The Living Body: Divinely Appointed

READ (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)

Church Membership? We have to be careful with this.

“We must re-grasp the idea of church membership as being the membership of the body of Christ and as the biggest honour which can come mans way in the world.” - Martin Lloyd-Jones

We all want to belong to something bigger than ourselves. To contribute to something special.

Television sitcoms depend on the progression of characters throughout episodes.

In God’s kingdom, no one of us is everything, but everyone of us is something.

1. Belonging Together Under God’s Directed Order.

“Body of Christ” - You enter the body of Christ when you accept His saving work. We were made for this.

A new humanity - (2 Cor. 5:17)

We belong to Christ and the new humanity he has inaugurated. We also belong together.

To belong to the same body is to serve and care for one another.

“has appointed” (etheto’) Middle voice implies “for His own use”.

Each church is in line with what all gospel churches are doing collectively. Every one is in his assigned place.

When I perform a wedding ceremony, I only want to know what one person wants.

The church is organized under God and his plan alone.

He owes us no explanation, and yet, has done so through the scriptures.

The people are commissioned for God’s use. Not the other way around.

His way is the best. We need his way more than he needs us...

“When it comes to my salvation, all I need is Jesus; after my salvation, everything is Jesus plus the church… When people preach that all you need is Jesus, they cut you and I off from one of the greatest sources of healing, which is the body of Christ. Don’t go it alone—you won’t make it.” - Josh McDowell

As the Living Body of Christ, we have been divinely appointed to be used for the purposes of God. The church is that purpose.

2. Spiritual Gifts are Meant to Be Functional.

20 different gifts are mentioned in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians.

This is not a top 20 list of the most important gifts ranked from most to least important.

They are directed by God’s order.

Culture loves to question order.

Apostles - Seen the risen Lord. Authorized to do God’s work.

Prophets - Proclaimers of God’s Word through the Holy Spirit. Meant to build up the spiritual life in the church.

Teachers - Jesus is called “teacher” over 30 times in the gospels. Honored title of Jewish synagogue. Instruction on the words and deeds of Jesus, the old testament, and the interpretation of the Christian message.

Miracles - Powerful works

Helping - “lending a hand”

Leading - “Man at the helm” Administration

Tongues - Spiritual language

No one receives every gift, but receives what the Lord intends them to receive.

I don’t want a nice car. I want a functional vehicle.

Order in the church is unclear when gifted people are trying to rise over one another through their influence. Jesus is our King.

We find order when we are receptive to God’s truth. What’s important is that those who possess gifts recognize their source in God, confess Jesus as Lord, and employ their gifting in Christian service.

Our prize is belong to God and having the opportunity to be fill with knowledge of His glory. To be saved from our sin.

Do I desire what the world wants more than knowing Jesus as Lord?