Ryan Atkinson
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
“One Band, One Sound! When one of us is late, we are ALL late! When one of us looks and sounds bad, we ALL look and sound bad! Section leaders, what is our concept? ‘One Band, One Sound!’
I LOVE this concept! There is so much said in those four impactful words. Some of you may recognize this snip-ped of dialogue from the 2002 movie “Drumline.” The movie focuses on the fictional Atlanta A&T University marching band (which was heavily based on my beloved alma mater’s world-famous marching band known as “The Blue and Gold Marching Machine from THE North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC).
The main character, Devon, who is a natural on the snare drum, shuns and shirks this idea of unity throughout much of the movie by believing that he—is—the band. Very early in the movie, Devon’s section leader becomes ravenously jealous of Devon’s talent and plots his demise. This, of course, creates tension between the two main characters that eventually spills over into the rest of the band, creating more division. This once-powerful marching body is now muted because its heart is split. However, as the movie progresses, our two main characters learn that the band is greater than them and their talents. That each individual section must work together in harmony to create a beautiful and powerful sound. Everyone depended on everyone else. It took everyone utilizing their gifts to unify and produce one sound.
Now, in the movie, there are several themes intertwined throughout, such as teamwork and unity, trust and integrity. Still, the movie also poses a few intriguing questions, like, “What does it mean to be a part of something bigger than me? How can we temper our egos when we may not be the ones in the spotlight? On the flip side of that, how do we temper our egos if we are in the spotlight? Is it worth continuing with the band or this body if I’m not on the field or get a solo?” These are some tough questions that all the main characters in the movie had to explore at some point.
I believe this concept of unity and these questions can be applied to many aspects of life, including life in the church and as a Christian. “One Band, One Sound” is a mantra that reminds us that we are stronger together than we are alone. Everyone brings something that is needed to the table.
Turn to your neighbor and say, “One Band, One Sound.
But this mantra is not always that simple in practice, is it? I mean, it’s easy to say, easy to remember, and even easier to post on social media or put on banners. I’m pretty sure the session would approve of putting it on a banner in the front yard of the church. But it’s a lot harder to practice, right? It gets even more complicated if we were to apply this concept to Christianity. Would our actions truly reflect the love and compassion that Jesus taught us?
When we think of all the denominations and Christian sects, it’s overwhelming. There are roughly forty-two denominations within the Presbyterian faith alone. That may not sound like a lot to you, but when you think of all of those theologies, practices, and rituals, it can be daunting. One Band, One Sound would mean that all believers—Catholics and Protestants, Southern Baptists and Quakers, reformed and non-reformed alike—all believers across the globe—working together in harmony and unity to build up the church. This is the way it should be, right? All of us working together in a world that seems determined to rip itself apart. But we’re human, and that’s not how it goes.
Instead, we often see division after division and discord after discord across the board and among different Christian denominations, with disagreements on everything from theology to rituals to political affiliations to whether or not the Ten Commandments should be posted in public schools or free lunches be given to students. These cause deep rifts that cannot heal overnight. Struggling for unity in anything, including the church, is challenging. Being a Christian is HARD. I’ve said it a dozen times.
Working with other Christians is even HARDER—especially when we don’t see eye to eye on a topic. Working together toward a shared vision is hard work. We all have our way of doing something, and if we’re honest, we think that our way is the best way, and we don’t want to be challenged or told that it’s not the best way—especially if we’re the “expert.” It’s very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when we get caught up in our own pride. Being part of the body doesn’t mean you go at it alone. The body comes with you. But we don’t want to believe that.
Turn to your neighbor and say, “One Band, One Sound.”
This is part of what the Corinthian churches were wrestling with in our text today. This question of what it means to be a part of the body of Christ. If I am not an “important” or an “essential” part of the body, do I really belong? This concept of being interconnected with and dependent upon other believers was challenging for the Corinthian Christians as it is for us today.
Today’s passage gives us one of the most meaningful descriptions of the church in all of Scripture. It is also one of the most meaningful messages in the Bible on the church that can be taught and studied. The Corinthians were an interesting bunch. They had a ton of questions for Paul and were heavily influenced by the many cultures that inhabited Corinth. Questions concerning moral laxity in the church, marriage, Christian liberty and personal rights, public worship, and the resurrection of the dead, to name a few. They were dealing with a lot, and the city they lived in did not help them much either. Corinth was a large and diverse cosmopolitan city with a large population of Greeks, Latins, Jews, Egyptians, Syrians, and Asiatics who possessed various levels of material prosperity, and the house churches of Corinth reflected this diversity. With two natural harbors and shipping from the east and west, Corinth was a commercial paradise. However, the city was not egalitarian—it was an oligarchy that was hierarchal, elitist, and heavily influenced by Roman culture and values–which were to attain public status, promote one’s own honor, and secure power. Sound familiar?
As we look at our text, we see that Paul continues speaking about the gifts of the Spirit given to believers to be used “for the common good” (v.7). He now pivots to how these gifts work in concert with each other to help build up and unify the body of Christ, not against each other, tearing it down. To better explain this, Paul ingeniously and humorously uses the complex human body as a metaphor. The human body, with its many different parts, responsibilities, and significances, all working in concert with a common goal, is super complex, much like a marching band. Just think of all that happens in the body as you walk, operate a wheelchair, or walk with braces. According to the World Health Organization, the general count is 315 organs–if we count each bone and tooth separately. Counting every ligament and tendon would further dramatically increase the total number of organs. All of them working together make up the one body. It has to be taken care of and maintained in order to function correctly–and so it is with the body of Christ. There are many members blessed with different gifts.
Paul then expounds on the body metaphorically, giving examples of how disunity can occur in it and highlighting the significance and value of each member and how it works together. Paul also brings to the forefront what we call today an inferiority complex, when you may feel less gifted, less able, less capable, or inadequate. I’m sure that everyone has felt this at least once in their lives. I cannot tell you the number of times that I felt this during my time in seminary. So many times, when I left class, wondering what I was doing in seminary and telling myself that I wasn’t good enough and yelling and asking God why he called me to this. And why did I listen to His call?
In these first two verses, you have an interesting conversation between body parts. In Verse 15, we have the foot exhibiting jealousy of the hand and feeling like it doesn’t belong—that it has no real significance in the body. How many of us here today have felt this before? That we don’t belong. That we’re not good enough. If we think of the hand, it is beneficial and significant, right? We communicate volumes with our hands, both positive and negative. We put rings on our fingers to signify marriage or prestige with a class ring or wealth. We give directions with our hands. We also use our hands to build or destroy. We use our hands as a gesture of respect or admiration when we salute, shake, or give someone a high-five. Most of the time, our hands are exposed to the world. The foot, on the other hand (no pun intended), is often covered. You don’t often see people’s bare feet all the time. People do wear rings on their toes, but I’d be willing to bet that if they are wearing shoes, they probably won’t put the toe ring on. People don’t always take care of their feet either, or it’s an afterthought.
With all this in mind, I can see why the foot may feel some kind of way. It is not in the limelight like the hand. It may not be in the choir clapping. It may not be playing the drums. It may not be writing some of the most beautiful liturgies our ears have heard. It may not always have the privilege of being adorned with precious stones or have the honor of shaking a dignitary’s hand, BUT-IT-IS-STILL-PART-OF-THE-BODY, and it has something to offer. Just because your name may not be called out or in the announcements doesn’t mean that you’re any less important. In fact, you’re more important, as Paul says here in verse 23. Those in the spotlight wouldn’t be in that position without the support of those behind the scenes.
My offensive line coach in high school always told us and the newcomers: “Don’t expect to get your name in the paper playing in this position. If you’re looking for that, then you should lose 50-75 pounds and join the backs and receivers or leave. However, without us, they can’t do their jobs, which means we won’t win ball games. They are dependent upon us just as much as we are dependent upon them.”
What Paul wants us to do here is to focus on what makes us more significant in the body, not less. What gifts we are blessed with and how they make us significant in the body, and how they can be used to build up and unify the church. If everyone were in the choir, who would play the organ? A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different but similar parts arranged and functioning together, and so it is with the body of Christ. Each one of us members of the body is necessary. Each one of us members has an essential function. Each one of us members is set in the body as God wills. Each one of us members is distinct, but together, there is only one body. We are all blessed with gifts of the Spirit and have a purpose and place that God has arranged.
We are the one body of Christ. Imagine if we truly lived into this theology in a world that wants us divided. Imagine what could be accomplished if we followed the nudging of the Spirit, got out of our own way, and built bridges instead of walls. Easier said than done, I know. But you are doing it here at Trinity! In my time here at Trinity (which has been splendiferous, by the way), I have seen the Spirit break dancing because of what is going on here. From the little pantry to the garden, to Together at Trinity, to giving all voices a voice, and to all the ministries and events that happen here at Trinity–you are building those bridges!
So, I challenge us today to remind ourselves each day that each of us is special and that we belong. Discern your gifts by spending time with and asking the Spirit and those around you what those gifts are if you need clarification. Take a hard, prayerful, and in-depth look at yourself and ask yourself what you are good at and where your passions lie. Ask the Spirit to help you utilize these gifts to prayerfully continue solidifying the bonds here at Trinity and reach out to those visitors or those with whom we may have lost contact. We cannot expect unity in the world if we cannot unify here. There are a ton of other ways that we could approach this, but the point is to do something. Ask God to point blank to show you, and I am confident God will come through. So let us go boldly as disciples, trusting in the Spirit’s guidance.
Turn to your neighbor and say, “I’m gonna try this tonight!”
Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Blessings upon you all.