Growing through unity in the body
- 1. Growing through Unity in the Body • The Theme for the quarter is: "The Wonderful Human Body God Made. • T.M. Slowe. • The overall theme for the year "Growing in Christ"
- 2. Three dimensional unity: • The human body, • The church, • The family
- 3. Review • 2 weeks ago Dr. Howell. • Failures are functional because: • They can remind us of our frailty. • They serve to remind us of the faithfulness of God. • They can get us ready for the future. • Last week: • When the present does not look like the promise: • God provides reinforcement • He provides revelation • He gives reassurance.
- 4. Text: Eph. 4:11-16 • 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, • 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, • 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
- 5. Text: Eph. 4:11-16 • 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, • 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
- 6. Text: Eph. 4:11-16 • 16 from whom the whole body, JOINED and knit together by what every joint supplies, ACCORDING to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
- 7. Three dimensional unity: • The human body, • The church, • The family
- 8. The human body • Jeremiah 1:5 • "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."
- 9. Psalms 139:14 • I WILL give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
- 10. Psalms 139:14 • The word ‘wonderfully’ means to be distinct or unique. this verse says that God made you special.
- 11. Genesis 1:27 • God created man in His own image, in THE IMAGE of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- 12. The Human Body Systems Although viewed as whole, the human body is actually made up of ten different systems. Each of these systems plays a vital part in the health and well being of the entire body. 1. Integumentary System 2. Skeletal System 3. Muscular System 4. Digestive System 5. Circulatory System 6. Respiratory System 7. Nervous System 8. Excretory System 9. Endocrine System 10. Reproductive System
- 13. Ephesians 4:1-6 • I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to YOUR call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ...
- 14. 2. The church • Unity does not imply uniformity. It does not mean that all Christians WILL think alike or perform identical ministries. • It does imply a common purpose and interdependence within the body of Christ.
- 15. John 17:21 • That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
- 16. 1 Corinthians 1:10-12 • I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been REPORTED to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
- 17. 1 cor 12:3-12 • 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. • 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
- 18. 3. The family: • Play, pray plan and eat together to preserve unity.
- 19. One of the worst mistakes we make in the family is • “we fail to prepare our children for their future” • Psalm 127:4- • As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth
- 20. Ephesians 6:1-4 • Children, obey YOUR parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
- 21. Ephesians 5: 22-23 • Wives, Submit yourselves unto YOUR own husbands, as unto the Lord. • 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:
- 22. (Ephesians 5:22, 1 Peter 3:1). • God exhorts WOMEN to voluntarily follow their husband’s leadership. • A woman is actively doing this-- choosing to put herself under leadership, • A wife shows submission unto her husband when she allows him to take leadership in the relationship. His position as leader is biblical
- 23. Ephesians 5: 25-31 • Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
- 25. Compare and contrast the human body with the spiritual body & the family.
- 26. Compare and contrast • One whole with several parts and different functions. • Need for team work we need each other (we are interdependent on each other)
- 27. Compare and contrast • Health is experienced through healthy habits. (church, body or family health) • Anything healthy will naturally grow & thrive • There should be unity in diversity
- 28. Questions: • What can I do to improve my physical, spiritual and family wellbeing?
- 29. Questions: • What are the weaknesses and strengths in my family, Church life and my body.
- 30. Questions: • What do I need to improve & what steps am I willing to take.
- 31. Let us Pray!
- 32. Three dimensional unity: • The human body, • The church, • The family