Discerning the Body of Christ

Jesus’ Baptism  Matthew 3:13-17

1. Jesus came to John to be baptized even though He had no sins to be forgiven and washed clean from.

2. When John questioned Him about submitting to baptism Jesus said that it was necessary to establish an example “let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness”.

3. This was a full immersion baptism, Jesus “ came up out of the water”

4. Jesus received the holy spirit [represented by a descending dove].

In this way Jesus teaches us that baptism is an act we should do to fulfill all righteousness. It was not a fulfillment of any old covenant requirement. Baptism was something new… [its actually a new covenant replacement of circumcision]… and baptism is expected for all believers and followers of Christ.

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The complete biblical procedure for baptism is that a person be fully immersed. Then, for the Church of God, something happens which is different from the example of Jesus' baptism. After coming up out of the water… a duly appointed representative of the new covenant Church lays hand upon the person…  and prays for them that they might receive the holy spirit.

We do not read of John laying hands on Jesus that He might receive the holy spirit. The holy spirit came upon Jesus directly from the Father. 

If Jesus’ baptism is to establish the pattern of righteousness for us to follow…  does this mean that we can omit the laying on of hands when we baptize? No.

Hebrews 6:1-2 following a full immersion baptism comes the laying on of hands for the receipt of the spirit. This is one of the first basic teachings of Christ…

My purpose today is to build upon that basic instruction about the laying on of hands… seeing it as a picture of our relationship to the Church established by Jesus Christ.

God's Church and You

To be baptized and have hands laid upon you requires you to present yourself to the Church. You don’t baptize yourself… and you don’t lay hands upon yourself. This first basic teaching and instruction on the path of salvation… purposefully puts you into the condition of interacting with God… through His Church… specifically those in His church who are appointed to lead and administer within that Church.

The laying on of hands that accompanies the immersion of baptism is performed by the elders within the Church.  

Note: the Church has three scripturally based categories of leadership:

Pastor - episkope = administrator, 1 Timothy 3:1

Elder - presbuteros = teaching and annointing role, 1 Timothy 5:17, James 5:14

Deacon - diakonos = attends to the material needs of the Church, 1 Timothy 3:4

So, seeking out the laying on of hands involves not just going to the Church… but to the appointed elders within the Church… recognizing them as the duly appointed administrators and leaders within the Church.  

Acts 8:14-17 the people had been baptized by Philip [a deacon]. But, they had not received the holy spirit through the laying on of hands. The apostles Peter and John came some time later, laid hands on them with prayer, and then the people received the holy spirit [in addition to being apostles they are also elders 2 John 1:1, 1 Peter 5:1]. 

The laying on of hands is connected to the leadership within God’s Church in a way that water immersion is not… and this help understand why Jesus did not have any human authority figure lay hands upon Him. 

Jesus is the head of the Church and does put Himself under the authority of any of the members of the Church [neither, leaders, teachers, or members]. For Jesus’ baptism the receipt of the holy spirit is administered directly from the Father. The Father is the only one Jesus looks to as an authority. 

What About Pentecost?

Acts 1:5 the disciples had been baptized and now there were going to received the holy spirit directly from God at Pentecost. The tongues of fire were a sign validating the experience. 

The disciples now become apostles and would go forth to baptize... and God would continue to pour out His holy spirit on people using them as His representatives.

The laying on of hands is a graphic symbol instituted by God. It is a reminder to us that He accomplishes His work through human beings. Many people find that a hard pill to swallow… we see the faults in other human beings and ask “how can this be of God?”

Working your way through this particular issue calls upon you to exercise the fruits of God’s spirit; patience, longsuffering, meekness, self-control, faithfulness.

Leadership & Responsibility Within the Church

Colossians 1:12-14 through Christ you have been delivered from your bondage to sin and death… not to be free from all restraint or do as you please.

You are removed:

from darkness… into light, from Egypt… into the promised land, from “not a people” into “God’s holy nation”. Moved from being ruled by the power of darkness and ignorance... into being ruled by the beloved Son of God.

You have been brought out of, sin… and placed into God’s Church.

Colossians 1:15-18 Christ is pre-eminent over all things.  Yet, until the appointed time of His return Christ’s dominion is not seen over all things. At present all eyes in heaven are upon Christ as “head of the body which is the Church”.

Ephesians 5:21 the Church is regulated by a principle of mutual submission… husbands and wives, teachers and disciples, servers and served.

Ephesians 5:22-27, 33 the real objective of this life lesson from a Godly marriage is an understanding of our relationship to God through His Church, which is the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13 within the Church Christ has appointed, some to lead, some to serve, some to teach. This example concerns different types of instruction. But the point is that there is structure within God’s Church… its not a flash mob.

Caveat: the bible is very clear that each and every one of us has a direct, personal relationship with Christ, and through Him, you can go directly to the Father, and the throne of grace, anytime. Your access to Him does not go through the Church. However, much of what God does with you is done through the Church.

· Can He and does He hear and answer your prayers directly... yes!

· Can He and does He bless you directly... yes!

· Can He and does He give insight and discernment to you directly...yes! This is one to be especially wary of. No scripture is of private interpretation.

Ephesians 4:14-16 a primary function of the Church leadership is to provide instruction.

The Spirit of Leadership & Responsibility

Some prefer to imagine a Church that is free from any vestige of hierarchy… like a flattened, classless utopia. That appeals to the human mind, but it is an overly simplistic fantasy. That’s not the paradigm for the Church of God… its not the paradigm for the millenial rule of Christ… its not the pattern we see in the throne room of God.

Hebrews 13:17 instructs the Church to cooperate in a positive way with those Christ has appointed to lead… But, they are not your overlords… they are not there to block your way. Paul the pastor set a high bar in pouring giving himself over to the needs of the congregation… remember the phrase “submit one to another”.

From the American revolution to Karl Marx we have been conditioned to view authority as fundamentally oppressive… and we have good reason from human history to arrive at that conclusion. But God’s answer is not to tear apart all forms of authority and do away with intermediate leadership. God's answer is to change how we think about leadership.

This is relevant not only for pastors, elders, and deacons... it is of paramount importance for everyone who will to serve as king and priest seated alongside Christ at His return.

Passover: Serving and Leading

Luke 22:24-30 during the Passover meal the 12 men Jesus was going to have lead His Church were talking about their future leadership. But really they were arguing in a proud and egotistical way.

Jesus answer was not “I am doing away with the idea of leadership”. His answer was “you have to change your ideas of what it means to be a leader”. He cites the worldly rulers as examples of the wrong way to think. He tells them to picture what ever leadership role they are given as a form of service to others.

To press home this teaching He acts in the role of their servant by washing their feet.

John  13:12-16 Jesus said, ”all of you are subordinate to Me, yet here is an example of how I treat you”. Jesus had every intention of placing them in positions of leadership within His Church… and He wanted them to treat others brought into the Church in this same way.

Passover & Your Relationship With the Church

The Passover is time to be remind of your personal relationship to the sacrifice Jesus has made for you with His blood... that day when you went down into the water and came up with your sins washed away. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17.

The Passover is also a time to reflect on your relationship to His body the Church…. that day when after you were washed of sin you had an elder of God’s Church lay hands upon you and pray that you receive the holy spirit.

… a relationship you entered into of your own choice … a relationship founded on a recognition of God’s design to work through fellow human beings in an organized and structured way.

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 Paul’s instruction to examine yourself can be applied to you personal faults and failings… but the situation He is addressing directly is about how these members of the body were treating other rudely, selfishly, with pride and disrespect toward one another, carrying their cultural pecking order over into the Passover itself.

So, he’s asking them to examine themselves with regard to their relationship to the Church, how they behave within the Church, and their attitude towards it:

· 1 Corinthians 11:22 do you despise the church of God?

· 1 Corinthians 11:29 anyone who takes the Passover without a thoughtful awareness about their thoughts and actions related to the body of Christ is missing something important. He’s talking about the bodily suffering of Jesus [a body broken for you]… but isn’t he also talking about the present body of Christ which is the Church.

Conclusion

Passover is a time for reflection… a remembrance of an important turning point in our life. We do this every year at God’s command.

Please use this Passover to think about, recognize, discern, to assess your relationship with not only our participation in the blood of Christ, but also our participation in the body of Christ… which is His Church.