Waiting on God
Joshua Ogbidi
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One Another
One Another
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.
By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].
One of the most important things when going through refining fires of God’s works is to have a support system in place!
When we look at the cross we see that a great sharing took place
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
He shared in our sin so that we can share in His life
What a great burden He took upon Himself for our sakes!
We read that in the early days
All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.
The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.
There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them
and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.
I want to focus on the first verse:
Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was [exclusively] his own, but everything they had was in common and for the use of all.
The word “one” here is rarely used in the NT. It can be translated “single,” Unanimous,” “from many one”
It was used in the Shema to describe God,
“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
Jesus expresses this unity of God
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.
It means that God was in total unity with Himself in expression and purpose!
The church then should be the same “one”
It is sad that there are so many divisions in the body of Christ.
The church is described as a body
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
The head of the body is Christ
He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent].
For it has pleased [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should dwell in Him permanently.
And God purposed that through (by the service, the intervention of) Him [the Son] all things should be completely reconciled back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him, [the Father] made peace by means of the blood of His cross.
The head is the place of control, the brain
Every system is designed to keep the Brian functioning, you may be a cell in the foot smelling stink all day but that does not deter you from your purpose, to keep the body in harmony!
The end result is greater than the individual part!
Did you know that you lose close to 500 million skin cells every day! All them given to the purpose of keeping the body covered!
30 trillion skin cells in about 100 days, an entirely new you! Due to the variety of the cells, it takes about 7 years for an entirely new you!
Every system in your body exists to serve the brain!
Though we are individual believers, we are called to be “one in Christ!” Though we have different roles we are called to serve the greater goal!
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
So we see that
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
When one part of your body comes under attack, all the systems work together to ward off the invader!
Cells and factors sacrifice themselves for the purpose of preservation!
How we should learn from that example my friends, the church is bleeding out!
Programs, seminars, speakers and the such have replaced the simple acts of love
Jesus said that it would be by this example of commitment that the world would know we are His!
The world is living for sin and self where we are called to live for righteousness and love!
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
The word “bear” here is the word meaning to “exert energy: carry, or lift” it is the word used to describe Jesus carrying the cross!
the word “one another” is the greek word is a pronoun which marks reciprocation between two people” The word is in the Genitive plural case meaning something that is possessed!
It is proactive action when others are in need
When we are in the fire we must remember to bear one another’s burdens!
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
I am reminded of a verse in an old song when I think about what He has done for me
You are beautiful beyond description
Yet God crushed You for my sin
In agony and deep affliction
Cut off that I might enter in
Who can grasp such tender compassion?
Who can fathom this mercy so free?
You are beautiful beyond description
Lamb of God who died for me