A MEMBER IN CHRIST’S BODY
INTRODUCTION
Reading the Word of God is much like peeling an onion, one layer at a time.
When we have handled the Word of God is like handling an onion. The deeper we go into an onion, the stronger the smell. There is a fragrance that stays with us. The deeper we go into the Word of God, the stronger the fragrance of it.
When we have onion juice on our hands, it gets on everything we touch. The same is true with the Word of God. The Word impacts everything we touch.
When we eat a raw onion every time we speak, others know what we have eaten. The Word of God is called bread. When we speak our words are saturated with the Word of God.
When we hold an onion we are not able to see all the layers of that onion. We have to cut into it to see them. The Word of God also has layers. According to our spiritual maturity are we able to delve into the depths of the Word.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Acts 9:4
In this verse there are many layers of truth. On the outer layer there is Jesus talking to this unsaved Saul of Tarsus. Jesus is inviting him to be saved. But as we peel off the layers of this verse, we learn more. Was Saul at the arrest of Jesus? No. Was he at the trial of Jesus? No. Was he at the crucifixion of Jesus? No. So when did he persecute Jesus?
The answer is found in Matthew 24:40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
For one moment, let’s translate this to our world. What parent would not say, “What you do to my kid, you are doing personally to me.” Here is the Biblical truth: When we do something to a child of God, we do it to Jesus and the Father. If we do good to that person, we have done it as if we were doing it directly to Jesus and the Father. If we do evil to that person, we have done it as if we were doing it directly to Jesus and the Father.
At our salvation we became united to Jesus as family. And in the same way we are united to each other as family of God. And because of this we have responsibility. When we became, or will become, a member of Noble Hill Baptist Church we have responsibilities in our relationships to Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit and each other.
THEME: WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
A. We Are United In Christ
1. This is not a ‘theological’ union
2. This is a living union
a. “In Christ” is found seventy seven times in the New Testament
b. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. I John 2:24
c. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. I John 2:28
B. There Are Things We Must Do
1. We must be about His business
NOTE: If you want to know how to run a business, ask the person who hasn’t any Anonymous
2. This means we have His consciousness
a. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus Philippians 2:5
b. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2:16
3. This means we have His energy
a. The Greek word for energy or work is ergon
b. We have the modern word ergonomics, the study of work
NOTE: Several years ago in a race like the Boston Marathon an average runner won to the amazement of many. When asked how he did it, he said, “I was exhausted and was ready to drop. Then the band began playing the theme to the movie, ‘Rocky.’ Suddenly, I had the energy to win.”
4. This means we are enthusiastic about His work
NOTE: Thomas Edison made experiment after experiment in a search for a new source of natural rubber. After the 50,000th failure, a discouraged assistant said to him, “Mr. Edison, we have made 50,000 experiments and have had no results.” “Results!” exclaimed the great inventor with enthusiasm. “We have wonderful results. We now know 50,000 things which won’t work.”
5. This means we live His life
a. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. I John 5:11
b. Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. Acts 5:20
6. This means His zeal is our zeal
NOTE: Busy souls have no time to be busybodies Anonymous
a. ‘Zeal’ refers to excitement
b. Some have ignorant zeal
NOTE: For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10:2
T.S. WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
II. UNITY IN OUR MINISTRY
A. There Is One Body Of Christ
1. There are many local ‘church bodies’ around the world
a. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
b. If Christ meets with two or three, how much more is He with us as a congregation?
2. All who are ‘in Christ’ are also members of the one body of which Jesus Christ is the head
a. Saved people can belong to different denominations
b. All of us ‘in Christ’ belong to Christ
c. We also belong to one another in a the family of God
B. The Seven Bonds That Unite The People Of God Ephesians 4:4-6
1. One body – the church, His body Ephesians 1:22-23
2. One Spirit – The Holy Spirit sent from the Father John 15:26
3. One hope – The return of Jesus Christ Titus 2:13
4. One Lord – Our Lord Jesus Christ I Corinthians 12:3
5. One faith – The death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jude 3; I Timothy 6:20-21
6. One baptism – The baptism of the Spirit at salvation Ephesians 4:5; I Corinthians 12:13
7. One God – The Father Ephesians 4:6; I Timothy 2:5
C. The Church Is More Than An Organization
1. The church is an organism
a. A living body
b. A body given life by the Spirit of God
2. When organization becomes more important than spiritual relationship to Christ:
a. “Institutionalism” sets in
b. The church starts to exist only for itself
c. That church dies while it still exists
T.S. WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
II. UNITY IN OUR MINISTRY
III. DIVERSITY IN OUR CHURCH
A. Unity And Diversity Work Hand In Hand
NOTE: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1
NOTE: Diversity is not a synonym for dissension
1. Unity and diversity in Romans 12:1-8
a. Unity Romans 12:1-5
b. Diversity Romans 12:6-8
2. Unity and diversity in I Corinthians 12:1-31
a. Unity I Corinthians 12:1-13
b. Diversity I Corinthians 12:14-31
3. Unity and diversity in Ephesians 4:1-12
a. Unity Ephesians 4:1-6
b. Diversity Ephesians 4:7-12
B. Unity And Diversity Must Work Together Or One Will Destroy The Other
1. Unity without diversity is uniformity
2. Diversity without unity is anarchy
3. God has given diverse gifts to His people
4. These gifts, though reflect different ways to minister, must be used to build up the body of Christ
NOTE: Everyone of us has a nose and a toe. Both are necessary. Both belong to one body. Each has a different function.
C. The Two – Edged Sword of Unity And Diversity
1. The church never grows when people use their abilities or talents in their own strength
2. When we are saved the Spirit gives us spiritual gifts
3. The church grows when people uses their gifts in the power of the Sprit
4. The Corinthian members sinned in the use of their gifts
a. They used their gifts as weapons to fight each other
b. They did not use their gifts as tools to build up one another
c. They lacked love
1) For God
2) For each other
3) For others
D. Diversity Strengthens The Life Of The Body
1. Diversity tests the unity of the body
2. If there is love, diversity strengthens the church
3. Diversity encourages each member to go on a personal journey to discover and develop his or her own spiritual gifts
4. Diversity removes the fear to dare to be different in the congregation as we build up each other
T.S. WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
II. UNITY IN OUR MINISTRY
III. DIVERSITY IN OUR CHURCH
IV. MATURITY IN OUR SERVICE
A. The Bible Teaches That Where There Is Unity And Diversity There Is Always Maturity
1. Each of the ‘body passages’ deal with maturity
2. The only way that maturity can be expressed is by love
NOTE: Definition of love
a. Putting the need of others before self
b. The greater the need, the great the love
c. The greatest needs are spiritual needs
B. The Complete Cycle Of Maturity
1. In Romans 12:1-21
a. Unity Romans 12:1-5
b. Diversity Romans 12:6-8
c. Maturity Romans 12:19-21
2. Unity and diversity in I Corinthians 12:1-31
a. Unity I Corinthians 12:1-13
b. Diversity I Corinthians 12:14-31
c. Maturity I Corinthians 13 – 14
3. Unity and diversity in Ephesians 4:1-13
a. Unity Ephesians 4:1-6
b. Diversity Ephesians 4:7-12
c. Maturity Ephesians 4:13-16
C. How We Know We Are Mature As A Christian
1. But speaking the truth in love … Ephesians 4:15
NOTE: There can never be maturity without love
NOTE: It has been said that truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy
2. We are to grow … unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephesians 4:13
3. We are … to be conformed to the image of his Son … Romans 8:29
NOTE: God wants His people individually, and His church collectively, to become more and more like His Son
D. How A Christian Matures
1. The body must mature from within
2. Every believer has at least one gift
a. That gift must be used for the good of the whole church, not for self
NOTE: The sin of spectator Christianity
b. The purpose of ministry is the building up of the church, not the promoting of the individual
NOTE: The church is not a hall of heroes but a hospital
3. Seven times in I Corinthians 14 Paul uses the word, ‘edify’ (build up)
4. In the church there must always be: I Corinthians 14:40
a. Edification
b. Decency
1) Honestly
2) Honorable
3) Respectful
c. Order (taxis)
NOTE: Church members are either pillars or caterpillars. The pillars hold up the church; the caterpillars just crawl in and out. Wendell Phillips
E. God Uses Four Special Tools To Mature Us For Ministry
1. The Word of God
a. The Christian begins to study the Word of God
b. With spiritual growth comes a desire to serve
c. With service comes the building up of the church
2. The fellowship of the local church
a. God gives gifted leaders to the church
b. They help believers to discover and develop their own spiritual gifts
c. As the church grows more leaders are developed in the church to help the next generation
NOTE: Christians who ignore consistent fellowship are missing opportunities for growth
3. Prayer
a. Prayer releases the power of God in our lives, in the lives of others and leads to spiritual growth and service
b. One of the greatest blessings and one of the greatest battles is prayer
c. A goal of prayer is to watch God develop people and they start to serve Jesus Christ
4. Suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ
a. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. I Peter 5:10
NOTE: The church is not a dormitory for sleepers, it is an institution for workers; it is not a rest camp, it is a front line trench. Billy Sunday
b. The spiritual contrast
1) Satan wants to use suffering to tear us down
2) God uses suffering to build us up and equip us to serve Him better
c. The choices in suffering
1) To come out burned and bitter
2) To come out purified and perfected
T.S. WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
II. UNITY IN OUR MINISTRY
III. DIVERSITY IN OUR CHURCH
IV. MATURITY IN OUR SERVICE
V. MINISTRY AS A LIFE STYLE
A. The Result Of ‘Body Life’
1. People in the local church begin to minister in new and exciting ways
2. It is difficult for those not ministering to keep up with the church
NOTE: The best way to kill a church is to squeeze it into a building. For without contact with people in need and publicly witnessing faith and trust in Jesus, a church will quietly die Bob Snyder
B. The Traditional Ideas Of Christian Service
1. Preaching
2. Teaching
3. Singing
4. Taking up the collection
5. Visitation
6. Setting on committees
NOTE: There is nothing wrong with these tasks
C. Spectators vs. Participants Acts 6:1-7
1. The spiritual leaders were faced with a priority crises
2. The ministry of tables vs. the ministry of the word and prayer service
3. When others stepped in and used their gifts the pastors stayed with their priorities
4. The result Acts 6:7
a. The word of God spread
b. The number of disciples increased rapidly
NOTE: I would rather put ten men to work than do the work of ten men D. L. Moody
NOTE: Few things help an individual more than to place a responsibility upon him, and let him know that you trust him Booker T. Washington
D. Biblical Membership
1. Not just the following
a. Joining the church
b. Supporting the church
c. Attendance
d. Occasional work
2. Biblical membership means we are part of a living body
a. We have the responsibility and privilege of contributing to the growth and strength of the congregation
b. We must use our gifts in loving ministry
1) To fellow Christians
2) To a needy world
NOTE: It is exciting to be a functioning member of the body of Christ!
CONCLUSION
WHEN WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST HAVE:
I. VITALITY IN OUR LIFE
II. UNITY IN OUR MINISTRY
III. DIVERSITY IN OUR CHURCH
IV. MATURITY IN OUR SERVICE
V. MINISTRY AS A LIFE STYLE
Sermon Outlines 