“United We Stand!”
United With Christ As His Body!
Part 4
Introduction:
1. Continue To Explore A Christian’s Union With Christ!
- Answer: “What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?”
2. First Figure: According To Ephesians 2:19-22:
- Your Union With Christ Is Like A Building!
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built ON Jesus Christ!
- Because Jesus Christ Is Your “Cornerstone!”
- You Are Built IN Jesus Christ!
- To Join Closely Together - To Bond So Tightly As To Become One!
- You Are Built BY Jesus Christ!
- Very Personal Process!
3. Second Figure: According To John 15:1-8:
- Your Union With Christ Is Like The Union Between A Vine And Its Branches!
- The Vine Uses The Branches / True Vine Also
- To Display Its Beauty & Glory
- To Produce Abundant & Delicious Fruit
- The Branches Need The Vine / True Vine Also
- Source Of Life
- Source Of Strength
- Source Of Growth
- Term Used: Abide!
- Means Believing, Depending, Relating, Enduring, Clinging!
4. According To Romans 12:5 (And Others):
- Your Union With Christ Is Like A Body!
- Read Romans 12:5 - “So we, being many, are one body in Christ!”
- A New Figure Given, Teaching Us Even More About A Christian’s Union With Jesus Christ!
- “As Truly And As Intimately As The Head And Members Of The Physical Body Are United, So Truly And Intimately Are Christ And Believers United Also!” (Arthur Pink - “Union & Communion”)
I. What Is Your Union In The Body Of Christ Like?
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
A. There Is Unity!
- “For As The Body Is One . . . So Also Is Christ!”
- IE: “The Body Is One” - Each Person Is Known By Their Physical Bodies - Physical Body Is Made Up Of Many Different Systems (Skeletal, Nervous, Cardiovascular, Etc.), Different Organs (Brain, Heart, Lungs, Etc.), Different Parts (Arms/Hands/Fingers, Legs/Feet/Toes) - But In A Healthy Body, All Different Parts Work Together In Unison & Harmony - Ever See A Runner In Slow Motion? Everything Seen & Unseen Is Working To Win The Race!
(1) Union By One Spirit!
- IE: When A Baby Is Conceived, It Is Alive - It Has Been Given New Life - That Life Is What Keeps The Different Parts Of That Baby Together & Growing - Without Life, Would Come Decay!
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 - “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
- Not A Water Baptism, But A Spiritual Baptism That Occurs When Someone Trusts In Jesus Christ As Their Savior - This “Spiritual Baptism” Is What Places You (And Every Other Christian) Into Christ’s “Spiritual Body”!
- We Have A Unifying Spirit!
(2) Union In One Faith!
- Ephesians 4:4-6 - “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
- “One Faith” - One Author, One Object, One Result, One Completer: Jesus Christ!
- When You Are A Christian, You Have The Privilege Of: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!” (Hebrews 12:2)
- We Have A Unifying Faith!
(3) Union For One Purpose!
- Ephesians 5:26-27 - “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
- “Our Purpose Is To Glorify God!”
- IE: The Goal For A Runner Of A Race!
- We Have A Unifying Purpose!
B. There Is Diversity!
- Diverse Members, Functions & Gifts
- Unity Amidst Diversity!
- You Must Have The Unifying Factors Initially Before Diversity Will Have Any Significant Contribution To The Whole!
- IE: “There can be union without unity: tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothesline.” (Anonymous)
- “The Place And Gifts Of Each Member Are Determined By The Lord!” (Charles Hodge)
(1) Diverse Members - 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 - “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”
- Response - James 2:1 - “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” (Discrimination)
(2) Diverse Functions - 1 Corinthians 12:15-27
- Every Member Has A Unique Purpose (You!)
- Every Member Has A Necessary/Important Purpose
- Every Member Has A God-Ordained Purpose
- Response - 1 Corinthians 12:25 - “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”
* Remember - 1 Corinthians 12:27 - “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular!”
(3) Diverse Gifts - 1 Corinthians 12:28-31
- Every Member Has A Unique, Necessary & God-Ordained Gift!
- Response - Discover / Develop / Do! (Use It!)
II. What Is Your Union In The Body Of Christ For?
A. For The Head Of The Body – Jesus Christ!
- Ephesians 1:22-23 - “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
- Colossians 1:18-19 - “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell!”
(1) His Preeminence Over His Body!
- “Preeminence” - Proteuo - “Prototype” - To Be First, To Hold The First Place, To Be The Original!
- As The Preeminent Head He Directs!
- IE: Just Like The Brain Transmits Signals Throughout The Nervous System To Direct The Body In What It Should Do!
- Response: Follow His Directions!
- Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
- Because “You Are The Body Of Christ – And He Is The Head Of The Body!”
(2) His Position Over His Body!
- He Is The Head - And The “Head-Quarters” Of His Body, The Church!
- IE: “HQ” - The Place Where Leaders Are - Where The Decisions Are Being Made
- As The Positional Head He Commands!
- IE: Just Like A Commander At “HQ” Gives His Orders, And Expects Them To Be Carried Out!
- Response: Obey His Commands!
- 1 John 2:3-4 - “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
- Because “You Are The Body Of Christ – And He Is The Head Of The Body!”
(3) His Power Over His Body!
- “Him That Filleth All In All!”
- A Description Of The Life-Giving & Life-Sustaining Power Of Jesus Christ!
- Colossians 1:16-17 - “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” – Including His Body, The Church!
- As The Powerful Head He Vitalizes!
- “Vitalize” - To Endow With Life, To Make Alive!
- IE: Just As A Functional Brain Can “Make Alive” The Rest Of The Body!
- Response: Live His Life!
- Galatians 2:20 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” - Live In Him, For Him, Like Him!
- Because “You Are The Body Of Christ – And He Is The Head Of The Body!”
B. For The Members Of The Body – The Church!
- Romans 12:3-10
- Your Union In The Body Of Christ Is A Comfort!
- Your Union In The Body Of Christ Is A Call!
(1) Call For Humility In The Body Of Christ!
- Romans 12:3 - “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
- Remember Every Member’s Unique / Important / Necessary / God-Ordained Purposes & Gifts!
- Because “We, Being Many, Are One Body In Christ!”
(2) Call For Unity In The Body Of Christ!
- Romans 12:4-5 - “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
- Work Together In The Common Spirit / With The Common Faith / For The Common Purpose!
- IE: What Do We Have In Common?
- Because “We, Being Many, Are One Body In Christ!”
(3) Call For Ministry In The Body Of Christ!
- Romans 12:6-8 - “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
- Diverse Gifts Are Given For Ministry & Service!
- Discover / Develop / Do (Use!)
- “Spiritual Gifts Mean That I Am Both Weak And Strong. I Am Strong In The Area Of My Gift; I Am Weak In The Areas Where Others Have Been Gifted. Thus, I Must Minister To The Body Of Christ And Others Out Of My Strength, And I Am Dependent Upon The Ministry Of The Rest Of The Body In My Areas Of Weakness!” (Charles Hodge)
- IE: No Christian Is A “One-Man Band”!
- Because “We, Being Many, Are One Body In Christ!”
(4) Call For Love In The Body Of Christ!
- Romans 12:9-10 - “Let love be without dissimulation [Without Hypocrisy - Sincere]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another!”
- Because “We, Being Many, Are One Body In Christ!”
Conclusion:
1. If You Are A Christian, You Are “United With Christ!”
- And You Are United With The Body Of Christ – His Church!
- What A Fascinating & Revealing Image Of Your Union With Christ!
2. There Is Unity Amidst Diversity In The Body Of Christ!
- Unity Of Spirit / Faith / Purpose!
- You Have Something In Common With Each Other!
- Diversity Of Members / Functions / Gifts!
- You Have Something To Contribute To Each Other!
3. There Is Usefulness Of The Body Of Christ!
- For The Glory Of Jesus Christ – The Head Of The Body!
- Follow His Directions!
- Obey His Commands!
- Life His Life! (Galatians 2:20 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” - Live In Him, For Him, Like Him!)
- For The Benefit Of Christians - The Members Of The Body!
- Be Humble Toward / Be Unified With / Serve / Love Each Other!
4. “Now Ye Are The Body Of Christ, And Members In Particular!”
- 1 Corinthians 12:27
