The Soul in the Body
The sermon emphasizes the importance of the church functioning as the body of Christ, with Jesus as the Head, and the Holy Spirit as the enabler of Christ's life, unity, and consciousness in the church.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the vital relationship between the church and its members, illustrating that the church is the body of Christ with Jesus as its head. He explains that just as the soul animates the physical body, the Holy Spirit empowers the church, enabling it to function as intended. Each member of the church has a unique role and spiritual gifts that contribute to the overall health and mission of the body. Tozer calls for awareness of God's presence and the faithful exercise of these gifts to ensure the church thrives in a challenging world. He concludes with a prayer for the church to be a healthy body that pleases God.
Text
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. --1 Corinthians 12:18
Let us review something here that we probably know: the doctrine of the life and operation of Christian believers on earth--starting with the fact that the Christian church is the body of Christ, Jesus Himself being the Headship of that body. Every true Christian, no matter where he or she lives, is a part of that body, and the Holy Spirit is to the church what our own souls are to our physical bodies. Through the operation of the Holy Spirit, Christ becomes the life, the unity and the consciousness of the body, which is the church. Let the soul leave the physical body and all the parts of the body cease to function. Let the Spirit be denied His place in the spiritual body, and the church ceases to function as God intended....
According to the Bible, the whole body exists for its members and the members exist for the whole body. And that, of course, is the reason God gives gifts, so that the body may profit spiritually and maintain spiritual health and prosperity in its service for Jesus Christ in an unfriendly world. Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts, 14-15.
"Lord, I pray today that we in our church might be aware of Your presence, that we might be faithfullly exercising the gifts You have given, and that we might be a healthy Body that pleases You. Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Church as the Body of Christ
- The Role of the Holy Spirit
- The Importance of the Body's Functioning
- The whole body exists for its members and the members exist for the whole body
- God gives gifts to the body to maintain spiritual health and prosperity
Key Quotes
“Let the soul leave the physical body and all the parts of the body cease to function. Let the Spirit be denied His place in the spiritual body, and the church ceases to function as God intended.” — A.W. Tozer
“The whole body exists for its members and the members exist for the whole body.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- As a Christian, I should be aware of the Holy Spirit's presence in my life and in the church, and faithfully exercise the gifts God has given me.
- The church should strive to maintain spiritual health and prosperity in its service for Jesus Christ, and recognize the importance of its members functioning together as one body.
- I should pray for the church to be a healthy body that pleases God, exercising the gifts He has given and being faithful in my service to Him.