So for our Sunday school lesson
this morning, the title of my message is Members
in Particular. You can be turning to 1 Corinthians
12. I'm only gonna read one verse for now. I'm gonna come back
to it. 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 27. Now ye are the body of Christ
and members in particular. I want to talk today about the
body of Christ, that body which is made up of many members. But
we cannot talk about the body unless we first talk about the
head. So I want to go through some things concerning the body
of Christ and his church, especially as it concerns the local assembly.
But I want to do it in relation to Jesus Christ as the head,
simply because you do not have the body without the head. I
want to see what he has been pleased to do and to tell us
in his scripture what his purpose was to the church and for the
church. So I have two points, and that's
Christ the head and his body, the church. So let's first look
at Christ is the head. First of all, we know he is the
chief cornerstone or the head cornerstone. Jesus Christ is
that cornerstone that brought both Jew and Gentile together,
making them one new man. He is also that chief cornerstone
that is the foundation that salvation is built for all believers. He
is that stone where two walls of rebellion, both Jew and Gentile,
are united into one new righteous man. He is also that cornerstone
which started the building and is level and straight so that
everything that is built must be built on that stone or it
will fall. This stone is also that stone
that should it fall, it will fall on you, it will grind you
to powder. But if you fall on this stone, you will be broken.
Being broken doesn't sound like it's a good thing here, but if
you know this stone, You know that you want to be broken by
him. It is certainly better than the alternative, which is being
ground to powder. But this stone, in falling on
him, will bring you safety because you will be healed. You can read
this in several places, but I'm going to read two passages where
it tells you these things that I've just said. Turn with me
to Luke 20 now, if you would. Sorry, I had you turn to the
other passage, but Luke 20 and verse 17. And he beheld them and said,
what is this then that is written? The stone which the builders
rejected, the same has become the head of the corner? Whosoever
shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever
it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Now I want to
read Acts 4. And you all don't have to turn
to all these passages. I'm going to be turning to a lot of passages
today, but if you want to follow along, Acts 4. Acts 4, verse 10 through 12. Be it known unto you all and
to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is
the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become
the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other. For there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. So I want to talk about the head
of the church. And this stone is the head of
the church. It's specific about, and I want
to Specifically, let me talk about him being head of the church,
and this is not a different headship. It's just getting more specific
as to whom his headship is towards. I've heard the analogy that there
is only one captain on a ship. To this statement, I do not disagree.
However, this analogy was given to me in reference to there being
only one pastor for a local assembly. But the analogy for me, based
on what I know from Scripture, is that Christ Jesus is the ship
and he is the captain of the ship. He has on this ship many
members of whom all might do different things based on what
he has given to them. In 2 Chronicles 13, 12, we read
this. And behold, God himself is with
us for our captain. and his priest with sounding
trumpets to cry alarm against you, O children of Israel. Fight
ye not against the Lord God of your fathers, for ye shall not
prosper. He is the ship itself, or our
ark of salvation. We have the ark, we know the
ark is a picture of Christ. He is the vessel that will bring
me into safety, and also the one that will guide the vessel
to safety, being my captain. One more passage I want to give
you concerning Christ being our captain. In Hebrews 2, verses
9 through 11, we read this. But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man. For it became him for whom are
all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons
unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. For both he that sanctifies and
they who are sanctified are all one, for which cause he is not
ashamed to call them brethren. This is that Christ which is
the head of the church. But let's look further. Ephesians,
if you'll turn with me, to Ephesians 1 and verse 22 and 23. and hath put all things under
his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth
all in all. Now let me say this before I
continue. The local assembly is a part of the church. The
local assembly is a member in particular, and I would even
say it consists of members in particular. It always talks about
his church, even when he is talking about a local assembly, because
they are a direct display of his body, the church, if you
will. We have the example of God Almighty
gave us in his word of him being head of the church. But let's
look further at the analogy that God gives of him being head of
the church. and that is the husband and wife.
Turn a little further to Ephesians 5 and verse 23. For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is
the savior of the body. So he is the head of the church,
The analogy given by God Almighty, who breathed his word and these
men wrote it down, gives us the analogy of husband and wives
as being a picture of Christ and his church. Listen, this
is not a picture of the pastor and the local assembly. Why is this so important to know?
Well, in Colossians 1.18, it says this, and he is the head
of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. The preeminence is not the pastor. It is Jesus Christ, our Lord,
the head and the captain of our salvation. We are certainly to
love our pastors and to honor them, and in some cases, even
doubly honor them. but they do not have the preeminence.
Christ Jesus the Lord does. What they know and what they
have comes from Christ himself if they preach Christ and him
crucified. Christ is the head of the church and therefore the
only head of the local assembly. God in his word never talks about
the local assembly any different than he talks about his church.
This is God's word, folks, and if I by his grace want to bow
down, to his word and what he says about things, if this results
in others not understanding things or getting confused about things
and how they are done, or if it results in them wanting me
to be around or not wanting me to be around them, then so be it. I am a sinner undone without
Jesus Christ. My only hope is Jesus Christ. I want to know what he says in
his word and not what a preacher says to me. If a preacher tells
me what God Almighty says in his word, it is not him that
says it, but God is saying this to me and I will find it in his
word. When a preacher tells you something
and he says it is found in God's word, then look at God's word
and see if that is what God is saying. We are told to do this,
and if we do this, we are noble in doing so. God by His Spirit
will confirm these things to your heart, and that they are
the words of Christ, and we are told to try the spirits. Now
I want to talk about Jesus Christ's body, His church. Christ's body,
His church. His body is His fullness. That's
what Scripture says. We are a part of Jesus Christ
just as we see the analogy given by God of a husband and wife
being one flesh, so are Christ and his church. We have already
read in Ephesians 1, 22, and 23 that we are the body and he
is the head. Those who are his are a part
of his church, his body, but each believer is a member of
his body. In Ephesians 5, 30 it says, for
we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones, so
many members. Christ's body has many members
and each of those members are dealt by God the measure of faith
as he sees fit. Each of those members have different
offices or functions. He has in his word given us some
details to some of these offices and functions. We see in his
word that we who are his are all members of the same body.
in Romans 12, turn with me to Romans 12 for a minute. Verses three through five. For I say, through the grace
given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,
according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in
one body, and all members have not the same office, so we, being
many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of
another. Just as our body is, we have
the head and then we have the torso. The torso has many members. It has fingers and toes, hands
and feet, arms and legs, and each of those have many different
members that help or work together for them to operate. We have
internal organs that have specific functions, and all these are
needed for the body to operate as it should. If one part is
not working, then the rest of the body suffers. All members
have specific functions that they perform, and they are all
needed. 1 Corinthians, if you'll turn
with me to 1 Corinthians 12. Verses 12 through 14. For as the body is one and hath
many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,
are one body, so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether
we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one
spirit. For the body is not one member,
but many. And then again in verse 26, go
down to verse 26. And whether one member suffer,
all the members suffer with it. Or one member be honored, all
the members rejoice with it. We are not by ourselves, we do
not operate by ourselves. We are all a part of his body,
and every one is needed because he has deemed them needed. To
his body he gives gifts though, Jesus Christ has given gifts
to his church. Now these gifts are not separate
from the body, they are a part of the body. It is one body working
in a unified whole in the way that he has seen fit to put it
together. Everything given is given by
him. He distributes these gifts and
gives these gifts in the measure that he sees fit. He knows our
need and what he gives is exactly what is needed for his body wherever
it is given. In Romans 12, where we have already
read, it continues on in verses six through eight. It says, having
then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to
us. Whether prophecy, let us prophesy
according to the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait
on our ministry. Or he that teacheth, on teaching. Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it
with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence.
He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Also in Ephesians 4 and 10, we
read this, 10 and 11. He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill
all things. And he gave some apostles and
some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. And again, in 1 Corinthians 12, In verses four through 11, it
reads this. Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of
ministrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of
operations, but it is the same God which worketh all and in
all. But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit with all. For to one
is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, To another, the word
of knowledge by the same spirit. To another, faith by the same
spirit. To another, the gifts of healing
by the same spirit. To another, the working of miracles.
To another, prophecy. To another, discerning of spirits.
To another, diverse kinds of tongues. To another, interpretation
of tongues. But all these worketh that one
and the self, same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he
will. These gifts certainly do include
bishops, elders, and pastors, but I do not believe they are
all necessarily exclusive to them. What is the purpose of
these gifts? In Ephesians 4, 1 through 16,
we read this. Ephesians 4, 1 through 16. I therefore, the prisoner of
the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
ye are called, with all loneliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity
of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and
one spirit, even as ye are 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. But unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended,
what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended
up far above all heavens that he might feel all things. And
he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists
and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ. Till we all come into the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of
men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love
may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. from whom the whole body, fitly
joined together and compacted by that whichever joint supply,
according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. So the purpose is for perfecting
and edification of the body. That's what these gifts are for.
So it is for the complete furnishing and building up of the body of
Christ. This is to be done until we all come in the unity of the
faith to the knowledge and fullness of Christ, so that we will not
be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, or that we
will not be deceived by those men who are lying in wait to
purposely try to deceive us. It is for the edification of
the body. First Corinthians 14.3 says this, but he that prophesieth
speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. So now that we see that Jesus
Christ is the head and he has his body, which he has fitly
joined together so that it works as he has been pleased for it
to, he gives each of the members the measure of faith as he sees
fit. He gives gifts to the church
and the purpose that he has done this is to edify his body. Now
that we know this from scripture, I want to briefly talk about
pastors. God breathed these words just
as he did the rest of his scripture. He means for us to see and know
these things because he has given this to us in his word. These are important because he
is the head of the corner, the substitute for his people that
has purposed and given all things according to his will. First,
as it concerns bishops, elders, and pastors and teachers, These
terms are all talking about the same person, although there may
be some different functions. I've heard people say that some
of these might talk about different functions. I don't necessarily
disagree with that. The scripture uses each of these
terms. They are all talking about the same person, you might say.
What is the first factor for a man being a bishop? 1 Timothy
3, if you'll turn with me there. 1 Timothy 3. So what's the first
factor for someone being an elder, a bishop, or a pastor? I guess I need to get in the
right book. I'm in 2 Timothy. Okay, 1 Timothy 3. This is a
true saying. If a man desire the office of
a bishop, he desireth a good work. So the first thing is a
man has to desire the office of a bishop. We know there are
qualifications of those who might desire this office. I'm not going
to go into all of those, I will one later, but those who desire
this office are also proved It says this when it speaks of deacons,
but I believe it is referring to both, but they are to be proved. If they are proved, then they
are in this office. So how many bishops, elders,
pastor, and teachers should a local assembly have? Well, how many
desire the office of a bishop and have been proved? Are you
going to tell a man no when God is sending that man to preach
his word? God Almighty, just as he does
with any that he sends to preach his word, gives them the desire
to do so. It is clear that it first starts
with a desire to have the office of a bishop, according to this
scripture. So this passage does not necessarily say there should
be multiple elders. But where else do we read that
there are more than one of these men in a local assembly? Turn
with me to Titus 1. Titus 1. And I just want to show this,
I want to turn to these passages because I want to show this is
what God's word says. Titus 1 and verse 5. For this cause left I thee in
Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are
wanting, and ordain elders, plural, more than one, in every city,
singular, one. as I had appointed thee. Now
I've heard some say that back in those days in a city that
people did not travel very far. So in every city there would
have been multiple local assemblies in one city. Just for the sake
of argument, let's say this is so. I do not believe that that's
what this is saying because of other passage that we have read
in scripture. What else do we read in God's word concerning
this? In 1 Corinthians 14, in verse 27 through 29, it says
this. If any man speak in an unknown
tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that
by course, and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter,
let him keep silence in the church, and let him speak to himself
and to God. And here it is. Let the prophet
speak two or three, and let the other judge. Now I want to read
you what John Gill says about this. And you know, I don't get
my, I don't get what God's word says from a commentary, but he
says exactly as I see this passage saying. So let me read this,
what he said, commented on this passage here. Let the prophets
speak, two or three. The apostle, having finished
the rules for speaking with an unknown tongue, proceeds to lay
down some for the gift of prophesying, and observes that where there
are a number of prophets, as very likely there were in the
church at Corinth, two or three of them might prophesy, or explain
the prophecies of the Old Testament, or preach the gospel at one opportunity
or meeting. He does not use that restrictive
clause at most as before, because if there was any necessity or
occasion for it, more might be employed, so that care was taken
not to burden the people and send them away loathing. And
this they were to do, as before, in course, one after another,
otherwise it would be all confusion, nor could they be heard to edification.
though some have thought that they might speak together at
one and the same time in different parts of the church. And then
it says, and let the other judge, the other prophets that sit in
here, and all such as have a spirit of discerning, whether what the
prophet says comes from their own spirits or from a lying spirit,
from the spirit of antichrist or whether from the spirit of
God, and even the body of the people, private members of the
church. and hearers might judge of the
doctrine for themselves according to the word of God, the standard
of faith and practice, and were not to believe every spirit,
but try them, whether they were of God, and their doctrines by
his word. whether they were true or false.
For the spiritual man is in a measure capable of judging all things
of a spiritual kind, through that spiritual experience he
has of the word of God and divine things, and by the assistance
of the spirit of God. If you have more than one bishop,
elder, pastor, prophet it says here, but it's the same thing,
it's what it's talking about, then they can all speak one at
a time. No one could understand anything
if they all spoke at one time. This is clear, this is talking
about them all being in one place and it is at a given time. God gives the measure of faith
and he gives the gifts. These men are also told this
in 1 Peter 5 in verse 1 and 2. The elders, again plural, which
are among you, all in one place, I exhort, who am also an elder,
and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker
of the glory that shall be revealed, feed the flock of God which is
among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. So God's
men are to feed the flock. This is their function. The head
has given them the feed, which is his word. All we are are servants
and ministers. We are serving those sheep God
has given to his church in the local assembly, where they are
found, or whatever God sends them to feed, wherever God sends
them to feed. And they have the same rule book
right here. Everybody has it here, I believe.
So someone has said, how can two or three rule in one place? Somebody has to be in charge.
You've got the same rule book right here. First Peter 5.3, 5.3 says this going on in the passage,
neither as being lords And this word lords means this, to lord
against, that is control or subjugate, exercise dominion over, be lord
over, overcome. Neither as being lords over God's
heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. Being ensamples,
we are to tell men and women the truth about God and about
ourself. In action, we might show them
what to do, and in some cases, what not to do. Or we might have
to say something that we shouldn't have done, or something that
we should have done. This is being an example. But going on
with the passage in verse four. And when the chief shepherd shall
appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one
to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the
proud and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due
time. Me, as someone who has not preached
as long as Walter and Joe have, I submit myself to them. Whatever
they say to be done, that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna submit
to them. They've done it longer. This includes those who are not
elders as well. We should all do that, submit
ourselves to them. But it also says here to be subject one to
another. So this is something we all should
be doing, be subject one to another. I want to go back briefly and
mention one qualification of a bishop. In 1 Timothy 3 and
2, it says this. A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober. This word means safe,
safe in mind, that is self-controlled, moderate as to opinion or passion,
discreet, sober, temperate. So a pastor is to be moderate
in his opinions. None of us are without our opinions
and all of us will let it be known what our opinion is from
time to time. But this says that a bishop should
be moderate in his opinion, meaning he does not have to spew forth
his opinion about things all the time. This is what the head
of the body, the chief cornerstone, has purposed, and he purposed
for the edification of the body. Now let's read our text that
we started with, 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12, if you would
turn with me there. Now, concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I would not have you ignorant. You know that you were
Gentiles carried away into these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore, I give you to understand
that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed,
and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the
Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of
administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities
of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in
all. But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one
is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word
of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same
Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another
discerning of spirits, to another diverse kinds of tongues, to
another the interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh
that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally
as he will. For as the body is one and hath
many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,
are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether
we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit. For the body is not one member,
but many. If the foot shall say, because
I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not
the body? And if the ear shall say, because
I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not
of the body? If the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where
were the smelling? But now hath God set the members,
every one of them, in the body, as it has pleased Him. And if they were all one member,
where were the body? But now are they many members,
yet but one body. And that I cannot say unto the
hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet,
I have no need of you. Nay, much more, those members
of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And those members of the body
which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant
honor, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need, but God hath tempered the
body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which
lacks. that there be no schism in the
body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer,
all the members suffer with it. Or one member be honored, all
the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ,
and members in particular. So what does it say in this passage?
Christ the head has given to his church many different gifts.
Some members have one gift and others have another. All members,
being members in particular, have been given specifically
by God Almighty. Jesus Christ, so that the body
has no schism, no division in other words, he has so put his
body together that it all works as it should. If it does not
work together as it should, then the whole body suffers. We are
to all look to the head, which is our salvation, He's both the vessel of it and
the controller of it. We are complete in him, are we
not? Colossians 2.10 says this, and
you're complete in him, which is the head of all principality
and power. If we are not holding to the
head, we will have problems. We are, in fact, to be watchful
that no man beguile us into not holding to the head. Because
he says from this head that all the body, by joints and bands,
having nourishment ministered and knit together, increases
with the increase of God. That's what it says in Colossians
2 and verse 19. We should be about preaching Christ and Him
crucified. We should be unified in that
and caring for one another, lifting up weak hands and rejoicing with
those who rejoice. Because Christ is our head and
has purposed and carried out that purpose to care for His
body, He has redeemed them from the curse of the law being made
a curse for them. Help us all to look to Christ
and to love one another, not being high-minded but fearing
God knowing the pit from once we were digged. Always looking
to our head, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Dear old God, thank you for allowing
us to gather here together. Be with those that are not here
for sicknesses. Comfort them with the comfort
that you are pleased to comfort them with, with the words of
your son, dear Lord. Just comfort them knowing that
that Christ does all things well. Be with Walter as he stands to
speak here, and he may speak in spirit and truth. Be with
us all, dear Lord, to look to your word and what you tell us
to do, and just stand for the truth, dear Lord. Because all
might, all power is yours, and we will not be able to do it
unless you do it in us. All these things we ask in Christ's
name, amen.