The divine personality and work of the Holy Spirit, particularly as the one who baptizes believers into the one body of Christ. It explains that just as a physical body has many members that are all essential and interdependent, so too is the body of Christ, with each believer playing a vital role. The message stresses that no member can say to another, "I have no need of you," and that all members should care for one another, rejoicing in each other's blessings and suffering together in hardship. The sermon concludes by urging believers to earnestly desire the best gifts and to demonstrate their membership in Christ's body through mutual care and love, as highlighted in the subsequent chapter.
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chapter of first Corinthians beginning to read at verse twelve and just a brief review of those truths that we've been seeking to emphasize a few weeks ago we began emphasizing the person of the Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit it has been well stated and we fully believe it that you and I are living in this present age that could be called, and sometimes is called, the age of the Holy Spirit. And particularly, first of all, let me re-emphasize, I need in my own heart to acknowledge and recognize the divine personality of the Holy Spirit, co-equal in the Godhead, co-eternal in the Godhead, and possessing every divine attribute that God the Father and God the Son possesses.
And to realize that the Holy Spirit was sent to the earth by the Lord Jesus and his Father to be the guide and the director of the testimony of the Lord Jesus here upon the earth. We have learned many things regarding him. Tonight we go to chapter twelve of first Corinthians again. To complete the chapter. For in beginning this chapter we learned emphatically in the first three verses. The great purpose of... And let me repeat this before I go further. Paul is writing to a local assembly of believers in Corinth. And this epistle is not writing to the whole church.
Though it can be applied to the whole church we know. But it's writing directly and purposely. to help and guide and correct some conditions in the assembly of believers at Corinth. And one great emphasis in this chapter of gifts, he emphasizes in the opening part of the chapter the Lordship of Christ. And my beloved, what Paul was emphasizing that the believers in Corinth should be acknowledging and obeying The Lordship of Christ. And then we went on to find out, even in the local assembly as well as in the full universal church, there is the cooperation of God the Father, God the Son, and even God the Holy Spirit together.
And what a joy to have the divine Godhead, thus seeking to be glorified through us as a local testimony. Then last week we studied some of the gifts from verses seven through eleven. And we named them and followed them just one by one. But now I want to go to chapter, verse twelve rather. And through the rest of the chapter. Not particularly to give an exposition of it, verse by verse. Which would become somewhat lengthy, could be. But to go down the chapter led by the Spirit. Regarding. The truth of the one body of Christ which we represent.
Could we read a verse twelve, if I may, where we begin reading? And I would like to read in verse thirteen. For as the body is one and half many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is the Christ. And beloved to recognize. that every believer in the Lord Jesus is in the body. And that body is what? And may I repeat again, there's only one body according to this Christian. To look around as you may find and you do find many bodies in Christendom.
But in the mind and heart of God and the truth of the word of God, that church is called One body. Even in the universal church. And thus you're right. And here is the precious truth. Few though we may be in number. Combining a local testimony. We should be acting as members of the whole one body. According to the truth of God. But now look in verse thirteen. Where we have the Spirit of God telling us. For by one spirit are we or were we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bonds, servants or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit.
This is a doctrinal explanation of the truth of the body. We are all put into that one body. Whether believing Jews or believing Gentiles as the case may be. And been made by the Spirit to comprise that body. Now may I say this is not water baptism. This is the baptism of the Spirit doctrinally forming the body of Christ. Which we believe according to the word of God began at Pentecost. And what Paul goes on to do briefly is this.
It makes it very evident from the illustrations that follow. No one in the body of Christ can say to another Christian, I have no need of thee. And may I make the application. No one in this local assembly can say to any brother and sister, I have no need of thee. For what was happening in Corinth they were divided as we shall see in the chapter there were schisms or divisions amongst them they were not manifesting that oneness now when you read the description let me just raise a question Paul you find it likens the body to an organism a real human body with members heads all the Lord Jesus the head and we the members of his body down.
Now let me ask you a question. Do you know anything in regard to your body, your personal body, you don't want to have anything to do with? You've got no use for it? You know as well as I do. And the apostle enumerates it. Even the members of this body have different members, but they all need each other, as we shall see in just reading it down. Likewise in the local assembly, we represent the body.
And the function is an organism. Let me repeat again. Here is a body called the body of Christ. And may I say this, as Paul says, at the end of verse twelve, we are one body, and so also is the Christ. In other words, when you think of the precious Lord Jesus in our testimony, we represent him as the head, and we represent him in the body. We're his body, that he can demonstrate through us. And by the Spirit we are all given a gift. We've already seen that. Every believer has a gift. Now let me read the scriptures that follow.
I don't want to take much time. Beginning in verse fourteen. And let me go down the scripture reading. And see the apostle's argument. For the body is not one member but many. If the foot shall say, Because I'm not the hand. I'm not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body? And I'm sure you would have been. That would be ridiculous. And if the ear shall say. Because I'm not the eye, I'm 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 body, whole were hearing, where were the snuffs? Let me give you the thought before we go further.
I believe the apostle is suggesting it's possible to exalt, to exalt ourselves more than another in the body of Christ and even in the local assembly. Can I add this thought? I take it to my own heart. You cannot prove from the word of God that one member of the body is more important than the other. I don't care who they are. Not in his sight. And I think one of the great unfortunate facts, we believers don't realize this responsibility.
We are members of his body. Christ. And none of us can say to the other, I've no need of thee. Let me read on. If we go to verse eighteen, I know this. But now have God set the members, every one of them in the party. Let me stop right there. I've got to say, God put you here and God put me here. It's that song. Next question is, what are we doing? Have members of his body.
And if you know it, he did it as it had, please who? Him. Oh, my beloved brother and sister, I can never say I've no need of you. God should put you and me into the body together. Members of his body, as it hath what? Pleased it. Look, let me emphasize it. Now, as it has pleased some of them, organization or some other affiliation. No. Has it pleased God? Has it pleased God?
I can only say God is pleased that it put me into the body and pleased that I'm even here in this local testimony. But read on again. He goes on even further to illustrate it. And if they were all one member, where were the party? But now are they many members yet but one body my beloved let me say again and repeat you have the oneness the unity we saw in the early part of the chapter in the unity of the body yet there's a variety of gifts to be used for the development of the body my beloved let me say let me please say it this way every believer in the assembly is responsible for the development of the assembly.
Please, don't you lay it on the elders. God hasn't done that. Not in this chapter. They have their place, yes. But God has given to every believer a responsibility and a gift to, as we have seen in the preceding part. But shall we read on? Now he goes on to declare again, the eye cannot see under the hand I've no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet. I've no need of you. I remember years ago a dear old brother in England by the name of Robert C.
Chapman, godly brother, and a true servant of God. On one occasion as he walked down the streets of his city where he lived, he met a fellow Christian from another city. and he stopped to talk with him. In their conversation the other believers said to him, Brother Chapman, one of our Christians in our local assembly here went to your city to transfer his work and he now lives here where you are. Is he in your assembly? Oh yes, said Brother Chapman. And this brother looked at Brother Chapman and he said, you know brother we had an awful lot of trouble with him when we had him in our own assembly.
How's he getting along? Oh, said Brother Chapman, he's been the greatest blessing to us. Oh, surprised him, said Brother. How's that? He's kept us on our knees. Do you recognize? They recognize the need of one another and they try to care for him and pray for him. But that's what the apostle is saying here. None of us can say the hand. The eye cannot say to the hand, I've no need of thee, nor the head to the feet. I've no need of you. Nay, much more.
And know these words. Much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And even in our own earthly body. Those feeble members of our body, we give more care to them. Let me give you the thought. Too often we're not willing to give more care to the feeble saints. My beloved, every one of them, precious to the Lord, and given their place in the body. And he goes on to say in verse twenty three, and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable Upon these we bestow more abundant honor, and our uncommonly parts are more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part, which lacked. There I give you the thought. I believe the apostle indeed is suggesting in that sure it was true. In the assembly of colleagues, there were many that were trying to take a prominent part. Instead of in humble humility and faithfulness, do their part according to the mind of God and the direction, the control of the gift that God gave them by the Holy Spirit.
And yet we read here, like in our human body, we don't cover our hands we don't cover our hands and our feet as it were but most of the body we cover and the other parts we leave uncovered in other words according to the members but they're all needed and God goes on to say even our comely parts have no need but God has tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to that part which life. Can I re-emphasize those words? Let me quote the words of Paul.
Second Corinthians chapter twelve. Remember then the apostle wrestled with the problem that he had physically and prayed unto God three times that he would remove him. But he learned this lesson. The trouble was never removed. But God told him, my grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. And then he added later, When I am weak, then I am I strong. I think of the words of J.N. Darby. I think I quoted them before, but let me repeat them. They stretch my heart.
When I read the words he once wrote, Our greatest weakness is We do not know how weak we are. But let me tell you something. The more you know your weakness, the more you're going to depend on the Lord. Depend on the Lord. And even now as you face what you may be and we are facing here, recognize. Look. It's not man. It's the Spirit of God and the living God. who's formed a body. No matter how many or few we may be together as a testament, each one, if they do the right thing, take their place.
Let's go on in verse twenty-five. It says here, no, that there should be no schism, and that means no division in the body, for that the members should have the same care for one another. Beloved, let me say this lovingly. And it's true. No favoritism. The same care. God willing next week, I'd like to go down chapter thirteen briefly, where you have the greatest gift you could have in using your gift for the Lord, and that is love.
But having the same care, one for another, Well, let's read on for nobody goes on to say. And where the one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Do you ever know this, I think, if you ever hit your finger with a hammer, you know where it goes? The message goes to the brain. And you feel it through the whole body. When one member suffers, we all suffer. Beloved, let me say this lovingly. Let us share the sufferings of one another that we go through. That's showing care.
And not only for suffering, nobody goes on to say, Oh, one member be honored. All the members rejoice with it. Now let me ask you a question. I put it broadly to you now. Are you going to rejoice in the Lord's led brother Bob elsewhere? In other words... Rejoice to the Lord's led him. He feels the Lord has led him. But not only that, there is the whole thing. Whether we suffer or whether we have occasion to joy and rejoice. Do it together. One member is blessed abundantly. Rejoice. Don't get envious. Just rejoice.
Praise the Lord. And for he goes on to say, Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular. And God, and note this, as you go to the end of the chapter, enumerate some more of the gifts. Some of these are sign gifts, apostolic gifts, that have already ceased, not all of them. But he goes on, enumerates more gifts. God, please note this first phrase. God has sent some more in the church, some in the church. Emphasize who does it. God... God, God.
We lose sight of him and his greatness, his sufficiency. As the Lord told Paul, my grace is sufficient for me. My strength is made perfect in weakness. And let me just read that account of the gifts he mentions. First in the church, some apostles. Now they're not here anymore. Secondarily, prophets. There were New Testament prophets. Who gave the mind of God before the scriptures were completed? And then, thirdly, there were teachers. And when the mind of God was known, and may I say this, it is fully known today through the precious word from beginning to the end. And the teachers of the word of God are gifts.
After that, miracles, powers, it could be translated, and I believe it's connected with the gifts of healing. which was manifested in the days of the early church. Let me give just a little bit of advice regarding that, the gifts of healing. When you read your scriptures, be sure you recognize that some of those sign gifts, miracles, that the apostles performed in the days of the early church are not seen when you come to the end of the book of the Acts. And we shall read in chapter thirteen. Some of them were done away.
But just the same. God can heal according to the word of God through prayer. As you well know from the book of James chapter and the last chapter. But powers and miracles of healing. And let me be reminded with you. It's not the healer that heals. It's God that heals. I believe God can heal, but I don't believe we've got any healers around. And if God does use a man to pray and if someone may be healed, the man doesn't deserve the glory. I wouldn't call him a healer. He doesn't do it.
It's God that does it in answer to prayer. And thank God we have that access to call God in that way. But God gave those gifts, way back, healings, and then health. Now you can use health in any way. It could be any manner of service to one another. In whatever way God leads and guides and helps to be done. And governments. And this would be perhaps, in fact, if Greek word meaning to steer the assembly, such as the elders in their ministry and responsibility. And diversities of tongues. And if you please note, tongues is the last one. Tongues is the last one.
I think it's just this past week I heard of a young fella before he was saved. Believe it or not, he said he spoke in tongues. I guess he must have got the wrong tongue from the wrong person. Because God never gave that gift of tongue to any unsaved person. But nevertheless, we'll find in chapter thirteen, such a pass away in that. Oh, now here, now Paul raises a question. Is everyone an apostle? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues with tongues?
Do all in... Beloved Lord. I think one of the great troubles in Carmen, they were trying to do all the use. Well, God said they came behind in no gifts. in the opening of the book. But they were trying to use their miraculous and their outstanding, notable, emotional gifts for its prominence. Well, let me... Before going further, remind you, we'll never get to chapter fourteen. We won't be going in there. But in chapter fourteen, when it comes to tongues, Paul made this statement, I would rather...
speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in a tongue. Because if they understand what I say, I can edify them. I can edify them. I can edify them. I remember a young Christian fellow went to a certain service where they spoke in tongues so frequently. And this young man and Knew Spanish very fluently, and he quoted the twenty-third Psalm. And as soon as he got down, they all gathered around, and you got the gift of tongues. You know how he got it, he studied. But listen.
Paul has to be very careful to say, if you speak in an unknown tongue, you better have an interpreter. And in chapter fourteen, he says, if there's no interpreter, you're not edifying anybody. But let me repeat what he did say. I would rather speak five words to edification, not to understanding, than ten thousand words in a tongue. And there's no question of doubt. Beloved, what a joy to realize by words that we understand. And we've got the word of God to use toward helping one another. and ministry to one another for perfect understanding.
Now, Lord, in verse thirty-one as we close, know what the apostles, and this is it. It's a good application. Now you can go all over the gifts you want to, but know what Paul says. He said, but covered earnestly the best gifts. The best ones. My beloved, if you go down this list of gifts, Ask God to show you which is the best one. And if it be His will to give you that gift to use for His glory in the assembly of God's people. But let me drive home the thought again. My dearly beloved, brother and sister, every one of us are needed to care for one another and to show to one another We actually know we are members of the body of Christ.
And we have feelings. You know wherever you have a pain in your body, it's going to go all through your body. Your whole body is going to be conscious of it. And when one member suffers, please let us feel it. If one member rejoices, please let us rejoice with them. And seek. to show care one for another. Then at the end he says as we go into the next chapter, I show you a more excellent way. And that is the way of love. Shall we pray? Our dearly blessed Father, one truth we would like to ask thee to emphasize to our hearts, to each of us, we need one another.
and that we may and will take care and show care to one another as members of the body of Christ. Lord, help us, dear Lord. For, Lord, if we know thy word, you need every one of us. And we pray, Lord, thy Holy Spirit, which can exercise our hearts, our consciences, and our lives to that end will prove to be true members operating in the body of Christ. In thy precious holy name. Amen. Thank you for listening.