3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Introduction: Gene Getz was a former professor of Dallas Theological Seminary for over 20 years, who in the early 1970's was asked to help several families to start Fellowship Bible Church in Dallas Texas.   Since this time, he has been a part of starting several other Fellowship Bible Churches around Texas.   One of the reasons he attributes to the growth of these churches is the teaching of their members on the subject of the 'One Another' or 'Each Other' injunctions that are given to us in the New Testament.   Here's what Gene Getz says about the impact that this teaching has had in everyone of these Fellowship Bible Churches, 'I've never seen more 'body funtion' and 'personal participation' take place among Christians.'

This morning, we will beginning a series of sermons on the subject of what the Bible says about how the local body of believers are to interact with one another, based somewhat upon Gene Getz's book, 'Building Up One Another.'

I. The Body Of Christ (Rom.12:5).
1. The analogy of the body (1 Cor.12:14-27; Eph. 4:11-12, 15-16).

A. A local church is an living organism, not an organization.

1) Membership in a local church isn't about having your name on the membership rolls, but about being active participant among the body of believers.

2) The word "another" in verse 5 comes from the Greek word "allelon" {al-lay'-lone) which means 'one another, reciprocally, or mutually.'

B. The church as the body of Christ is to function as a body.

1) The Apostle Paul explained, a parallelism exists between a believer's physical body which has parts with differing functions and the community of believers in Christ as a spiritual body.

2) 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

3) Ephesians 4:11-12, 15-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. . .but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ -- 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.

2. Its members (v.12:5; 1Cor.12:27).

5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

A. A local church body is formed by its individual parts.

B. Just as the human body is not made up of one part, but many, so is the local church body.

Transition: Now let's look at. . .

II. The Three Principles Of Being A Body (Rom.12:3-5).
1. Interdependence upon one another (vv.4-5).

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

A. No individual Christian can function effectively in isolation and alone.

- No member of Christ's body can say, "I don't need you."

B. Interdependence and coordination are absolutely essential for a local church to function correctly.

1) We all need each other.

2) A local church is only as healthy as its individual members will work in cooperation with one another.

 So his friend just calmly reached out and was going to grab the man by the hair, pull him over a little closer and get him into the boat. But as he pulled, the man's toupee came off and he slipped down under again. He came up again yelling, "Help, save me!" So the friend reached down again, this time catching hold of an arm. As he pulled on it, it came off because it was an artificial limb. The man continued to kick and thrash around, sputter and splash. The friend reached out again, grabbed a leg and as he pulled it, you guessed it, it came off! It was a wooden leg!

 As the man continued splashing and calling out and sputtering, his friend turned to him in disgust and said, "How can I help you if you won't stick together?" (1001 Humorous Illustrations)

Application: The point is that each member functions to serve the body, not the body to serve the members (BKC). How can we, or any church, expect Christ to help them to be the church that He wants us to be if we won't stick together?   How dependable are you to your church?

Transition: The Second Principle of being a body is. . .

2. Humility between one another (v.3).

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

A. By recognizing our relationship to Christ (Eph.4:1-2).

1) We are saved to a life of voluntary submission and unselfishness towards others.

2) Ephesians 4:1-2 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

- "lowliness," ("tapeinophrosune" {tap-i-nof-ros-oo'-nay}); a quality of voluntary submission and unselfishness, humility.

B. By recognizing our relationship to each other (1Cor.12:22-23).

1) We are not more important than any other Christian.

2) 1 Corinthians 12:22-23, No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,

Transition: The Third Principle of being a body is. . .

3. Unity among one another.

A. Unity begins when a church body recognizes and submits to the headship of Christ (Eph.1:22; 5:23; Col.1:18).

1) Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

2) There cannot be unity among the body of Christ, if some of the body refuses to yield their wills for Christ's will.

B. Every Christian should work hard at creating unity in the body of Christ (1Cor.1:10; Eph.4:3; Rom.14:19).

1) 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

2) Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

3) Romans 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Application: Charles Swindoll (Hope Again) states that 'Unity. . .refers to a oneness of heart, a similarity of purpose, and an agreement on major points of doctrine.   Remember that those who are busy rowing the boat, don't have time to rock the boat.

Invitation:
Charles Swindoll in his book 'The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart' makes this point about the Church. THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH is a ministry of people. When a church lives, it lives because the people within are vital and active. When a church dies, it withers and dies not because the brick and mortar and carpet and pews get old and begin to crack and rip and crumble. A church withers and dies because the people wither and die.

 I think a vivid illustration of this comes from a true story of a young minister in Oklahoma who went to this little, though long-standing, church in hopes of really reviving the ministry of it. He had stars in his eyes and great hopes for the future. He thought he could turn it around. And he gave it his best effort and his best shot week after week, to no avail.

Finally, he had one last idea, and it seemed to work. He announced in the local newspaper on Saturday that the church had died, and on Sunday afternoon there would be a funeral service at the church itself, and all who wished could attend. For the first time in his years there the place was packed. In fact, people were standing outside on tiptoes looking through the window to see this most unusual funeral service for a church.

 To their shock, because most of them got there twenty or thirty minutes early to get a seat, there was a casket down front. And it was smothered with flowers. He told the people as soon as the eulogy was finished they could pass by and view the remains of the dearly beloved that they were putting to rest that day. They could hardly wait until he finished the eulogy. He slowly opened the casket, pushed the flowers aside, and people walked by, filed by, one by one, to look in and leave sheepishly, feeling guilty as they walked out the door, because inside the casket he had placed a large mirror. As they walked by, they saw the church that had died (Lloyd Gory ' Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Charles Swindoll) .

The Bible tells us that our church is a body, where there is unity (one body), diversity (many), and interdependency (members of one another: BBC).

Living supernaturally begins with realizing that we are part of a supernatural body (JISL).