ALL GOD'S PEOPLE GOT A PLACE

Exodus 18:13-23
I Corinthians 12:4-11


"All God's creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher,
Some sing out loud on a telephone wire,
Some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they've got now."

("All God's Creature's Got a Place in the Choir" by Bill Staines.  Watch Celtic Thunder's performance of this song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqm-S9J1s_k)


It would be pretty foolish for me to try to sing the "Hallelujah Chorus" from George Frederic Handel's Messiah all by myself.  It takes a full choir singing six part harmony to do it justice.  Add a full orchestra and that's when the full power and majesty of this classical piece comes to life.

(Listen to the London Philharmonic Orchestra and chorus:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueoezKK0RA)

Jethro, the Midian priest, visited his son-in-law, Moses, to see how the Exodus was going.  He watched Moses spend all day, day after day, mediating disputes, counseling others and trying to solve every body's problems.

"Son," said Jethro to Moses, "You're going about this all wrong!  If you spend all your time taking care of other people's business, you're not going to have time to take care of your own business, the business God has called you to -- leading these folks to the promised Land.  

 What you have to do is share the ministry.  Find people who have gifts of wisdom and compassion, people skills and the life experiences to minister to the needs of the people while you focus on your own ministry -- bringing God's word to the Israelites and being their leader." 

 The same is true in the church.

 The Body of Christ, the church, is not about one individual or about a few individuals, it is a community united as one body under one Lord, Jesus Christ, empowered by one spirit, the Holy Spirit with one purpose -- to make disciples for Christ for the transformation of the world.h

 The Holy Spirit is like a music director who hands out the perfect part for us according to God's loving will for us along with a special gift that empowers us to play our part. " Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of  are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful!" (I Corinthians 12:4-11, MSG)

 All God's people got a place in the church.  When we are playing our parts, sharing our gifts in a harmony of love and faith, then the full power and majesty of God's song of salvation rings through our community and the world.

 And every part is needed.  It's not just about the pastor.  We need:
  • Our paid staff.
  • Our elected leaders and committees.
  • Our women's and our men's groups.
  • Those who serve in our health and lay pastoral care ministries.
  • Our worship servants -- the ushers, the greeters, the liturgists, the musicians and choir, the acolytes and the people who do the children's sermons.
  • Our lay servants and those who faithfully pray for this church, for others and for the world -- our prayer warriors.
  • Our Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders.
  • The people who clean the church, make the coffee, empty the waste baskets and hundreds of other things that make our church hospitable and a resource for ministry.
As the minister is a gift of God's grace to the people, the people are a gift of God's grace to the minister.  Each of us is gifted by the Holy Spirit, and God has chosen the perfect place for us to use our gifts, our talents and our life experiences.  

And together, we are one in Christ, one in mission.  We are the Body of Christ.


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