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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S was th ere; he yielded his b asket; he is always named as a leading figure,— bu t he seemed very insignificant un til the tim e of need. (2) COMPENSATION FROM CO-OP ERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE BODY, vs. 21-26. There is a m utual dependence among th e members of th e body. They cannot get along w ithout m u tu al co-operation. They serve one ano th er; they help one another. There are certain essentials for the hum an body and the co-opera tion of th e members brings the results. So in th e church, th e body of-C hrist. The business of th e church is to glorify God. So P au l has already told the Corinthians. (1 Cor. 6 :2 0 ): “ F o r y e a r e b o u g h t w i t h a p ric e * t h e r e f o r e g l o r i f y G o d i n y o u r b o d y » a n d in y o u r s p ir it» w h ic h a r e G o d ’s .” . And again he w rites them. (1 Cor. 1 0 :3 1 ): “ W h e t h e r t h e r e f o r e y e e a t , o r d r i n k , o r w h a ts o e v e r y e d o , d o a l l t o t h e g l o r y o f G o d .” The Church is a distinct body, com posed of men, women and children who have been born again, born from above; united to Christ by an indestructible tie; le ft in th e world for one g reat pur pose, to be His w itnesses and ambassa dors. So they are working tog eth er in unity, b u t not in uniform ity. We are no t speaking of th e visible church, bu t the invisible. They chose a common heritage; they are all of one blood, the blood of Christ; they all have one Book, the B ible; they all have a common des tiny, to be w ith and like Him. So every member of His Body can re joice in everything which is accom plished by any member of th e Body. They all share in th e things th a t glorify Him. If some have g reater gifts for service th a n others, they have also g reater responsibilities, and all th a t they do is for th e m u tu al benefit of all members. The w eakest member adds his m ite, ano th er adds his pound, but all th e glory is for th e Lord. There is a beautiful illu stration of th is in the
book of Nehemiah in th e building of th e walls of Jerusalem . (Neh. Chapters 3 and 4). Read especially (Neh. 4:16, 17 ): “ A n d i t c a m e t o p a s s f r o m t h a t ti m e f o r th » t h a t t h e h a l f o f m y s e r v a n t s w r o u g h t i n t h e w o r k , a n d t h e o t h e r h a l f o f th e m h e l d b o th t h e s p e a r s , t h e s h ie ld s , a n d t h e b o w s , a n d t h e h a b e r g e o n s ; a n d t h e r u l e r s w e r e b e h in d a l l t h e h o u s e o f J u d a h . T h e y w h ic h b u ild e d o n t h e w a ll , a n d th e y t h a t b a r e b u r d e n s ; w i t h th o s e t h a t la d e d , e v e r y o n e w i t h o n e o f h is h a n d s w tr o u g h t i n t h e w o r k , a n d w i t h t h e o th e r h a n d h e l d a w e a p o n .’’ So let us strive to labor togeth er in our Lord’s vineyard. He is th e Vine, we the branches; let us bear fru it to His glory. (3 ) TH E ’ BODY COMPOSED OF MANY MEMBERS, v. 27. This tru th has already b e e n . amply shown; th e re is nothing left b u t to stress th e point. The Church is no t an organization, bu t an organism ; not a society, b u t a body; w ith m utual rela tions to th e Head which is Christ; w ith m utual dependence upon each other. When one suffers all m ust suffer. When one is exalted all are exalted. The il lu stration is found in Psa. 133: “ B e h o ld , h o w g o o d a n d h o w p l e a s a n t i t i s f o r b r e t h r e n t o d w e ll t o g e t h e r in u h i t y ! / I t i s l i k e t h e p r e c i o u s o in t m e n t u p o n t h e h e a d , t h a t r a n d o w n u p o n t h e b e a r d , e v e n A a r o n ’s b e a r d s t h a t w e n t d o w n to t h e s k i r t s o f h is g a r m e n t s ; A s t h e d e w o f H e r m o n , a n d a s t h e d e w t h a t d e s c e n d e d u p o n t h e m o u n t a in s o f Z io n * f o r t h e r e t h e L o r d c o m m a n d e d th e b le s s in g , e v e n l i f e f o r e v e r m o r e .” PRACTICAL POINTS. (1) In th e Vine and Branches, the life is in th e Lord Jesus. (2) In th e Sheep and Shepherd, the law is in th e Lord Jesus. (3 ) In th e Body and Head, th e lin k is in the Lord Jesus. (4 ) In th e B ride and Bridegroom , the life, th e law, th e link -and love, are in the Lord Jesus. (5) The body is not one member, bu t many. (6) Every tru e believer is a un it, and united in union w ith th e Lord. (7) Every believer should give heed to th e will of th e Head.
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