Bible Activity

Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “I will do my part in God’s plan.”

Note that the suggested answers are from the New Living Translation. If children are using different translations, their answers will vary.

This Bible study will help us more fully understand how God looks at the different parts we can all play to accomplish His purpose.

Have the children look up the passage in the Bible and then choose volunteers to read the verses aloud. Lead a discussion with the questions and comments below.

1 Corinthians 12:12–22,26–27

¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. ¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? ¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” ²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. ²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

1. The body of Christ means all of the believers who form the Church—not just here where we live, but the Church throughout the entire world. In verse 12, the Apostle Paul compares the body of Christ to what? The human body and all of its parts.
2. In verse 13, what—or rather who—do all believers share in common? God’s Spirit.
3. Who has a part in God’s plan? All people, everyone who believes in Christ.
4. In verses 13–14,20, how many parts are there, and how many bodies? One body with many parts.
5. Keeping in mind that Paul is comparing the human body to the church body, what are verses 15–16 saying? That we should value the parts we play in the body. We shouldn’t see others as more important.
6. In verse 17, Paul talks about the importance of each part for the body to function properly. What does this tell us about the church body? We can’t all have or play the same parts, roles, tasks. There are different parts needed to function properly. Not everyone can do the same thing. If everyone did the same thing it wouldn’t function properly and would be odd.
7. In verse 18, God created the human body. He also created the body of Christ. What does this verse say about the different parts of the church? He will call, enable, gift, and place people in specific places and positions in the body of Christ just as with the human body. There are many parts and roles to fill in the church.
8. Verse 19, what would happen if everyone was called to be a pastor in the body? There would be no one to do the other jobs in the church. Not everyone could possibly do the same thing at the same time. There would be a conflict with the styles and the way things should be done.
9. What would happen if everyone was a worship leader and tried to lead music at the same time? There would be confusion and conflict. Not all can be the worship leader. It would not be a pleasing sound or harmonious.
10. In verse 21, the eyes and head are very important to the human body—yet can they do everything that is needed? Are the hands and feet really needed; explain? Yes, as important as the head and eyes are—they cannot move us or lift and hold things for us. They cannot take action. Each part can only do certain jobs and needs the rest of the body to function properly.
11. Raise your hand if you have ever felt like your job or part wasn’t as important as someone else’s. What do verses 21–22 say about that? There are no unimportant jobs. All need to do their parts for the group to function properly. We are all needed.
12. What do verses 26–27 say about our relationship with others in the body of Christ? We are connected through Christ—we are not on our own. We must watch out and care for one another. We need each other to complete the body of Christ so it works properly. We are not to be prideful, selfish or jealous. We are to be genuinely happy for each other, and honor, respect and comfort one another in genuine love.    

Conclusion: God has empowered us with spiritual gifts and abilities to work together, with all doing their parts to accomplish His purpose.