Theme: Functioning Together as a Body in Ministry
Introduction: The Body of Christ
The Church is called the body of Christ. The life of Christ is in His body.
The believer in Christ is:
- Crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) — "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."
- Buried with Christ (Colossians 2:12) — "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith."
- Risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1) — "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above."
- Seated in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6) — "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
One Body in Christ
- The local church is a body
- A body has many members
- All the members work together for one another
- No member of the body is competing against another
- The body completes itself — never competes against itself
Illustration: Competition vs. Completion
We live in a competitive world — sport rewards the ability to compete, business is competitive. But in the body of Christ, the body must build itself up in love, not compete against itself.
Building Up His Body
- Love for Christ (John 14:15) — "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
- Love for one another (1 John 3:16) — "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
Leadership in the Body of Christ
Governments (kubernesis) — to guide, to steer (1 Corinthians 12:28).
Illustration: The Ship
The local church must be steered like a ship (Acts 27:11). The steersman has control of the wheel, but many seamen must be working together for the ship to sail.
The local church needs leaders to steer, but many others must be involved in ministry. And the local church must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Main Points
1. Purpose for Ministry
There are leaders who are called to the ministry (1 Timothy 1:12). These leaders fulfil the roles of:
a) Overseers and Deacons
Episkope (overseers) and diakonos (deacons) — 1 Timothy 3:1,8
b) The Five-Fold Ministry
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12) — "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
The purpose for these ministries is to build up the body of Christ and to equip the believers for ministry. Leadership and ministry involves the whole body of Christ. Every believer has a ministry to fulfil.
- Good leadership will produce good leaders
- Ministry gifts will produce ministries
Ministry is Serving
The household of Stephanas "addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints" (1 Corinthians 16:15). An addict thinks of nothing else — has one aim every day to satisfy the addiction.
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." — Colossians 3:23
Ministry of Helps (antilepsis)
Greek antilepsis literally means "to be in front so as to support" (1 Corinthians 12:28). Supporting one another includes:
- Carrying one another's burdens
- Getting involved with other people's problems
- Praying for one another
- Providing for one another
- Just being there!
2. Different Gifts — One Body (Romans 12:6-17)
We need to become skilful in fulfilling our place in the body: "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us" (Romans 12:6a). Work at it!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — "The Ladder of St. Augustine" (1858)
"The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night."
The Holy Spirit empowers those who have learnt to be skilful.
Word Given by Inspiration — Prophecy
- According to our faith (Romans 12:6)
- For Edification (oikodome — building a house)
- For Exhortation (parakaleo — to call to the side)
- For Comfort (paramuthia — speaking closely to a person)
Word Given by Preparation
- Teaching (12:7b) — work hard at it
- Exhorting (12:8a) — learn to be an encourager
Ministry Must Be Fulfilled in the Right Manner
Ministering in love (Romans 12:8b):
- Give with simplicity — liberality, not thinking about it afterwards
- Rule with diligence
- Show mercy with cheerfulness
Summary
- 1. One body, many members
- 2. Working together — completing, not competing
- 3. Love — motivating
- 4. Every member must fulfil his or her ministry
- 5. Become skilful in ministry
- 6. All the affairs of life should be seen as ministry unto the Lord
- 7. Be receptive to the Holy Spirit
- 8. Desire spiritual gifts
- 9. Tune in — Let God move through His body