Everything in Its Place

I.  The nature of the local church.  (1 Cor. 12:27)

     The local church is to be a local, living picture of what the church as a whole is.  No member is the full body, but all the parts, all who are truly saved, belong to the one body.

II.  The nature of the gifted and the gifts.  (1 Cor. 12:28)

     Both individual and gifts are given to the church by the Holy Spirit.  These gifted people include apostles, prophets, and teachers.  That there is a hierarchy of the gifts is indicated in the words first, second, third, then, and then.  Some gifts are more necessary to the edification of the church than are others, but none is without some importance.

III.  The nature of the members.  (1 Cor. 12:19-20)

     No member has all the gifts of the Spirit, and no member is to then think himself to be above needing the other members of the body.

IV.  The natural desire of the church.  (1 Cor. 12:31a)

     To desire the greater gifts, those most necessary to the building up of the body of Christ.