The Body does the Body good

15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

We are Christs family (Mk3:35)

Mk3:

Mark 3:35 NASB95

35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Tonight we are going to look at how the body of Christ is a body and how we need each other.

I. Body of Christ, the Church

We are the body of Christ, in which He is the head (Col1:18, Eph1:22-23)

Colossians 1:18 NASB95

18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

There is the parallel passage found in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:22–23 NASB95

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

As the body of Christ we were saved by Christ (Eph5:25)

As the body of Christ we were sanctified by Christ (Eph5:26-27)

As the body of Christ we are nourished by Christ (Eph5:29)

As the body, we were saved by Christ

Ephesians 5:25 NASB95

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Christ gave Himself up for us, He willingly laid down His life for us. By doing such we are then sanctified by Christ, by the washing of the water of the Word.

Ephesians 5:26–27 NASB95

26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Christ as the head of the body, nourishes us

Ephesians 5:29 NASB95

29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

Think about this for a minute, how does Christ nourish us?

How about Christ, like a husband, continues to nourish us daily. Through His Word, by His Spirit, He lives to intercede for us.

So if He is all these things, then there is no life outside of Him is there? And there is no salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus.

No life, no nourishment outside the body (Act4:12; Eph5:29)

Acts 4:12 NASB95

12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

We know our salvation is through Jesus; and He adds the people to the church, the body. (Act2:47)

Acts 2:47 NASB95

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

So, moving on, We know we are the body, we know how we became the body now how does He provide life in the body and through the body?

II. Christs provision for, in, and through the body

First, He provides for the body directly (Jn15:5)

Christ provides for the body directly for we are connected to Him

John 15:5 NASB95

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

So, do we have a part to play in this, if so what is it and what are the results if we do it?

We are to stay connected, we are to abide and we will bear much fruit!

Directly we are provided for as it says in (Php4:13)

Directly provided for

Philippians 4:13 NASB95

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Nourishment in John, Strength in Philippians.

Provides for us indirectly through each other (Rom12:4-8; 1Pt4:9; Eph4:15-16 and Gal6:2)

Each has been given certain gifts, graces to be used for the body, hence for each other.

Rom12:

Romans 12:4–6 NASB95

4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;

Romans 4:7–8 NASB95

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. 8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

Romans 12:7–8 NASB95

7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

We are expected, commanded to serve (minister) to one another

1Pt

1 Peter 4:9 NASB95

9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

We are even to carry one another’s burdens

Galatians 6:1 NASB95

1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Galatians 6:2 NASB95

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

We each of us are doing our part, we are being built up, encouraged, edifying one another, and maturing!

Ephesians 4:15–16 NASB95

15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Sources of life, of strength, what to do with it. (2Cor1:3-4; Php4:6-7)

So we have sources of our life, and our strength from two sources

Directly from Christ through our personal relationship with Him

Indirectly through association/fellowship with one another, the body of Christ.

So now what do we do with it?

Look at this and you tell me

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 NASB95

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

2Cor

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 NASB95

Or how about this one, what do you glean?

Philippians 4:6–7 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I want us to understand the how, which we just looked at, but we need to look at the importance of the body is good for the body and the body is important.

Body does a body good

If we understand the body is one, then we can understand that every body is important (1Cor12:14-19)

1 Corinthians 12:14–15 NASB95

14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

1 Corinthians 12:16–17 NASB95

16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

1 Corinthians 12:18–19 NASB95

18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?

When we are honest, we can understand that all every “body” is needed (1Cor12:20-25)

1 Corinthians 12:20–21 NASB95

20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

2 Corinthians 12:20–21 NASB95

20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.

1 Corinthians 12:22–23 NASB95

22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,

1 Corinthians 12:24–25 NASB95

24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

As members of one body, we are interdependent on one another (1Cor12:26-27)

1 Corinthians 12:26–27 NASB95

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

We all suffer when one starts to think they are not needed, or they would not be missed if they were not here, or they are not important. All are needed, all are important!

If you were missing a leg you would have a handicap, when we are missing members we can have a handicap.

For us to live life to the full as the body of Christ, we need all the body to be present

Every part has a part to play (Eph4:16)

Ephesians 4:16 NASB95

16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

So as we get ready to head to Crowell to fed our bodies consider how are feeding , nourishing our spiritual body, the church? What can we do to improve in that area so we can grow to full potential and maturity in Christ Jesus.

(Close with encouragement and prayer)

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Questions to consider

Do I see a need for becoming more involved in the body?

Am I doing what I can to improve the fellowship within the body?

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