"OUR LIFE TOGETHER"

No Life Beyond The Body

INTRODUCTION

1. So far in this study on "Our Life Together"...
1. We have seen that fellowship in the church is both:
1. A "vertical" relationship with God
2. A "horizontal" relationship with fellow Christians
2. We also noticed that the fellowship in Christ's church:
1. Was to be similar to the intimacy found in a family
2. For the church is indeed the "family of God"
2. In this lesson, we shall consider how the church in its fellowship is like a "body"...
1. With Christ as its head
2. And its members dependent upon the head and each other ...that it can be truly said there is "No Life Beyond The Body"!

[We begin by noticing some things about...]

1. THE CHURCH AS THE "BODY OF CHRIST"
1. THAT THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST...
1. Is evident from Paul's statement to the Colossians - Col 1:18
2. Is stated very clearly in Ep 1:22-23
2. AS THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH...
1. Is "SAVED" by Christ - Ep 5:23
1. He saved it out of love, and by giving Himself for it - Ep 5:25
2. He did so that He might make it a "glorious" church - Ep 5:26-27
1. By sanctifying and cleansing it
2. So it might be holy and without blemish
2. Is "NOURISHED" and "CHERISHED" by Christ - Ep 5:29
1. Even as husbands do for the wives they love
2. This suggests that the work of Christ in behalf of His church goes beyond just dying on the cross, but continues on in some way

[But the main point I am leading up to is this: Outside the church, the body of Christ, there is no life!

• There is no salvation outside the body, the church! - Ep 5:23
• There is no spiritual nourishment outside the body, the church! - Ep 5:29

We know how He provides "salvation" to those in His church (through His blood), but how does He provide "life" (i.e., nourishment, strength) to those in the body?]

2. HOW CHRIST PROVIDES LIFE TO THOSE IN THE BODY
1. DIRECTLY, FROM THE HEAD TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY...
1. As He suggested by the figure of the vine and branches - cf. Jn 15:5
2. As illustrated in the statement of Paul - Php 4:13
3. So the direct and individual relationship we have with Christ is one avenue of the "life" (i.e., nourishment, strength)
2. INDIRECTLY, BY THE PROPER WORKING OF EACH MEMBER...
1. Each member has been given some ability by the grace of God - cf. Ro 12:4-8
2. We are expected to "minister it to one another", i.e., use it to the benefit of others - cf. 1Pe 4:9
3. When each member is doing its part, the body is capable of building itself up in love - Ep 4:15-16
3. THUS WE RECEIVE "LIFE" (STRENGTH) FROM TWO SOURCES...
1. Directly from Christ (through our individual association with Him)
2. Indirectly from Christ (through our association or fellowship with the members of His body, the church)
3. An EXAMPLE of this:
1. We can receive "comfort" directly from God in Christ - 2 Co 1:3-4a,5 (e.g., through prayer - Php 4:6-7)
2. Yet we pass this "comfort" along to others - 2Co 1:4b
3. For that is how God often provides "comfort" to us indirectly - cf. 2Co 7:6-7

[As we understand HOW Christ imparts "life" to the body, we can more fully appreciate...]

3. THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE BODY
1. EVERY MEMBER IS NEEDED FOR THE BODY TO FUNCTION WELL...
1. No one can say they are not important - cf. 1Co 12:14-19
2. No one can say others are not needed - cf. 1Co 12:20-25
2. SO "INTERDEPENDENT" ARE THE MEMBERS, THAT WHAT AFFECTS ONE AFFECTS ALL!
1. As Paul taught in 1Co 12:26-27
2. So when a member begins to reason within himself...
1. "I am not needed"
2. "I won't be missed"
3. "There's nothing that I can do that is important" ...and by such reasoning remains an inactive member, the whole body suffers!
3. In such cases, the body (church) becomes "handicapped"!
1. The church is not working at its full potential
2. Because there is not what Paul described as "the effective working by which every part does it share" - Ep 4:16
4. And when the body (church) is "handicapped"...
1. Christ is unable to provide the full extent of His life and nourishment!
2. For as we have seen, the body (church) is one means by which He does so
3. The end result is that "growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" does not occur!

CONCLUSION

1. When we understand that the church is the "body of Christ" and functions like a body which needs the working of every member...
1. We see the need for becoming more involved
2. We see the need for doing what we can to improve the fellowship among those who make up the body
2. From a negative perspective, we might ask "How long will Christ endure members who do not perform their function?"
1. Not long, from what Jesus taught His disciples in Jn 15:2,6
2. Understandably so, for a member of the body that does not function is often better removed lest it become a hindrance to the working of other members!
3. And since Christ is always adding "new" members to His body...
1. For He is adding daily those who are being saved - Ac 2:47
2. He can always replace non-functioning members with those willing to serve!
1. Cf. Mordecai's words to Esther - Es 4:14
2. Just as Judas Iscariot was replaced by Matthias - Ac 1:15-26
3. But from a more positive perspective, let me ask...
1. "Why deprive OURSELVES of the nourishment Christ provides through the members of His body?"
   -- For that is what we are doing when we don't have much fellowship with others in the body!
2. "Why deprive OTHERS of the nourishment Christ provides through the members of His body?"
   -- For that is what we are doing when we fail to add what we can do to the fellowship of the body!

Let's all work at being more productive members of the body of Christ, so that we may all benefit by the mutual strength and edification we have in Christ!