07.07.19 A Broken Body? (1 Corinthians 12)

A Broken Body? A Broken Body? Ben Phillips Church: Fellowship and Unity; Body of Christ; Division / 1 Corinthians 12:12–14; Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 4:1–6; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17; 1 Corinthians 2:13–3:4; John 17:20–21; Acts 2:36–47 When the world looks at Christianity, all that can be seen is division. But Christ's body is not broken! Introduction We often forget that Jesus was a prophet and He prophesied that He would build His church (Matthew 16:13-19). The church would be one with one source of instruction. The New Testament bears out the fulfillment of this prophecy. A Single Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6) There is one body over which Christ is head. The one body of Christ is the church. The one body, the church, is the members. The New Testament only knows one church, one body. A Single Mind (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2:133:4; John 17:20-21) The Apostles finished the work of Christ in revealing the fullness of God’s will to man (Hebrews 2:1-4; John 13-16). Page 1. Paul calls the Corinthians to one mind in the one Gospel he preached (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2:13-3:4). The oneness parallels the Godhead (John 17:20-21). A Single Baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:5; Acts 2:36-47; 8:12-13; 18:8) The only way into the body is baptism into Christ for the remission of sins (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27). There is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). Through immersion into Christ for the remission of sins, one enters the church and obtains salvation (Acts 2:36-47; 8:12-13; 18:8). Conclusion John 15:1-11 teaches us that Jesus is the vine and each member is a branch. Each of us is expected to dwell in Christ and bear fruit. Revelation 2-3 underscores that there is one body with one Head and one instruction. Questions for Discussion 1. What in today’s sermon did you find helpful, informative, or difficult to understand? 2. Is there anything in the text that caught your attention that we didn’t discuss? 3. How important is unity to our Lord and our ability to preach Him? 4. Are there Christians in denominations? 5. How will you apply today’s sermon to your life? Page 2.