First Corinthians 11:27-30 reads, “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die prematurely).”
Notice the progression shown in the last sentence — weak, then sickly, then premature death.
There’s a twofold application to this passage:
1) “not discerning the Lord’s (physical) body” — Those who don’t discern that Jesus paid the price with His own blood and body for our salvation, healing, and victory don’t exercise their faith to receive what His body and blood purchased for us, and that’s the cause why many are weak, sickly, and die prematurely.
2) “not discerning the Lord’s (spiritual) body” — This refers to not discerning the Body of Christ that’s in the earth today, and Christians not discerning their place and their responsibility as a member of the Body of Christ.
Paul said that for this cause — for not discerning either Hisphysical body or His spiritual body — “MANY are sick, weak, and die prematurely.” Not a few, but many.
First Corinthians 12:18 tells us, “But now hath GOD SET the members every one of them in the body, as it hath PLEASED him.” Every member has a place in the Body of Christ where they are to function, and it’s God who sets each member. Since it’s God Himself who sets us in a place in the Body, then we are not authorized to vacate the place where He sets us. When people don’t discern the place God has set them, and they don’t function in that place, this is one cause why many are weak, sickly, and die prematurely.
According to this verse, God sets us in the place where it PLEASES HIM. If He is pleased to set us in a particular place, then we are to be pleased to be in that place and not want a different place of our own choosing.
When we are in the place God set us, then we will RECEIVE a supply for our own lives in that place, and we will BRING a supply to others.
Ephesians 4:16 tells us, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint SUPPLIETH, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
This verse lets us know that when every member of the Body is occupying and functioning in the place where they fit, they will BRING a supply to the Body of Christ, and they will also RECEIVE a supply for their own life. The result will be that the Body will increase and be built up and strengthened.
When the lives of Christians are lacking, many times it’s due to them not being in the place where God has SET them, therefore, they aren’t receiving what they need.
We don’t just fit everywhere — we fit where GOD SETS us.
My husband used to say, “If you don’t know what part you are to bring to the Body of Christ, just serve in your local church based on your natural abilities, and as you are faithful to do that, your supernatural abilities will kick in.”
My husband’s testimony includes how he got saved in a Full Gospel church on a Sunday morning. That night, he said to the pastor, “For 25 years I have served the devil, but now I want to do something for God. Is there anything I can do around here?”
“Yes,” the pastor said. “We don’t have anyone to clean the church toilets.”
Ed said, “Then that’s my job. I’ll do it!” And he did.
He began functioning in his place in the Body of Christ by cleaning the toilets. When he was found faithful with that, he was promoted to door greeter, then to deacon, then he began to pastor, and finally God promoted him into the ministry office he was born for.
As he set his hand to something he was capable of doing, God promoted him — he progressed in the anointing because he began by serving in any place available to him in the local church, and God promoted him. He brought his supply, and he received a supply.
What an honor to be a member of the Body of Christ! What an honor to be set by God in a functioning place — in a place where we BRING a supply to God’s family, the Body of Christ that is in the earth, and we RECEIVE a supply for our lives through His Body.
That’s why it is not only important, but vital to be in the local church where God directs you. We don’t fit just anywhere — we fit where HE SETS us!
Discerning our part and bringing our supply to the Body of Christ is a matter of life and death, for Paul said that for this cause of not discerning the Body of Christ, many are weak, sickly, and die prematurely.
But because we can see the importance of discerning our part, we choose to discern and stay in the place where He sets us. It pleases Him when we are occupying and functioning in the place where He sets us, and it is our joy and delight to do that which pleases our Father.