Members Of One Another

MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER

Romans 12:1-8 (v5)

Every Christian is important in the body of Christ. As you study the Bible, you will discover that God has a unique plan for you.  True there is an eternal plan...but it is also the Lord's will that each of us be a functioning member in the Body. Ref: Ephesians 4:15,16 Read..."...to grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ.. v.16 "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grow and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

I. NOTICE FIRST OF ALL THE PHRASE "ONE ANOTHER"

                A. Used 58 times in the New Testament'         '

                                1.. Paul used it 40 times

                                2.  It is a term that is used to describe a mutual and reciprocal process that enables the body of Christ to function effectively and grow spiritually.

                B. Underlying all this is the "more excellent way" that Paul referred to in ICo 12:31 which is LOVE!

                                1. This exhortation to love one another appears more frequently than all others. 16 times in the New Testament, we are exhorted to "love one another"

                                2.  There is no question as to what is most important. Love is the greatest! When Paul was happy with the spiritual maturity of a church, he always thanked God for their love. When he analyzed a church, the bottom line was always LOVE!

                                3. Col3:14......read

                                4. I Peter 4:8 read

                                5. John 13:34-35   all men will know...

II. THE ANALOGY OF THE HUMAN BODY

                A.            More than thirty times Paul uses the word "body" to illustrate the church.

                                1. In I Co 3:1-2 read. Their immaturity and carnality was one reason Paul made a special effort to illustrate the human body and unity in the church.

                                2. Read also I Co. 12:14-26 and Eph 4

III. A WRONG EMPHASIS

                A. Some have interpreted these passages of  Scripture to mean that Christians must search for and try to discover their spiritual gifts....in order to be what God wants them to be in the body...while there could be some meaning in that, let's look at what Paul was really saying.

                                1. First, He was teaching that no individual Christian can function effectively by himself.

                                2. Once a speck of dust blew into my eye. Instinctively I rubbed my eye with my finger to help my eye.  After pulling the lid down, causing the eye to cry, the dust was washed out. In a short time, my eye was back to normal. But without my hand, including the special action of the fingers, the dust would have remained.

                                3. Illustrate my own personal experience of my dependence on Milbre when I broke my ankle.....last November

                                4. Just as the human body is made up of many members, so the body of Christ. And each member is important.  We are indeed "Members of one another" No member can say "I don't need you"  We all need one another.

                B. No member of the Body of Christ should feel he is more important than another member of the body.

                                1. Not one of us has exclusive rights to the grace of God. The emphasis is on humility Rom 12::3  read  he didn't say not to think of yourself. That's normal.. ..Just don't get an inflated opinion of yourself. .."in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.."

                                2. v. 5 Again. Each member belongs to all the others

                                3. Why did Paul emphasize humility, gentleness, and patience?  He went on to say in  Eph 4;4 there IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT. "

                                4. In essence, no member is more important than the other. Though one person may have a more responsible position, in God's sight, even the person who may go unnoticed is just as important and necessary in the body of Christ. (I cor 12:22,23 read

                                5. When we use the analogy of the human body, we immediately picture the expressive parts of the body..mouth, hands, feet, eyes...the outwardly movable...but the hidden parts..bones, ligaments, muscles, glands, ...these are also vital to proper functioning of our body.

                                                a. What would your hands and feet or tongue do with the control of the muscles and the brain?

                C. THIRD, CHRISTIANS SHOULD WORK HARD AT CREATING UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST!

                                1. I Cor 12:12"...the body is a unit..though it is made up of many parts"

                                2. I Cor 1:10..read  No divisions, that all of you agree with one another so that there be no divisions among you. that you may be perfectly united in mind ad thought.

                                3. Eph 4:3 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

IV DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER (ROMANS 12:10

                A The Family of God

                                1. Illustrated by the human family..my family

                                2. Being a part of the family is something with which most of us can identify.

                                3. Just as the body illustrates we are members of one another, the concept of the family adds a dimension of warmth, tenderness, concern, and loyalty. ie..human emotion and devotion.

                                4. Paul uses the family analogy to illustrate human relationships in the church...how we feel about each other..how we deal with our differences, etc.

                B. Be Devoted to one another in brotherly love (Philadelphia love)

                                1. Refers to the love that should exist between brothers and sisters in the family of God Eph 3:14  I Peter 4:17

                                2. The term "BROTHERS" IS USED               230 TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT and means literally  'FROM THE SAME WOMB"   It is distinctively a family term.

                                3. The point is clear: Christians are to be just as devoted to each other as are the individual members of a close-knit family...for we are indeed "blood-brothers" in Christ for we have all been redeemed by the same blood of Christ. Eph 1:7

                C. PRACTICAL APPLICATION

                                1. Evaluate your attitude and actions toward other members of the "family of God"  How do you feel about them? Are you arrogant in your attitude? Are you cliquish?

Elitists?  Do you let others use you ears as a trash can about other people?

                                2. Can we rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep?

CONCLUSION:   There are reason's why its hard for some to identify with fellow believers...we don't want to get too close to people...why?

                1. Fear of rejection? Maybe you've been hurt in the past by others...not willing to take a chance of being hurt again.

                2. Let us beware of the silent killers    BITTERNESS    ENVY    AND   RESENTMENT LOOK IN at the life of Joseph in Gen 45-50......illustrates how he never would let his life experiences  ruin his outlook on life....Gen 50: he told his brothers after all the heartache..."you meant evil unto me but god meant it unto good"  WHAT AN ATTITUDE!

                3. I THINK WE ARE IN THE CLOSING MOMENTS OF TIME...I BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE SOME THINGS THAT WILL REALLY CAUSE US TO REALIZE HOW MUCH WE NEED EACH OTHER.... SO MUCH THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING".