WORSHIP RESOURCES
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
(Ordinary Time)
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Sacred the Body
Additional Scriptures
1 Samuel 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; John 1:43-51
Preparation
For the Focus Moment you will need a large piece of butcher paper (enough to outline a small child) displayed for all to see, markers, and other craft items to decorate the image.
Prelude
Welcoming Hymn
“When the World Is Babbling Round Us”
CCS 217
OR “We Are Children of Creation”
CCS 340
Welcome, Joys, and Concerns
Call to Worship
Many different voices are calling us, telling us where we belong, telling us what to do, telling us what is right and wrong. Most different perspectives are good, but not those that separate us from the spirit of Christ. Some voices are very strong, even demanding, and discernment is necessary to walk the path toward Jesus. We are the body of Christ. And God loves every single one of us for who we are.
Small Group Activity
I invite all of you to choose a part of your body that you connect with the sacred. For instance, your hands because you make pies for the potluck or you hold a child, your eyes to see into a person’s soul, your big toe because you’d be off-balance without it. I ask you to stand and greet each other and tell them that part of your body, what it is, and why it connects to the sacred.
Opening Hymn
“Somos el cuerpo de Cristo/We Are the Body of Christ"
CCS 337
OR “Friend of the Streetwalker"
CCS 289
Invocation
Response
Focus Moment: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Read the scripture. Ask for a child to volunteer. Place the child in front of butcher paper and trace the outline of their body (in front of the congregation for all to see). Have fun decorating the outline as time allows. Write the word b-o-d-y at the top of the butcher paper.
In today’s scripture what kind of body is this (sacred)? Write s-a-c-r-e-d inside the body outline.
What was another word used for body in the scripture (temple)? Write t-e-m-p-l-e under the word body. Lead a discussion about bodies as temples. What examples might people have of this idea?
Ask participants to turn to CCS 140, “Sacred the Body.” Ask a volunteer to read the first stanza.
In pairs, discuss how we can “treat flesh as holy.”
Ask a volunteer to read the second and third stanzas. Lead a provocative discussion in the large group of these questions:
What’s the “best” body type? Why? Who told us so?
We are all different. How do we recognize the Worth of All Persons?
What are some ways we can improve our group, our city, our country, our world to value all persons?
With so much variety, how can we create a sacred body (collective) of people who follow Christ?
Close by reading the fourth stanza.
Prayer for Peace
Hymn of Peace
“It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord”
CCS 208
OR “O May Your Church Build Bridges”
CCS 224
OR “We Need Each Other’s Voice to Sing"
CCS 324
Light the Peace Candle.
Peace Prayer
Author of shalom,
We do not feel ready, though we yearn for peace here and now. It may not seem like it is our time, and yet we know you provide. You have revealed your greatness to us, and now it is time for us to be mirrors of your peace in the world, reflecting hope in the desolate places, shining peace in lonely corners.
There are so many divisions in our world; divisions that make peace seem like a dream. We remember today that you love each and every person in this world: the young and old, the wealthy and poor, the free and the captive, the kind-hearted and the cruel, and every person between. And just as you love us all, you also have hopes for peace for us all, too. You can make this dream a reality.
You can turn water to wine. You, who can turn the forsaken into the delighted.
You, who is peace. You are with us. May we be mirrors of your peace.
In the name of Jesus, the worker of miracles, Amen.
—Tiffany and Caleb Brian
Ministry of Music OR Congregational Hymn
“Sacred the Body"
CCS 140
OR “God, Renew Us by Your Spirit”
CCS 237
Sharing in the Spoken Word
Based on 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Disciples’ Generous Response
Generosity Hymn
“With Gifts That Differ by Your Grace"
CCS 328
OR “Though the Spirit’s Gifts Are Many”
CCS 334
Video
CofChrist.org/video/with-new-eyes
In this Disciples’ Generous Response Moment, Joelle Wight shares how our outlook and generous, faith-filled actions can benefit our world in the retelling of an African parable.
If your congregation is meeting online, remind participants they can give through CofChrist.org/give or at eTithing.org (consider showing these URLs on screen).
Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes
Closing Hymn
“Spirit of Christ, Remember Me”
CCS 221
OR “Give Thanks for Life”
CCS 563
Benediction
Postlude
SERMON AND CLASS HELPS
Year B—Letters
Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Ordinary Time)
1 Corinthians 6:12–20
Exploring the Scripture
The Christians in Corinth were divided with many questions about living their new faith. Paul’s letters to this group tried to help them find unity and a sense of community amid disagreement. Paul speaks with clarity to all sides and upholds his perspective on faithful living. The range of topics covered provided, and continues to provide, insights for the church through the ages. The challenge for each generation is how to read Paul’s guidance in context and responsibly interpret the more profound principles for our lives as disciples in our own time.
Chapters 5 through 11 of 1 Corinthians speak about problems of various behaviors, based on what Paul is hearing, and responses to questions he received. Today’s and next week’s (1 Corinthians 7:29–31) scriptures provide instruction for faithful living.
Paul begins with a statement we often find in the letters that “all things are lawful”
(v. 12). The belief was that freedom as Christians, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, meant freedom from established rules about their behavior. Paul teaches that their freedom comes from belonging to Christ and the church as the body of Christ. This freedom leads to making decisions and behaving in ways that bring about good and are aligned with God’s purposes for our lives and the lives of others.
Paul upholds several examples to help clarify what things are possible but not very helpful. He uses food and sexual relations to make his point about our bodies and life’s purposes as disciples. The underlying principle promoted by Paul is that freedom in Christ includes the body and spirit and means a person is free to act in ways that show love for God and others.
Like the Corinthians, many live in cultures that still have a body-spirit dualism. Dualism means thinking the spirit is holy and good, but the body works against the spirit. As Paul taught, Community of Christ encourages people to move past this dualism and see both the body and spirit as holy and good, working together to glorify God and build up the community.
In many ways, this text speaks of whole-life stewardship as we consider our body “a temple of the Holy Spirit within you” (v. 19). Our stewardship is not limited to only our treasures. Our stewardship extends to how we take care of our body and spirit, and for what purposes we use them in our lives as disciples. Today’s reader should consider the principle upheld through the idea that our body, as God’s temple, must guide our choices about our body and how we support one another.
This idea speaks to each generation, encouraging us to be mindful of the precious gift we receive from God in our physical bodies. Our bodies may be different shapes, sizes, and skin colors, with different abilities. There are countless differences in our bodies, but we are unified in our understanding that each “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,” and we are encouraged to “glorify God in your body” (vv. 19 and 20). Our bodies are part of our whole-life stewardship and response in living Christ’s mission.
Central Ideas
- The challenge for each generation is reading Paul’s guidance in a frame of reference that responsibly interprets the more profound principles for life as disciples in our own time and context.
- Paul teaches that freedom comes from belonging to Christ and the body of Christ.
- Paul promotes that freedom in Christ includes both body and spirit, and means a person is free to act in ways that show love for God and others.
- Our bodies are part of our whole-life stewardship and response in living Christ’s mission.
Questions for the Speaker
- How is the environment of the Christians in Corinth similar and different from the context of the group to which you are speaking?
- What does freedom in Christ mean for us as disciples?
- What does it mean for our bodies to be members of Christ?
- What does it mean for our bodies to be part of our whole-life stewardship and response in living Christ’s mission?
SACRED SPACE: A RESOURCE FOR SMALL-GROUP MINISTRY
Year B Letters
Second Sunday after Epiphany
1 Corinthians 6:12–20 NRSVUE
Gathering
Welcome
The season after Epiphany includes the weeks between Epiphany and Transfiguration Sunday.
Prayer for Peace
Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.
Light the peace candle.
Author of shalom, we do not feel ready, though we yearn for peace here and now. It may not seem like it is our time, yet we know you provide. You have revealed your greatness to us, and now it is time for us to be mirrors of your peace in the world, reflecting hope in desolate places, shining peace in lonely corners.
Our world has so many divisions—divisions that make peace seem like a dream. We remember today that you love every person: the young and old, the wealthy and poor, the free and captive, the kind-hearted and cruel, and every person between. And just as You love us all, you also have hopes for peace for us all, too. You can make this dream a reality.
You, who can turn water into wine;
You, who can turn the forsaken into the delighted;
You, who are peace;
You are with us. May we be mirrors of your peace.
In the name of Jesus, the Worker of miracles. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Walking in the Light
During Epiphany and the season after Epiphany, our spiritual practice will be Walking in the Light. Take a few moments to quiet yourself. When you feel a sense of calm, begin by imagining you are walking on a path of light. As we pray, visualize the light surrounding you as you walk. As the prayer continues, offer the gift of light to those close to you, to friends and acquaintances, to those you dislike or with whom you are in conflict, and to your community at-large.
As you hear each sentence, offer the gift of light to those mentioned.
May my loved ones be embraced in God’s light (pause).
May my family walk in the light of Christ (pause).
May my friend receive the gift of love and light (pause).
May my acquaintances sense the presence of light through our interactions (pause).
May the one with whom I am in conflict be surrounded by the light of Christ (pause).
May my community be blessed by the eternal light of God’s love and grace (pause).
Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayer invite people to share the thoughts, emotions, or images they experienced through Walking in the Light.
Sharing Around the Table
1 Corinthians 6:12–20 NRSVUE
“All things are permitted for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for sexual immorality but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun sexual immorality! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
The Christians in Corinth were divided by many questions about living their new faith. Paul’s letters tried to help them find unity and a sense of community amid disagreement. Paul shared his perspective on faithful living. The range of topics has provided and continues to provide insights for the church.
Paul begins with a statement we often find in the letters that “all things are lawful.” The belief was that freedom as Christians, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, meant freedom from established rules about their behavior. Paul teaches that their freedom comes from belonging to Christ and the church as the body of Christ. This freedom leads to making decisions and behaving in ways that bring about good and are aligned with God’s purposes for our lives and the lives of others.
Paul upholds several examples to help clarify what things are possible, but not very helpful. He uses food and sexual relations to make his point about our bodies and life’s purposes as disciples. The underlying principle promoted by Paul is that freedom in Christ includes the body and spirit and means a person is free to act in ways that show love for God and others.
In many ways, this text speaks of whole-life stewardship as we consider our body “a temple of the Holy Spirit within you.” Our stewardship is not limited to our treasures. Our stewardship extends to how we care for our body and spirit and for what purposes we use them in our lives as disciples. Today’s reader should consider the principle upheld about how the idea of our body as God’s temple must guide our choices about our body and how we support one another.
As Paul taught, Community of Christ encourages people to see both the body and spirit as holy and good, working together to glorify God and build the community.
Questions
- How do you experience your body as part of God’s good creation?
- Are there practices, behaviors, and actions that you sense detract from the whole-life stewardship of your body?
- How do you extend spiritual wholeness to include your physical body?
Sending
Generosity Statement
Beloved Community of Christ, do not just speak and sing of Zion. Live, love, and share as Zion: those who strive to be visibly one in Christ, among whom there are no poor or oppressed.
—Doctrine and Covenants 165:6a
The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response.
The offering prayer for Epiphany is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:
Revealing God, may we always be generous. You have gifted each of us with boundless grace and unending love. May our response to that love and grace be humble service to others, and may generosity be part of our nature. Amen.
Invitation to Next Meeting
Closing Hymn
Community of Christ Sings 326, “In Christ We Live”
Closing Prayer
Optional Additions Depending on Group
- Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
- Thoughts for Children
Thoughts for Children
Say: In today’s scripture, we are invited to make Responsible Choices for our good and the good of the world. This passage reminds us that we should use our whole selves to make Responsible Choices.
Today, I want to invite you to participate in a prayer with me. In this prayer, we will ask God to help us make Responsible Choices with all of who we are.
Stand up where you are and make sure you have enough room so you won’t hit anyone as we pray. As we pray, we are going to move our bodies.
Move through the prayer, instructing the kids to join you in the motions as you pray.
Say: Reach high above your head with your hands. God, please help me choose to use my hands to help others.
Move your head from side to side and roll it around in a circle. God, help me to choose to use my brain to make Responsible Choices that relate your love and peace in the world.
Open your eyes big and then close them tightly. God, help me to choose to see the world and the people in it the way you do.
Massage your ears with your fingers. God, help me to choose to hear the needs of others and respond with love.
Open your mouth like you are about to yawn. God, help me to choose to speak words of love and peace.
Finally, place your hands over your heart. God, let your love flow through me and help me share it with others.
Amen.