Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New
Lesson 7
Lesson Title: The Body of Christ
Functioning
Together as a Body in Ministry
Text: ‘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.’ Romans 12:4-5
Introduction: Concept of the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-5)
The Church
is called the body of Christ.
The life of
Christ is in His body
The believer in Christ
is:
(1)
Crucified with Christ. (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.‘
(2) Buried with Christ (Colossians
(3) Risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
(4) Seated
in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6) And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
One body
in Christ
The local church is a
body.
A body has many
members
All the members work
together for one another.
In a body -
No member of the
body is competing against another.
The body completes
itself never competes against itself.
Illustration:
We live in a
competitive world
Sport – ability to
compete
Business - competitive
The body must build itself up in
love. (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.’
Body is
joined together but its members
have different gifts
Every
member of the body must function or something will be lacking.
The role of
each member is different.
Some roles
seem more important than others but all are necessary.
Building up His body
(John 14:15) ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’
(John 13:34-35) ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also
love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.’
(1 John 3:16) ‘Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren.’
Leadership in the
body of Christ
Governments (1
Corinthians
(1 Corinthians
12:28) ‘And God hath set some in the
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues.’
Illustration:
The
local church must be steered like a ship.
Compare (Acts 27:11) Nevertheless the
centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things
which were spoken by Paul.
Acts 27:11 – the pilot or helmsman of the ship
The steersman has control of the wheel, but many seamen must
be working together for the ship to sail.
The ship must also have power to move (manpower, wind or engine).
The local
church needs leaders to steer but many others must be involved in ministry and
the local church must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Main Points
There are leaders
who are called to the ministry,
(1
Timothy 1:12) And I thank Christ Jesus
our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into
the ministry;
These
leaders fulfil the roles of
a)
Overseers
(episkope) and Deacons (diakonos), and
(1
Timothy 3:1) This is a true saying, If a man
desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good
work.
(1 Timothy 3:8) Likewise must the
deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given
to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
b) the
ministry gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists,
Pastors, Teachers
(Ephesians 4:11-12) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ:
The purpose
for these ministries is to build up the body of Christ and to equip the believers
for ministry.
Leadership and
ministry involves the whole body of Christ.
Ministry
gifts are given to build up the body of Christ for ministry.
Every believer has a ministry to fulfil.
Good leadership will produce good leaders.
Ministry gifts will produce ministries
Ministry
is serving
Ministry –
Household of Stephanas,
(1 Corinthians 16:15) ‘I
beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas,
that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that
they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)’
(KJV) ‘Addicted
themselves’ to the ministry of the body
of Christ
Addicted to
serving
Junkies – serving.
Addict –
thinks of nothing else
Has one aim
every day - to satisfy the addition.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it heartily unto the Lord.
(Colossians 3:23) ‘And whatsoever
ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;’
Become skilful in your ministry.
Ministry
of Helps (1
Corinthians 12:28) ‘And God hath set
some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.’
Greek
‘Antilepsis’ – literally means to be in front so as to support.
Supporting one
another
Providing support to others.
Carrying
one another’s burdens
Getting
involved with other people’s problems means having to carry the problems of
others
Praying for
one another
Providing
for one another
Just being
there!
Need to
become skilful in fulfilling
our place in the body. (Romans 12:6a)
‘Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to
us,’
Work at
it.
Illustration: Running to win the prize.
Runner puts so much effort to win a race they are sometimes physically sick.
Push themselves to the limit to win the prize.
Example: Roger Bannister running the first 4 minute
mile in 1954
Henry
The Ladder of
The heights
by great men reached and kept
Were not
attained by sudden flight
But they,
while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.
The Holy
Spirit empowers those who have learnt to be skilful.
Different kinds of ministries. Romans
12:6-11.
Word given by
inspiration
Prophecy –
(Romans
12:6) Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us
prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
(1 Corinthians
14:3) ‘But he that prophesieth
speaketh unto men to edification, and
exhortation, and comfort.’
Edification
– Building (‘oikodome’ - ‘building a house’)
Exhortation – Encouraging
(‘parakaleo’ – ‘to call to the side’)
Comfort – Comforting (‘paramuthia’ -
‘speaking closely to a person’)
Ministering (Romans 12:7a) – different areas of
service.
(Romans 12:7) ‘Or ministry, let
us wait on our ministering:’
Word given by
preparation
Teaching (12:7b) ‘or he that teacheth, on
teaching;’ – work hard
at it.
Exhorting (12:8a) ‘Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation:’ – ‘call to one’s side’ - learn to be an encourager.
Ministry
must be fulfilled in the right manner
Ministering in
love:
(Romans 12:8b) 'he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness.’
Give with simplicity – liberality not thinking about it afterwards.
Rule with diligence (spoude) - giving oneself to it – with haste
(Enthusiastically and with
eagerness)
Be merciful with cheerfulness (hilarotes) - delighted, hilarious
(Romans 12:9-10) 'Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that
which is good.’
• Love without hypocrisy
• Abhor evil hold on to the good.
(Romans 12:10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
• Kindly affectioned with brotherly love (as a family)
• Prefering one another
All the affairs of life should be seen as ministry unto the Lord.
(Romans 12:11)
Everyday work should be regarded as ministry.
Whatever we do, do it
enthusiastically
(Romans 12:11) Not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord
• Not lazy
• in business
• – be the best worker
• Fervent in spirit -
boiling – compare sport.
Fervour of a football
match
Serving the Lord – doulos (a slave)
Every believer must find
his or her place in the body of Christ and fulfil it.
God is to be explored.
Paul said to the
Athenians ‘we live and move and have our being in Him’.
Those who desire to be close to Him
must seek after Him.
The great explorers always seek to
go further.
This is how we should be with God –
the scriptures are our map and the Holy Spirit is our guide..
(Acts
Need the
Holy Spirit Baptism
Jesus is
the baptiser
Thirst
for Him – come to
Him and drink (John
(John 7:37-38) In the
last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water.
Holy Spirit
comes upon the believer.
Holy
Spirit sends gifts to the
body of Christ
We need the Holy Spirit baptism to be able to receive them.
Illustration:
In the natural realm
there are many different
waves with messages.
TV waves
Radio waves
We need a receiver to
get them.
Need to tune
into the Holy Spirit
Receive
Messages
Tuning in.
Receptive
Faith and Sensitivity to the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Many things
can cause the loss of reception.
Sin
Stress
Daily
affairs
Elisha
called for a minstrel. (2 Kings 3:15) ‘But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to
pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.’
Music can soothe the spirit and allow us to tune in to the Holy Spirit.
Holy
Spirit will always glorify Jesus
Tongues - many messages
Paul says
just 2 or 3 but there could be many as the Holy Spirit sends
many.
(1 Corinthians
14:27) If any man
speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the
most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
Make sure there's
someone who is able to 'tune in'
for interpretation.
Prophecy
(1 Corinthians
14:29-32) ‘Let the prophets speak two or
three, and let the other judge. If any
thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let
the first hold his peace. For ye may all
prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject
to the prophets.’
All may
prophecy.
Holy Spirit
sends many messages and at anytime.
One who prophecy’s must be able to receive these
messages and step out in faith to
express it.
The Holy Spirit
involves the believer in expressing the gift.
The Holy Spirit
inspires the believer but the believer will express the gift in his or her own
way.
A prophecy can combine with a Word of Wisdom or contain a Word of Knowledge.
Jesus
ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit
(Acts
Holy Spirit – Jesus – faith of the person.
Illustration:
Handball
One throws
Another gets into
position to catch.
Throws to another who scores
Gifts of
healing.
Holy Spirit
throws the gift to the believer.
(Mark
16:17-18) ‘And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover.’
The
believer stands in the name of Jesus (represents Jesus).
The person
who needs healing must receive the gift by faith from the believer in the name
of Jesus.
No healing takes place if the Holy Spirit has not 'thrown' the gift or the believer hasn’t 'caught' it or the person being healed doesn’t 'receive' it.
Summary: