One Body, One Vision
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Introduction
Introduction
Text
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
The Theme
Fitly Framed and Fitly Joined Together
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
fitly framed together / fitted together
grk. synarmologeo - to be fitted together
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
fitly joined together / joined
grk. synarmologeo
compacted / knit together
grk. symbibazo - to be unified
and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
knit together
grk. symbibazo - to be unified
joints and ligaments
joints - grk. syndesmos, tendon
ligaments - grk. haphe, ligaments
The body of Christ is composed of people whose lives are “fitted together” and “unified” by the “joints and ligaments”
The joints and ligaments are the relationships, interactions, and communications that take place between members. These are the things that unify and knit the people together.
My Main Points
A body is only as effective as its eye. The better the eye, the better will be the body’s function.
The body must work with the eye in order to do its work.
How can the body - the members of the church - and the eye - the leadership of the church - work together in order to succeed?
Main Points
Main Points
The eye must be good
The eye must be good
Ma
The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
good - grk. haplous, whole, healthy
the eye must be “whole”, showing vigorous good health
a healthy eye has a clear vision from God
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
Proberbs 29.18
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
ACts 26.19
Paul was obedient to the heavenly vision given to him
a healthy eye has a clear estimation of himself
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
Romans 12.3
he is not lord over God’s people
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
he is a shepherd with a task to feed the flock
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
a healthy eye has a clear understanding of the body
but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The eye must be in the right place
The eye must be in the right place
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
the preacher’s proper place is the pulpit
the general’s proper place is the frontline
the shepherd’s proper place is the flock
the Pastor’s proper place
The body must follow the lead of the eye
The body must follow the lead of the eye
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”
Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”
And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
the apostles followed the lead of Jesus
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Mark 16.19-20
Israel followed the lead of Joshua
So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses.
Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
Joshua 1.
the early church followed the lead of the apostles
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
Acts 6.3-
How can this church follow the lead of its Pastor?
How can this church follow the lead of its Pastor?
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Embrace (recognize) the leadership
Do not speak against your leader behind his back, in the hearing of others
speak well of your leader
defend your leader
Embrace the vision of the leadership
talk about it
plan your life and activities around it
volunteer your services
Offer your help to the leadership
Don’t run away from responsibilities
Seek the wisdom of the leadership
in your relationships
in your business
in many issues and controversies
Some thoughts on “Unity”
Some thoughts on “Unity”
Unity is not something we have to produce. Christ makes us one body by the Spirit.
Our duty is to preserve the unity
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The most important basis for unity is the Truth.
But truth must spoken in love
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
Conclusion
Conclusion
In Christ
Conclusion
Conclusion
The reward of following the lead of a single vision:
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
the whole body is “illuminated”
no part of the body is in darkness
Questions to ask yourselves:
Do I see the same vision as my pastor sees?
If not
why am I here for?
is there something that prevents me from seeing the same thing?
is my attitude towards the leadership right or wrong?
If yes
what am I doing to support that vision?
am I contributing or hindering?