Body Ministry
These lessons are part of a series of bulletin inserts at Blainesburg Bible Church. The online versions contain minor edits for the expanded online audience. This lesson originally released on March 17, 2019.
Introduction
I have a responsibility to teach you what the Lord puts on my heart. The example the Apostle Paul used about the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, and how we are to function as a unified body with every part in place and spiritually healthy, has been strongly placed on my heart to teach.
As the Lord wills, my goal is to use these bulletin inserts to teach things God puts on my heart. This is the first of, hopefully, many bulletin inserts. This first lesson begins the series on Body Ministry for us at Blainesburg Bible Church. If you have any questions, ask, call, text or email me as I want these lessons to be clear in everyone’s mind.
I strongly recommend that you look up the scripture references in parenthesis as you read these lessons.
Cody S. Alderson
Assistant Pastor Blainesburg Bible Church
Lesson 1 of Body Ministry
First Things First: Who Jesus Is
Jesus was with his disciples and asked them about who the people were saying he is. They replied that some people thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then, Jesus made it personal, asking his disciples who they thought he is. Peter spoke up and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Jesus then blessed Peter, telling him how flesh and blood did not reveal that fact. Instead, it was Jesus’ Father in Heaven who revealed it. Then Jesus told Peter that the fact revealed from the Father would be the rock—the foundation—the church would be built on, and even the gates of hell would not have any power over it.
Christ and Messiah mean the same thing. Christ is the Greek word “Χριστός” (pronounced somewhat like Chris-toss) turned into English. Messiah is the Hebrew word “מָשִׁיחַ” (pronounced maw-shee’-akh) turned into English. They both mean “anointed.” In fact, “Messiah” (Hebrew) is only translated in our bible twice in the Old Testament as “Messiah.” In other occurrences it is translated as “anointed.”
There are a couple of times in the New Testament where you will find someone who was speaking in Greek but saying the Greek version of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” When it was quoted in writing, it was written as Μεσσίας (pronounced mes-see’-as). So, in those instances you have someone saying a Hebrew word in Greek that has been written down and translated into our English. (Keep this thought of how our bible is translated in your mind as you study. It will help you discover more of the depth of meaning present in God’s Word.)
To anoint something is to set it apart. Kings were anointed as in being chosen and set apart to serve in the role as kings. Old Testament priests were anointed—set apart—to serve as priests. The tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant and objects used in the tabernacle/temple were anointed—set apart—for their specific uses. Anointing something was done using a mixture that was to be prepared by a perfumer. The mixture was olive oil and four other specific ingredients. Exodus 30 tells us that the anointing oil itself was also to be considered holy.
The significance of Jesus being the Anointed One (Christos/Messiach) cannot be overstated. He became obedient unto death—the death of the cross. In the manner holy anointing oil is poured out to set apart (sanctify) people or objects for God’s use and purpose, Jesus himself was poured out for us!
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The International Standard Version of the bible translates Philippians 2:7-8 as, “Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant’s form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be,
and lived in all humility, death on a cross obeying” [emphasis mine]. The One who spoke you and everything else into existence became The One to empty himself out for us, to become one of us (Hebrews 2:14, John 1:14), to live fully obedient to the Father, pay the penalty of death for sin (Romans 6:23) on the cross, and conquer death and hell itself (Revelation 1:17-18)!
Emmanuel, God With Us, is the Creator of everything (John 1:1-3) becoming in full form of the flesh—just like his creations but without sin—to live the lives they cannot. He was anointed—set apart—to be the perfect sacrifice for ALL the sins of ALL human beings for ALL time past, present and future. This Anointed One poured himself out for us. He obediently became The Anointed One (Christ/Messiah) to be set apart for the purpose of restoration of human beings to be able to be in full communion with their Creator instead of being separated by sin.
Wrap Up
We learned that the words “Christ” and “Messiah” are Greek and Hebrew words that translate to mean the same thing, which is “anointed.” We learned that in scripture to “anoint” something was to set it apart for God’s purpose. The physical symbol of anointing was to use an olive oil mixture prepared by a perfumer. The oil was put on the person or objects as a symbol of being set apart for God’s purposes. Jesus was set apart to become the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Jesus was obedient all the way to the death of the cross. He made the way possible for your Salvation (John 14:6). If you put your faith in Jesus as your Savior believing he died on the cross for you and three days later was resurrected from the dead, the bible says you are saved (Romans 10:9-10).
Our next lesson teaches how you, as a follower of Christ, are to be set apart for God’s purpose. Paul, the apostle, said in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
As we move forward together in these lessons, we will learn how each of us has the responsibility to take up our assigned positions in the Body of Christ. This makes it possible for the instruction in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15) of “thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” to get done through us!
Please pray for me to be able to effectively teach the Word of God to you.