Parts

1 Cor 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the
smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

The local church (there is but one kind of church, and that is local) is likened to a body.

Each member is a body part. Each is necessary. Some are more prominent, some are more feeble. Some suffer, some rejoice, some are comely, some uncomely. Some are honorable while others less honorable. But it takes the sum of the parts to make the whole.

This Lord's day, the parts come together to worship the Lord and to minister to one another. I am not sure what part of the body you are, but I have the feeling if you are absent, the body will not look, or function in completion. Additionally, we’d hate for you to be a lone body part floating around independent of a body!

I hope the body, of which you are a part, will not need an eye patch, a crutch or a wheel chair because you are absent when the body convenes.