The Body Of Christ

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Wednesday Evening: May 16, 2007

Text: Romans 12:4-5 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 10:15-17 I speak as to wise men (brethren, v. 1); judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion [fellowship] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion [fellowship] of the body of Christ? 17 For we (brethren, v. 1) being [the] many are one bread, ~~and~~ one body: for we (brethren, v. 1) are all partakers of that one bread.

ABIDING IN CHRIST

John 6:56 He that eateth [present active participle] my flesh (the bread, the body), and drinketh [present active participle] my blood (cup of blessing), dwelleth [present active indicative, abideth] in me, and I in him.

RAISED IN THE LAST DAY

John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath [present active, regards] eternal [age, millennial kingdom] life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

MEMBERS FILL MANY OFFICES

Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren,

A BROTHER

Matthew 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother …

THE MANY

Romans 12:5 So we, being [the] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

MANY CALLED AND CHOSEN

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

THE CALLING

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

BRETHREN CALLED AND CHOSEN

2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting [age, millennial, 1000 year] kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

THOSE THAT ARE WITH HIM

Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

ONE BODY, ONE HOPE

Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

ADDRESSING BRETHREN

1 Corinthians 12:1 … brethren, …

MANY MEMBERS BUT ONE BODY

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

MEMBERS PLACED BY GOD

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

BRETHREN ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 12:27-28 Now ye (brethren) are the body of Christ, and members in particular [part, portion]. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, …

PARTS GIVEN TO THE CHURCH

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

THE BODY OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:12-13 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge [epignwsiv, exact knowledge] of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

THE CHURCH EDIFIES ITSELF

Ephesians 4:15-16 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

BRIDE IS OUT OF HIS BODY

Ephesians 5:30-32 For we are members of [ek, out from] his body, of [ek, out from] his flesh, and of [ek, out from] his bones. (as Eve was out of Adam, Gen 2:23) 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

ADDRESSING BRETHREN

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand [perfect active, have stood in the past];

UNLESS YE BELIEVE IN VAIN

1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye (brethren) are saved [present passive indicative], if ye (brethren) keep in memory what I preached unto you (brethren), unless ye (brethren) have believed [aorist active] in vain. (you can not believe in vain with regard to the common salvation)

VAIN FAITH

1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (saved but having no victory over sin)

MISERABLE ONE HOPE?

1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

THE HOPE IN CHRIST

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die [present active indicative], even so (all) in Christ shall all be made alive [life + to give, future passive, shall give life (in the kingdom) ].

CHRIST THE FIRST FRUITS

1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they (those who sleep and those alive) that are Christ's at his coming.

THOSE AT HIS COMING

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I [we] would not have you to be ignorant [present active infinitive, to not be knowing], brethren, concerning them (brethren) which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which [the ones] have [ecw, present active participle, regard] no [mh, may not] hope. [may not regard or esteem hope]

IF BRETHREN BELIEVE

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we (brethren) believe [present active indicative] that Jesus died [apoqnhskw, physical death] and rose again, even so them also (that believe, present active, that Jesus died and rose again) which sleep [physical death] in [dia, by means of] Jesus will God bring with him.

ALL RAISED TOGETHER

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we (brethren) say unto you (brethren) by the word of the Lord, that we (brethren) which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

DEAD IN CHRIST FIRST

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead [ones, plural (brethren)] in Christ shall rise first:

WE THAT ARE IN CHRIST

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we (brethren) which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (brethren) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we (brethren) ever be with the Lord.

WITH THESE WORDS EXHORT

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort [exhort] one another (brethren) with these words.

THE BEST RESURRECTION

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first [best] resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.