The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, Lesson 23 cont.
Courtney Hemenway · Mar 27, 2022
Holy Spirit (2021-23), No. 55
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49261926257378

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

All right, we are in lesson 23. We got partially through question number one. Let me see here. Get this around here. So question one was, What does it mean to be in the body of Christ? We defined what the body was several different ways, where scripture specifically says that we as believers are the body of Christ, and then also where Paul, his conversion on the road to Damascus, where the Lord specifically said that you're persecuting me, and Paul was persecuting the church at the time, so by inference, he was persecuting Christ, that we are the body of Christ. And I don't know if we, did we get to what, my question, what does it mean to be in the body of Christ, and how did we get there? I don't know if we got to that part. So, the question, what does it mean to be in, so the be in part, the body of Christ, and how did we get there? Oh. Excuse me, I had to retrieve my coffee. Nobody knows how they got into Christ. It's a mystery how you got there. You know that you're in a body, but you have no clue how you got there.

The Holy Spirit placed me. The Holy Spirit. Okay. We believe. Believe. By faith. Yes. You've been saved by grace through faith. then takes up residence. So yeah, so the Holy Spirit, what did the Holy Spirit do? What's it say? He placed us into Christ. You kind of broke up He placed us into Christ? Yes. He placed or baptized us into Christ. We see that in 1 Corinthians 12, 12 and 13. I'll read those.

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though there are many, are one body, so also is Christ. for by one spirit we were all baptized into one body whether jews or greeks where the slaves are free we're all made to drink of one spirit uh... it's the holy spirit that baptizes us or places us into the body so is every believer in the body of christ i didn't think that would be a trip up question but uh... yes yes Everybody who is in cry or is a believer is in Christ. There's no exclusion Is now the question which we'll get into a little bit in the next question, but is everyone is everyone the same in the body of Christ That's probably best answer is your mic on I don't know We have different different functions within body. So, Mike's answer was yes and no. So, that's probably the best answer, I think. Well, explain yourself. Well, yes, from a positional standpoint, we're all one in Christ.

From a conditional standpoint, we all have different functions. It's like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all three of them are God, but they have taken different roles. It doesn't diminish their position as God, but they do different things. And so every member of the body of Christ has been suited out by God to serve a function within the body. Right.

So, yes and no. Yes, we're all in the body, but we're different functions. So, Right Out puts it this way, and we'll delve into much of the differences as we get into question number two. into one body we've already seen how this is characteristic characteristic name of the church there is one body one spirit even as you are called in one hope we're going to use in four four here the unity of the body of the church is associated on the one hand with the one spirit who has formed it and on the other hand with the one hope the heavenly glory to which it is destined the entire chapter the twelfth of first corinthians should be read as showing the relationship of the spirit to the body Next to its unity, it's the diversity of its members and their mutual dependence, the one upon the other. So again, we've delved into one body, but now we're going into what is that body composed of in the body of Christ? So we are all part of one body. We've said everybody, there's no exclusions to being in the body of Christ. So we're all in there. But now, you have something? Go somewhere else for a minute, okay? Wait, watch the rabbit jump to the left, okay. The first mention of being in the body of Christ is Romans 6, where it says, don't you realize when you were baptized into Christ, you were baptized into his death? And you were buried with him and resurrected to newness of life.

And I think that's a critical aspect of being in the body of Christ, because nothing of Adam goes into Christ. So therefore, it sets up the whole doctrine of identification, that as we are resurrected with Christ, we're new creatures, and we function in the body of Christ as new creatures. And I may have a terrific talent in Adam, but it doesn't suffice me anything in Christ, because I'm gifted, everybody's gifted to minister to the body of Christ. So I think it's important as being a member of the body of Christ, it's a whole new world. creation and i think it is well i guess twisted to i think talents and gifts and you may have a a a talent that's useful in your gift but they're not synonymous that and uh... uh... gifts and talents you know and it is that's good the separation of what the body of uh... of christ is much different than the epidemic body we were all at that point attached to adam right through the the fleshly lineage that we have But that's now severed at Romans 6.

And now we're entirely new, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. We're entirely new creatures. And when we say that, and that's kind of what we're going to delve into a little bit now. We're new creatures, plural. But we're part of one body. So we're all part of one body, but we're all different. And we have different functions. And so I guess, questions I had, do you agree with every member has a specific function? Stunned silence again. Will the Holy Spirit leave anybody out? Wait a big nap. Is your mic on?

I hate to say that, but for those benefiting at the. He said, does everybody have a specific function? Yes, that's the question. I say, would God leave anybody out? Good point. So the answer would be? I think they do. Okay. And so, Matt, any disputes on that? That we have specific functions within the body? The answer would be yes. We have specific functions. And so my lead-in question now is do this. If so, what is your function? If everybody has a function, what's your function? I knew this was going to really have a quiet time on this one. I suppose the Lord will tell me. Yep. OK.

Any others? Is it possible to function and not really realize what it is? That's an answer. And does the function change as your age changes? That's another question that I'm going to ask. So do you need to know what your function is? Now, these are all corollaries that are falling down through. We know we have a function. What is your function, and do you need to know it? And I think it all falls into what you just answered. I don't think so, because I think a lot of people function without even thinking about what their gift is. Interesting. I agree. I don't think you need to know your function.

In years past, there used to be tests of your gifts. I remember in Brethren Church, there was like a 38 question, and at the end of it, beep, you're different helps. And that was it. And then, I don't know if it was like you were branded, that you're now, that's the only function you can do. You can't do any of this other stuff.

No, you tested out, you are helps. You know what happens immediately, like I've done those kind of personality profiles that are supposed to tell you your spiritual gift, and immediately what you start to do as soon as you think you know it, is you start to try to function in the flesh. Trying to produce that work through your flesh completely defeats the purpose, right?

Absolutely. That's, I mean, the fallacy of that, you know. At the time, it sounded really cool, you know, that, ooh, I'm going to identify what I am in the body of Christ. Ooh, that's cool. I know what my function is, and now I'm really going to go after it. I'm going to supercharge it. And what is all that based on? The flesh, you know. So, again, I don't think it's, you need to know your function. I think a lot of times you don't know what your function is. And the other question, which, I don't know if I got that, Oh, yeah, I do have that coming up.

So we'll look at this. In Ephesians 4, 11, and 12, these are some of the gifts. And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. So again, what is the function? Well, I'll break this down a little bit more.

Does your function remain the same over your earthly life? That was what you were saying. Does it? I mean, once you're whatever, an evangelist, are you an evangelist forever as your gift? You might be. Might be, yeah. Might be. Sure. Possibility. But does it mean it has to be? i think you know what that your life you know i mean and and i think he has a duty change to as you grow older you use spiritually mature there's different things that you do now and i think that that your gift not necessarily has to be specific and i don't think there's any my correct i don't think there's any word that says that once you have the gift of evangelism evangelism forever I don't think there's anything that says, contrary to what we're talking about, that I could find. It doesn't say you don't. You don't. But there isn't an exclusion that says once you're branded, you're that. So either way it can function. I also think that as a young believer, it might be a parent's one gift, but as you grow, you grow into maybe another one. And as you become more involved, You can have more than one operating at the same time.

Yeah, that's another. Is it singular? No, I don't think so. Anybody? You're talking about the earthly time frame, but what about the millennial age and the eternal state? I don't think you need them. I don't think you need them. That's right. Once we've shirked these shells, I don't think we need it. Do we need to have an evangelist as a gift? Once we step into eternity? No. Do we need any of the functions?

Because remember what I just read, and this is what I underlined. What is the purpose of the gifts? The edification of the body. Focus on the body. The building up of the body of Christ. Once we step into eternity, do we need that? No. That's also outside the church age. That's outside the church age, but that's also... The gifts are for the body or the church. For the church body, yes.

And so I don't think it's, Jimmy, I don't think it's an eternal one. It's through this lifetime to build up the body, but once we get into eternity, we are all In the new bodies, no sin, no sin nature, nothing. He's still part of Christ's body in the eternal state. Yeah, we're in his body, but who's going to build us up?

We're in his body, in his presence. We're perfected. If you read in Revelation, after the church is gone, A lot of those gifts now transfer over to the Jewish community, and they're evangelists, and they do those functions. But yeah, it's an earthly... Once we step into eternity in our eternal bodies, it's not needed, because we're in Christ. His presence is there.

Well, and we still serve. Yeah. But it isn't a matter, I think, of a specific gift. And I think that point... We're enjoying it. We can't do anything else but revel in the glory. I don't know if it's, you know, that we're going to have a lot of work to do. I think it's just enjoying it.

We're going to come to rule and reign with him in the millennial, but I don't think it's, we don't need building up at that point. So, Jimmy, long answer, but this is through this age. Once we step into eternity, I think that goes away. So, other questions, answering that one.

I think it may change as your conditions change or what God has for you to do at various times. Teaching, hospitality, elder, evangelist, each may vary as your spiritual maturity grows or your life condition change. Young to old, new work group, new church body, family conditions, parenting, all those things may change the gift that you have and what your function is in building up the body. So anybody have any concerns about that?

So back to the specific function. Are there specific functions? And what about the, as Mike added in the question, the uncomely parts? So there are specific functions. But what about those ones that are supposedly not the greater gifts, or the ones who are lesser part of the body? Is there a lesser part of the body?

Yeah, go ahead. You compare it to the human body, because everything about the body is necessary to function. And maybe unseen or may not look too good, but it's still necessary. And don't look down on it. And maybe you're the janitor, functioning, cleaning the church. That's just as important as the person standing in the pulpit. Absolutely. It's a job.

I think when we go back to searching for your gift and things, it may be that God has a specific thing for you. I think one of the Hungry Hearts said, it may be just your flower along the road to give a fragrance. as opposed to the guy who's up teaching or pulpit or whatever. Maybe you have one specific function that you provide that is totally missed by the larger body. And that person may have a gift that they don't know and they may be more influential in lives than anybody would ever know.

It happens. Totally. It's functioning. It may not be out front. Right. Exactly. It's not a seen thing. Nobody knows. Yeah, nobody knows. And it's something that you work, you know, just talking about Hadley coming, you know, your grandkids talking to Hadley, going to go to camp. Hello?

You know, that's functioning as part of the body. So, I mean, all of those things may not be ever seen. But that's awesome. So, you know, I think there's, all function is the body. It's like, you know, if you, I was trying to think, if you have like a, what they call a bunion or something on your foot, and it hurts, how's the rest of the body doing with that? Dave with his back surgery, and the back isn't really functioning too well. How's the rest of the body doing with that? We all function together as one body.

I'll give you a good example. A couple of weeks ago, I get an email from a guy, I'm not going to mention his name. And the guy just said, I've been praying for you today. And I needed it that day. How did he know? He just did. And he just wanted to tell me.

It's one spirit, one spirit that links us all together. It's not like an individual spirit. I mean, individually, it's us individually, but it's one spirit. We've talked about the unity of the spirit, the one spirit. So if one part of the body is somewhere, maybe just that day, the Holy Spirit said, pray for Mike.

That's awesome. And that shows, again, the oneness of the body. You know, we've done that too, where there's just been something, you talk to somebody and it's like, or that we've talked about this many times, when you go to somebody and you just know something different about them, you're a believer, aren't you? You notice something different. And so that's the oneness of the body, which was the binder is the Holy Spirit. So going back down what the body concept is really brought out.

It's a long passage, but I think it really sets it off. And this is 1 Corinthians 12 through 31. And it really shows what this is the perfect the answer to this about the unkindly the body everything for strength is twelve twelve through thirty-one for even as the body is one and yet has many members again one body many members all the members of the body though there are many are one body so also is christ for by one spirit we're all baptized into one body where the jews and greeks where the slaves are free we're all made to drink of one spirit For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot says, because I'm not a hand, am I not part of the body? Is it not for this reason any the less a part of the body? And if the ear says, because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body, is it is not for this reason any less a part of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He desired, which is, I think, fascinating. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.

In the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you. Or again, head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. The uncomely, the more necessary. And those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor. and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to the member which lacked. so that there may be no division in the body, that the member may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. If one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body and individually members of it.

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, ministration, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healing, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts, and I will show you a still more excellent way. Can't say it any better than that.

All part of a body. Is there a lesser member that's less important? No. And it's the old adage, if we're all Charlie Browns in the city, sometimes we get that in a meeting, and we're all Charlie Browns doing the same thing. It's not a very good dynamic if we're all exactly the same. But the God has composed the body of Christ with individuals, members, each one of us. And we all have different gifts.

And as we said, they may manifest itself differently as we grow spiritually. And I don't think you need to know the function. I think you just function. And the Holy Spirit will direct you. And as you grow, he may morph you into one or two gifts or more gifts. And that may change. and it's a wonderful but you know you know i think your body your body changes as you grow bigger functions changes so i think you know it's fantastic the way he put it together this body concept so taxes is so the question are there specific functions and what about the incoming parts it is there is dot look and say well You're kind of the lesser.

You're the big toe on the body. We can do it without you. Is that the way God looks at it? No, absolutely not. No. Every part of the body. So, translate that back. We're a part of the body. Everyone who is a believer is a vital part of the body and being used by him. Think about that. You're a vital part of God's body here. That's awesome. Awesome. Right out puts it this way. Each member has its own function, and how clear it is that each individual is here contemplated. None is so insignificant as to be omitted, and each has its place in the body according to the sovereign will of the Spirit of God.

The more uncomely parts are more essential, and upon them greater care has to be bestowed. So again, body concept, we're all part of it, one body, different members. So now the question is, we've established we're all part of the body, we all have function, we all have gifts, and now question three, what is the body of Christ for? Why are you here, why are you part of the body?

Just to be, ornamental what is it why wouldn't what is the body of grace for one one aspect of to think about i think is completeness so this idea does the body become complete is incomplete without any believer yeah good question You know, I guess the corollary of that is, is any body part, well, not necessary. So if it's gone, it's okay. So what is the answer to that one?

If you think about it, obviously the answer would be it's, it is incomplete without every believer prepared beforehand, right? Our paths and those paths make up the, the work of Christ through us, right? And so if you think about your role in the body as being necessary because God is working towards a complete organism, a total organism, and it's not a partial effort on his part. Every baptism of the Holy Spirit that introduces a new believer into the body plays a completing part in that total organism.

Is that fair to say? Yeah. So as a general, why are we here? Why are we in the body of Christ? I mean, that's part of it. Yeah, you're in it, but why are you in it? Yeah, why? What's the purpose of completing the body? What's the purpose of the body during this church age, maybe is probably...

Yeah. Better question. Yeah. Christ. Bill, the... Bride of Christ. The Bride of Christ. Okay. Other thoughts? I was saying just to separate ourselves. Be sanctified, set apart. Okay. I like the way, right out, put it, the hymnal of the Spirit. for Christ activity. I'm going to get to that.

I think we are the expression of Christ to the world. That's what we're here for, is to show Christ living today through us. How does the world know about Christ? You may be the only book they've read. Through his body. We are living his life now here. He walked on earth, now we are the living representation of Christ. We're the living instrument for him to bring forth his life to this world. Would you say that he's more here now than he was when he was here in his body?

I think so. He was one person, one place. We are now everywhere. I agree. I think we are much larger than when Christ was here by himself. Because we are now over the entire world. He was in his part of the world for a very short period of time. I mean, it's wrong, but didn't Christ say to the apostles, you will do greater works?

And I do, because they were going to be out there, and it was going to grow and grow and grow. Well, and also the promise of the Holy Spirit. Yeah, exactly. The promise of what we're studying is that you will have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. You will do much greater because of the numbers. And again, the same spirit back then is the same spirit today.

And we can manifest Christ to the world, in any corner of the world. And that's how the function of the body now is to express Christ to a lost world. That's our function. And within it is the function of us building each other up as a body. To what? To share that with the world. To be an expression of Christ to the world. kind of a scary responsibility. But yes and no. It's a life. It's not a work. No. It's a life. He's got works for us. He said he's prepared works ahead of us. But it's not a work. It's a life. So it shouldn't be a burden.

It's an expression of our life inside of Christ. So if you're growing and you're manifesting Christ in the world, that should be a natural outcome of who you are. Oh, yeah. Again, the body of Christ, we were just saying, you know, when you see somebody or hear somebody, I get great joy and comfort by running into believers all around the world.

You know, because you're not alone. You know, when we come here and fellowship, it's awesome to have a fellowship here. You're not alone. And we're growing together. And that's a great comfort. So no, that's awesome. I mean, we're not alone. We're part of a huge body, which has actually more impact than when Christ walked on the earth. It's exciting. It's exciting to be a part of that. And it shouldn't be a burden. It's a life. Just study the word of the Holy Spirit to know who you are. Yeah.

I was just going to say, what jumps off the page to me when I read about the body and Christ in us is the word intimacy. It's like, that's another thing we really haven't discussed, but we're in Him, and He's in us, and we're in the Father, and we're in the body. We have intimacy. What a beautiful thing, intimacy with our Savior, intimacy with each other in the body.

And how incredible that concept is. Oh no, I say that many times. The intimacy we have with Christ. And we read John 17, and you really see that. The intimacy that we have with him. And there's all this, in John 17, the real Father's Prayer, or the, what do you call it? Lord's Prayer, that everybody says kind of this. That's the real Lord's Prayer. And when you see it, it's all about unity.

Unity with God, unity with Christ, and unity with his body. That is so cool. And then we really delve into the understanding, we have unity with the God of the universe. The God of the universe. Unity with that. Unity with his son. Unity with the spirit that binds us all together. Man, that makes your day.

I was thinking about talking to Bob Eccle a year ago about the coronavirus and the T-cells. And how the T-cells are messengers to tell the body, if the coronavirus shows up, you guys need to get up and go fight it. But it's interesting how the body of Christ functions the same way. Which of us are messengers, that when something happens, there's a rally going on, and there's a recruitment to go and deal with an issue?

Yeah. Well, that's the same way. The amazing part of the body. We all evolved from a slime pool. We did? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Maybe you did. You know, when they do this, it's so amazing. I mean, how it G-cells and everything. I think I've said that before. It goes contrary to the laws of thermodynamics. It goes completely against that. Things tend to, from order to disorder. You can't go from one cell to just an eye and the complexity of an eye, the complexity of T-cells and all that.

We are wonderfully designed by a god. so i have put it this way and i was getting that the body is the vehicle we might almost say for the spirit so the church as the body of christ is a vehicle may we not say for the activities of christ uh... for you know so the church of the body of christ is a vehicle may we not say for the activities of christ he uses the church through the indwelling spirit to perform his work in the world to represent it As my father sent me into the world, so I send you into the world.

It is through his members that the Lord acts in saving souls and building up saints and nourishing and caring for his church. He also adds, the body suggests the link of life with the risen Lord and the grace that has so united us. It also suggests the vehicles for the activities of divine love. So if you look at Ephesians 6, 18-20, Paul states the function of the body of Christ.

With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the spirit. And with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints and pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in change, that in proclaiming it, I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. So Paul basically say the purpose is to bring forth the gospel, be a representative of Christ, be an ambassador in chains, an ambassador for Christ.

We are to bring forth what he says. What's an ambassador do? He says whatever is from, you say only that. You don't say anything on your own, you say what is from your country. But this is now a body. We only say what Christ told us. That's what we're supposed to do, is pass on and bring forth as ambassadors of Christ. Everything that's true about Christ. So I think he knew what his gifts were. Yeah. I mean, he, well, I mean, he was the apostle to the Gentiles in the world and actually the one who gives us everything about we know in the body. So we are at the closing time. So we'll get to the last couple of questions next week. Are you up next? Michael will be up next. We'll finish 23 and then start on 24. Hopefully, I think you mailed out 24. I did. All right, let's close.

Heavenly Father, we thank you. We thank you again for just the awesome design that you have, that you have placed us by baptism through the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, and now we are one body in Christ. all different members of it with different functions, different gifts. And Father, you have delighted in putting us in the body and to use us to bring forth the knowledge of your Son to a dark world. So we thank you for your design of the body of Christ with each of us as individual members. And we thank you for, again, the unity of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit that indwells each and every member of the body. And we just thank you again for just providing that seal, that pledge through the Holy Spirit that we are one body with Christ to represent Christ in this world. So we thank you for that. Just pray for Roger in the next meeting as he brings forth the word, and just to prepare our hearts to receive it. Again, that all that we say and do will honor and glorify you this day. In Jesus' name we pray.