Powerpoint

 

Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church

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 2:12)  ‘Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.’

 

(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

 

    1. Love for Christ 

(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. Love for one 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 12:28) Kubernesis - to guide, to steer.

 

(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

 

  1. Purpose for ministry

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

  1. Different Gifts – One body (Romans 12:6-17)

 

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 Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882):

The Ladder of St. Augustine (1858)

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

  • according to our faith

(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;

  • Word given by the Spirit for ‘Edification, Exhortation and Comfort’  (1 Corinthians 14:3)  

(1 Corinthians 14:3)  ‘But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.’

Edification – Building (‘oikodome’ - ‘building a house’)

 

ExhortationEncouraging (‘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 Lorddoulos (a slave)

 

 

 

Every believer must find his or her place in the body of Christ and fulfil it.

 

    1. Don’t try to be somebody else

 

 

    1. Everything we do is important!

 

 

 

 

  1. Ministry through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

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 17:28)  ‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.’

 

 

 

Need the Holy Spirit Baptism

 

 

Jesus is the baptiser

 

Thirst for Him – come to Him and drink  (John 7:37-38)

(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 10:38)  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

 

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:

  1. One bodymany members
  2. Working togethercompleting not competing
  3. Love - motivating
  4. Every member must fulfil his or her ministry.
  5. Become skilful in ministry
  6. All the affairs of life should be seen as ministry unto the Lord.
  7. Be receptive to the Holy Spirit
  8. Desire Spiritual gifts.
  9. Tune in.
  10. Let God move through His body.