The Four Eleven Foundation: 1 Thessalonians

1. A FUNCTIONAL BODY

1.1. OUR LORD HAD A PREPARED HUMAN BODY

Hebrews 10:5 "Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. "

Psalm 40:6 "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. "

The Hebrew word 'KARAH' means digged: opened by piercing. In the surrender of the ear is implied the unquestioning servant obedience of Jesus to the Father. The ears are taken in the Septuagint as being representative of the whole body (see comments in my book, Hebrews - All-glorious Saviour).

In His coming into the world the Saviour gave joyful acknowledgement that the body prepared was the means by which the divine will could be accomplished. It is important for our understanding that we recognise that the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews was "borne along" by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21 ). This alone is sufficient reason to use the quotation from the Septuagint as the very words of Jesus "when He came into the world" (Hebrews 10:5 NKJV). It may be said that the Psalm expresses the poetry of the Holy Spirit, while Hebrews sets forth the meaning on the lips of the Son of God.

The love slave described in Exodus illustrates the love devotion of Jesus to the Father's command -

Exodus 21:5,6 "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: ⁶ Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever."

This law of servitude reminds us of:

Christ's servanthood (Isaiah 43:10; Luke 22:27; Philippians 2:6-7 ).

Christ's Father-pleasing (John 8:29 ).

Christ's faithfulness (Hebrews 3:2; Luke 2:49 ).

Christ's voluntary service (Philippians 2:6-7; Matthew 20:28 ).

Christ's inseparableness (John 10:30 ).

The main thought of the pierced ear as applied to Jesus, is that He gave all in His full surrender to the Father.

Psalm 40:8 "I delight to do Your will, O my God, ..."

These were His words coming into the world. "Thy will be done." (Matthew 26:42 KJV) were His words in going to the death of the cross in that prepared body. His supreme purpose was to do the Father's will, and that included all other desires. There is much to learn from how Jesus viewed His prepared human body. His own summary of the purpose of His coming, "Thy will", and the context of Hebrews chapter ten teaches the once for all sacrifice of Christ. It may seem surprising that here are to be found truths that are relevant to our functioning in body life.

Prayerfully consider the following application concerning our service as members of His spiritual body.

1.1.1. SERVE DELIGHTING IN HIS WILL

Don't think of delighting to do His will as a kind of mood, or a feeling that can pass or be intermittent. Rather let His will become the delightful driving motivation of your service for Him. It is this kind of functioning for Him that brings you the same practical benefits Jesus enjoyed in delighting to do the Father's will.

Doing His Father's Will Was Nourishment To Him
When the disciples returned with food to Jacob's well, where Jesus had been ministering to the woman of Samaria, they were surprised to find He was no longer hungry. They asked,

John 4:33,34 "... "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" ³⁴ Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work."

Being actively engaged in bringing conviction, consolation, conversion, and communicating the word of life to the needy woman, was doing the will of the Father. Jesus, by His delighting in doing what the Father willed, demonstrated its nourishing quality. It was so evident that the disciples were not able to account for having left a hungry Master only to return to find Him fully refreshed (John 4:32 ).

Have you known times when physical weariness has been overcome, because an opportunity to do the Lord's will infused you with strength?

Do you find that action in your grace gifting nourishes, sustains and satisfies you?

Can withholding from actively being involved in what is clearly the Lord's will result in being undernourished?

The greatest exhilaration and spiritual satisfaction is to be found in reaping among people ripe for the kingdom (John 4:35 ). Being part of a versatile body where there are sowers and reapers, is cause for great joy and satisfaction for all involved in the harvest (John 4:36-38 ). Those who delight that it is God's will that none perish (2 Peter 3:9 ) have eyes to see that it is harvest time (John 4:35 ). If you would have constant spiritual vitality then play your part in a group that is reaching out to win the lost, a priority of body life.

Holding His Father's Will As Supreme, Kept Clarity

John 5:30 ""I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. "

Jesus testified to confidence and clarity in all the judgments He made. The clearness was assured because there was no self-seeking to cloud His viewpoint. All was weighed carefully by God's will and by what was pleasing to the Father. That standard settled every question and judgment.
Our decisions, assessments, advice are too often the assertion of self-will. To be able to give acceptable judgment, all our counselling, commitments and challenges need to be sifted through the revealed will of God and tested by what is pleasing to the Father. By making the Lord's will supreme in our thinking, and our aim to please Him, will best fit us to serve His body. This is possible by hearing His Word and accepting its conclusions on every matter. Paul's inspired words to Timothy instruct us to hold and hear the word in a way that is an action of a well pleasing life.

2 Timothy 1:13,14 "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.¹⁴ That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us."

The sound word committed to us becoming a life-style, evidenced in faith and love in Christ Jesus, established in our inner being by the indwelling Holy Spirit, makes us His channels of healthy contributions to the body of Christ.

Doing The Father's Will Removes Agitation
Jesus was yoked to the Father's will. He disciplined Himself by the Father pleasure. To us He says:-

Matthew 11:29,30 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

To embrace His will is to find rest from the turmoil and anxieties of life. It is possible to apply the whole of Christ's wonderful invitation to body life and service. Restlessness in one body member agitates the other body members (1 Corinthians 12:25-26 ). Wrong attitudes disturb and disrupt. When there is insistence on selfish wants that are contrary to what the Lord is saying, there is confusion and distress. Often, what causes restlessness is labour motivated by the fleshly mind and performed in the energy of the flesh, which drains and wearies the labourer. This can cause a breakout of irritating, self-interested demands on the collective body. If this describes the state of your body group, the cure for the agitation is to respond to the invitation and example of Jesus.
This is the prescription:-

Rest begins by personally and together connecting with Jesus (Matthew 11:28 ).

Rest continues by submitting to the rule of Christ Jesus the living Head. "Take My yoke" (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). Come under His will and control - yield to His discipline.

Rest is realised by serving His interests and functioning according to His intentions (1 Corinthians 12:18 ).

Rest is based on believing Jesus is "the truth" and authoritative revelator "Learn from Me." (Matthew 11:29 NKJV; John 14:6 ).

Rest is observing and emulating the example of Jesus (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). The great "I AM" dwelt among us as "meek". He willingly took whatever yoke the Father put upon Him. The great "I AM" dwelt among us as "lowly in heart". He would have His people be of humble spirit, living in gentleness with each other.

Rest is removal of agitation by receiving His peace and refreshment. "and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). He will bring into harmony our whole personality so that we become beneficial to His body.

Rest is characteristic of service for Him and through Him, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30 KJV).

HIS YOKE is the submission of love, as members of His body submitted in love to Jesus the Head of the body, and in love to one another (Ephesians 1:22; 5:25; 5:21 ).
HIS BURDEN is the service of love (Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:23-24; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Galatians 6:2 ).

Serving in the body of Christ, are you agitated, or enjoying His rest?

	Christ's servanthood (Isaiah 43:10; Luke 22:27; Philippians 2:6-7 ).
	Christ's Father-pleasing (John 8:29 ).
	Christ's faithfulness (Hebrews 3:2; Luke 2:49 ).
	Christ's voluntary service (Philippians 2:6-7; Matthew 20:28 ).
	Christ's inseparableness (John 10:30 ).

	Have you known times when physical weariness has been overcome, because an opportunity to do the Lord's will infused you with strength?
	Do you find that action in your grace gifting nourishes, sustains and satisfies you?
	Can withholding from actively being involved in what is clearly the Lord's will result in being undernourished?

	Rest begins by personally and together connecting with Jesus (Matthew 11:28 ).
	Rest continues by submitting to the rule of Christ Jesus the living Head. "Take My yoke" (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). Come under His will and control - yield to His discipline.
	Rest is realised by serving His interests and functioning according to His intentions (1 Corinthians 12:18 ).
	Rest is based on believing Jesus is "the truth" and authoritative revelator "Learn from Me." (Matthew 11:29 NKJV; John 14:6 ).
	Rest is observing and emulating the example of Jesus (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). The great "I AM" dwelt among us as "meek". He willingly took whatever yoke the Father put upon Him. The great "I AM" dwelt among us as "lowly in heart". He would have His people be of humble spirit, living in gentleness with each other.
	Rest is removal of agitation by receiving His peace and refreshment. "and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29 NKJV). He will bring into harmony our whole personality so that we become beneficial to His body.
	Rest is characteristic of service for Him and through Him, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30 KJV). HIS YOKE is the submission of love, as members of His body submitted in love to Jesus the Head of the body, and in love to one another (Ephesians 1:22; 5:25; 5:21 ). HIS BURDEN is the service of love (Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:23-24; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Galatians 6:2 ).