当我们在这里讲到基督身体的时候,我不晓得你们的感触是什么?我简直觉得神怎么可能这样的爱我们,当他在地上的时候,他被称为罪人的朋友已经让我们很惊讶了,有那么多假冒伪善的罪人,他们看不起这些外面是罪人的人。但是耶稣却跟他们在一起,耶稣却爱他们,耶稣居然被称为是罪人的朋友。这件事情已经让我们惊讶了,后来他还肯为我这样的罪人上十字架。他肯接纳我已经让我很感动了,他居然肯为我死,这是大爱啊。他不仅仅为我们死了,洗净我们的罪,让我们得救,他居然愿意成为我们的生命。他降卑住在我们里面,这又超过我们所能够明白的了。而且不仅仅这个样子,把我们这些所有重生得救的人跟他联合成为一个身体,他是头,我们是他的身体,we are one.这个恩典真的是超过我们所能明白的。所以以弗所书1章23节说,教会是他的身体。不光藉着联合表明他完全接纳我们,而且接着说“是那充满万有者所充满的。”他不光在爱里面完全接纳了我们,他要把他所有的丰富赐给我们,那充满万有者所充满的。我们真是要来赞美他,我们算什么啊?年纪越长越认识自己的败坏。我们是罪人,蒙主恩。每一天,每一件事情都证明了他的恩典。我们每一个思想,每一个失败,每一个试探都让我们经历到他何等爱我们,就连我们的得胜也全是他的恩典。
第三个,在这里百节各按各职,照着个体的功用彼此相助。这是前一阵子以弗所书引用的经文。讲到百节各按各职,照着个体的功用彼此相助,为的是叫身体渐渐增长,在爱中建立基督的身体。圣经上为什么用身体表示教会呢?因为它不是一个实的组织,有牧师,有长老,有执事。它是一个有生命的有机体。这个生命是伟大基督的生命。所以每一个肢体要在这里很健康的尽他的功用。只有有肢体有不健康的功用的话,已经会给我们带来很多的不舒服和不方便了。那你怎么呢?你只要感觉到哪一个器官的存在,就表示它生病了。我说你一天呼吸两万三千次,当你感冒鼻塞的时候,你会不会感觉到有鼻子存在,很难呼吸。当你健康的时候,你不会感觉到鼻子在呼吸。像我耳鸣,已经18年,从来没停过。你有一天突然发现耳朵存在的时候,表示你耳鸣了或者耳朵出事情了。如果你能够感觉到心跳的话,表示不是你做坏事了就是心脏出问题了。当你不健康的function的时候,身体已经有感觉了。更不要说如果它不尽功用了。你的脚如果死掉的话,那基本上要截肢了。你不能再说we are one,你把它留在那里,全身都会死掉。所以保罗在这里劝我们,百节各按各职,照着个体的功用彼此相助。既然每一个人都有,既然是神给的,神安排的,神决定的,我们的责任就是要尽功用,而且是为了帮助别人。为了是在爱中建立基督的身体,这叫做彼此成全。我们如果每一个人都尽功用的话,其实身体就在增长了。我们真在爱中彼此尽功用来相助的话,其实基督的身体就被建立了。
Memorization Scripture: 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. (1 Cor 12:26-27)
A)聖經為何以『身體』作為教會的表號?
A) Why does the Bible use the typology of the “body” for the Church?
B) 藉著聖靈,教會成為基督的身體
B) Through the Holy Spirit the Church has become the body of Christ
▪ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Cor 12:13)
▪ 教會是祂的身體,是那充滿萬有者所充滿的。(弗1:23)
▪ … the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.(Eph 1:22-23)
a) 肢體永遠離不開身子 (林前12:12b, 15-16) :「肢體雖多,仍是一個身子」
a) The members can never be separated from the body (1 Cor 12:12b,15-16): “There are many members, yet still one body”
▪ … being many, are one body, so also is Christ. …15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 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?
b) 肢體彼此相需、缺一不可 (林前12:21-22)
b) Members need one another, cannot miss any (1 Cor 12:21-22)
▪ 21 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.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
c) 肢體彼此相愛、彼此相助 (林前12:23-24)
c) Members love one another and help one another (1 Cor 12:23-24)
▪ 23 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, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it…
d) 肢體彼此相顧、同甘共苦 (林前12:25-26)
d) Members care for one another, rejoice and suffer together (1 Cor 12:25-26)
▪ 25 … but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
C)聖徒又「各自為肢體」
C) Saints are also individually members
a) 肢體各有各的特殊功用 (林前12:12a,14,17,19,21)
a) Each member have its own unique functions (1 Cor 12:12a,14,17,19,21)
▪ 12 … the body is one and has many members …14 For in fact the body is not one member but many … 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? … 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
b) 是 神親自在安排各肢體,配搭這個身子 (林前12:18,24b)
b) Its God Himself who sets each member and composes this body (1 Cor 12:18, 24b)
▪ 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased … 24 … But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
c) 百節各按各職,照著各體的功用,彼此相助 (弗4:15-16)
c) By what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, helping one another (Eph 4:15-16)
1) 使身體漸漸增長; 2) 在愛中建立基督的身體
1) Causes growth of the body; 2) For the edifying of the body of Christ in love.
詩歌: SH267 "愛使我們相聚一起";其他: “家庭祈禱歌” 其他 “萬口一聲”
Hymnary: SH267 "The Bond of Love"; Other: “Family Prayer Song” Other “One Voice”.