One Body, Many Members

A. Rom. 12:4-5, God’s people do not live and serve Him independently and in
isolation from one another. Instead, wherever we read about Christians in the
New Testament, we read about them working together, Act 2:42. “READ” Here’s what they were actively doing together as a congregation. = Fully organized groups of Christians worked and worshiped together under the leadership of elders and deacons, Acts 14:23, Paul and Barnabus “appointed a plurality of elders in every church they which they established.” = 20:28, the church at Ephesus had elders. = The church at Philippi had elders and deacons, Phil. 1:1. = That work was in a relationship which constituted the church “at Corinth,” 1 Cor. 1:2. = “At Ephesus,” Eph. 1:1. “The faithful Saints in Christ at Ephesus.” = This working relationship of Christians in a given place can be described as the “church local,” as distinct from the “church universal,” which is the totality of all Christians everywhere.

1. The Lord’s church is referred as the “body” of Christ, Eph. 1:22-23. = A body is made up of many individual “members.” = As members of the Lord’s body in a specific locale, the members of a local congregation are “members of one another” Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:25. = Hence, we have responsibilities to one another, as well as to the Lord. = A closer look at the church (one body, many members) will help us understand why individual Christians have responsibilities to the local congregation.

a. These groups are known in the New Testament as The Church; The
Body of Christ. = Note this in Rom. 12:3?8; 1 Cor. 12:4?31; Eph. 4:1?16.
= And membership together in one body means that every member has a
personal interest in and responsibility for the body. = Each member, all
members are responsible for the Church in it’s: Work, Eph. 4:16. =
It’s healthy growth - Eph. 4:16. = It’s unity - Eph. 4:3. = It’s purity -
Eph.5:27. = It’s reputation - Phil. 2:15. = Your Involvement in and
responsibility to the body is not a matter of private choice: 1 Cor. 12:18,
Says, “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He

pleased.” = That means there is no such thing as a “vestigial organ” in
Christ’s body! = And Not only are there no useless members, there are
no unimportant members either ? 1 Cor. 12:14?17, 21?23. = There are
no members who are there just to be ornate, decorative pieces in the
“house” of the Lord ? 2 Tim. 2:21.

(A) Christians, as members of Christ’s Church are described in the New Testament in many ways” : A branch in the vine - Jno. 15:1?8;
Col. 1:10. = A laborer in the vineyard - Matt. 20:1?16; 1 Cor. 3:9;
15:58. = A citizen in the kingdom - Matt. 16:18-19; Jno. 3:5. = A
child in the family - Jno. 1:12; 1 Tim. 3:15. = A soldier in the army
- Eph. 6:10?17; 2 Tim. 2:3. = A vessel in the house - 2 Tim. 2:20-
21. = Your participation in the benefits of the vine, vineyard,
family, house, kingdom of God, involves your acceptance of the
responsibilities of that membership.

(1) That brings us to the problem of passivity. = Being passive,
uninterested and uninvolved in the work and activity of the church.
By it’s very nature and definition the church is a sphere of activity.
Unfortunately, most congregations have a few members who
are content to be passive rather than active. = Robert Frost
once described it this way: “The world is full of willing people:
some willing to work, the rest willing to let them work.” = Every
congregation has it’s “closet Christians.” = That’s a “secret
Christian.” = They want the benefits of being, but not the
responsibility. = They do not wish to identify themselves as
working members of any one congregation and just want to drift
aimlessly about as “members at large.” = They claim to be
members in a specific congregation, but choose to be
passive and inactive. = They just belong, but do not accept
any responsibilities of membership in the local church. = They,
in effect, are just along for the ride. = Those are the people who
accept the generosity of others without sharing in the cost or

responsibility involved. = People who shirk work for which they
are responsible. = Actually, the term, “passive member” is
a contradiction of terms. = In reality, there is no such thing. =
By definition, a “member” is a functional part of the “body.” = You
have to remember, It is exactly as James said in Jas. 2:14-26,
“faith without works is dead.”

(2) Any worthwhile, beneficial relationship involves responsibility. = What about our responsibilities in view of the many benefits and blessings which come from being a part of a local church? = Here is where you get: Encouragement to do
right. = Friendship and companionship. = Knowledge gained
from others. = Benevolent help when we are in physical need.
Prayers offered to God for you. = Comfort in sorrow, help in
troubled times, and assistance in difficulty.

(3) Failure to rightly understand our individual responsibilities as members of a congregation has been the cause of much needless disunity, unhappiness, boredom, and inactivity in this church. Happy people are those who are producing something. = Those who are bored and gripe the most are usually the ones who are doing the least. = If you’re unhappy try some careful examination of yourself and the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it. = Let each of us in this congregation make a renewed commitment to accept not only the benefits, but also the responsibilities of membership in Christ’s body “that the members should have the same care for one another.” 1 Cor. 12:25. = Always remember and practice what Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15:58. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Acts 20:32.

Spur - 09/14/03 pm