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. 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. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 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. 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. 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? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as
he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 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!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, 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, 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, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have
equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 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. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent
way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Cor 12:12 - 1 Cor 13:3
Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
Eph 5:23
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps
and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell
asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are
going out.' "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go
to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The
virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was
shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one
talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work
and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts
with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he
said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and
share your master's happiness!' The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me
with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and
share your master's happiness!' Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew
that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where
you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is
what belongs to you.' His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where
I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that
when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Matthew 25:1 - 30
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of
wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble
purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive
shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap
from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support
the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.
Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who
fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.
Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able
to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and
contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more
readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Romans 11:17-24
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and
he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've
been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it
down! Why should it use up the soil?' "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around
it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
Luke 13:6 -10
