Ephesians Lesson 29 of 39 part 2

Remember when we become a member of the One Body of Christ we lose our identity as a national origin but not our individuality so far as being either Hebrew or Gentile, because we are all One in the Body of Christ, but outside the Body we still have our distinctiveness. 

But oh listen, Paul says that when it comes to the matter of the spiritual, and salvation, there is no difference. Now do you see why the Hebrews and especially the Judaizers and a few Hellenists plagued Paul every step of the way? Hey they did not like that, and we can understand it. We mean, they were in that place of privilege, and then to all of a sudden have one little Jew pull that out from under them. So they fought against his teaching tooth and toenail, and were always causing Paul most of his problems. Hey! their are those so blind and bent on the old Israel Religion traditions of men, that they act in the same fashion still. And what is at the root of their blindness, a bitter and contrite heart. Come back to Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians 4:16a

"From whom * the whole body fitly joined together and compacted..."

 *that is from Christ who is the Head.

Like knitting the Body together. We are sure you have seen those ladies who could really knit, in fact the last time we went to visit my grandmother, before she passed, oh those needles would be going like crazy without missing a beat. She was in her seventies and still could she knit. Well what was her finished product? Something that was intricately woven together and ofter compacted against the harsh cold winter winds of the North-lands. Well that is what God has been doing with us non-stop for the last 1965 plus years. He has been intricately weaving us into the One Body of Christ. Now that is quite a position isn’t it? Reading on in verse 16.

Ephesians 4:16b

"...by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,..."

Again, every part of our body has a unique function. As we get older the old arthritis begins to kick in. Those old joints begins to stiffen up, and that only if these old joints had a grease fitting so we could lubricate them. If we could just pump in a shot of grease, and just smooth everything out they would feel so much better. And under normal circumstances that is the function of the joints, and that is the way the body functions. We begin to loose our mobility and flexibilities.

Do you ever take for granted your tears? How long would your eyes last if there were no tears? Why, they would get dry as powder, and you would be left with dry eyes, but what is the purpose of these parts? To make everything in the body function. Well, God does the same thing with us in the Body of Christ, we all have a unique function. A lot of people don not realize that, and it can be in a million different little ways. Some can do it by prayer for others, some can do it by writing little notes of encouragement to others, some of you can exhort people, encourage them, to move on, and we could just go on and on. Those are all things that make the Body function, and we are all part of that.

Ephesians 4:16b

"... that which every joint supplieth*, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,..."

*and that is the reference he is making. Every part of our body function, the things that make it work are there, and it is all for the glory of God our creator.

Reading this casual like, this may get kind of boring, but don not read it casually. Read it like we are now, that this is to get the impact of it. All the parts of the Body of Christ are functioning for it's unique purpose.

Ephesians 4:16b

"...maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

We do not know, we hope we are not twisting this out of context, but what do you suppose Paul is referring to here? When he says, "increasing the body?" Well we personally think this is more than just soul winning. This is what He wants us to do. We are to be a testimony of God’s Grace, we are to being showing forth a product that the lost world should want, and we are to be bearing His fruitfulness. In fact let’s come back for a moment to Romans chapter 7. We suppose some people set out there, and say, "Some day that guy is going to want to find a verse and can’t find it." And we do not worry about that, because the Lord provides the Living Waters from His well deed inside of us. He told us many years ago not to plan what we are to say in fact His words were, "take no thought of what to speak, for out of your belly will flow Living Water!" and His has been faithful to His word.