1. CHURCH OF CHRIST at January 31, 2010 Don’t Forget: Nursing Home @ 2:00 Hebron

2. The Call for Spiritual Unity Body Spirit Hope Lord Faith Baptism God 1 —Ephesians 4:4-6

3. The One Body I.What is the Body? II.How Many Bodies are There? III.Where is the Body? —Ephesians 4:4a

4. What is the Body? Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all Romans 12:4-5 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

5. What is the Body? I Corinthians 12:12-13 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. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body… Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby

6. What is the Body? Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body. Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

7. What is the Body? Christ The church Individual Christians

8. How Many Bodies are There? Ephesians 4:4 There is one body… Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another I Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body… Colossians 3:15 …to the which also ye are called in one body…

9. How Many Bodies are There? Matthew 16:18 … upon this rock I will build my church… Acts 2:47 …And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house… Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church…

10. How Many Bodies are There? I Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth… Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it

11. Justification #1: #1#2#3#4 many groups—one body

12. Justification #2: #1#2 man-made authorities different paths— same Christ

13. Responses: 1)Where was that idea in the 1 st Century? –I Corinthians 1:10-13 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment…every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

14. Responses: 2)Doesn’t that violate the principle behind the “body” passages? –Ephesians 4:2-3 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

15. Where is the Body? The body is wherever its members are gathered –I Corinthians 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it –Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

16. Where is the Body? The body is wherever its individual members go –I Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

17. Are you a member of the body? Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

18. Consider During the Lord’s Supper: Matthew 26:26-29 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.