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©2013 Ken Miller Mighty Men – a ministry of Christ Chapel Bible Church

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WEEK 5: The Body of Christ October 3, 2013

Through our relationship with him and our relationship with other believers, God is in the process of restoring his image in us. He is making us like himself. He does this by his Spirit, as his grace and Word are applied to our lives through the incarnational ministry of believers one-‐to-‐another. God uses means to inform and transform us, and the primary means he uses to do this are relationships in the local church. We don’t want anyone poking around in our affairs, and we certainly don’t want to be accused of poking about in anyone else’s. This idolatry of privacy and individualism is one of the greatest detriments to sanctification in the church today. God has placed us in a family because we don’t grow very well on our own. We need the encouragement, correction, and loving involvement of others who are willing to risk everything for the sake of the beauty of the bride. – Elise Fitzpatrick, The Idolatry of Individualism

We live in an age of radical individualism. And as men, most of us have been raised to believe that we have to make it on our own. We’ve been told to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We’ve been warned not to reveal our weaknesses or let them see us cry. The result is that we have a warped view of the church. We tend to see it as a collection of individuals who come together to get some good teaching, a little bit of motivation, and some practical tips on how to survive in this world. But we don’t see the Body of Christ the way Paul did. For Paul, the church wasn’t a place to go, it was something to which you belonged. It was more like an organism than an organization. That’s why he often compared it to the human body – living, breathing organism that thrived only when all the composite parts worked together in unity and toward a common goal. As you listen to the lecture and talk around your tables, try and honestly evaluate your view of the church and how it might need to change. • A few passages from Paul dealing with the Body of Christ -‐ Romans 12:3-‐5 -‐ Colossians 2:17-‐19 -‐ 1 Corinthians 12:12-‐27 -‐ 1 Thessalonians 5:12-‐22 -‐ 2 Corinthians 13:11 -‐ 2 Thessalonians 1:11-‐12 -‐ Galatians3:26-‐29 -‐ 1 Timothy 5:1-‐4 -‐ Ephesians 1:22-‐23 -‐ Titus 2 -‐ Philippians 2:1-‐8 • The Lecture:

As you listen, write down what jumps out at you. Make special note of any new insights you may gain from the lecture. Be ready to share them with the men at your table during the discussion time. _______________________________________________________________________________


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_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

• Table Discussion: During your discussion time, listen to what the other men around your table share that is worth remembering. God has a way of speaking through others, as they provide insights or different applications from the lessons. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

• Prayer Time:

On the Topic: All of us who are in Christ have been made a part of His body, the Church, in both it’s local and global sense. So why not take the first part of your prayer time together to thank God for placing you in His family, for making you a vital part of the Body of Christ.

Around the Table: Pray for one another, that you will each begin to understand and embrace the essential nature of the Body of Christ in your spiritual growth and development. Remember, keep your requests short and sweet. Don’t let the details bog you down. We don’t have to understand all that is going on to pray effectively. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________


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• Week 6 Homework: What does it mean to “walk by faith?” Better yet, what is faith, and how do you know whether you have it or not? These questions have puzzled Christ-‐followers for centuries. Living our lives by faith doesn’t come naturally to us as human beings. For us, seeing is believing. We want proof. We need facts and verifiable evidence before we’ll commit. But for Paul, the Christ-‐life was a faith-‐based life. He uses the noun for faith 142 times in his letters. Not only did he believe that we were saved by faith, he regularly taught that we must live by faith. Faith was to be the essence of our lives. But not just faith in anything. Our faith was to be inextricably linked to Christ. As you study the following passages, take some time to consider just how much a role faith plays in your daily experience. -‐ Read Romans 3:28-‐31.

According to Paul, what is required for me to be made right with God? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ What do you think Paul means when he says, “There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith…” (Romans 3:30 NLT)? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

-‐ Take a look at 2 Corinthians 5:6-‐7. What do you think Paul means when he says we are to walk by faith, not sight? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Compare the verses above to those in 4:16-‐18. What do you think it means to “look at the things not seen?” ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

-‐ Read Galatians 2:20. Paul talks about living his life in the flesh, but through faith in the Son of God. In what ways could faith in Christ help you live out your daily life well? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

-‐ Spend some time reading Romans 8:22-‐30. While Christ is to be the focus of our faith, what is it that Christ makes possible that should motivate our faith? ___________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ What is it that we are to be hoping for? ___________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Why should that motivate us to live our lives differently in the meantime? _______________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

-‐ Read Colossians 2:6-‐7. What does this verse say to you about the necessity of faith? _______ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

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WEEK 5: The Body of Christ October 3, 2013 We don’t want anyone poking around in our affairs, and we certainly don’t want to be accused of poking about in anyone else’s. This idolatry of privacy and individualism is one of the greatest detriments to sanctification in the church today. – Elyse Fitzpatrick, The Idolatry of Individualism • What Did the Body of Christ Mean To Paul?

1. The body of Christ refers to the unique community of professing believers (1 Corinthians 6:5,12:27; Romans 1:6, 12:5; Colossians 1:18) o Together, we are His hands and feet o We are His ambassadors and representatives on earth o It is the corporate, unified community of professing believers o This is the vertical orientation of the Church

2. The body of Christ also refers to the unique, interdependent relationship between believers (Romans 12:4-‐5) o This is the horizontal aspect of the body of Christ o It is the communal, corporate relationship we share with one another

• Not of this world anymore

-‐ We are no longer to be a part of this world (1 Corinthians 3:1-‐3)

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. – John 15:19 NLT Do not love this world nor the things it offers you… 1 John 2:15 NLT Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world… – Romans 12:2 NLT

• Out of the World and Into the Body (Ephesians 2:12-‐13, 19-‐20)

-‐ We have been called out of the world and placed into Christ’s body, the Church -‐ There is a corporate necessity to the body -‐ You have new relationships and responsibilities -‐ The “One Anothers”

Love one another (Rom. 13:8-‐10) Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10a) Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25) Serve one another (Gal. 5:13) Carry each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) Honor one another (Rom. 12:10b) Encourage one another (1 Thess. 4:18; 5:11) Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21) Be patient with one another (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3;13) Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13) Teach and counsel one another (Col. 3:16) Do good to one another (1 Thess. 5:15)


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Treat one another as more important than Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thess. yourself (Phil. 2:3) 5:11)

• An “Out-‐of-‐Body” Experience -‐ Why do we fear life within the body of Christ?

o Fear of being exposed o Trust issues – fear of being let down o Lack of desire o Don’t feel qualified or equipped o Too busy o Got enough troubles of my own o It’s messy! o Trouble with transparency o Fear of accountability

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. – Ephesians 4:16 NLT

• Spiritual Transformation: It’s a Team Sport -‐ We tend to make spiritual transformation a solo event -‐ But that’s not the way God intended it -‐ Even the fruit the Spirit produces is communal, not individual (Galatians 5:22-‐23) -‐ These are all relationally-‐based and other-‐oriented Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. – Philippians 2:1-‐5 NLT The Mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-‐8) -‐ What kind of attitude did Christ have? Humility, service and obedience -‐ Again, it is other-‐oriented, not self-‐focused -‐ Not a “What’s-‐in-‐it-‐for-‐me” mentality

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. – Colossians 3:12-‐15 NLT Spiritual formation is a very public, corporate exercise. Unlike a diet or an exercise program, God’s program for getting us into spiritual shape requires our working out alongside others. – Darrell L. Bock, Foundations of Spiritual Formation

The spiritual journey is not to be a solitary walk, but a community pilgrimage. – Richard J. Goodrich, John Cassian on Community

We draw wisdom and comfort from one another; we encourage and are encouraged by the example of our fellow Christians. To pursue spirituality alone is folly, and ultimately it misses the point of being in the body of Christ. – Gordon Johnston, Foundations of Spiritual Formation

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