We are The Body of Christ

Luke 10:1-9 “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

-Jesus sent 70-72 people ( apart from the disciples) to prepare the hearts and the minds of the people for His coming.

- When He is saying pray, He’s not saying pray and therefore I don’t have to be a labor. He saying as a laborer pray.

- Sometimes we think the great commission was for the church at large . No the great commission is for everyone.

Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”

You say Pastor James why aren’t we doing more healing at this church

Their healing ministry was to authenticate their preaching ministry

They where telling people about Christ coming this was something new . The NT wasn’t written yet . This was to add validity to Gods word and the message there where preaching. Sometimes theres minstries that have a great emphasis on healing my lack the word of God.

Luke 10:10 “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,”

Luke 10:11 “‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’”

When Jews returned home from a Gentile country, they would shake the dust off their feet to signify their breaking ties with the Gentiles.

Luke 10:12 “But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.”

Luke 10:13 ““Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”

Luke 10:14 “But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.”

Luke 10:15 “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.”

Luke 10:16 “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.””

When people reject you, they reject Christ.

Symbiotic growth is the growth that occurs between two organisms where both benefit. Parasitic growth is growth that occurs in one organism because its feeding on another. Christians must ask themselves how they are functioning in the organism of the Body of Christ.

Am I a spiritual parasite? Sing to me. Preach to me. Pray for me. Counsel me. Help me, but expect nothing from me. That is a parasite. A christian interested in symbiotic growth says yes I have needs, but I’m willing to give too because everyone needs to benefit.

The Body of Christ isn’t to serve the members but the members are to serve the Body.

Romans 12:4 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,”

Romans 12:5 “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

Paul is first mentioning this great doctrine called “ Body of Christ” . Paul alone was given the responsibility to introduce this doctrine to the hearers.

The term“The Body of Christ” isn’t a metaphor or an illustration but its an actuality.

The body of Christ though they have many different members it still only one body

When people come in contact with you they are coming in contact with a member of Christ body.

1 Jn 4:17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

The word church is also a term we use to call The Body of Christ. The word church simply means called out ones. We are called out the world and called into Christ.

Just like your physical body you have one with many different functions so is the body of Christ.

Col 1:24-25 “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,”

The fact the Bible says that we are one Body with many member should promote unity with other believers.

Theres a bit of confusion about what is the church and what is not the church.