(Loving the Body While Keeping Guard of the Wolves)

Today the pastor spoke on the role of the body of Christ including communion, taking care of one another, building each other up, and loving each other.

This message related closely on a spectrum of topics that I have felt the Holy Spirit teaching me about.

One important topic was how much God loves all of His children.  God does not look at all of us as denominations.  He loves Catholics, Baptists, We are all One Body.  God does not approve of us breaking the body.  There was One body already broken for us and that was Jesus. He already had His body broken to redeem us all and that was the only breaking of a body that was required.

He wants us to love each other so much and not to create discord and unwarranted breaking the body. His body was already broken for us. 

1Cor 10:17 “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread”

Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” 

The other side of this spectrums of topics the Holy Spirit tied together is a vision that I had of Jesus flipping the tables on the money changers.  I woke up with this vision and the anger I had felt from Jesus in this was so deep it felt that it went beyond this moment.  I compare it to how we may have a strong emotional response to things because of one very significant event or the culmination of many events.  In this vision it was this deep anger that was indeed about the corrupt money changers in that moment, but what I felt in this vison was an anger that went deep and was prophetic.  It was an anger that went beyond time. It was on behalf of all of the sheep that this type of wolves pray on. 

Matthew 21:12-13 “¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Wolves like these have existed in the temples and been participants of the “church” since the beginning. Not a surprise the are references as being a “den of robbers.” Wolves live in dens.

We see so many things being done “In the name of Jesus” for the sake of personal gain. The self-seeking and greed like those money changers that were fleecing the flock attempt to give God and His church a bad rap. So many people and organizations exploit the name of Jesus. Beyond the resources that are being taken that are meant for His Kingdom, I think of the anger He may have because of how this stumbles His Church, and this is essentially taking His name in Vain.

The author of Acts references the importance of keeping watch against predators.

Acts 20:27 -31- ²⁷ For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. ²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a] which he bought with his own blood.^{[b] 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ³⁰ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. ³¹ So be on your guard!

How do we balance this out? We need the body of Christ, yet within the body are those of us still being sanctified, imperfectly communing with each other. We are asked to be selfless, forgiving, and most of all to love one another. There are also wolves, predators, or call them tares in attendance and sometimes in leadership. We are still called to love. There is no scripture that directs us to exclude showing love to certain people.

On the contrary: Romans 2:3-4 ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

So the conclusion takes us back to the beginning:

John 13:34:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another”.

That is our responsibility in this. The rest I want to give to God and ask in prayer: In the name of Jesus we ask you Father God to make us shrew as snakes and innocent as doves. Help us to love one another earnestly. Thank you for Your love and the sacrifice of Jesus that the only body we have needed broken to cover all of our sins.

Help to keep love and faithfulness in our hearts and may they be what is at the essence of all the fruits and actions of our lives. Help us to trust You God and keep alert that we do not miss your direction or redirection. Help guide us to submit to Your will and we thank you for directing our paths and protecting us.

^{Matthew 10:16} “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

1 PETER 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 3:3-6

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

    bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name

    in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

QUOTABLE QUOTES

1Cor 10:17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread

Gal 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” 

Matthew 21:12-13 “¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

^{Matthew 10:16} “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Acts 20:27-31 ²⁷ For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. ²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a] which he bought with his own blood.^{[b] 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ³⁰ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. ³¹ So be on your guard!

Proverb 3:3-6:

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

    bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name

    in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Romans 2:3-4 ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Loving the Church Body

• John 13:34:“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another”.
• 1 Peter 4:8
• Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
• Galatians 5:13:“For you were called to freedom, brothers. But do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another”.
• Philippians 2:3-4:“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”.
• Romans 12:4-5:“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another”.
• Ephesians 4:32:“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”.

ReSOURCES

Holy Bible, New International Version

Holy Bible, New King James Version

Columbia Valley. (2022). In Sheep’s Clothing[Photograph]. Wine bottle