1 Corinthians 12:12, 13
The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Romans 12:4, 5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.
I am Christian and I am the body of Christ. I have been broken and poured out. I became a part of the body of Christ when I believed on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God for my salvation.
My body is His. It is comprised of apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles. People with gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:28).
Apostles build churches from the ground up: first we share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ with the people we meet in the cities in which we live. As Paul wrote, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Corinthians 1:23, 24).
An apostle is humble (1 Corinthians 15:9). Apostles are messengers, envoys, delegates, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way, especially a man sent out by Jesus Christ Himself to preach the Gospel. "To commission, send forth"; focusing back on the authority (commissioning) of the sender(Strong's #652).
We preach Christ, not ourselves, not a gospel of prosperity nor a gospel of self-sufficiency. We preach Christ crucified. Tortured, mocked, stripped of His garments, beard plucked out, face smashed, thorns forced into His precious head and nails hammered into His feet and His hands. Christ on the cross stained with His blood, mocked as He died. Speaking love and forgiveness to the ones who put Him there. Broken in body, but not bone. Strips of flesh dangling off His body of suffering. In front of His mother, whose heart was breaking at the sight of her firstborn Son's death.
But in death He did not remain, for Christ Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave now and forevermore! He rose from the dead and walked out of the grave with a new body.The same Jesus. The same voice. The same love, mercy and forgiveness. But a new and glorious body. The firstfruits of the resurrection, meaning He was the first to rise from the dead in such a way.
We are apostles and we are here in this body of Christ to tell you about our Jesus, The Christ, for Whom we are named. We are not worthy to be called apostles, yet calle us He did and still does. But when our heavenly Father sends His only begotten Son to bring His church home with Him, we will leave. And then .....
What will you do with this Jesus and His message of salvation?
WALK WITH YOU Michael Bethany
HOPE HAS A NAME River Valley Worship
SONG OF MOSES Isaac Tarter
THERE IS ONE GOSPEL CityAlight
TELL ME THE STORY OF JESUS Songs and Everlasting Joy
