suppose that we could complete this picture without you or
your neighbor? Absolutely not!
Now, notice something else about these puzzle pieces.
The edges of each piece are completely different from any other piece.
Like I pointed out earlier, this represents the different personalities,
different thinking than the others.
Your piece may not fit with your immediate neighbor’s piece, but you
can bet that it fits with at least 2-3 others pieces here!
Kind of like people, we do not get along with all the people in the
Church, but there are those that we fit right in with! And when we get
with those people, our part of the picture is completed!
And those people that we do not get along with, they have others that
they do get along with.
Their pieces match up, & they complete their portion of the picture!
We have all tried to complete a jigsaw puzzle. We know that it takes a
lot of patience & often time. It also takes a lot of patience to build up
the Church. To complete a puzzle it takes a lot of organization as
well. When you open the box, you first try to organize the pieces by
identifying colors, marks & designs on the pieces, right?
When we try to organize the Church, we try to organize by what
everybody’s talents are, We try to find out where each person belongs
in the overall picture. The way to do that is by sorting out by the
shapes…By sorting out the Personalities & talents.
Then you slowly begin to assemble parts of the picture. Connecting
the slots one pair at a time, til it all begins to come together!
Sometimes it is very frustrating when you find two pieces that look
like they belong together, but you try & connect them & they do not
fit! So you keep trying. You keep the faith. Then, after much work, the
6
picture is complete. There are many people that actually glue their
puzzles together once they complete it. I don’t blame them;
it takes a lot of work to assemble a jigsaw puzzle. There are puzzles
that are only 10-15 pieces, & there are those that are 5000 pieces.
The Church has so many. Think about all the Christians that there
have been, there are, & that there will be.
As people come to the Church, they begin to find where they fit in.
Where their talents & gifts best match the needs of the Church. Then
the different groups are brought together by the one that assembles
the Church, Jesus Christ! Praise God! It is the Lord that puts the slots
on our piece of the puzzle.
He is the one who gives us our gifts!
Verses 27 & 28 say, “All of you together are Christ’s body, & each
of you is a part of it.
28
Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:
first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.“
We all have gifts. These gifts are what ‘bond’ us together in the Church.
Much like the slots in the jigsaw pieces, we use these to interlock with
each other.
Let’s use these gifts to complete the Church!
In closing, I ask each & everyone here today, “Where do you fit in?”
Where are your talents & gifts most beneficial to completing the Church?
I want us all to keep these pieces of the puzzle, as a reminder that we
are all a very vital link in the Church!
Without any of you, it would not be complete!
May the Lord bless each & every one of you!
…Let’s PRAY…
7