30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 44-49 THE DEATH OF JESUS 23 06Feb2022 John 19 31-33 Oneness in the body of Christ
📖 Luke 23:44-49
23 – 06 Feb 2022 – Oneness in the body of Christ - Luke 23:44-49 - THE DEATH OF JESUS - Bible reading: John 17:21-23
“Lord Jesus, we thank You that You are showing us that Your body must be one. This You demonstrated by none of Your bones being broken. We give You all the glory and praise and in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
John 19:31-33 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (32) Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. (33) But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
The legs of Jesus not being broken was a fulfilment of prophecy. We also understood the significance as to why the bones of Jesus were not broken. The significance is the oneness in the body of Christ, the church.
The Israelites took part in the Passover meal, where the bones of the lamb that was eaten were not broken. This signified their oneness as they came out of Egypt, to be a people set apart for God.
We, as the church, as we participate in the communion, are partaking of the body and the blood of Jesus, who is the Lamb slain for us. None of his bones were broken, which demonstrates that we are to be one, set apart for Him.
I Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
This is the basis for the church. Though we are many we are one since we partake of the body and blood of Jesus, which was complete and none of His bones were broken.
(Paul does refer to the broken body of Jesus. I Corinthians 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
The brokenness here is that Jesus gave His body to be slain as the Lamb. His bones not being broken was to specify the oneness in the body of Christ.)
We must nourish and build each other for the development of each one and for the overall development of the body of Christ. In building up one another, we have a clear and definite mandate. We know our goal.
Ephesians 4:13-16 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (14) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— (16) 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.
Our goal is Christ Himself. We, as the church are growing into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
As we move forward to our destination, there will be challenges along the way. We face up to these challenges and overcome them since we know who we are and where we are going.
We nurture one another by speaking the truth in an atmosphere of love. As we grow into His fullness, we are nurtured from our Head, Christ. As He nourishes us, every bone, joint and ligament, do their part in being co-workers with Christ, for the edification of His body.
Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, (28) and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
The church of Jesus also has a responsibility. We conduct ourselves worthy of the Gospel. This is a question that the church must constantly ask ourselves. Are we being worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
As we strive for the Gospel of the kingdom of Jesus, we will face opposition and so we engage the enemy, being one.
How does the Lord consider us as His church?
John 17:21-23 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (22) And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: (23) I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
If the world must know that Jesus is the Christ, it will happen when there is oneness in the body of Christ. As long as we are divided, we will hinder the world from knowing Christ.
This oneness in the body of Christ is to the extent that we are part of the fellowship of the Father and the Son. This is the perfection of oneness and also the glory that God desires to display through His church.
Thought to ponder
When we fight and squabble amongst ourselves, we play right into the hand of the devil.