The Supernatural Power of the One Another Church - Love one another

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Introduction:

I pray today's post will open my eyes of readers to the possibilities of supernatural church life. In the New Testament we find over 50 commands that urge believers to do something to "one another". Such commands are called "reciprocal commands", meaning that whatever I do to you, you are to reciprocate in return. Much like when you see a tennis match: one player lobs the ball to the other player; and the idea is for the other player to send the ball back. 

The first time we encounter a command like this in the New Testament is in Jesus' word in John 13:34-35. This particular reciprocal command is seemingly simple and almost a given. However, whenever you look closer at Jesus' command for us to "love one another", the one phrase that many miss is Jesus' statement: "as I have loved you". 

It becomes very clear that the kind of love that Jesus is expecting His disciples to exercise toward one another is not the garden-variety, natural-based, human-type of love. I think we as Christians in our churches get frustrated in trying to carry out this simple command of loving one another because we think of it in natural terms. Most people may very well have a generally good capacity to get along with other people. However, when discomfort, offense, conflicting personalities and personal space issues enter into the fray - what then?

The kind of love Jesus is urging us to do here in John 13:34-35 is the supernatural, God-kind of love toward one another. Out of all the reciprocal commands in scripture, the command to "love-another" dominates what ought-to-be a supernaturally charged church life. In order to demonstrate why the kind of love being commanded by Jesus is the God-kind of love, one only needs to see how else the rest of the New Testament re-issues this same reciprocal command. I will then close today's post with the power source necessary for carrying out such a command.

The reciprocal command to "love one another" is the God-kind of love

Romans 13:8 "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." The law of God cannot be fulfilled in the flesh to the satisfaction of Holy God, and yet the kind of love toward another fellow-believer is equated with such. This must mean that this love is exercised in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Spirit-filled life. In Ephesians 4:2 we read -"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love". For church members to consistently love one another in the manner commanded here is impossible in the flesh. God's supernatural power is necessary is such love is to be expressed in humility, gentleness, patience and tolerance. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 "and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you." Why love one another in the local church with the God-kind of love? Because the God-kind of love extends in more general terms to people in the world who are unbelievers. There are distinct manifestations of God's love experienced by Christians and the general type of love-benevolence, experienced by unbelievers - whether they realize it or not. God loves unbelievers more than we could ever love. The last entry in Paul's letters concerning loving one another is in 2 Thessalonians 1:3, where the growth of faith is directly related to the love believers exercise toward one another.

So what about the Apostle Peter? Peter's description of the kind of love Christians are to have for each other in the local church is even more profound. 1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." It's one thing to say "hi" to one another or even express the statement: "I'll be praying for you". But have we ever seen a church body where the love expressed between the church membership exceeds the commitment and love that may be found in the closest of families? Do we have the type of love that would be willing to lay down one's life for the other person? Jesus defined this type of love as the God-kind of love in John 15:12-13 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."

To try to drive home the point that the love advocated by Jesus is not garden-variety human love, let me ask this simple question: would you willing die for every single person with whom you go to church or whom you know to be a church member? Wherever we hesitate in answering that question, that tells us that we are loving people with our human-brand of love. So then, in seeing this one kind of example of the "one-another church", what then is the supernatural power-source for becoming a true "one-another church"?

The Spirit-filled life is the only way we can carry out any of the reciprocal commands - such as "loving one-another"

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:1-2 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." This command restates in general the specific content of the reciprocal commands we have been exploring today. How then can we truly love one another in the manner commanded in scripture. In Ephesians 5:18 we read the command for being Spirit-filled - "And do not get drunk with wine,for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." The Spirit-filled life is another way of saying "the Spirit-controlled life". In salvation, the Christian gets all of the Holy Spirit he or she is ever going to get. The issue in the Spirit-filled life concerns the amount of your life that is currently under the control of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell us one time at salvation, however there are to be repeated fillings following salvation. We know that the Spirit-filled life is the power-source behind not only the reciprocal command to "love one-another", but other such commands. Consider for example Ephesians 5:19-21  "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."

Bill Bennett, writer and Bible teacher, writes the about the requirements of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Here is a summary:
1). You must be born-again in saving faith.

2). You must be desire with all your heart to be filled (Mt 5:6; Jn 7:37-39))

3). You must believe God will fill you, not just God can fill you

4). You must denounce all known sin in your life. (Prov. 28:13)

5). You must dethrone self and enthrone Christ as Lord of all.

6). You must, by faith, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you. (Lk 11:13)

7). You must accept the fact He has filled you and live in total dependence on Him. (Gal 5:16)

Closing thoughts: The Spirit-filled life combined with church members carrying out reciprocal commands makes for a supernatural, one-another church

Today's post aimed to look at one of the main commands in the New Testament - "love one another". We saw that this type of command is call a reciprocal command, meaning that whatever I do to do, you must do in return. We also discovered that reciprocal commands such as "loving one another" involve the God-kind of love, and that such commands cannot be carried out by sheer natural will-power in the flesh. We suggested and demonstrated that unless the Christian is filled-with the Holy Spirit, the ability to be a "one-another church" will be impossible. 

How Jesus Supplies the Christian Supernatural courage to Face Any Fear

Acts 18:9-10 "Then the Lord said to Paul in a night vision, “Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent. For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”

Introduction

The courage to serve God becomes a highly sought after commodity whenever the prospect for victory appears dim. I marvel at this opening verse, since the Apostle Paul is among the bravest men of God in the Bible. He had taken a stand against those who were opposing his efforts to preach the Gospel. This brave man of God, this stalwart of the Christian faith saw conversions despite the opposition. Yet, the growing fear within his heart must had reached a point which threatened to shut him down. 

The text said: "the Lord said to him in a night vision....". Notice: a vision, not a dream. A dream would imply sleep. A vision occurs when one is awake. I'm sure Paul stared out into the darkness. The weight of ministry, the events of days prior and the emotional toll that any fast-pace ministry life can wreck had began to erode the resolve of Paul. The Lord Jesus Himself came to Paul in a vision and spoke familiar words that are found some 200 or so times in the scripture: "Don't be afraid". What peace must have washed over His soul like a stream over a barren land. Jesus then states: "but keep on speaking and don’t be silent. For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”

Jesus not only promised Paul that He would remain with him, but He also guaranteed that there were others who would be reached. There were others whom the Spirit of God was working on and whom God had purposed to save. There were unnamed people whom God intended to save, and Paul was the chosen vessel by which God would deliver His Word for their salvation. Jesus had further work, which meant that He not only would supply courage for the present moment, but also for the duration of the remainder of Paul's task.

How do we know that what Jesus said gave Paul the courage he needed to do God's work? Notice Acts 18:11 "And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." Paul "settled in" for the long haul and did the work His Lord said needed to be done. Corinth was a hard city. As one reads through the first two letters from Paul to that church, it would prove to be among his most difficult churches. Jesus gave supernatural courage where natural courage could not abide. In closing, let the reader be reminded of Jesus' words in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

The Comfort of God's Sovereignty in the midst of troubling circumstances

Job 12:13 “With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding."

Introduction:

One of the greatest studies to do is to explore the theme of the sustaining of faith by God's Sovereignty. In Job 12:13-25 there is a brilliant star of hope that shines in the darkened sky of the conversation between suffering Job and his so-called friends - namely God's Sovereignty.  Why is God's Sovereignty the brilliant star of hope in Job's life? Simply put - peace is gained in knowing that God is in control.  Below I want to lay out a few thoughts regarding the comfort of God's Sovereignty in the midst of troubling circumstances. 

God's Sovereignty in the midst of troubling circumstances is understood by His wisdom and power
What does Job tell us about God's control in the middle of troubling circumstances in Job 12? We begin with two truths: that God is all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-wise (omni-sapient). God is powerful enough to control all things and wise enough to regulate all secondary matters (events, human decisions, seasons) to their proper and best ends (Job 12:14-15)  Job then describes God's power and wisdom in terms of rendering justice on the evil and suffering caused by people (Job 12:16).  As the all-powerful and all-wise God, we discover that all spiritual and human authority is delegated authority from Him (Job 12:17-21; Romans 13).

God's Sovereign guidance by His word in the midst of troubling circumstances
Not only does God's Sovereignty exercise and grant authority, but He also gives direction to His people. God's omni-potence (God's all-powerfulness) and omni-sapience (God being all-wise) enables Him to reveal previously hidden truths - a process we call revelation (Job 12:22; 2 Peter 1:21)  Job then concludes his speech in Job 12 with the reminder of mankind's frailty apart from God's word and grace (Job 12:23-25).  Unless God is at the center of your line of vision, life's difficulties and disappointments will overwhelm you.  

God's Sovereignty sustains in the midst of troubling circumstances

Job was sustained by His relationship with the Lord.  As we turn to Acts 8, we discover the true backbone of the early church following Stephen's martyrdom.  Despite the increased persecution and heresies of men such as Simon Magus (the Magician), the people of God were sustained by the preaching and demonstration of God's word (Acts 8:6).  The darkened sky of the sufferings of God's people was pierced through by a God-based, Gospel centered, Spirit empowered message.  

I remember a statement made by radio-preacher, pastor and author Dr. Chuck Swindoll on the matter of God's Sovereignty: "Knowing that God's is Sovereign may not answer all of my questions, but knowing He is Sovereign certainly calms all of my fears."  May you and I be God based, Gospel centered and Spirit-enabled.   May we find comfort in God's Sovereignty in the midst of troubling circumstances. 

The Practical Considerations of The Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ

Matthew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Introduction

When we speak of Sovereignty, we are referring to God's comprehensive control over all peoples, places and times. God exercises His Sovereign authority both directly and secondarily through the wills of his creatures, historical events and the course of creation itself. As theologian Abraham Kuyper once noted: "there is not one square inch of creation that Christ does not pronounce: 'mine'!" Jesus Christ repeated states that He is equal in authority and being to the Father who is God (John 8:58; 17:3). Scripture affirms such statements. The Son, Jesus Christ, is the visible expression of the invisible Father and is One with Him in nature and essence. Hence Jesus Christ the Son is eternal, God in human flesh, forever praised with the Father and the Spirit (Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-4) 

The Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ over this creation is affirmed and uncontested (Colossians 1:16-18). Moreover, that Sovereign authority is specifically concentrated over the progress and victory of His church in fulfilling her mission prior to His return (Matthew 24:35). Whenever we read of Jesus being the Head of the church, that is another way of expressing His Sovereignty over her (Ephesians 5:22-25). Such power wielded by Jesus Christ gives authority to whatever commands He gave to His apostles for the church throughout the ages. 

Whenever we consider the foundations laid down by Jesus Christ for the church and the Christian, we typically look to three main chapters in Matthew that outline the church's mission. Without the Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ behind each one of these chapters, there would be no way the church could exist and function. 

1. The Great Concern Jesus has for the holiness of His church. Matthew 18

2. The Great Commandment or Jesus' command for Christians to love God and their neighbor. Matthew 22:37-39

3. The Great Commission or the mission of the church to go into all the world and make disciples. Matthew 28:18-20

Practical considerations of the Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ

None of these three great chapters would be possible to carry out apart from Christ's Sovereignty working in and through the church by the Spirit and the Word. These observations underscore the practical realities of the Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ. Apart from the credited righteousness of Jesus Christ, there would be no way believers could be declared holy nor have the power source to live holy lives. In like manner, without the love of Jesus Christ Sovereignly given to his church, the people of God could not be a loving people. Then finally, apart from Jesus Christ's Sovereign Lordship over the Great commission, evangelism would have no guarantee of success. By the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ's Sovereign Lordship makes holiness, love and missions not only a possibility, but a robust reality for the Christian today. May we enjoy and rejoice in the Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ!

P4 What you need for healthy Christian growth - How pastoral ministry, church body-life and small group ministry can work together

Acts 2:46-47 "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

Introduction and review

The overall pattern and design of the Christian life is to grow onward and upward in the Lord. Such growth may experience seasonal declines, however the vast majority of the Christian life ought to witness advances and an overall pattern of change. Passages such as 2 Peter 3:18 explicitly command us to grow up in our walk with Christ: "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." Peter also writes in 1 Peter 2:2 "like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." Like the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul also explains the need of healthy Christian growth. Romans 12:2 is but one example - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." 

God has prescribed three main ministries in the local church to ensure the spiritual healthy of Christians. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:12  "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." We will be exploring two chapters (Ephesians 4 and 1 Timothy 4) to discover what I am calling "the 3-braided rope" of healthy Christian growth in Christians and the church, which includes the following:

1. Pastoral ministry (1 Timothy 4; Ephesians 4:11-12)

2. Church-body life (Ephesians 4:13-24)

3. Small-groups (Ephesians 4:25-29)

We saw yesterday how small-group ministry is used by God in developing relationships within the church. Sunday School is a prime example of small-group ministry that meets (typically) on Sunday mornings before the main church service. In addition to church body-life and pastoral ministry, small group ministry fills in that relational gap that would be otherwise missing in the church. All three ministries are needed in the spiritual health of Christians and churches. Today we want to conclude this series by understanding how pastoral ministry, church body-life and small groups interrelate to one another.

How pastoral ministry, church body-life and small groups interrelate

Pastoral ministry aims to equip God's people to do the work of the ministry. A pastor and the pastoral office which he occupies has been vested by God with that "37,000 foot" view of the big-picture. However the pastoral ministry cannot effectively minister to all the details of church life without the second element - church-body life. Getting involved in the local church enables God's people to perform the ministry. In a healthy church, the pastor mainly (not exclusively) equips the people to do the work of the ministry. Indeed the pastor ought to model what it means to serve. A good pastor will equip his people so that they, not him, will shine for the glory of Jesus. 

Then lastly, small-group ministry provides the relational glue within the church body. The more relationships there are being built, the pastoral ministry and church body can only benefit. Each serves the other. Without pastoral ministry, there is no church-wide equipping, exhortation, vision or congregational care. Without church body-life, church members will show up but not see the need to express the gifts God has given them nor see that their individual needs play second fiddle to others. Then without small-group ministry, relationships cannot be expected to be built, trust increased nor unity reinforced. All three of these ministries are necessary of Christians are to experience healthy Christian growth in their lives.  

P3 What you need for healthy Christian growth - Small group ministry

Ephesians 5:25 "Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."

Introduction and review

The overall pattern and design of the Christian life is to grow onward and upward in the Lord. Such growth may experience seasonal declines, however the vast majority of the Christian life ought to witness advances and an overall pattern of change. Passages such as 2 Peter 3:18 explicitly command us to grow up in our walk with Christ: "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." Peter also writes in 1 Peter 2:2 "like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." Like the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul also explains the need of healthy Christian growth. Romans 12:2 is but one example - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." 

The urgency for healthy Christian growth is not up for debate in the scriptures. The question is: what and how do Christians grow in their Christian lives? The premise of these next few posts will be that healthy Christians make for healthy churches. God has prescribed three main ministries in the local church to ensure the spiritual healthy of Christians. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:12  "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." We will be exploring two chapters (Ephesians 4 and 1 Timothy 4) to discover what I am calling "the 3-braided rope" of healthy Christian growth in Christians and the church, which includes the following:

1. Pastoral ministry (1 Timothy 4; Ephesians 4:11-12)

2. Church-body life (Ephesians 4:13-24)

3. Small-groups (Ephesians 4:25-29)

We saw yesterday how church body-life and pastoral ministry are used by God in the spiritual health of Christians and churches. Today we want to focus on an often neglected and third dimension necessary for healthy Christian-growth: small groups.

Small groups, whether Sunday School or some other arrangement, enable church members to Biblically relate to one-another

This third and important dimension for healthy Christian growth is vital in developing relationships among church members. However, before we go any further, the question is: how Biblical is this practice? The design of small group structure pre-dates the church and is found all the way back in the Old Testament. For instance, when Moses' father-in-law Jethro advised Moses to delegate leadership responsibility to others to help share the load of leading over 2 million people, he included the idea of small-groups. Exodus 18:21 states - "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens." Roughly 1,000 years later, the great scribe Ezra stood up to proclaim the Word of God to thousands of Jewish returnees from exile. It had been 70 years since the people had heard the Word of God proclaimed, and so quite literally Ezra was speaking to a people who were unfamiliar with the first five books of the Law. As Ezra preached, he had a number of assistants who "translated and gave sense" regarding the message and the text being read (Nehemiah 8:8). How do you practically have 25 teachers plus an untold number of Levites explaining God's Word all at the same time to over 42,000 people? By dividing up that mighty throng into managable groups. I love this text because it shows both the ministry of the preacher and the utility of small groups at the same time.

What about the miracle of Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 in Mark 6? If we factor in the detail recorded in the other Gospels of "plus women and children", we truly have a miracle of epic proportions - 20,000 plus! How was it that Jesus was able to distribute the food so quickly to so many people? Mark 6:40 records that Jesus had them sit down in groups of fifties and hundreds. The point of the miracle was to communicate how Jesus alone can feed God's people - with the Jewish nation being of particular focus in this instance. 

By the time we arrive at Acts, the early church was already growing in size. From the church's inception, passages such as Acts 2:46 and Acts 5:42 indicate that the church would meet not only together but also "from house to house". Small groups are seen elsewhere throughout the New Testament letters, indicating that this particular ministry was ordained by God to aid His people in both testaments in building relationships with one another. 

Consequently, the key phrase throughout the New Testament that indicates the need for small groups in the local church (whether Sunday School, home groups or whichever label is used) is the phrase "one another". Over 25 topics in the New Testament indicate how we are to interract with "one another". For instance, people in the church body are to "love one another" (Romans 13:8; 1 Thess 3:12; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Thess 4:9; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:23; 4:7,12); serve one another (Galatians 5:13; 6:2) and confess our sins to one another (James 5:16). This "one another" aspect of church life can only be achieved whenever there are small groups of Christians who regularly study God's Word and in the process, help each other out and encourage each other to live the Christian life. 

Small-groups are not to compete nor ever replace the preaching of God's Word nor the body-life ministries that have already been discussed in this blog-series. In tomorrow's post, we will consider how pastoral ministry, church body-life and small groups biblically relate to one another in the local church.

More tomorrow....

P2 What you need for healthy Christian growth - Church body-life

Ephesians 4:11-13 "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

Review from yesterday - Healthy Christian growth is not optional for the Christian

Oddly enough, many Christians today seem satisfied with little or no progress in their Christian walk. God chose, called and convicted sinners by His Spirit to believe on Christ apart from good works for the purpose of growing up in a salvation that is to abound in good works. The overall pattern and design of the Christian life is to grow onward and upward in the Lord. Such growth may experience seasonal declines, however the vast majority of the Christian life ought to witness advances and an overall pattern of change. Passages such as 2 Peter 3:18 explicitly command us to grow up in our walk with Christ: "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." Peter also writes in 1 Peter 2:2 "like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." Like the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul also explains the need of healthy Christian growth. Romans 12:2 is but one example - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." 

The urgency for healthy Christian growth is not up for debate in the scriptures. The question is: what and how do Christians grow in their Christian lives? The premise of these next few posts will be that healthy Christians make for healthy churches. God has prescribed three main ministries in the local church to ensure the spiritual healthy of Christians. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:12  "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." We will be exploring two chapters (Ephesians 4 and 1 Timothy 4) to discover what I am calling "the 3-braided rope" of healthy Christian growth in Christians and the church, which includes the following:

1. Pastoral ministry (1 Timothy 4; Ephesians 4:11-12)

2. Church-body life (Ephesians 4:13-24)

3. Small-groups (Ephesians 4:25-29)

We saw yesterday how pastoral ministry is used by God in the spiritual health of Christians and churches. Today we want to add a second and equally important ministry - Church body life.

Church body-life is the second essential component to healthy Christian growth
Within Ephesians 4 we find direct statements about the importance of church body-life for healthy Christianity in Ephesians 4:15-16 "but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." The concept of the church as the body of Christ is the most often used imagery to describe the church in the New Testament. Jesus Himself utilizes the transference of His life to each Christian in regards to the "body" of He being the vine in John 15. Following His ascension into Heaven, the Apostles regularly employed the imagery of Christ's physical body as being the proper description of the church's relationship to Him. Such a description means that the idea of "lone ranger" Christianity is alien to the the Bible. Ample verses testify to the significance of church body-life to the Christian.

For example, Romans 12:5 "so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Paul then goes into full exposition about this concept of church body-life in 1 Corinthians 12. We see for instance his remarks in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." Paul's statements convey one of the twin truths about the body of Christ in the New Testament - that it is composed of all true believers the world over. The other truth of course being that, on a more local level, each local church is composed of members who have been regenerated in saving faith, followed by believer's baptism into the local fold (see Acts 2:41 for example). 

Within the book of Ephesians we find ample references to the local body of believers. For example, Ephesians 5:23-27 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

Since the very life of Jesus is conveyed through the body of the church, it stands to reason why we see commands to be connected to the ministry of the local church. Hebrews 3:12-13 reminds us - "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Also Hebrews 10:24-25  "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." These last two references in Hebrews can equally apply to the importance of church body-life as a whole or small-group ministries like Sunday School - which will be more the focus tomorrow.

How pastoral ministry and church body-life work together to promote healthy Christian growth
The design of the Christian life requires Christians to be in fellowship with one another in the local church. To tether this post onto what we explored yesterday, the pastoral ministry works with the church-body life to provide a two-fold method for healthy Christian growth. God's people in general need to be sitting under the preaching of the Word if they expect to grow. For example, Hebrews 13:7 "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith." Also Hebrews 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you." As a final example of how pastoral ministry and church body-life work together to promote healthy Christianity, consider this clearest of examples, 1 Thessalonians 4:12-15 - "But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people."

Tomorrow we will consider one more essential element for healthy Christian growth - small group ministry.