ONE BODY MANY MEMBERS

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27

 

“… SO ALSO IS CHRIST”

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SPEAK OF THE CHURCH APART FROM CHRIST AND CHRIST APART FROM THE CHURCH

 

THE BODY … 12, 14

 

UNITY,

 

UNITY IS NOT UNIFORMITY,

 

UNIQUENESS IS NOT INDEPENDENCE,

 

 

THE BAPTISM …

 

SPIRIT BAPTISM,

(A ONCE FOR ALL EXPERIENCE)

 

OUR INITIAL EXPERIENCE IN CHRIST, ROMANS 8:8-9

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ELEMENT WE ARE BAPTIZED “WITH OR IN” … JESUS IS THE BAPTIZER

 

THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, EPHESIANS 5:18

(A DAILY EXPERIENCE)

 

“EVERYWHERE I GO I FIND GOD’S PEOPLE LACK SOMETHING. THEY ARE HUNGRY FR SOMETHING, THEIR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE IS NOT ALL THAT THEY EXPECTED AND THEY OFTEN HAVE RECURRING DEFEAT IN THEIR LIVES. CHRISTIANS ARE HUNGRY FOR SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENT. THE DESPERATE NEED OF THE NATION TODAY IS THAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO PROFESS JESUS, BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.” BILLY GRAHAM

 

THE APPLICATION:

 

THE NEW TESTAMENT KNOWS NOTHING OF A LONE-RANGER BELIEVER …

 

EACH MEMBER ASSUMES THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES …

 

EACH MEMBER ACCEPTS THEIR LIMITATIONS, Vv.15-17

(SOME PARTS HAVE PROMINENT ROLES AND OTHERS ARE OBSCURE, Vv.21-24)

 

THE LOCAL CHURCH IS DESIGNED TO FULFILL THE NEW TESTAMENT PROVISIONS … ACTS 2:42-47