Oh, how he loves you and me. Oh, how he loves you and me. He gave his life, what more could he give? Oh, how he loves you. Oh, how He loves me! Oh, how He loves you and me! Jesus, to Calvary did go His love for mankind to show. Good morning and welcome to People's Valley Baptist Church. You've got your bulletins. I want to go over a few things and send the bulletin. First of all, I want to go over the times that we get together. Our Sunday school on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Come and join in with us. We just had a wonderful time here this morning, at least in our class, and I know the rest of you did, too. What a time to learn about Jesus and our Bible. We got to talking so much and so forth that we didn't even get all the scripture read. But that's fine. It's God's time. And we do what we can. Our morning worship service is at 11 o'clock. Our evening worship service is at 6. And our Wednesday night Bible study is at 7 o'clock over in the Fellowship Hall. And we're currently in the book of Hosea. We're doing the Minor Prophets right now. And we just started that last week. So if you want to come and join us, you're getting in on the very beginning of the study in that book. I want to thank everyone that was preparing the food and all yesterday for our spaghetti dinner. We had just a wonderful time. As most of you know, I count. That's my job. And we had a turnout of 55 yesterday with our spaghetti dinner. It was good food, good fellowship. And the donations for the dinner and all went into the WMU's missions and they did a wonderful job. You all did a wonderful job. that this afternoon at 3 o'clock we'll be singing over at Star Manor, which Hal always says is behind the old hospital. For those who don't know the old hospital, it's over by the high school. How's that? Find the best way to get there. Say? Carter. Yeah, Carter. Yeah, if you go to Gash, you're really out of the way away from You don't have to say, come and join in with us. That's an extended family of ours. We've been doing this for, goodness me, several years now. And they really, really look forward to us being there. And it's a blessing to us to be able to share with them. Like I say, they're part of the family. Let's see here, we've got some birthdays, Jim Blady on March 19th, Gavin Hernandez on the 21st, and Glenda Mulkey on the 25th. So, Davey, let's sing happy birthday to these folks. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, God bless you. Happy birthday to you and many more. Real good. We've got some anniversaries here, Wesley and Olivia Scott on the 15th. I don't see them here, but Mary, tell them we all wish them happy anniversary. Also, Hugh and Helen Bradley. On the 24th, how many years, Hugh? 71. 71 years. Amazing. Tell Helen happy anniversary. Tell her we love her. We also want to remember in memory of Francis Vaughn, Helen's sister who passed away March 24th, can you believe that, on their anniversary back in 2009. lift them up in our prayers for sure. Also, I want to mention the ladies preparing a meal for the homeless on Friday the 24th. We always say this, feed Becky if you can't help. And come on, y'all, we can help with this. We thank her for what she's doing. I'm here to tell you that I am so proud to be a part of you. What this church does is just beyond. And the prayer warriors and everything, we have many prayer requests that we continue to lift up, but God hears us and God answers our prayers. Over and over again, he does. And I thank all of you for being so so loving to God who loves you. And we thank you. Make yourselves at home here. Oh yeah, I promised Phillip I would mention. April 1st is a Saturday. We will have our men's prayer breakfast. Upcoming men, come on, enjoy this good food and fellowship. Jim Turnipseed is gonna speak at this upcoming men's breakfast, come and enjoy that. It's just a great way to get together and just have a great time. And great food, don't mind me saying, I can't even mention that. Come and enjoy it. Is there any other body moves? I knew it was important. The Annie Armstrong envelopes are out here, and the best view of them. If you want to make a donation, it goes also into the WNU mission, right? Yeah. So if you can help out, we look forward to that, and we thank you. Make yourselves at home. This is God's house. And we're so thankful for that. Thank you all. Everyone will stand and turn to page 305. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back. Though He'll go with me, I still will follow. I see Jesus The world behind me The cross before me Let's everyone turn up on page 330 first. Ask questions, come up on the last verse. What a fellowship, what a joy we've found, Leaning on the everlasting arms. What a blessing this, what a peace of mind, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, leaning, Steady hands to come all along. May I be as He is, leading of everlasting life. Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, saying thanks to you from all above. Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting Lord. What have I to drink? What have I to give? Leaning on the everlasting arms, I have blessed peace with my notes of year. Leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, leaning, leaning. Safe and secure from all alarms, Today all we do is thank you for each and every one that's here in the audience. For all the ones that couldn't be here and bring it back to the sight of the Lord. For those who don't have food, it's a danger, but it serves them as a home, Lord. Go with us in the night service, Lord. Be with our passengers on the course this morning, brethren. We need you here, Lord. We're just thankful we've honored you in this. Bless this offering. Build thy kingdom, for it's in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Let's look on that page 467. There shall be showers of blessings, this is the fullness of love. There shall be seasons refreshing, sent from the Savior above. Showers of blessings, showers of blessings we need. Mercy comes when the skies are falling, but for the showers we plead. There should be showers of blessing, precious reminding again. Hope in the hills and the valleys, sound of abundance of rain. Showers of blessing, showers of blessings we need. Mercies from kindness are falling, but for these showers we plead. There shall be showers of blessings descending upon us, O Lord. Grant to us now a refreshing, come and now utter Thy Word. Showers of blessings, showers of blessings we need. Mercy, touch, kindness are all we need, but for the showers we plead. Oh Showers of blessings, showers of blessings we need. Mercy drops from us are falling, but for the showers we plead. Well, I woke up this mornin' feelin' fine I woke up with heaven on my mind I woke up with joy in my soul Cause I knew my Lord had control Well, I knew I was fallin' in the line Oh I've got heaven on my back. Don't you know I want to go where the meaning in life flows? There's a light that always shines. Every sun is on fire. I got it on and on my mind. And I'm thinking about you all the time. I've been walkin' with Jesus all the time We're walkin' as open as we can We're travelin' up from the sky Where I know I'll live till I die He's been telling me all about that land And he tells me that everything is grand And he says that I hope we'll be fine And now I'm feeling mighty fine I got heaven on my mind. Don't you know I want to go where the melody of that honey flows? ♪ Where's the light, it always shines ♪ ♪ Tell me something, it's hard to find ♪ ♪ I got heaven on my mind ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling mighty fine ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling mighty fine ♪ ♪ I got heaven on my mind ♪ ♪ Don't you know, I want to go home ♪ ♪ With a million and a hundred more ♪ ♪ Where's the light, it always shines ♪ ♪ Down the side, it's hard to find ♪ ♪ I got heaven, heaven on my mind ♪ ♪ And a million and a hundred more ♪ That's it, y'all. Woo! We love the Lord, say amen. Amen, amen. It's good to be in this house today. I hope you're praying and listening to God. We've had a good week, and it's been a really kind of a tough week this past week because of some of the incidents that took place at home and job. I was telling some of you this past week that I had a friend that was a police officer for 15 years. And of course, I'll be careful not saying any in particular. And he worked on the college a long time. And it might be a heavy wake-up call because he broke the law. And he's probably going to be serving a lot of time. And so it really, when something like that happens, It's almost like, you know what, they're there one day, I drank a cup of coffee with him, probably Monday morning, and by that afternoon, he was on his way to jail. And I'm talking about someone in the community that teaches, coaches football, and does a lot in the community. And a 15-year veteran on the police force, I'm gonna tell you, make you think, if you're doing something wrong, you better make it right. because no one ever had any idea that when it came across out in the news, they already had it in the newspapers, that boy, his face was hitting the TV, too, by the time I got home that afternoon. And can you imagine what all good it's done for many years? But the bad that it did, I mean, it went so fast. It went across the headlines. It went on air. His picture was on there. And of all the good that he's done, he destroyed it along with a wife, a son, and a daughter. And so I say that as a wake-up call, because if there's someone here this morning, if there's something that's in your life that doesn't belong there, if you're doing something that's not right, you better seek some repentance of that and make it right between you and the Lord, because I'm going to tell you And after a six-month investigation, it turned out that they had the evidence. And so I think that is, every one of us, may we do what we're supposed to be doing. May we stay faithful, whether you're a husband or a wife, stay faithful. If you're in business, stay faithful to doing what you're supposed to be doing, amen. And so every one of us, it's easy that even if that person was a good police officer, that something went wrong in his life, I'm gonna tell you, The devil just sat back and laughed at every one of us today. And so I want to encourage you to step up and live that life that you should be living. If you're a husband, be faithful. If you're a wife, be faithful with me. Whatever job that you're doing, stay faithful and true to what your calling is this morning, because it could happen to anyone. And it's almost like he died. We've been grieving him because his family, they took him away and you won't see him for years. And so it's there one day and gone the next. This morning, as we look at, continue our series, Get Started with God, each and every one of us, as we start out today, today is a very, very important time because as we get started with God, every one of us have a place in the body of Christ. And today, of course, I had a long, long test in the back corner, but I actually shortened that thing up to, basically, I found one that was very short, within, I guess it is 42 questions. But you take this home, and if there's someone that don't know exactly what they're gifted, this is very simple to read and to understand. A spiritual gifts test. Because if you're not doing and performing what the Lord wants you to perform, you need to be performing that. And so I wanted you to take time to take out your outline this morning. We have Sister Ravonne Underwood that's going to be reading our scripture here shortly. But I want to give you time to take this out because today's message is a very, very important message. Because many of us today, we are not where we're supposed to be because we don't know what we're supposed to be doing. And every one of us have a purpose in the body of Christ. Everyone, you know, everybody's position in the body of Christ consider your gift and your talent and your ability this morning. But to God, you're important this morning. And God loves every one of us, no matter what our part in the body of Christ is. But I want to encourage you today, and particularly because of this series, is that if you don't know what your gift is, this little test right here will at least get you closer to knowing more about what you should be doing. And so this is a little bit shorter than mine, but if you wanna be real serious about it, I got a spiritual gifts test, it's in that back corner right back there. Look it up, and it's got several of them, and it'll break it down similar to the way this one does. But listen today as we go into the word of God today, and if you're able to stand this morning, will you stand as we honor the reading of God's word? And I want us to turn to a sister of Lavon Underwood as she reads her scripture this morning for us. This reading comes from 1 Corinthians 12-14. For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 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. For the body is not one member, but many and first 27. Now we are the body of Christ and members in particular. Thank you. Please be safe. Father, we thank you And Father, I pray this morning as we go before you as the body of Christ, we realize, Lord, you have blessed us with a beautiful place here. We've got a beautiful building, a beautiful fellowship hall, and plenty of room for classes. But Lord, the most important part is, Lord, the real church is not the building, but it is each and every individual that makes up this church. Every one that has come together Lord, this morning, in free part of sin, Lord, we come together this morning to lift up your name through our worship series or through the choir this morning. And now, as we take the bread of life, and as it's broken under your sheaf, oh, I ask this morning that your will would be done in each and every heart this morning, that all the message that you deliver this morning will be what we need to hear, what we need to apply to our heart and this morning with you and each and every day. Lord, I pray that you will just reset the things that are wrong in our lives. Lord, let us get on our knees. May we confess to you if there's something that doesn't belong in our part of life at this point, forgive us of our many sins and our shortcomings. And this morning, Father, I want to thank you for saving us by your lawless grace. And I, too, I want to thank you for this wonderful body of Christ, for the love of feeding the hungry, for going out and taking care of the kids in the schools that are in need with the backpack program, Father. Lord, of taking those that are in the community that are less fortunate and providing a meal for them, Father, praying for the many that have a need, Lord. And I asked you this morning that as this ministry goes forth into the community, that you'll continue to bless the many ministries Lord, through all of our wonderful, gifted men and women of God here this morning, the people of Southern Baptist Church, and especially I pray today, Father, I pray that Lord, that your seed will find a lodging place, the word of God, in that lost person's heart, whether here or whether through the air, on the outreach, that they will listen to this message this morning and receive Jesus Christ for the very first time. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen. Amen. I thank God if we look at this morning here, as we start together as a local church, we begin to realize that each part of the body of Christ is different, and that every one of us, sometimes we have a habit of, you know what, I'm just gonna compare myself with this other brother over here. I'm gonna compare myself with this other sister over here. But you know what, we shouldn't do that. Every one of us, if we encourage one another, we look around and we see someone that's singing, someone that's got an ability that we love, well, I'm gonna use them. I tell you, I'd love to see someone that wants to sing and get up and someone that is a preacher, amen, someone that's a teacher, amen, that would use those gifts, amen. And so here this morning, as we begin to look at the word of God, we need to be committed and stay faithful. I'm saying faithful. You know a lot of folks, they do things because they're faithful to their husband and their wife. You know what? They're going to get their pickle, or they're going to get their ice cream, or whatever it is that they just love that you can make one another happy. I'm going to tell you, I've got out of many, many troubles with none of those. None of those. I mean, I've been out, and I was waiting to stay out too late, witnessing out. And one time, I shouldn't have done it. I went on my anniversary. No, it was your birthday. I went on my wife's birthday, you better forgive me, that's right, don't ever do that, okay? But I did, I was a hardcore man, and I got in so much trouble for you, I'm okay. And so we do certain things, but every one of us are committed to one another. And so I thank God this morning, as we look at that commitment, we're committed to the body of Christ and what he's called us to be. Here you're placing in the body of Christ, and every one of us, we wonder, well, how do you get in the body of Christ? Here as we look at this instruction manual for the Christian life today, And I thank God as we look at that, we're realizing that we ask ourselves, how do you get everybody to cry? There's probably somebody out there that wants to know that this morning. I thank God it is something that's passive. In other words, you know what? There's a lot of folks out here saying, you know, I think I just need to change some things. I need to get myself a little bit closer. Nah, nah, nah. It's passive. You don't do anything. What you need to do is obey the Spirit of God. That's what I mean by it's passive. To get into the body of Christ, amen, is you just need to humble yourself. to confess and receive a free gift. It's passive, amen. The Lord does everything. He's the one that saves you, amen. He's the one that does what needs to be done. You don't do it, none of us. It's passive, amen. And that's how you get into the body of Christ, amen. And so I thank God every one of us. It is not only that it's passive, but it's something that's very personal. Every one of us today as we look and realize what the Lord wants to do. It's all about teamwork if we come together in the house of God this morning, man. And so, you know what? It was the church at Corinth. They were a carnal church. And they were plagued with a lot of evasions that were taking place. Here you'll read about that in the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, amen, verses 10 through 13. It talks about that. And that church never ever matured, amen, as believers. They were still like babies in the church, amen. But you know what? They began to tolerate immorality in their midst. And it talked about that all into the fifth chapter of 1 Corinthians, amen. And they still, though, had a spiritual congregation. But you know what? It seems as if that group began to go forth and push itself as a bad element, and all of the spiritual gifts that were taking place in there. And a lot of them said, you know what? I don't have this spiritual gift, but I'd like to have their spiritual gift. You know how you ever saw that? Like, you know, I wish I could sing like so-and-so. I wish I could preach or I could teach like so and so. And they got a little bit jealous, amen. And you know what they started doing? They started just coming up with their own abilities, amen. God is the one that gives us those abilities. And you know what? The Bible says that He gives everyone. The moment that you get saved, it's very personal. And so the Lord, He comes to every one of us as an individual, amen. And I thank God when God gives that Christian, amen, He does so on His own sovereign will, amen. And you can read about that, amen, in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 this morning, in verses 11, and on down in verse 18, amen. And so the people at car rent, were stepping outside of the boundaries laid down by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and they were trying to be able to practice gifts that they had not received or had not been given by our Lord and Savior. And that's so wrong. You know, I think it happens all over the world today. They call it a false doctrine sometimes and how they do it a lot of times. And so it's interesting to note that the gifts that they sought were those flashy gifts. Gifts about reaching out and trying to get attention and Putting all of the focus on themselves, amen? And this is exactly what was taking place in that time, in that day, amen? And it's so sad. But I'm gonna tell you something, it isn't something that we seek today. It's based on not what we do, amen? But it's a sovereign act of Almighty God that he saves us, amen? And so you know what? We are all, as the scripture says, it's very personal when He calls us out. And so I tell you, there's something that takes place in the life of every believer, every sinner who places their faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. I tell you, for salvation, they experience that baptism of the Holy Spirit. You know what? There's a lot of domination that says, you know what, you've got to seek out that thing. No, you don't. It's personal. When you begin to ask Jesus to come into your heart and life, you ain't gotta seek it out. It'll seek you out, amen. It'll come and knock on your heart, amen. You don't have to do any of those things, amen. Those other denominations that are telling you you gotta do those things, I don't know. It will be very personal. And it will seek you out, amen. And so I thank God, every one of us, when we look, and that moment, that Holy Spirit sets up a resonance within your life, then it begins to place you into the body of Christ. You say, well, how does it place you? I don't know. I don't know how it places you. That's something that you've got to find out. But he's given everyone in the body of Christ an ability. He's given every one of them a gift, amen. And you've got to seek that out, amen. And so you know what? Don't be afraid to take that test and say, oh, man, I don't know. I'm afraid of what I'm going to find out here, what my gift is, amen. But I think God is very personal, amen. And not only is it passive, I think not only is it personal, but it is permanent, amen. And so when the Lord does something, when he says something, sets up something in your life, it is permanent, amen. My goodness, you got lost last week, but no, you didn't. When you step out on faith and take God at his word, that very first time, it'll never have to happen again. It's permanent. What he does ain't nobody can do it any better, amen. When he comes and saves your lost soul, it's something that's permanent, amen. And I thank God you ain't like lost, saved one day and going to hell the next day. I'm gonna tell you, it's something that is permanent, amen. And I thank God he's good at what he does, amen. And so I thank God once a person has been baptized into the body of Christ, they're there to stay, amen. And I thank God every one of us as we look at the word of God this morning. Here we begin to realize that one-time action that takes place at an unspecified time, amen, in all of our past, amen. In other words, I'm saying this morning, that when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior this morning, church, I tell you, that one time, amen, for all, that is all that it needs to take place, amen, because He's got you covered for your future, for your past, for your present, amen, to come. it's permanent amen this morning well i thank god every one of us as we look at the body of christ this morning it tells us he says for as the body is one and as many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also He says, listen, he says, well, by one spirit, we're all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and we have been all made to drink into one spirit, amen, for the body is not one member, but many. Well, I thank God, you know what, as we look at this, We discovered three keys to understanding our role in the body of Christ. And I thank God as we look at those three keys, that first key is the ministry of the Spirit of what it does so good, amen. You know what? Go back over in your Bible and look at verse 4 all the way down to verse 11 if you have your Bible out, amen. We didn't read that, but that is talking about the ministry of the Spirit right there. Mark that down in your scripture, amen. I thank God because he talks about there's diversities of the gifts, but there's the same Spirit. He says, but there are differences of administration, but they're the same Lord. Listen to what he's saying. He said, there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who's working all in all. He says, but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit. We thought, well, you know what? We can read every bit of this, but you get the point. of that spirit is. It's the key to understanding our role in the body of Christ. Amen. Skipping all the way down to verse 11, he says, but all these workers that one and the self same spirit divided into every man severally as he will. Jesus began to explain all of this to his disciples in chapters John 14 all the way down to 16 when he was going to depart. And when he was going to leave, he talked about the Holy Spirit would come into their lives, amen, enabling them to fulfill the will that they would use laboring in their ministry, amen, in the new local Testament church, amen. And so Acts chapter 1 verse 4 talked about Jesus said that you need to wait for the Spirit, amen, when the Spirit arrives, amen, before you continue to minister the gospel. And you know what? That's what happened. Boy, all of a sudden, man, they got over there. And it began to do a great work. And the Bible says in Acts chapter 1 verse 4, And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which said, He, yea, have heard of me. You know what, there's two benefits that the Holy Spirit provides for every one of us when we look at the ministry of the Spirit of God. I didn't put that up there. And I thank God I didn't put it in your thing, but listen to what I'm saying this time. I didn't put everything down. The first ministry, that specific thing that we need to look at of that benefit that is being provided by the Holy Spirit is He provides a spirit of unity. That's what he provides in that ministry of that spirit. He does something that bonds us together. I want to tell you something, that when this body of Christ begin to move, we move as one. We're unified. And that's what that spirit, that ministry of the spirit does best, amen. That is one of the benefits that the Holy Spirit provides for a local assembly, amen. That when we all come together, that's what we were talking about in verses four, five, six, that provision of that miracle of unity that every one of us have when we come together. Truly a mirror of that people who are different. Amen. But yet we function in unity as one. Amen. That is the Holy Spirit that is doing that work. Hallelujah. And so there's so many things So many different backgrounds of looking around in this room. So many different talents in this room, amen. And I thank God we've all been placed in the family of God by the Holy Spirit, amen. And so I thank God that challenge that he brings us in unity together, amen. And I thank God as we look and see that the role of the body of Christ The ministry of the Spirit is not only those benefits that's provided to us by the Holy Spirit, that miracle of unity, but secondly, that second thing that it provides for us, it provides a mosaic of giftedness. As if these pieces of stained glass, of that mosaic, is as if it comes together and it begins to present the picture of the church, amen. Because every bit of it is uniquely defined as it comes together, amen. And so I thank God it is that mosaic of giftedness that it does. And in verses 8, 9, 10, and 11, that's what it's talking about. He's talking about how it comes together, all the differences. They begin to have that wisdom that the Holy Spirit has given to every one of us this morning in the body of Christ, amen. A variety of spiritual gifts, amen. And I thank God as we come together and He begins to present to us a wonderful testimony of the Creator Himself, of what He is working and doing in this ministry here. And so I thank God the gifts that have been given by God's grace. I thank God that's what He's talking about. And so every one of us have been given the prophecy, amen, the ministry of helping, amen, of teaching, amen, of exhortation, of carrying ideas of encouragement, of giving and carrying the idea of generosity, amen, of those that goes in administration and does work, amen. Some people are good at organizing, amen. Some people can take a vacation Bible school room back there, man, and make it look like a movie set, praise God, amen. Well, I thank God, hey, we've got some talent and abilities here, praise God. I tell you, we've got people that have mercy, that have such a big heart, amen, and they have compassion. There are so many different personalities, but the gifts have been chosen by God's will, amen. And I tell you, that's what he said in verse 11 of 1 Corinthians chapter 12. He says, but all these workers, that one and the self, same spirit, divine to every man, severally as he will. And so God is the one that decides who gets what gives, amen. And so you don't get to pick and choose when it comes to that area, amen. You just get to receive and you get to take it and find out what it is and work it and use it, amen, and give glory to God because you're a part of the body of Christ, amen. And so I thank God we got to move on, amen, this morning. Now we see that that second key, this morning to understand the role of the body of Christ is that metaphor of the body that he tells us. And notice the verses that I have up here. In verses 12 through 21, that it talks about all the metaphors of the body of Christ that every one of us, he's talking about. He says what in verse 12? He says, for as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. I'm gonna skip down to verse 21. And I cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head, to the feet, I have no need of you. You know what? I thank God. You know who's the head of the church? Christ. You know what? Who controls things when you're sick? It better not be nothing but the head. Amen? The hand can't control things. Your feet can't control things, your head better be controlling something. When it's the same in the body of Christ, Christ is the head of the body of Christ. And I thank God he uses that metaphor because he describes something using that word and phrase to be able to give a comparison of what God's word represents in metaphors, amen. In an effort for us to understand that his members are referred to as the flock. Acts chapter 20 verse 29 talks about that, amen. I ain't gonna read it because I don't have the time, but I'm gonna tell you the verse, you can read it later on, amen. The church is compared to a building, amen. I thank God, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 21. Verse Peter chapter 4 verse 17 is described as the house of God. These are all metaphors for us this morning that he uses to describe the church I am in. And I've got many more references, but I think, oh, they're for me and not you. We're all called the bride of Christ. How many times when we do communion that we say about that? They're metaphors that tells us. And so I thank God here in 1st 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 verse 2, for I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virtue to Christ. And so he loves every one of us. And I thank God we are his bride, amen. And so I thank God we are a picture of that metaphor, amen. And we look at four principles concerning life in the local church of these metaphors that are in the body. And I thank God one of that first principle is that we are me and yet we're one body. Every one of us, that's what he's talking about in 12, 13, 14, amen. That encouragement of oneness and unity that we have. The second principle that we look at this concerning the local church, amen, is that we are mistaken when we compare within the body, amen. And I thank God every one of us, we're to avoid within the body of Christ. And so what we should avoid is comparing our gifts. to others that are around us is what I'm talking about. Don't try to look and say, let me see. Oh, man, Brother Darrell's doing this and I need to step up and do this. Hey, it's always good, but you know what? Put your focus on Christ. Don't try to compare me or mine. You need to compare yourself with Jesus this morning, amen. Now, I don't want to be an example as a pastor yet, but I'm going to tell you something. Every one of us, when we try, may I want to be an encouragement? Yes. But don't try to say, you know what? I've got this feeling bad because I can't do what so-and-so can do. We don't need to do that. We need to avoid that. We're mistaken when we compare ourselves within the body, is what I'm saying. And so every one of us, we're many and yet we're one body. And so when we see these principles that every one of us, it doesn't take a medical surgeon to understand that every part of the body is important, regardless of the size, regardless of the shape, regardless of the functioning. But the devil will come to you and he'll say, you know what, you ain't too good with your gear. You ain't been doing that. And you know what? He'll get on your downside and he'll begin to think, well you've got to compare yourself to somebody else. No. You just need to do what God has given you the ability to do. and the Lord will use you, amen. And so we look at that third principle, not only that we're many and yet we're one body, we're mistaken when we compare ourselves within the body, but that third principle is we're made purposely and unique for the body. And so every one of us, if we're not doing what God has called us to do, then the Lord's purpose is not being fulfilled. He is not being fulfilled in everything that needs to be done in the Lord. So you don't wonder if somebody today found out what their gift is. And so what? There's something even better that is missing in the ministry here at People's Valley Baptist Church because you've never stepped up to the plate. You've never started taking the Word of God and finding out what it is that you truly should be doing this morning. And so every one of us, we're all made purposely and unique for the Bible. And so it talks about that in verses 17 down to verse 20. If it ain't any more specific than this, I don't know how it can be. But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased Him. And so I'm going to tell you this morning, what's the purpose of those spiritual gifts? Every one of us, God has given us those spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving Him as we serve others. Every one of us have a deal, a purpose for our Lord and Savior. us to do by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That job, we've all got a purpose to fulfill, amen. And so whatever yours is, you need to find out. You come up and say, well, Rich, I'd like to know what it is, you know? Take the test. Hey, find out. Take the time to ask the Lord to help you as well, to speak to you, to show you, amen. And that fourth principle concerning life in the local church is we are meant for one another within the body. Verse 21, And the eye cannot see into the hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of thee. And so every one of us, what does it tell us in verse 21? It tells us about our relationship with other individuals, the body of Christ. What does that mean? We need each other. We need each other. Every one of us, we need each other this morning. So I thank God, that is the most important thing that we can do this morning. Get to my last and almost out of time, last point is the members of the church. Not only the ministry, not only the metaphor, but also the members of the church today. You know what, I thank God when we look at membership, Look at verses 22 all the way down to verse 31 of this entire chapter that it talks about the members of the church. That is specifically what it's talking about. And I think, oh, when you start reading this, and I don't have the time, you know the word membership is so used loosely in the 21st century today. Some hold membership at country clubs out there today. They got membership at organizations and societies out there today. So no matter what it is, but I'm gonna tell you, when we say that we're members of a local assembly of church, we should never underestimate the significance of such a relationship. Because there is power in that body of Christ. There's power in prayer when we come together. And every one of us, Romans chapter 12, verses 4 and 5, for as we have many members of the one body, I've read it a while ago, and all members have not the same office. I thank God we begin to see that there is a myth about the members out there. And that myth that we see is God's way is not our ways. God's way is not our ways according to Isaiah. We tend to estimate someone's value on their appearance, on their abilities, and on their abundance. God don't look at it that way. God looks right in that heart at what you got. He don't care what color your hair is. You might be the prettiest thing on the earth out there today. He's got beauty right here inside. He's got handsome right here inside, amen. He's got all the money and all the abilities right here on the inside, praise God. And so I thank God everyone, there's a myth about the mirrors is what I'm saying. Everybody out there thinks it's something that what the world says and what TV and what Hollywood says, there's a myth. Because I'm gonna tell you something, it's all about the body of Christ today and it is not, praise God. It is something that's great God on the other hand. He places great value on every single one of you this morning in the body of Christ. And I tell you, Paul uses the human body to help us understand that in the fact that sometimes even the least favored members are the most crucial. Because there's no least and there's no most, amen. And so I thank God every one of us that we look at. Well, I thank God sometimes the most prominent members are guilty of being unavailable to God. Why? Because they don't know what their job is. They don't know what their job is. And sometimes everyone has a job, but they just don't know what it is. Sometimes a pitching. And so we are unavailable to God to help him. And so this morning, as we get ready to close out this morning, there is that myth that there's a ministry among the members. You know what it is? You heard it this morning. They were telling you about it. That ministry among the members is taking care of the local, taking care of the community, amen. Taking care of those that have a need because there's hungry people that are in the county. There's kids that are less fortunate in schools in the county, amen. But you know what the number one thing is? Taking the gospel to those that are around us. Preaching the gospel, living the gospel, sharing the good news. And so I thank God, his heads are bowed this morning. Sister Sheila starts playing softly on the piano. Where's your place in the body of Christ this morning? Every one of us have a place. And I thank God the master has placed every one of us in this body this morning. What part of your body tells the other parts what to do? The head does. Christ is the head of the church. And I want to challenge you this morning. We all have a mission. Do you know what your role is this morning in the local church? If not, We can help you find that. To be that servant that you need to be this morning. To ask God to put you to work. To be busy. God wants every one of us unified this morning. If you haven't been working together in that body, you've been slipping. You've been behind. But God says you have a purpose this morning. How about it? Send a friend if you've never got into the family of Christ. I told you earlier how you can do that. It's very easy. You just need to come as you are. It's passing. Come just like you are, amen, and you'll see Jesus Christ. It's personal, amen, but I thank God. He'll give you exactly what you need if you'll just come under before him as a sinner and say, Lord, forgive me of my sins. Be the keeper of my soul this morning. And I tell you, you'll do everything that needs to be done this morning. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. We've got a mission this morning, body of Christ. We're responsible for what He has us to do. And I want to ask you this morning, do you know what it is? Do you know your purpose? Do you know your calling this morning? Father, I want to thank you for the message. I want to thank you for all that's been said and done here this morning. And I pray, God, that you will work hope, a miracle, a miracle in someone's life this morning, that let them have the desire to seek out and to step out and to fulfill And Lord, I pray mostly for that sinner that will take that first step of faith and start to realize the most greatest gift is awaiting their arrival. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen. As we stand together this morning, look at the page number 294. 294 this morning. I want to open the doors of People's Valley Baptist Church this morning. By letter, you're already in good standing with another church already been saved, that you can transfer that letter. Or based on the statement of faith, that church may not even be still standing. They may not even have a place that's there anymore, but you've been saved. But you'll come based on the statement of faith that you've been saying, amen. Or if you've never been baptized, you come and join. by baptism where you've never ever stepped out on faith and through the commandments that he tells us about, accepting baptism, amen, as that ordinance, and communion, the second ordinance, amen, that you can come and join that way this morning as we sing. Senator Friend, you can come this morning.