Living in the Reality of the Body of Christ by Keeping the Principles of the Body
Message Four
The Supply of the Body, the Members of the Body, and the Limitation of the Body
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Phil.1:19 For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
1Cor.12:18-20 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed. And if all were one member, where would the body be? But now the members are many, but the body one.
Word of Appetizer
Why in the Body there can be no independence or individualism?
For we are members, and members cannot live in detachment from the Body. Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ, and every member is indispensable.
Individualism is hateful in the sight of God: The enemy of the Body is the self, the independent “I,” the independent “me”. What I do not know, another member of the Body will know; what I cannot see, another member of the Body will see; what I cannot do, another member of the Body will do.
Spiritual Burden
We receive the supply of the Spirit by the intercession and fellowship of the members. As long as we live in the Body, we will receive the supply of the Body, no matter what our condition is.
Wherever there is Body-revelation, there is Body-consciousness, and wherever there is Body-consciousness, individualistic thought and action are ruled out:
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The supply of the Body is the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, typified by the compound ointment, the holy anointing oil.
In the Body there can be no independence or individualism, for we are members, and members cannot live in detachment from the Body.
As members of the Body, we must allow ourselves to be limited by the other members, not going beyond our measure.
The Experience of Life
We receive the supply of the Spirit by the intercession and fellowship of the members. When we are dry and have no way to go on, we need other brothers and sisters to intercede for us before we can get through.
Wherever there is Body-consciousness, individualistic thought and action are ruled out: If we refuse the help of our fellow members, we are refusing the help of Christ. Sooner or later all individualistic Christians will dry up.
Practice and Application
We need to pray ourselves into God to receive the life-giving Spirit as our supply to feed ourselves and all those under our care for the building up of the Body.
As members of the Body, we must allow ourselves to be limited by the other members, not going beyond our measure: Like Paul we should move and act according to how much God has measured to us, staying within the limits of God’s ruling, God’s measuring.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
Psal.133:1-2 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell in unity! It is like the fine oil upon the head That ran down upon the beard, Upon Aaron’s beard, That ran down upon the hem of his garments;
Phil.1:19 For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Ⅰ The supply of the Body is the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, typified by the compound ointment, the holy anointing oil
Ａ The compound Spirit is in and for the Body and for the priestly service that builds up the Body—vv. 26-31; Rom. 15:16; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9.
Ｂ According to Psalm 133, the inestimable goodness and incalculable pleasantness of brothers dwelling together in oneness is likened to the compound precious ointment—Eph. 4:3.
Ｃ We receive the supply of the Spirit by the intercession and fellowship of the members: We cannot live without the supply of the Body; therefore, we must constantly avail ourselves of the fellowship of the Body.
Key Verses (2)
Rom.12:5 So we who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
1Cor.12:14-15 For 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, it is not that because of this it is not of the body.
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.
Ⅱ In the Body there can be no independence or individualism, for we are members, and members cannot live in detachment from the Body.
Ａ Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ, and every member is indispensable—1 Cor. 12:15, 21; Rom. 12:3.
Ｂ “If we truly see our position in the Body, it will be as though we were saved a second time” .
Ｃ Those who see that they are members of the Body will surely treasure the Body and honor the other members—1 Cor. 12:23-24; Phil. 2:29; 1 Cor. 16:18; Judg. 9:9.
Ｄ Wherever there is Body-revelation, there is Body-consciousness, and wherever there is Body-consciousness, individualistic thought and action are ruled out:
Key Verses (3)
Rom.12:4 For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function,
1Cor.12:18-20 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed. And if all were one member, where would the body be? But now the members are many, but the body one.
2Cor.10:13 But we will not boast beyond our measure but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach even as far as you.
Ⅲ As members of the Body, we must allow ourselves to be limited by the other members, not going beyond our measure:
Ａ A basic requirement for the growth and development of the Body is that we recognize our measure and not go beyond it—Eph. 4:7, 16.
Ｂ The Head sets us in our special place in the Body and points us to our special function—1 Cor. 12:18.
Ｃ When we give a testimony about our work, experience, or enjoyment of the Lord, we must testify within measure, that is, within a certain limit.
Ｄ Although we expect the work to spread, we must learn how to be under God’s restriction; we should not expect a spread that is without measure.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The ointment is not for individuals; it is for the Body.(Psal.133.1:2)
（Please illustrate that The supply of the Body is the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, typified by the compound ointment, the holy anointing oil.）
T2 Paul lived in the body.
（Please illustrate that apparently Paul was in prison; actually he was in the Body.）
D2
T1 It is foolish to try to separate ourselves from the other members. (Phil.1:19)
（Please illustrate that as members in the Body, we receive our supply through the other members.）
T2 All the members in the Body are related to one another, and they cannot be separated from one another. (1Cor.12:14-16)
（Please illustrate that if a Christian lives an independent life, sooner or later he will weaken and dry up）
D3
T1In order for a member to live a normal life, he must receive the supply from the other members. (1Cor.12:20-22)
（Please illustrate that no member can live without the other members, much less despise them. ）
T2 cannot be independent from the Body(1Cor.12:20-22)
（Please illustrate that every member should learn to treasure the supply of the Body and to treasure every member. ）
D4
T1 The Body is in opposition to the individual. (1Cor.12:27)
（Please illustrate that being a Christian is something one does for himself, whereas being a member is something for the body.）
T2 In the Body there can be no independence or individualism(Rom.12:5)
（Please illustrate that for we are members, and members cannot live in detachment from the Body .）
D5
T1 Wherever there is Body-revelation, there is Body-consciousness. (1Cor.12:15;21)
(According to1Cor.12:14-27， as a member, what two kinds of concepts we shouldn’t have?)
T2 If we would be built up in the Body, the self must be condemned, denied, rejected, and renounced.(Matt.16:21-26)
（Please illustrate that the greatest problem, the greatest frustration and opposition, to the Body is also the self. ）
D6
T1 Our work, experience should be according to our rule, that is, according to how much God has measured to us.(2Cor.10:13)
（Please illustrate that in the meeting, we have to speak according to we measure of faith and according to the leading of the Spirit.）
T2 We should move and act according to our rule, that is, according to how much God has measured to us. (2Cor.10:13)
（Please illustrate that although we expect the Lord’s work to spread, we must learn how to be under God’s restriction.）
