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And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  And all that believed were together, and had all things common (Acts 2: 42, 44)

God’s Word encourages the unity of believers.   In the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi spoke of the oneness of those who feared the Lord: “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name” (Mal. 3: 16).  Evidently, their conversations centred upon the majesty of God and His glorious name.  The Lord was pleased when the believers communed in His name to encourage one another in the faith; He took notice of their holy discourses and kept an account of them.     

“They spoke often one to another concerning the God they feared, and that name of His which they thought so much of;  for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak, and a good man, out of a good treasure there, will bring forth good things.  Those that feared the Lord kept together as those that were company for each other; they spoke kindly and endearingly one to another, for the preserving and promoting of mutual love … The gracious God observes all the gracious words that proceed out of the mouths of His people … God sees and hears in secret and will reward openly … Never was any good word spoken of God, or for God, from an honest heart, but it was registered, that it might be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, and in no wise lose its reward” – Matthew Henry. 

What a blessing to share that common bond in the Lord, and to commune one with another as His redeemed people.  In the past two weeks, we considered three aspects of the unity of believers :

1. We have been bought with the same price
2. We are heirs of the same inheritance
3. We have been endowed by the same Holy Spirit
 
Today, we look at another characteristic of that oneness:

4. We are members of the same Body

The apostle Paul illustrated the unity of Christians by a beautiful similitude taken from the mutual dependence of the various parts of the human body.  Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that, though they were individual members of the church, they were one in the Body of Christ.  “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, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many” (1 Cor. 12: 12-14).  
 
The Lord, the Head of the church, has given every believer a place in the Body life.  Every limb and part is alive and active - ever ready to serve God according to its ability.  Imagine if one member of our body has to do the work designed for another.  Think of the absurdity of using our nose to feel, our knees to see, and our feet to eat.  Like parts of the body, we must each function according to our respective design for the benefit of the whole. 

“The human body is one, and yet is composed of various members and parts that all unite harmoniously in one whole … No Christian, however humble his endowments, could pretend that he was useless because he was not more highly gifted, and did not occupy a more elevated rank” – Albert Barnes.

With this metaphor in view, it is important that believers be of one mind, united in doctrine, and serving the Lord together.   There must be whole-hearted commitment in fellowship and service.  No one should say: “I do not see the need to relate to my brethren, or serve in the church.”  A church is never meant to be a place where we keep to ourselves; we all need one another in the Body life.  May we understand the need to function as an active member of the church.  Use our talents, tithes and time to serve God and to extend the work of the Gospel. 

Remember the Lord’s commandment to love one another.   Let those outside the church be drawn to Christ by our sincere love for our brethren:  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn. 13: 34-35).

 “Our calling as church members together is to sow friendships, to be sensitive to one another’s needs, to be concerned and prayerful for each other, in short, to be as outgoing and unselfish as possible” – Dr Peter Masters.  May the Lord grant us grace to be faithful members of His Body.

- Pastor