I’m working through a little set of worksheets that my mentor friend gave me some time back. Some of the questions are shared here with what I wrote for my answer.

1 Corinthians 12:4-28 New English Translation (NET)1 Corinthians 12:4-28

In these verses how important is the function of each believer in the body? Describe why.

Every single part of the body is an essential and critical part. Just like there are small parts that seem insignificant but once removed cause all kinds of harm, so also every little part of the Body of Christ is important. Some people are more visible than others. Some are stronger than others. Some are meant to be hidden but still kept in the body (like Pat Robertson? Maybe)

For Further Study see what you can find out about the word Shoshben. This is the word used by John to describe himself in verse 29.

I looked this up. Turns out that the shoshben was the best man and also the #1 guard and liason between the bride and the bridegroom before the wedding happened. John the Baptist refers to himself like this, supposedly, but I couldn’t find the word anywhere.
The shoshben would carry messages back and forth from bride & groom, and would also man the gate where the bride would be. He would be the one trusted to be with the bride and then listen at the gate for the groom to come. When he heard the groom’s voice, he’d let him in. He was the best, closest friend of the groom, which would also make him the most trusted friend of the bride aside from the groom!

What man would a bride trust the most in the whole world aside from her husband except her husband’s blood-oath best friend‽

John 3:28, John 3:29 New English Translation (NET)John 3:28-29

You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.

How does this relate to who we are? We certainly have Christ in us, but we’re also the bride waiting for the bridegroom to come and claim us. Sometimes, if I can be so bold, we’re also the shoshben, acting as a go–between for the bride and the groom. What implications does this have for us as we draw attention to ourselves or take credit for things that are really from the groom Himself?

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