One Body: Its Life and Service

How do you feel about your relationships with other believers in the fellowship of your church?

How do you feel about your involvement in the life, ministry, and mission of your church?

How deeply are you committed to other believers, and how strong are the ties of ministry and fellowship among you?

Learning to live in relationship with other Christians in the body of Christ is a key part of being a survivor in your Christian life.

The theme for this week is:

One Body: Its Life and Service

This week you’ll learn why your relationship with other Christians in the body of Christ is so important to you. You’ll learn why you and your fellow Christians need one another in the fellowship of the body of Christ, and you’ll see some of the differences that relationship has already made in your life. You’ll also gain a better understanding of some of your responsibilities as a member of the body of Christ.

DAY 1
Being in the Body
Read Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 4:1-4.

Your personal spiritual growth depends on your being in the body of Christ. There should be no lone-ranger Christians in God’s family. Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ is an act of commitment to others who’ve also vowed to follow Him forever.

Can you imagine a newborn baby being left alone by its family to survive on its own? Hardly! Babies can’t survive if left alone. They need constant love, care, and attention. As far as that goes, can you imagine members of a family ever reaching an age when they don’t need one another? Hardly! Regardless of age, people need to be surrounded by family—other people who are concerned about their well-being.

The same is true of your spiritual life. You may be a new Christian, or you may have been a Christian for months, even years. Regardless of your spiritual age, you never outgrow your need for the family of God for your survival in the world and for your continued spiritual growth.

Romans 12:4-5 states one central truth about the family of God, the church. That truth can be expressed as an equation. Fill in the missing letters, based on what you read in those verses.

M __

__

__

p __

__

__

__

(or members) = one _

_ _

_ _

_ _

_

A central truth about the church is its oneness. Verse 5 says, “We who are many are one body in Christ.” So you should have completed the equation:

Many parts (or members) = one body

When Asian people count on their fingers, they start with the thumb. Can you recall what you’ve already learned from the hand drawing about the keys to your survival as a Christian?

How is the hand labeled across the palm?

How is the thumb labeled? Refer to the hand drawing if you need help.

The interplay of meanings is interesting. “The Indwelling Christ, Controlling All” lives in you and in each of your fellow Christians. So all of us together make up the one body of Christ. Christ is in us. And we’re in Christ because we’re one body in Christ. The thumb on your hand works in cooperation with each finger. In the same way, the truth that we’re all the one body in Christ is vital to each of the other truths you’ll learn. You must always combine this first truth with the others in order to survive as a growing, fulfilled Christian.

Romans 12:4-5 is your Scripture-memory assignment for this week. It’s quoted from the Christian Standard Bible on your Scripture-memory card. Remember, however, that you can memorize it from any translation you wish. In almost any version you use, the four key words will be the same: many, parts (or members), one, and body.

Carefully read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13.

Which of those two verses is more like Romans 12:4-5? In fact, that verse includes the same four key words you saw in Romans 12:4-5. Record the number of that verse here. __________

According to 1 Corinthians 12:13, what was one of the first things the Holy Spirit did for you when you became a Christian?

In that verse the word baptized means “completely submerged.” The Holy Spirit doesn’t loosely attach you to the edge of Christ’s body. He completely immerses you in it. Having natural, healthy growth as a Christian depends on your being deeply involved in the fellowship of a church. The love and nurture you find among other believers provide the climate you need for your spiritual growth.

Understanding what the church is and what the life of the church is like will help you understand why being a part of it is so important. Our word church is the translation of the Greek word ekklesia (eh-kluh-SEE-ah). In Jesus’ day the word referred to a group of citizens who had been called apart for a special meeting or assembly. Now apply that idea to the church. Before you became a Christian, you generally lived the way you wanted to and followed your own desires. Then Christ called you: “Follow Me! Separate yourself from others who live by their personal desires. Be My disciple!” You heard Him and responded, just as I heard and responded and just as every other Christian heard and responded. We came to Christ. We’ve decided to follow Him. We’re called-out ones. We’re the church.

You’ll see the words called and calling in each of the other three Scripture-reading assignments for today. First review 2 Timothy 1:8-10.

Who calls us out?

In whom are we called out?

Now turn to 1 Peter 2:9-10. According to those verses, what should called-out ones do?

As called-out ones, we’re to proclaim (declare or show forth) the One who has called us out. Perhaps the Good News Translation best expresses how we’re to do that. We’re to “proclaim the praises of the one who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light” (v. 9).

List several titles used in 1 Peter 2:9-10 to describe the called-out ones.

Four titles from verse 9:

One title from verse 10:

The last two descriptions say almost the same thing. Because we’re Christians and a part of Christ’s church, we’re “a people for his possession” (v. 9). We’re “God’s people” (v. 10), whom He has called “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (v. 9).

Ephesians 4:1-4 describes the character of called-out ones. Christ enables us to live a new lifestyle. List characteristics of this new lifestyle.

Which of these characteristics would you like to be most visible in your life? Highlight that characteristic.

Here’s a deep thought: Christ won’t give you that characteristic. You see, He is that characteristic. Christ is humble, gentle, patient, loving, and all the rest. The way to make that characteristic visible in your life is to let Christ dwell in you and control you. Then persons you meet today will see that lovely part of His nature because He’s now living in you and controlling you.

Right now take time to let the Holy Spirit guide you to identify what has been keeping that characteristic from being evident in your life. It may be a thought, desire, habit, or characteristic. Then surrender control of that thought, desire, habit, or characteristic to the indwelling Christ.

Did you notice a familiar two-word phrase in Ephesians 4:4? Notice that verse refers to called-out ones as “one body.” Tomorrow you’ll continue thinking about this important idea as you learn more about the unity and life of the body of Christ.

Clip out the Scripture-memory card for week 1 and begin memorizing the verses. Use the card for the foundation week to review and reinforce that verse.