This is Sunday evening, November the 4th, 1973,
in Richmond, Virginia.
Ministry is being given through Brother Stephen Kong.
We have been fellowshipping together recently on 1
Corinthians.
So tonight we will have 1 Corinthians chapter
12.
1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse
1.
But concerning spiritual, brethren, I do not wish
you to be ignorant.
Ye know that when ye were of the
nation ye were led away to dumb idols,
in whatever way ye might be led.
I give you therefore to know that no
one speaking in the power of the Spirit
of God says, And no one can say,
Lord Jesus, unless in the power of the
Holy Spirit.
But there are distinctions of gifts, but the
same Spirit.
And there are distinctions of services, and the
same Lord.
And there are distinctions of operations, but the
same God who operates all things in all.
But to each the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for profit.
For to one by the Spirit is given
the word of wisdom, and to another the
word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit.
And to a different one place, in the
power of the same Spirit.
And to another gift of healing, in the
power of the same Spirit.
And to another operations of miracles.
And to another prophecy.
And to another discernment, discerning of Spirit.
And to a different one kinds of tongues.
And to another interpretation of tongues.
But all these things operate in one and
the same Spirit, dividing to each in particular,
according as he pleases.
For even as the body is one and
has many members, but all the members of
the body being many, of one body, so
also is the Christ.
For also in the power of one Spirit,
we have all been baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether Mormon or free,
and have all been given to drink of
one Spirit.
For also the body is not one member,
but many.
If the foot said, because I'm not a
hand, I'm not of the body, is it
on account of this not indeed of the
body?
And if the ear said, because I'm not
an eye, I'm not of the body, is
it on account of this not indeed of
the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where
the hearing?
If all hearing, where the smelling?
For now God has set the members, each
one of them in the body, according as
it has pleased him.
But if all were one member, where the
body?
For now the members are many, and the
body one.
The eye cannot say to the hand, I
have not need of thee, or again the
head to the feet, I have not need
of you.
But much rather, the members of the body
which seem to be weaker are necessary, and
those parts of the body which we esteem
to be the more void of honour, these
we close with more abundant honour.
And our uncommonly parts have more abundant comeliness,
but our commonly parts have not need.
But God has tempered the body together, having
given more abundant honour to the parts that
left, that there might be no division in
the body, but that the members might have
the same concern one for another.
And if one member suffer, all the members
suffer with it.
And if one member be glorified, all the
members rejoice with it.
Now ye are Christ's body, and members in
equity.
The first letter of Paul to the Corinthians
is a most practical letter.
It deals with many questions that the Corinthian
believers ask Paul about.
And more than that, Paul instructs them on
things that he feels are of vital importance.
But whatever is mentioned in 1 Corinthians, it
is of very practical value.
And I believe as we have gone through
some of them, we know how very practical
they are.
But up to chapter 12, all that Paul
has dealt with are questions and problems that
are concerned with things that happen on earth.
In other words, in the earthly realm.
For instance, this matter of division, this matter
of sin, this matter of going to court,
this matter of marriage, this matter of meeting
things offered to idols, this matter of social
activity, whether a person can go to the
heathen temple and eat with other people.
In other words, you find all these things,
are things that happen in the earthly realm,
in that letter.
But now Paul is going to turn to
another realm.
And because of that, you'll find this chapter
begins with, but concerning the spiritual.
Now as you read your version, you will
find probably in your version, after the word
spiritual, there is some other description in parenthesis.
And of course we know, whenever you find
something in parenthesis, you know that it is
the translator's interpretation.
In other words, to the translator, if it
is just said concerning the spiritual, now what
is it?
It doesn't convey any definite meaning.
So the translators try to put in what
they understand as the meaning, to feel it
is.
But of course they know it is not
in the original.
So sometimes in your version, and probably some
versions, just take away the parenthesis as if
they are in the original.
But if they are very honest, you will
find a parenthesis after the original.
And different translators have different ideas.
In some versions you may find concerning the
spiritual things.
In other versions you may find concerning spiritual
gifts.
In other versions you may find concerning spiritual
manifestations.
And even people offer to say concerning spiritual
man.
Now what is it that this chapter and
the following chapters are really concerned with?
I think an understanding of the heading is
very important, because then we know exactly the
scope of these chapters.
But concerning the spiritual.
Now no doubt about that, the church in
Corinth is very rich in spiritual gifts.
Probably it is very difficult today to find
a church that is so rich in spiritual
gifts as in the church at Corinth.
And most likely they do ask Paul about
spiritual gifts.
Why?
Because so abundant are the spiritual gifts that
they cause lots of confusion.
Not that these spiritual gifts are wrong.
But something must be lacking there.
And no doubt Paul must have, no doubt
the Corinthian believers must have raised this question
with Paul.
Now how about the spiritual?
The spiritual, strictly speaking, in the original, is
in Paul's number.
But concerning the spiritual, now that makes it
even more difficult.
What do you mean by the spiritual?
I think one of the best explanations or
interpretations that I have ever come in touch
with probably is one given by Dr. Campbell
Morgan.
You know, Dr. Campbell Morgan is called the
Prince of Expository.
And according to Brother Morgan, he said the
word in the original should be translated concerning
the spiritual.
But people do not know what the spiritual
means.
So he feels that in English it should
be put concerning the spirituality.
Concerning the spirituality.
Now Paul is turning away from that realm
earthly into the realm spiritual.
And when you enter into the spiritual realm,
there are many things that we need to
know.
There are certain spiritual principles in the spiritual
realm that we ought to understand.
Because the lack of such understanding will result
in confusion.
So to Dr. Morgan, he feels that starting
with chapter 12, verse 1, it goes on
into chapter 15.
In other words, it is not just limited
to chapter 12 or from 12 to 14.
But it should embrace all the succeeding chapters
up to chapter 15, including chapter 15.
I tend to agree with him.
I do not know how you feel, but
I do hope that you will take it
to the Lord and read it again and
see.
As Paul begins to deal with this matter
of the spiritual, he leads them back to
the day when they were yet non-believers.
He said, concerning spiritual, brethren, I do not
wish you to be ignorant.
There are certain understandings that are very necessary
as you enter into the realm.
You know, when you were of the nation,
you were led away to dumb idols in
whatever way you might be led.
Now these Corinthians, they were idol worshipers.
And what were these idols?
These idols were dumb idols.
You know, in the Bible, the Bible always
describes the idols as dumb and deaf and
blind, you know, and so forth.
Because they are very dumb.
These idols could not speak.
When the Corinthians worshipped these idols, they were
led to worship these idols.
The idols were very dumb.
But why did they go to the idols
to worship?
They went there to seek for guidance.
The idols were dumb, and yet oracles coming
out from the temple.
That is to say, the idols were dumb,
but the evil spirits were very active and
articulate.
Through the medium.
Through the priest or priestess.
So you find people went to the temple
to worship these idols.
They sought for oracles, and oracles were given.
But of course, not from these idols, but
from the evil spirits behind these idols.
In other words, during those days, when they
were idol worshippers, there wasn't that direct relationship.
All the communications and relationships were indirect.
Through the media, they had no experience of
direct communication.
Their whole relationship was indirect.
And they were blindly led into it.
They never questioned it.
They accepted everything.
But now something happened.
After they believed in the Lord Jesus, a
direct communication began.
Now their relationship with the living God is
no longer an indirect one.
It now has become a direct one.
They do not need to go through a
medium to communicate with God.
Why?
Because the Spirit of God Himself dwells in
them.
It is a new experience.
They have now entered into the spiritual realm
personally, directly.
And it is very new to them.
Formerly, as it were, they were outside of
the spiritual realm.
But now they have been ushered into the
realm of spirit.
Thank God now the Spirit of God dwells
in them.
They don't need any intermediary.
They can have direct communication from God.
And because this is so new, Paul says,
there is an acid test.
Whether the Spirit is of God or the
Spirit is not of God, there is a
test.
The Spirit that confesses that Jesus is Lord
is the Spirit of God.
But if the Spirit does not confess Jesus
as Lord, it is not the Holy Spirit,
but the evil Spirit.
Now brothers and sisters, in other words, Paul
says, now you have entered into the spiritual
realm and God does not want you to
be led blindly.
He wants you to enter into it with
understanding.
Do not believe every spirit, but test the
Spirit.
Dear brothers and sisters, today God's people are
afraid to test the Spirit.
They think that if you test the Spirit,
it means you doubt, you don't believe.
But the Spirit of God dares us to
test Him.
He challenges us to test Him.
The Spirit of truth is not afraid to
be tested.
The more He is tested, the truer He
becomes.
In the spiritual realm, you cannot receive everything,
because they are the Spirit of God and
the confidence you need to have.
And the test is whether the Spirit confesses
Jesus is Lord.
I don't know too much what's happening in
this country.
But from the country that I came from,
because the demons, the devils, the people worship
demons and devils, therefore the demons and devil
possessions are very common, very common.
And the one thing that really can find
out whether the Spirit is of God or
of the devil is this test.
When a person is possessed, when a person
is speaking, when a person is acting under
some influence of the Spirit, you can hardly
judge by what they say.
You can hardly judge by what they do,
because the evil spirit also heals, also prophesies,
and the prophecy comes to be fulfilled.
So how do we test the Spirit?
Oh, when a person is under the influence
of the Spirit, a believer can challenge that
spirit, not that person.
Oh, the spirit, evil spirit, is very evasive,
is very subtle.
If you challenge that person, that person will
answer you.
You have to challenge the spirit upon that
person, whether they acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
Who is Jesus?
And you know, a hundred times, a hundred
times, never fails.
If it is not of the Spirit of
God, that spirit will not fail.
They seem to fail.
And sometimes the spirit tries to evade and
say it, one word, and stop, and then
say another word.
In other words, it is not consented.
Just to show that the evil spirit will
not recognize that Jesus is Lord.
But it is the Holy Spirit.
Oh, the Holy Spirit is a person consented,
Lord Jesus.
Now this is the test.
But of course, dear brothers and sisters, the
principle can be applied in a much broader
area.
In other words, it is not just limited
to a person when he is under the
influence of a spirit.
That, he needs to be tested.
You can apply the principle very broad.
That is to say, wherever there is a
manifestation of any kind, whether in action or
in speech, if the Lord Jesus is exalted,
you know it is the Spirit of God.
You can apply it to a wider area.
But dear brothers and sisters, this is not
quite my burden tonight.
My burden tonight is very simple.
The Christian believers are very rich in spiritual
gifts.
Now what are spiritual gifts?
Spiritual gifts are the manifestations of the Spirit.
Do not separate spiritual gifts from the Holy
Spirit.
Why?
Because the spiritual gifts are the manifestations of
the Spirit.
Sometimes we take spiritual gifts as things in
themselves, divorced from the Holy Spirit.
But when you read 1 Corinthians 12, you
find spiritual gifts are nothing but the manifestations
of the Spirit in the body, in the
body of Christ.
The Corinthian believers are very rich in spiritual
gifts.
The manifestations of the Spirit are very full
and abundant.
Now we will think, if there are such
manifestations, if there are such spiritual gifts, surely
the Church will be greatly edified and built
up perfectly.
But the contrary is the truth.
Normally, that should be the case.
The more gifts there are, the more manifestations
there are, the more a building should be
the body.
Why should the Holy Spirit manifest Himself in
these gifts?
For the building up of the body.
Normally, that should be true.
But dear brothers and sisters, a strange thing
happens in the Church of Corinth.
Instead of building up, it tears down.
They know the what of spiritual manifestations, but
they do not know the why and how
of spiritual manifestations.
The gifts are there.
The manifestations are there.
But something is missing.
And dear brothers and sisters, oftentimes we think
that 1 Corinthians 12 is a chapter on
spiritual gifts.
If you read it carefully, you will find
He touches upon these gifts, but He is
not really dealing with spiritual gifts.
He is dealing with something else.
What is Paul really trying to say to
us in relation to spiritual manifestations, to spiritual
gifts?
As if Paul says, Thank God for all
these spiritual gifts and manifestations, but oh, if
you only know two things, if you only
know two basic principles, then all these manifestations
will be so profitable and of beauty.
But if you don't know these two things,
you'll make yourself a mess.
So Paul actually, in chapter 12, is not
dealing with spiritual gifts.
They know spiritual gifts.
They don't need Paul to tell them about
spiritual gifts.
So he just lists a few.
Paul is dealing with something far greater, something
that governs spiritual gifts, spiritual manifestations.
Dear brothers and sisters, what are they?
Why is it that Paul begins this chapter
with, Unless you are in the power of
the Spirit of God, you cannot say Jesus
is Lord, because spiritual
manifestations are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit
in the members of the body of Christ.
And these gifts are given for the building
up of the body.
But before you see the body, you need
to see, you need to see the head.
And that is the reason why you find
Paul says, Unless you are in the power
of the Holy Spirit, you cannot say Jesus
is Lord.
In other words, he is trying to lead
his Corinthian believers to see one thing, and
that is the Lordship, the headship of Christ.
Unless in the power of the Holy Spirit,
we see that Jesus is Lord.
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is not just
saying it, repeating it as a formula, as
a slogan.
It is getting popular today.
Thank God for that.
But remember, it is more than a slogan.
It is more than a formula.
You may shout a slogan, you may repeat
a formula, but if it is not in
the power of the Holy Spirit, it is
not real.
Not because you say Jesus is Lord, therefore
you are in the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Not at all.
What Paul is dealing with is the reality.
Oh, unless, unless you are under the power
of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is not Lord.
But the Holy Spirit comes for one purpose,
to make Jesus Lord in your life.
Isn't that the work of the Holy Spirit?
Isn't that the reason why the Holy Spirit
should pour forth?
Go back to Acts chapter 2, the City
of Pentecost.
There you will find a hundred and twenty
people who are assembled together.
It was, I think, the most perfect congregation
you can ever find on the earth.
A hundred and twenty par excellence members, but
a congregation.
While they were praying, continuing before the Lord,
on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit
came down upon them.
First there was a sound, a hard blow,
as if a person is breathing very hard.
Then a fire, like tongues, defending upon
each one of them.
And they began to speak in tongues to
glorify God.
And because of this, rumors began to spread,
and people began to come.
Remember, they couldn't all come to that upper
room, because no upper room could accommodate so
many people.
So evidently they must have moved to the
temple area.
And people just walked to them and began
to marvel, wondered what had happened.
And you know Peter and the eleven stood
up and exclaimed, Brothers and sisters, you go
back to Acts chapter 2, and then you'll
find in conclusion, when Peter was concluding his
speech, in verse 33, Having therefore been exhorted
by the right hand of God, and having
received of the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which
he beholds and hears.
They see, they hear, but Peter says, What
you see and you hear is the Holy
Spirit that is poured out.
So what is it?
To accomplish God's purpose.
Verse 34, 35 of parenthesis.
You connect 36 with 36.
Let the whole house of Israel therefore know
assuredly that God has made him, this Jesus,
whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Oh brothers and sisters, the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit came down and
they were all baptized in the Spirit.
What does this mean?
What does the Holy Spirit come down to
prove, to make real?
To prove that God has made Jesus Lord.
You know when the Lord Jesus ascended up
on Mount Ollie?
The brethren were assembled there, we don't know
whether that was the time when 500 brethren
saw him going up.
They saw the Lord Jesus ascending.
Then a cloud took him away.
They couldn't see him, but they were still
looking up.
Where did Jesus go?
Today we all say he went to the
Father because he told us so.
Did he arrive there?
How do we know that he had arrived?
Nobody saw him arrive.
Yes, he did ascend.
But if, like the sons of the prophets,
they were suggested to Elijah and said, probably
the Lord took your mask and threw him
somewhere else.
Let's go and find him.
How do we know that our Lord Jesus,
after he is raised from the dead and
he has ascended, he does arrive at the
right hand of the Father?
How do we know?
Because the Holy Spirit, Oh, as the Lord
ascended to the Father, the Father anointed him
with the Spirit and the ointment falls down
to the beard and even to his head.
Because the Lord Jesus has arrived.
He has been anointed as Lord and Christ.
Therefore the Holy Spirit is poured down upon
you.
So here you find what you see and
hear.
The Holy Spirit, the baptism in the Holy
Spirit, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the
coming of the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean?
He comes to accomplish wonders, to make it
sure, to assure us, to make it real,
that Jesus, the crucified one, is now the
glorified one.
He is Lord over all.
Now that is the meaning of painting.
The sound and the sight are incidental.
The essential is Jesus is Lord.
The Holy Spirit comes to prove to us
that Jesus is now made Lord.
And the Holy Spirit is to make this
real in our life.
Only the Holy Spirit can make Jesus Lord
in our life, in a real way.
And he is doing it.
The Holy Spirit comes to glorify him.
Oh, brothers and sisters, you know what?
The reason why the Corinthian believers, who are
so gifted, and yet they are so confused,
is because they fail to see each one
of them is head to Jesus, even in
the exercising of spiritual gifts.
In other words, they display their gifts for
their own benefit.
Their lives are not under the headship, the
Lordship.
That is the most important principle when you
enter into the spiritual realm.
Don't touch the spiritual realm.
If you do not know the Lordship of
Christ, it is the most dangerous realm to
enter into.
But if you know the Lordship of Christ
by the power of the Holy Spirit, brothers
and sisters, there is nothing more beautiful, edifying,
than what you will see and experience in
the realm.
The Lordship holding fast the head.
That is the word.
Then all the body will be strictly framed
and rightly joined to the head.
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is what is
needed today.
We need to see the head.
We need to bow before the Lord and
say, Now, Lord, you are Lord.
You indeed are Lord.
Not just say it, but by the Holy
Spirit it becomes real.
And when the Lordship, the headship of Christ
is established, then Paul begins to tell of
the body.
Verse 4, For even as the body is
one and has many members, but all the
members of the body, being many, are one
body, so also is the Christ.
Now you know this is one of the
tremendous statements in the Scripture.
It may sound very simple.
For even as the body is one, we
all know that, and has many members, of
course, but all the members of the body,
being many, are one body, sure.
A little child knows that, but the wonder
is, so also is everyone
who reads this verse, reads it differently.
For as the body is one, but has
many members, though the members are many, yet
one body, so also is the Church.
You're right.
That is what it says.
So also is the Church.
Because the Church is one body with many
members, and though the members are many, yet
one body, so also is the Church.
But that's your interpretation.
That is not the statement.
The statement is, so also is the Christ.
Now we will say, so also is the
body of Christ.
But that's an interpretation, yes.
The Bible says, so also is the Christ.
Some who know Greek tell that.
In the Greek, you know, Greek is a
very exact language.
Some people say like the French today.
It is a very exact language.
Now, in the Greek original, sometimes you'll find
the word Christ without an article preceding it.
Sometimes you'll find the word Christ with a
definite article before it.
The Christ.
Now, in our English translation, it is not
clear, because to the translators, it doesn't make
sense to modern English.
But in the Greek, you'll find some with
article, some without article.
So people who study Greek tell us that
whenever Christ is used without an article, it
always refers to personal Christ, Christ as a
person.
But whenever you'll find the article the preceding
Christ, it always is referred to Christ and
his people.
That is the corporate, or Christ being the
same, is the corporateness that is emphasized there.
So here you'll find, even though the body
is one, it has many members.
Though the members are many, yet one body,
so also is the Christ.
Christ is the head.
The church is the body.
The corporate Christ in his corporate expression.
Why is it called the Christ?
The reason is very simple.
Because the body is none other but the
extension or the outgrowth.
The body comes out of the head and
is reunited.
Just like Eve came out of Adam and
was united with Adam.
That is the body.
What is the body of Christ?
Suppose.
This is not a fact, a supposition, for
the sake of convenience.
Suppose on this earth there are only we
few believers, no other believers.
We are the only believers on earth.
Do we make up the church, the body
of Christ?
Yes.
And no.
Yes in the sense that the church is
made up of those whom God has called
out and gathered together unto his name.
Now that is the church.
So we have been called out and we
are gathering together unto him.
Surely this is the church of God.
Why?
Because even though we have been called out
but often times like the children of Israel
they come out of Egypt but Egypt has
not come out of them yet.
It is true we have been called out
and we gather together but when we gather
together there is not only that which is
apprising us there is lots and lots of
unity out there, out there.
With all these foreign articles, with all these
foreign particles, how can that body stand?
The body rejects foreign particles.
Strictly speaking what is the church?
What is the body of Christ?
Only that which comes out of Christ can
we be united with Christ.
The body and the head are one.
One in life.
One in substance.
It is Christ in you.
Christ in me.
But remember it requires and demands that you
and me be on the cross.
If we try to project ourselves into the
body it is foreign to us.
The body cannot take it.
We are rejected.
So here you will find the body.
The body is made of many members but
remember what is emphasized here is it is
Christ in you.
That makes up the real body.
If we live in Christ, if we abide
in Christ, if we live in the Spirit,
we touch it.
If we live in the flesh, if we
live in Adam, we are in the world.
We touch it.
So also is the Christ.
But how is this body there?
By what power?
By what means is this body there?
Here you will find you are saved, I
am saved, we are all individuals getting saved.
You cannot be saved corporately.
The Father cannot be saved for the children
and the children cannot be saved for the
parents.
Even though there is the promise, believe in
the Lord Jesus, you will be saved and
your house.
But they have to be saved individually and
personally.
The promise can be claimed and applied.
So here you will find all these members
are being gathered, get it out, get it
out, all these members.
But how do they become?
This is the only explanation given in the
Scripture, in the Epistles, telling us what is
meant by the baptism.
What does the baptism in the Holy Spirit
do for us?
What does it do?
Verse 13, For also in the power of
one's spirit we have all been baptized into
one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether barmen
or free, and have all been made to
drink of one.
What is the meaning of the baptism in
the Holy Spirit?
Number one, Jesus is Lord.
Set up the head.
Number two, in one spirit we have all
been baptized into one.
Do you know what happens?
The Holy Spirit does two works in your
life.
One is to put the Lord Jesus in
you.
You're born again.
The other is to put you in the
body of Christ.
That's baptism.
Spirit baptism.
We have all been baptized into one.
Formerly we were different members, each on his
own.
But the Holy Spirit has taken us, and
in him we were all baptized into one
body.
Before the Holy Spirit came, you'll find a
congregation of 120 individual members.
They were together, but they were not one.
But the Holy Spirit came, and they were
baptized into one body.
A congregation of 120 members is very different
from a body with 120 members.
It's entirely different.
And this is what the Holy Spirit has
done.
This is the meaning of it.
In the whole New Testament, only these two
places explain to us the meaning of the
baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The Lordship of Christ.
Oh, that we may hold fast the head,
and then the body.
We are one body.
Members one of another.
Not knowing these two principles, not holding fast
the head, and not seeing the body.
What is the result?
Gift becomes problem.
Instead of the more gifted, the more problem.
If we are less gifted, we need one
another.
But if we are very gifted, you will
find very rarely gifted people can get along.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, when Paul is trying
to help these collegiate believers, he in no
sense is pouring cold water upon them about
manifestation.
Not at all.
They have plenty of manifestations.
But their problem is they do not hold
fast the head.
They do not see the body.
That's their problem.
And if only they can be brought into
that.
Oh, brothers and sisters, you will find every
member in the body will be functioning beautifully,
and under the head, and in coordination.
Then the body will be better.
But when you begin to notice the body,
several questions.
Number one, the foot will say, because
I'm not a hand, I'm not of the
body.
The ear will say, because I'm not the
eye, therefore I'm not of the body.
Now this always happens.
When you begin to see the body, then
you strive to be a more prominent member.
The foot is low down.
The hand is high up.
The ear is way behind.
The eye off at the foot.
So you find always the low down and
the far behind will complain.
Oh, because I'm not a hand, I'm not
of the body.
Unless I'm the hand, otherwise I'm not of
the body.
I withdraw.
Because I'm not the eye, therefore I'm not
of the body.
Brothers and sisters, how human we are.
Even when we enter into the spiritual realm,
and we begin to see the body, then
immediately the temptation comes.
We want to be the greater one.
We think that's the greater one.
We are not contented and satisfied with what
God has set us.
You know the reason why?
That proves we haven't seen the body.
If we have seen the body, we will
not be jealous of others.
We will not be dissatisfied with what God
has placed us.
Yes.
The hands are high up.
The feet are lower down.
But without the feet, how far can the
hand go?
Your hand can reach out, but only a
few feet.
No more.
But with the feet, oh, how far you
can go.
Brothers and sisters, oftentimes you find yourself in
that.
Usually those who, who may be, humanly speaking,
less gifted, humanly speaking, more hidden, then there
will be murmuring, self-pity, self
-love.
Do not see the body.
Oh, if you see the body, if the
whole, all the members are eyes, where?
If all the members are ears, where is
the smelling?
Where is the body?
That's the problem with those who are lower
down and further back.
But there is a problem with those who
are higher up too.
The head will say to the hand, I
don't need it.
I have no need of it.
The eye will say to the hand, I
have no need of you.
The head to the feet, I have no
need of you.
The higher members may be, humanly speaking, actually
God put all the members in the body.
There is no inferior or no superior.
It is the body.
And yet you find, humanly speaking, those who
may be a little higher.
The eye will even say to the hand,
I don't need you.
The head will say to the feet, I
don't need you.
Oh, how often people who are more gifted
think that they are all around.
Their temptation is, they think they can stand
by themselves, without the help of brothers and
sisters.
That's their temptation.
Many years ago, that was in China, I
was teaching at the time, and I had
very bad teeth.
So the doctor decided to pull out my
teeth.
And first, the upper jaw.
All the teeth were out.
But I still had to go to school
and teach.
And my students were very, very good.
You know?
They did not laugh at me, you know,
when I was teaching there.
But I had found my problem.
You know, I often think that teeth are
for eating, tongue for speaking.
That's right.
But then, at that time, I discovered one
thing.
Even though tongue is for speaking, yet if
you are void of teeth, you cannot pronounce
correctly.
However gifted one member may be, he cannot
fully fulfill his gift without the help.
Now about eating.
You say you eat with your teeth, right?
But suppose you have no tongue.
What will happen?
You have to use your finger and move
the things around.
It's your tongue that moves the food around.
When it needs to be ground, it will
move to the back.
When it needs to be cut, it will
move a little forward.
Who is doing that?
Your tongue is doing that.
I don't know if you notice that.
It works so well.
So you find even the teeth in choosing
food needs the help of the tongue.
Otherwise the teeth cannot fulfill this function.
It is true.
God has put, set everyone in the body
and each member has a particular function.
Members in particular.
And yet in the function you find there
needs to be a coordination, a cooperation.
No one can say I don't eat.
No one can say that.
Why?
The Lord is interested in the body.
Then of course, in the body you may
have what seem to be weaker members.
Now I have to confess before your brothers
and sisters, I have read this many, many,
many, many times.
I have consulted many authorities.
But I still don't know what these verses
really apply to.
Whether these weaker vessels are really weaker vessels,
I don't know.
Because if you read it, you'll find, but
much rather, the members of the body which
seem to be weaker.
You say which seem.
It may not be weaker.
Just seem to be weaker.
Or now I wonder if these vessels which
seem to be weaker refer to the internal
organs.
You know?
Your outward members seem to have some kind
of strength there.
But your internal organs seem to be very
weak.
It needs to be protected.
You cannot touch it.
But are these internal organs very necessary?
Take away your stillness and yet it's touching
you.
The weaker members which seem to be weaker
are necessary.
Very necessary.
Let me try to confess some of the
history.
You know, the Bible may say, well, women
are weaker vessels.
Now, maybe your ministries are more hidden.
But here, the Word says women are necessary.
Suppose there is none.
Then you see what will happen.
And I really don't know what is meant
here.
The less honorable, the less comely, God will
give them more honor, clothed with more honor
and more comeliness.
I really don't know.
I wonder if it means God give more
of those this plain gift.
I don't know.
But anyway, I know one thing.
The law says that there may be no
division in the body.
No division.
God knows how to balance up everything.
And finally, it says, if one member suffers,
all the members suffer.
If one member is glorified, all the members
rejoice with it.
Now, your Christ body and members in Christ.
Oh, there is such unity in the body
that when one member suffers, the whole body
suffers.
Before I have my teeth pulled out, I
know so much of toothache.
Just a tooth is aching and you don't
know how your whole body suffers.
People who have never had any toothache can
never sympathize with you.
But you don't know how uncomfortable you are.
It is just miserable.
The whole body.
God, if one member is glorified, the whole
body rejoices.
If your eyes see a beautiful picture, your
whole body is up in heaven.
Now, that is the relationship of the members
of the body.
Isn't it?
The very basic in the spiritual realm.
Why gifts?
Why manifestations?
To whom are the gifts given?
The gifts are given to the members of
the body of Christ.
A living head with a living body.
All the members are living and functioning according
to the gift that God has given to
each through the building up of the body
in love.
Now, this is what God.
So, brothers and sisters, I wonder if we
need to, as by the grace of God,
God's people are entering into the spirituality.
I wonder if it is very, very necessary
that we need to see the head and
see the body.
If you see these two things, brothers and
sisters, the Spirit of God can work mighty
works to the accomplishment of God's eternal blessing.
Our Heavenly Father, we do praise and thank
you with the coming of thy Spirit.
Thou has not only regenerate us, but thou
has led us into the realm of spirit,
that we may touch that which is spirit.
Oh Lord, it is a new world to
us and we do need enlightenment.
We do need understanding.
Oh Lord, we pray that thou would give
thy people a vision of the head, the
Lordship of Christ.
Oh, by thy Holy Spirit, make this very
real to us, that we may truly be
under the head, hold fast the head, and
Lord, give us a vision of the body,
that we may not be independent, we may
be rightly related one to another, in love
and in function.
Oh Lord, may thy body grow into maturity,
into the head.
Lord, bless thy people.
We ask in thy precious name, Amen.