THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 11-20-16

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LESSON TITLE: “THERE IS ONE BODY”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM!  THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD, AS WE TOGETHER STRIVE TO HONOR HIM ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.  AS ALWAYS, THIS MORNING IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TO SING HYMNS ABOUT GOD AND TO STUDY FROM HIS MAGNIFICENT WORD.  NOW LET’S BOW OUR HEADS BEFORE HIS THRONE IN PRAYER!<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE - THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO BE LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD; THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW YOU - THAT WE MIGHT, NOT ONLY FIND THE TRUTH AND SALVATION, BUT WE MIGHT HELP OTHERS TO FIND IT AS WELL THROUGH YOUR GRACE LOVE AND MERCY. FATHER, ALL THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.<br> <br>

      IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN WITH THE BRETHREN AS WE BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE TO GOD.  WE WILL BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH AN ENCOURAGING HYMN THAT REMINDS US THAT GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US AND HE WILL ALWAYS SHOW US THE WAY.  WON’T YOU DO YOUR PART IN SONG TO GOD, AS WE TOGETHER SING, “TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE!”   

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br><br> <br>

      PHYSICAL STRENGTH SEEMS TO BE ALMOST AN OBSESSION WITH MANY IN OUR DAY AND TIME.  YOU CAN LOOK ALMOST ANYWHERE AND FIND HEALTH CLUBS OR GYMS TO WORK OUT IN, IN ORDER TO IMPROVE YOUR PHYSICAL STRENGTH OR YOUR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.  <br> <br> 

	FOR MANY OF US OUR FAVORITE CHARACTERS AND HERO’S ARE THE STRONGEST, WHO SEEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THEIR STRENGTH.  SOME OF US LIKE CERTAIN SPORTS, WHERE AGAIN, ATHLETES SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON BUILDING THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES TO PREPARE THEMSELVES TO ADEQUATELY EXECUTE THEIR SPORT!  <br> <br>

	WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND, I AM REMINDED OF A VERSE IN PSALMS THAT MAKES ME THINK OF THE SAME KIND OF STRENGTH IN THE LORD.  DAVID SAID, “THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD ARE LIKE MOUNT ZION, WHICH CANNOT BE MOVED, BUT ABIDES FOREVER,” PSALMS 125:1.  HERE WE SEE THAT THOSE WHO HAVE GOD ARE LIKE A MOUNTAIN, WHICH CAN NOT BE MOVED!  FURTHERMORE, THEY WILL ABIDE FOREVER.  <br> <br>

      THIS VERSE HELPS ME TO THINK OF HOW SPIRITUALLY STRONG WE ARE WHEN WE HAVE GOD ON OUR SIDE.  IF WE HAVE GOD ON OUR SIDE AND WE EXERCISE OURSELVES SPIRITUALLY, THEN WE KNOW THAT WE CAN ENDURE OR WITHSTAND ANYTHING, JUST AS A STRONG, UNMOVABLE MOUNTAIN.  <br> <br>

      ANOTHER REMARKABLE VERSE ALONG THE SAME LINES IS FOUND IN 1 TIMOTHY 4:8.  THERE WE READ THE WORD’S OF PAUL AS HE SAID, “FOR BODILY EXERCISE PROFITS A LITTLE, BUT GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE FOR ALL THINGS, HAVING PROMISE OF THE LIFE THAT NOW IS AND OF THAT WHICH IS TO COME.”  NOTICE AGAIN THE EMPHASIS HERE ON THE SPIRITUAL RATHER THAN THE PHYSICAL.  NOT TO SAY THAT BODILY EXERCISE IS WRONG, BUT IT REALLY PROFITS LITTLE BECAUSE SOME DAY OUR BODIES WILL SIMPLY RETURN TO THE DUST, GENESIS 3:19!  <br> <br>

      HOWEVER, ALSO LOOK AT THE GREAT BENEFIT WE GAIN FROM SPIRITUAL EXERCISE!  THIS VERSE TELLS US THAT IT PROFITS US FOR ALL THINGS.  IT MAKE US BETTER IN EVERY WAY TODAY, RIGHT NOW.  FURTHERMORE, IT ALSO PREPARES US AND MAKES US READY FOR ALL OF THAT WHICH IS TO COME - EVEN HEAVEN. <br> <br>

      SO, AS THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, LET’S ALWAYS TRY TO EXERCISE OURSELVES UNTO GODLINESS.  IN SO DOING, WE WILL MAKE OURSELVES BETTER SERVANTS TODAY AND TOMORROW FOR ALL THINGS WHICH GOD HAS IN STORE FOR US.  <br> <br>  

      THIS MORNING, WE ARE GOING TO BE CONTINUING OUR SERIES ON THE CHURCH. OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE MORNING IS ENTITLED, “THERE IS ONE BODY.”  AS FAR AS OUR GUEST SPEAKER OF THE DAY, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER BRENT GREEN WITH US.  BROTHER BRENT IS THE MINISTER FOR THE HIGHWAY 13 CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BOLIVAR, MISSOURI.   WE THANK HIM FOR BEING WITH US TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HIM LEADING OUR THOUGHTS FROM GOD’S WORD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.    <br> <br>

      NOW LET’S JOIN IN OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER AS WE GLORIFY GOD OUR CREATOR.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN IS “STANDING ON THE PROMISES.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY BRENT GREEN<br> <br>

      WHAT A JOY AND PRIVILEGE IT IS AS ALWAYS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN GOD'S WORD AND STUDY FROM IT. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE BODY, THE BODY IS SPOKEN OF IN THE SCRIPTURE. IT GIVES US INDICATION THAT THERE IS JUST ONE - ALTHOUGH SOME HAVE DIVIDED THEMSELVES - JESUS SPOKE OF ONE BODY. AND ALSO THOSE WHO WOULD FOLLOW; MEN WHO WROTE BY INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - LIKE PAUL WOULD RECORD THAT INDEED THERE IS ONE BODY. THERE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4 VERSES FOUR THROUGH SIX WE READ THESE WORDS. IT SAYS, “THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT JUST AS YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE HOPE OF YOUR CALLING. ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL WHO IS ABOVE ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND IN YOU ALL.” PAUL ACTUALLY GAVE HIS SEVENFOLD EMPHASIS THERE OF THE WANTS. SEVEN DIFFERENT THINGS HE MENTIONS AND AT THE VERY TOP OF THAT LIST HE SAYS THERE IS ONE BODY. WELL, AS HE MAKES THAT STATEMENT MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS POSSIBLY COME TO MIND WONDERING HOW MANY BODIES ARE THERE? AND OF COURSE, HE ANSWERS THAT QUESTION. BUT HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT FROM THE REST OF THE SCRIPTURE? WHAT OTHER EVIDENCE IS THERE TO SHOW US THERE IS BUT ONE? ALSO, WHAT IS THIS BODY? I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE ONE THING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT A PHYSICAL BODY - BUT OF COURSE, THAT IS NOT WHAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION HERE. SO WHAT IS THIS BODY? AND THEN - HOW CAN THIS BODY BE UNIFIED? <br> <br>

      WELL, LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT FIRST QUESTION - HOW MANY BODIES ARE THERE? AS WE JUST READ IN EPHESIANS 4 IN VERSE FOUR, WE READ THAT THERE IS ONE. WELL, ONE IS JUST ONE. AS WE MIGHT THINK IN MATHEMATICAL TERMS AS ONE OF OUR NUMBERS, THE VERY FIRST ONE WHEN WE START COUNTING, A PRIME NUMBER IS SOMETIMES EVEN MORE THAN THAT. WE OFTEN UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MIGHT JUST BE ONE THING LEFT. THERE IS ALWAYS A FIGHT, IT SEEMS TO BE, OVER JUST GETTING THAT LAST ONE OF SOMETHING. BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER ONE IN GENERAL, WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S JUST ONE UNDER CONSIDERATION. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TWO OR THREE OR FOUR OR ANY OTHER NUMBER. BUT ONE IS ONE. SO WHEN PAUL SAYS THERE IS ONE BODY - THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANS. THAT THERE IS BUT ONE AS WE THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT LIGHT. IT'S NOT JUST HERE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4 BUT ALSO OVER IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12. WE UNDERSTAND THAT GREAT PRINCIPLE FROM THE SCRIPTURE THERE AS WELL. FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12 IN VERSE 12, WE FIND THESE WORDS. IT SAYS, “FOR AS THE BODY IS ONE AND HAS MANY MEMBERS. BUT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THAT ONE BODY BEING MANY ARE ONE BODY SO ALSO IS CHRIST. FOR BY ONE SPIRIT WE WERE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY WHETHER JEWS OR GREEKS, WHETHER SLAVES ARE FREE AND HAVE ALL BEEN MADE TO DRINK INTO ONE SPIRIT.” JUST LIKE WHEN HE WROTE TO THE BRETHREN AT EPHESUS. HE WRITES HERE TO THE CHRISTIANS AT CORINTH AND REMINDS THEM ONCE AGAIN THAT THERE IS BUT ONE BODY. THE ONE BY THAT THEY WERE ALL BAPTIZED INTO. NOT A MULTIPLICITY OF BODIES BUT SIMPLY ONE AS WE READ THERE IN THAT VERSE. IN THAT SAME CHAPTER, FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12, WE  WILL LOOK AT SEVERAL PASSAGES THERE. ANOTHER ONE THAT STANDS OUT HERE AT THE TOP IS THIS. MOVING DOWN TO VERSE 27 HE SAYS, “NOW YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST AND MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY.” SPEAKING OF THOSE WHO WOULD MAKE UP THIS BODY HE SAYS AS INDIVIDUALS YOU ALL COME TOGETHER AND TOGETHER YOU MAKE UP ONE BODY IN CHRIST JESUS. AS WE READ IT HERE IN THE BOOK OF CORINTHIANS, WE ALSO READ IT IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS. LOOK WITH ME NOW FOR A MOMENT AT ROMANS CHAPTER 12 THERE IN VERSE FIVE. TOWARDS THE END OF THIS EPISTLE, AS PAUL WOULD RIGHT TO ANOTHER GROUP OF BRETHERN WE FIND THE SAME PRINCIPLE POINTED OUT TO US. ROMANS CHAPTER 12 IN VERSE FIVE SAYS, “SO WE BEING MANY ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER.” IT DIDN'T MATTER IF HE WAS WRITING TO THE BRETHREN AT EPHESUS OR CORINTH IN ROME - PAUL SPEAKS OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS ONE BODY MADE UP OF THESE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, THOSE WHO ARE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST. AND IF WE WENT BACK TO FIRST CORINTHIANS 12 WE WOULD SEE THAT POINT MADE OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THAT CHAPTER. BECAUSE TIME AND AGAIN WE SEE THERE ALL THE REFERENCES MADE TO THE BODY OR TO ONE BODY. YOU MIGHT JUST SKIM THERE WITH ME THROUGH CHAPTER 12 OF FIRST CORINTHIANS TO SEE JUST HOW MANY TIMES THAT IDEA COMES UP AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT CHAPTER. THERE IN VERSE 12 HE SAYS, “FOR AS THE BODY IS ONE.” WE FIND THAT TERMINOLOGY THERE REPEATED ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT VERSES 12 AND 13. AND THEN IN VERSE 14, “FOR IN FACT THE BODY IS NOT ONE MEMBER BUT MANY.” AGAIN USING THAT IDEA OF THE BODY. MOVING ON DOWN IN VERSES 15 THROUGH 17 HE SPEAKS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY COMPARING THEM TO HANDS AND FEET AND EYES AND EARS THAT AS HE TALKS ABOUT THEM HE TALKS ABOUT THEM BEING PART OF THE BODY. ALSO THERE AS YOU MOVE ON DOWN TO VERSE 18 HE SAYS, “GOD HAS SET THE MEMBERS, EACH ONE OF THEM, IN THE BODY JUST AS HE PLEASE.” AGAIN THAT IDEA OF THE BODY USED ONCE AGAIN IN THAT PASSAGE. IN VERSE 19, “AND IF THEY ARE ALL MEMBERS WHERE WOULD THE BODY BE?” POINTING OUT ONCE AGAIN THAT SAME IDEA. VERSE 20 AS WELL, “INDEED THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS YET ONE BODY.” AND SO AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THROUGH EVEN VERSES 22 AND 23 WE SEE THAT IDEA OF MAYBE EVEN THE WEAKER MEMBERS OF THE BODY ARE STILL PART OF THAT BODY. THERE ALSO IN VERSE 24 WE READ, “BUT OUR PRESENTABLE PARTS HAVE NO NEED. BUT GOD COMPOSED THE BODY, HAVING GIVING GREATER HONOR TO THE PART WHICH LACKS.” AGAIN THE COMPOSITION OF THE BODY AS GOD SET THESE MEMBERS IN IT. THERE IN VERSE 25, “THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY BUT THE MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CARE ONE FOR ANOTHER.” AND FINALY AS WE READ IN VERSE 27 THAT IDEA REPEATED ONCE AGAIN. IN JUST ONE CHAPTER, IN JUST PART OF THAT CHAPTER, WE SEE THIS REPETITION OF THIS IDEA. SHOULD THERE BE ANY DOUBT IN OUR MINDS? SHOULD THE QUESTION STILL ARISE IN WONDERING - WELL, MAYBE THERE'S A BODY HERE AND A BODY THERE. MAYBE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT BODIES; THOSE THAT MIGHT FOLLOW THE GENERAL UMBRELLA OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST. NOT WHAT WE READ IN THE SCRIPTURE. WHETHER WE READ IN THIS BOOK OR THAT BOOK, WHAT WE READ IS THAT THERE IS BUT ONE BODY AND THAT IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. AS WE SEE THAT ONE BODY IDENTIFIED FOR US VERY CLEARLY IN THE SCRIPTURE AND IN THE REPETITION THERE OF. <br> <br>

      WE ALSO FIND VERSES ONCE AGAIN IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS THAT WOULD HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ONE BODY BUT ONE HEAD TO GO ALONG WITH THAT ONE BODY. THERE IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS - EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 - WE CAN FIND THESE WORDS DOWN IN VERSE 22. IT SAYS IN EPHESIANS 1:22 THAT, “HE PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET AND GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH,” WHICH IS HIS BODY, “THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL.” JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY. HE'S THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH AS THAT PASSAGE POINTS OUT. AS IT WOULD TAKE US TO MAYBE APPOINT EVEN IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD, WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UNLESS THERE IS SOME PROBLEM, MOST EVERY CREATURE HAS ONE HEAD AND ONE BODY. THERE MIGHT BE SOME STRANGE MUTATION THAT WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING ABNORMAL BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING YOU SEE THAT EVERY CAT HAS ONE HEAD AND ONE BODY. EVERY DOG HAS ONE HEAD AND ONE BODY. EVERY COW. AND COURSE WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT IN EVERY ANIMAL THAT HAS A HEAD AND BODY SUCH AS THAT. AS WE TAKE THAT GENERAL PRINCIPLE WE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD. WHAT WE UNDERSTAND HERE, AS WE READ THIS, THE CHURCH - THE BODY, JESUS CHRISTS' BODY - HIS CHURCH HAS BUT ONE HEAD AND HE IS THAT HEAD. <br> <br>

      AND LIKEWISE, THERE IS ONE BODY TO GO WITH THAT ONE HEAD. NOT ONLY FOUND IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 BUT JUST A FEW CHAPTERS LATER IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 WE READ OF THAT SAME TEACHING AS IT'S REPEATED. EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 23 SAYS, “FOR THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE AS ALSO CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND HE IS THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY. THEREFORE JUST AS THE CHURCH IS SUBJECT TO CHRIST SO LET WIVES BE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS IN EVERYTHING.” ALTHOUGH THIS CHAPTER IS DEALING IN PART WITH HUSBANDS AND WIVES AND THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE HOME, HE ALSO COMPARES IT IN OUR POINT HERE CONCERNING THE CHURCH. JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH. HE, THE HEAD OF HIS BODY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY WE HAVE TO SUBMIT OURSELVES TO HIS RULE AS THAT HEAD. THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION - HOW MANY BODIES ARE THERE? WHAT WE FIND IN THE SCRIPTURE IS THAT'S THERE IS BUT ONE. THERE IS ONE BODY. <br> <br>

      AS WE'VE EVEN READ IN SOME OF THESE VERSES WE'VE HELPED TO ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION AS WELL - WHAT BODY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT BODY IS THIS? WELL, THIS BODY THAT WE'RE READING ABOUT HERE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF, THIS BODY THE ONE BODY OF THE SCRIPTURE, IS THE CHURCH. ONCE AGAIN, AS YOU MAY BE THERE IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS AS WE READ TOGETHER AND STUDY GOD'S WORD, LOOK WITH ME AGAIN AT EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 THAT WE JUST READ THERE IN VERSES 22 AND 23. IT SAYS ONCE AGAIN THAT HE PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET AND GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY. WHAT WE HAVE EQUATED THERE IN THOSE TWO VERSES IS TWO THINGS - YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN OF AS BEING THE BODY OF CHRIST OR HIS BODY. AND THEN IT ALSO USES THE TERM THE CHURCH. WELL, THOSE TWO THINGS ARE EQUATED. YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THEM. ONE IS BY ONE NAME AND THE SAME NAME, OR A DIFFERENT NAME THERE IDENTIFIES THE SAME ENTITY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE BODY AND THE CHURCH ARE ONE IN THE SAME. THAT IS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. WHAT BODY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WELL, THE BODY IS THE CHURCH THAT WE READ OF HERE IN THIS SCRIPTURE. THERE CAN BE NO MORE DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE TWO THINGS FOUND IN THESE TWO VERSES. YOU CANNOT SEPARATE THOSE TWO THINGS IN THE SCRIPTURE. AND WHAT WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND MORE SO IS THAT AS THIS CONNECTION IS MADE THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST IS HIS CHURCH OR THE CHURCH. WHAT WE UNDERSTAND ONCE AGAIN IS THE AUTHORITY THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING UNDER WHOM WE SERVE. THERE IN THIS VERSE, IN VERSE 22 EPHESIANS 1, IT SAYS THAT HE PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET AND GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO HIS CHURCH. WHO'S THE HEAD OF THE BODY AND SUBSEQUENTLY WHO'S THE HEAD THE CHURCH - AS THOSE TWO ARE THE SAME - IS JESUS CHRIST. ALL THINGS CONCERNING THE CHURCH AND MATTERS THEREOF ARE UNDER HIS AUTHORITY AND ARE TO BE GOVERNED BY HIS RULING - BY THE WORD THAT HE LEFT TO BE FOLLOWED. JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO RULES THIS BODY, THE ONE WHO RULES HIS CHURCH. AND EVEN AS WE READ ONCE AGAIN OVER IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 THOSE SAME WORDS ARE PRESENTED TO US ONCE AGAIN. EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 23 THAT WE READ AS HE MAKES THAT COMPARISON AGAIN TO CHRIST AND THE FAMILY HE SAYS THAT CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY AND THAT WE AS THOSE WHO ARE PART OF THAT BODY ARE TO BE SUBJECT UNDER HIM. HE HAS THAT AUTHORITATIVE ROLE OVER HIS BODY, OVER HIS CHURCH AS THE SCRIPTURES ONCE AGAIN INDICATE. THAT SHOULD COME AT NO SURPRISE. EVEN WHEN JESUS WALKED THE FACE OF THIS EARTH, HOW DID HE SPEAK OF HIS BODY? HOW DID HE SPEAK OF HIS CHURCH? WELL, THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 16, IT MIGHT VERY WELL BE A FAMILIAR VERSE TO MANY. AS WE READ IT WE UNDERSTAND ONCE AGAIN TO WHOM THE CHURCH BELONGS. WHOSE IS IT? WHOSE AUTHORITY GOVERNS IT? WELL, JESUS HIMSELF SAID IN MATTHEW 16 VERSE 18 THE FOLLOWING WORDS. HE SAID, “I ALSO SAY TO YOU THAT YOU ARE PETER - UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH AND THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.” THAT STATEMENT WAS MADE RIGHT AFTER PETER SAID TO CHRIST - YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. IT IS THAT STATEMENT, IT'S UPON JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF THAT HIS CHURCH IS BUILT. HE BUILT IT UPON THE ROCK SOLID FOUNDATION THAT HE IS UNDER THAT ENTITY. DID YOU CATCH WHAT HE SAID THERE IN VERSE 18? HE SAID: I'LL BUILD MY CHURCH. IT'S NOT THE CHURCH OF ANY MAN. IT'S NOT THE CHURCH OF ANY ORGANIZATION. IT'S THE CHURCH THAT BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST. IT IS HIS CHURCH - AND AS IT IS HIS CHURCH AND HIS BODY, HE HAS SOLE AUTHORITY OVER IT. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND TO LIVE FOLLOWING THAT STANDARD, THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT WE WOULD SUBMIT OURSELVES TO HIS RULE AND TO HIS REIGN AS A PART OF THAT BODY - HIS BODY THE CHURCH. AND AS WE ARE PART OF THAT BODY, THOSE WHO HAVE OBEYED THE PLAN OF SALVATION, WE ARE A PART OF THAT ONE BODY. WE ARE A PART OF HIS CHURCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING HIS COMMANDS. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE DID TO BECOME A PART OF THAT BODY AND A PART OF HIS CHURCH? THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY. JOHN CHAPTER 14 IN VERSE SIX, JESUS SAID, “I AM THE WAY,THE TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT. NO MAN COMES THE TO FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO THE FATHER, THEY'VE DONE IT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. NO OTHER WAY! NO OTHER TEACHING CAN BRING YOU TO GOD - BRING YOU TO SALVATION - BRING YOU TO THAT SAVIOR OF HIS BODY EXCEPT FOR THE TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST. AND AS YOU FOLLOW THAT WAY, JESUS' WAY, WHAT IS IT THAT ACTS 2:47 TEACHES? IT SAYS THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE FOLLOW HIS PLAN OF SALVATION AND OBEY HIS TEACHING IT IS GOD WHO ADDS YOU TO HIS CHURCH - THAT IS TO HIS BODY - AND PLACES YOU WITHIN THAT ENTITY. YOU'RE NOT VOTED IN. IT'S NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST. KNOW THAT IT'S AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF GOD. THAT'S HOW GOD ADDS YOU TO HIS CHURCH. <br> <br>

      AS WE UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION IT BRINGS TO OUR MINDS THE ONE FINAL QUESTION WE HAVE POSED HERE AT THIS TIME - WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD DO AS THAT BODY? AS HIS CHURCH? WE SHOULD BE THOSE WHO ARE LIVING UNIFIED AS HIS CHURCH. NO DOUBT WE CAN SEE THE DIVISION IN MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD. WHICH SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE WITH IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD, SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT WE WOULD SEE SUCH DIVISION. DIVISION IS REALLY WHAT WOULD PLAGUE THE CHURCH BUT UNITY IS AN ABSENCE OF SUCH. THE ONE BODY - HIS CHURCH - THAT TERM THERE IS A TERM THAT WOULD SPEAK OF THE UNITY THAT SHOULD EXIST WITHIN THIS ONE BODY. AS YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THE BIBLE CALLS FOR SUCH. IN THAT SAME CHAPTER THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12, WE FIND THERE IN VERSE 25 AGAIN THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY BUT THAT THE MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. THIS ONE BODY OF CHRIST, HIS CHURCH, SHOULD NOT BE DIVIDED. WE SHOULD INDEED BE UNIFIED AS WE LIVE TOGETHER AS THAT ONE BODY. THE BIBLE DEFINITELY CALLS FOR SUCH. FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:10, “LET THERE BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU.” EVEN IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4, RIGHT BEFORE GIVING THOSE SEVEN ONES, GUESS WHAT IT IS THAT PAUL SAID TO THE BRETHERN? “ENDEAVOR TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT.” IT WAS THOSE SEVEN ONES THERE IN EPHESIANS 4 THAT HELPS TO GIVE THAT UNIFYING FACTOR WITHIN THE CHURCH. IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ONE BODY WE CAN LIVE SUBSEQUENTLY UNIFIED AS THAT ONE BODY. WE SHOULD WORK FOR THAT BECAUSE INDEED THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND - THERE IN MARK CHAPTER 3 IN VERSE 25. A KINGDOM DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF WILL NOT STAND - MATTHEW CHAPTER 12 IN VERSE 25. <br> <br>

      SO OUR RESPONSIBILITY THEN AS WE UNDERSTAND THESE KEY PRINCIPLES THAT THERE IS BUT ONE BODY ACCORDING THE SCRIPTURE. THAT INDEED THAT BODY IS CHRIST'S BODY - HIS CHURCH. WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND LIVE ACCORDINGLY AS CHRISTIANS THOSE WHO INDEED ARE STRIVING FOR THAT UNITY. THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT MUST BE UNIFIED SHOULD ALTOGETHER WANT TO SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD AND NOT THE WILL OF MAN. AS WE OBEY CHRIST COMMANDMENTS WE ARE HIS FRIENDS. WE TOGETHER AS HIS CHURCH, THAT ONE BODY, SHOULD WORK TOGETHER AS INDIVIDUAL PARTS - AGAIN, FIRST CORINTHIANS 12: SOME MAYBE FEET. SOME MAYBE HAND, SOME EYES, AND SOME EARS. BUT INDIVIDUALLY WE USE OUR TALENTS AND ABILITIES TO SERVE GOD AND OF SERVE THAT ONE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST. WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER IN HUMILITY. SOME MIGHT THINK, “WELL, I HAVE A GREATER ROLE IN THE BODY.” AGAIN, FIRST CORINTHIANS 12 POINTS OUT THAT THOSE THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER LESSER HAVE GREATER HONOR. WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER AS THAT ONE BODY OF CHRIST AS HIS CHURCH. THAT IS THE CHURCH THAT BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST TO MAKE SURE WE STRIVE TO BE THAT ONE BODY. COULD WE CONTINUE DOWN THE PATHWAY OF THE WORLD AND GO AFTER THINGS THAT DIVIDE US AND SEPARATE OURSELVES AND NOT FOLLOW SCRIPTURE? OF COURSE WE COULD BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THINGS GOD'S WAY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALWAYS GO BACK THE SCRIPTURE THAT WE FOLLOW WHAT IS THAT GOD'S WORD TEACHES US. YOU SEE WE COULD FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF MAN BUT NEVER TRULY FOLLOW THE WORD OF GOD. BUT IT'S WHEN WE OPEN THOSE PAGES WE FIND WHAT'S IN GOD'S WORD AND THAT WE CAN LEARN THESE PRINCIPLES THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW. LET US ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD! LET US UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ONE BODY AND LET US LIVE ACCORDING EVERYDAY OF OUR LIVES!<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

	THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY, AS WE GAVE THIS TIME TO GOD. IT IS ALWAYS A BLESSING TO HAVE YOU WITH US.  WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO DOING THE THINGS OF GOD IN HIS WAY!  <br> <br>

	NOW, LET ME ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

The Living Word

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      MAY WE ALL STRIVE TO OBEY THE WILL OF GOD AND TO UNDERSTAND HIS TRUTH CONCERNING THE BODY OF CHRIST.  SURELY, WE NEED TO BE IN THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE SAVED OF OUR LORD.  

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