Sermon Central
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United With Christ As His Body! Series
Contributed by Stephen Elmer on Jul 31, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: A Christians’ Union With Christ Is Like The Union Of A Body!
“United We Stand!”
United With Christ As His Body!
Part 4
Introduction:
1. Continue To Explore A Christian’s Union With Christ!
- Answer: “What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?”
2. First Figure: According To Ephesians 2:19-22:
- Your Union With Christ Is Like A Building!
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built ON Jesus Christ!
- Because Jesus Christ Is Your “Cornerstone!”
- You Are Built IN Jesus Christ!
- To Join Closely Together - To Bond So Tightly As To Become One!
- You Are Built BY Jesus Christ!
- Very Personal Process!
3. Second Figure: According To John 15:1-8:
- Your Union With Christ Is Like The Union Between A Vine And Its Branches!
- The Vine Uses The Branches / True Vine Also
- To Display Its Beauty & Glory
- To Produce Abundant & Delicious Fruit
- The Branches Need The Vine / True Vine Also
- Source Of Life
- Source Of Strength
- Source Of Growth
- Term Used: Abide!
- Means Believing, Depending, Relating, Enduring, Clinging!
4. According To Romans 12:5 (And Others):
- Your Union With Christ Is Like A Body!
- Read Romans 12:5 - “So we, being many, are one body in Christ!”
- A New Figure Given, Teaching Us Even More About A Christian’s Union With Jesus Christ!
- “As Truly And As Intimately As The Head And Members Of The Physical Body Are United, So Truly And Intimately Are Christ And Believers United Also!” (Arthur Pink - “Union & Communion”)
I. What Is Your Union In The Body Of Christ Like?
A. There Is Unity!
- “For As The Body Is One . . . So Also Is Christ!”
- IE: “The Body Is One” - Each Person Is Known By Their Physical Bodies - Physical Body Is Made Up Of Many Different Systems (Skeletal, Nervous, Cardiovascular, Etc.), Different Organs (Brain, Heart, Lungs, Etc.), Different Parts (Arms/Hands/Fingers, Legs/Feet/Toes) - But In A Healthy Body, All Different Parts Work Together In Unison & Harmony - Ever See A Runner In Slow Motion? Everything Seen & Unseen Is Working To Win The Race!
(1) Union By One Spirit!
- IE: When A Baby Is Conceived, It Is Alive - It Has Been Given New Life - That Life Is What Keeps The Different Parts Of That Baby Together & Growing - Without Life, Would Come Decay!
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 - “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.”
- Not A Water Baptism, But A Spiritual Baptism That Occurs When Someone Trusts In Jesus Christ As Their Savior - This “Spiritual Baptism” Is What Places You (And Every Other Christian) Into Christ’s “Spiritual Body”!
- We Have A Unifying Spirit!
(2) Union In One Faith!
- Ephesians 4:4-6 - “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.”
- “One Faith” - One Author, One Object, One Result, One Completer: Jesus Christ!
- When You Are A Christian, You Have The Privilege Of: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!” (Hebrews 12:2)
- We Have A Unifying Faith!
(3) Union For One Purpose!
- Ephesians 5:26-27 - “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
- “Our Purpose Is To Glorify God!”
- IE: The Goal For A Runner Of A Race!
- We Have A Unifying Purpose!
B. There Is Diversity!
- Diverse Members, Functions & Gifts
- Unity Amidst Diversity!
- You Must Have The Unifying Factors Initially Before Diversity Will Have Any Significant Contribution To The Whole!
- IE: “There can be union without unity: tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothesline.” (Anonymous)
- “The Place And Gifts Of Each Member Are Determined By The Lord!” (Charles Hodge)
(1) Diverse Members - 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 - “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.”
- Response - James 2:1 - “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” (Discrimination)
