https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGgJ7MdzF8s
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon, which is normally broadcast every Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love, sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Yeshu Ha-Notzri or in English Jesus Christ of Nazareth in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube & Twitch & TruthSocial & Instagram & Facebook
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio & Wedding Chicks
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- We are praying today for my dear friend JB who had a very bad fall three weeks or so ago and broke her hip. She is home resting and doing physical therapy after recovering from surgery and staying until the doctor is confident, she will manage, which has been updated for another month from now. Keep her husband EB in prayer as he stays home alone until she gets back from her stay at the hospital. My husband and I have been helping with their errands along with another neighbor.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings is currently in rehabilitation after losing his fingertips to serious third-degree burns. He is healing very slowly and has just had his stitches removed two weeks ago now. Please pray for his healing and that his pain is treated like it should be treated, not as an afterthought.
- We continue to pray for my sister-in-law Fran who is still fighting cancer. She has been scheduled for a special scan to see if the cancer is gone. Please pray for this cancer to be gone forever.
- We continue to pray for a friend of ours, Alexis, who is in desperate need to improve her current situation and is seeking to sell things she owns to help her with this. If you want more information, send me a private message and I’ll pass on the information.
- We continue to pray for my Mama who had a small scare earlier this week involving a short fall. She has had a lot of anxiety issues lately after the loss of my sister almost a year ago. She has also been told not to drive any longer, which frustrates her even more right now. These anxiety issues are really devastating for her and for the family, so please keep all of them in prayer.
- We continue to pray for all sufferers and survivors of the various types of cancer, including several survivors of the disease, Evangelist Cal Jennings’ brother-in-law David Doyle, JB’s sister Debbie, Jerry, our friend Alexis, my Aunt Donna, and my friend Kelly.
- We pray for those who are in the path of dangerous weather, and other dangerous conditions, including wildfires, storms, flooding, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, worldwide like those in South America earlier this week.
- We pray for the various outreach ministries we have joined with, with their leaders, Pastor Jared Otieno, Pastor George Ototo, Pastor Stephen Okoth, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, Pastor Amir Aneel, Sister Santhi Swaroopa, Pastor Duke Moenga, and others in Kissee, Nairobi, and other places in Kenya, Pakistan, and India.
- We pray also for our American outreach ministries, including Rev. Lisa Tyler on the other side of Georgia from where I am and Rabbi Karen L. Hertzog with her ministry, Way Maker Messianic Jewish and Christian Center – USA as well.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have a great deal of things to pray for and a great many as well. We pray for the victims that were lost in the earthquakes earlier this week. We pray for the many who are injured and ill in our ministry, our friends, including JB, our family, and more. We pray for the homeless and the helpless around this world. We pray for the many victims of violence, prejudice, and terrorism in this world. We pray for those still under the thumb of slavery and oppression. We pray for the unjustly persecuted and prosecuted. We pray for the friends and family who have been fighting cancer including Fran, David, and Debbie and others. We pray for those who survived cancer, including Kelly, Alexis and many more, that they continue to remain well. We pray for the nations at war. We pray for all this in Your Holy Name through our Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Old Rugged Cross
Sermon: Today we are discussing the next seven verses from 1 Corinthians 12. Now, I had to tie two of them together because, as you know, I avoid separating a sentence or a thought unless there are no choices. This specific segment of this chapter deals with how each member of a congregation connects to the next. Now, sometimes that is more difficult to see in some church bodies, including our own, because we do not get to physically see each other every week, but, as someone once said, our eyes are not always required, it is our hearts, our spirits, our minds, our souls, which would be. God wants us to use all of our senses in exploring His unconditional love, that means more than sight, touch, hearing, or even smell. You can’t utilize those without utilizing your mind and spirit to connect them. With that, let’s begin here.
1 Corinthians 12:13-14 KJV –For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
NIV –For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Paul isn’t exaggerating in the fact that we have many parts of the body. All it takes is paying attention. There are two arms, two legs, a torso and a head for almost every person. But, this is not what he is discussing here. Paul is discussing the body of the church, which has Yeshua Ha Notzri Jesus Christ of Nazareth as its Head Minister and each, and every, one of us as the body of that church. Now, that’s a lot of moving, breathing parts. Yet, each one of us has a job to do within the church. Some of that is all inclusive, like listening and hearing, seeing and speaking, sharing and caring, giving and receiving, doing and consuming. There are so many components that we share within the church body that it takes a good while to understand how and why they work together in a contiguous state of mind and spirit. This is what Paul portrays with his references. Here are two from the Old Testament.
Isaiah 44:3-5 KJV – For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
NIV – For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. 5 Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV – Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
NIV – I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Paul now includes three from the gospel of John the Beloved as well as his letter to Rome and also the first letter Peter wrote.
John 7:37-38 KJV – In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
NIV – On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
John 8:35-36 KJV – And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
NIV – Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 13:5 KJV – After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
NIV – After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Romans 6:3-4 KJV – Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
NIV – Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Romans 10:12 KJV – For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
NIV –For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
1 Peter 4:10 KJV –As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
NIV – Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
It’s important that we realize everything, and everyone, has a purpose within the church, and here on earth. Now, that’s going to be a specific point to discuss within this sermon and within the Scriptures, because it is parallelled all over the place. This is what Paul shares next.
1 Corinthians 12:15 KJV –If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
NIV –Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
Paul dives into the Historical and Prophetic Scrolls of the Old Testament with this one just to get us started.
Judges 9:8-15 KJV – The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
NIV –One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’ 10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’ 11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’ 12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’ 13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’ 14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’ 15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
2 Kings 14:9 KJV –And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
NIV – But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.
Isaiah 49:16 KJV – Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
NIV – See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Isaiah 52:7 KJV – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
NIV – How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Paul adds insight from his letters to Galatia and Ephesus as well.
Galatians 6:4 KJV – But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
NIV – Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Ephesians 2:19 KJV – Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
NIV – Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
Ephesians 5:30 KJV – For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
NIV – for we are members of his body.
Again, Paul reiterates that every person, and every part of that person, has a purpose within the church. This remains an important concept even to this day in the church, no matter the type of church that would be, whether virtual or physical. Every church that focuses on Yeshua Ha Notzri Jesus Christ of Nazareth and His teachings of God the Father through Scripture would absolutely need to focus on the Body of Christ within the Church itself. It is of vital importance and also remains vital for our ability to thrive as a ministry of His love, faith, hope and peace.
1 Corinthians 12:16 KJV –And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
NIV –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 stop being part of the body.
Paul focuses on the Poetic Scrolls of the Old Testament with this one.
Psalm 94:9 KJV – He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
NIV – Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?
Proverbs 20:12 KJV – The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
NIV – Ears that hear and eyes that see—the Lord has made them both.
Paul adds the Word as shared through Yeshua Ha Notzri Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew before including references from his letters to Rome and Ephesus.
Matthew 13:16 KJV – But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
NIV – But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
Romans 12:4-5 KJV – For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
NIV – For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Ephesians 5:29 KJV – For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
NIV – After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—
Paul further clarifies what the body of Christ truly is, comparing it to the human body, which is God’s creation just as the church would be.
1 Corinthians 12:17 KJV –If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
NIV –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?
Here are four Old Testament references from the Torah, the Prophetic Scrolls and the Poetic Scrolls as well.
Genesis 27:27 KJV – And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:
NIV – So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.
Deuteronomy 29:4 KJV – Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
NIV – But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
Psalm 49:9 KJV – That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
NIV – so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
Isaiah 50:5 KJV – The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
NIV – The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.
Paul adds just one Gospel verse with the Word as shared by Yeshua Ha Notzri Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Mark 4:23 KJV – If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
NIV – If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Again, Paul shares that the body of the church, just as the human body, would have parts as ordained by our Heavenly Father with this next verse.
1 Corinthians 12:18 KJV –But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
NIV –But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
Here are five Old Testament points of view that Paul utilizes for reference in this one.
Psalm 139:13-16 KJV – For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
NIV – For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Proverbs 16:4 KJV – The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
NIV – The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.
Isaiah 46:10 KJV – Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
NIV – I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
Daniel 4:35 KJV – And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
NIV – All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
This time there is only one New Testament reference that is not repetitive with the others already mentioned. That would be written by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 17:26 KJV – And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
NIV – From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
Our final verse today from this first letter to Corinth is this one, and it is as logical as all the rest.
1 Corinthians 12:19 KJV –And if they were all one member, where were the body?
NIV –If they were all one part, where would the body be?
Paul includes four references here, three from the Old Testament Torah, Poetic and Prophetic Scrolls and one from Peter’s first letter.
Genesis 2:7 KJV – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
NIV – Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Job 10:11 KJV – Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
NIV – clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
Ezekiel 37:7-8 KJV – So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
NIV –So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
1 Peter 4:11 KJV – If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
NIV –If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Each and every person is important in the church body. Whether we are leadership or followers. Each of us has a purpose within the church. Some of us help with prayer. Others help with studying. Still more help with congregating in one place. There are those who focus on the music. Some help heal the rifts between us. We need to remember that sure, we are individuals, we are unique from each other, but that uniqueness allows us something amazing. It allows us the ability to bring hearts, minds, and spirits together so that we might grow in faith and belief through the hope and unconditional love that Yeshua Ha Nozri Jesus Christ of Nazareth brings us. We do that by showing each other how faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: In the Garden
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & Twitch & USAlife
Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2026 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to
exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is
created through fear
together as the bringers of the
light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
No comments:
Post a Comment