Unity in the Body of Messiah – Nathan Mancini

“Eph 4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”

Eph 4:9 But that “He ascended”–what it is but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

Eph 4:10 He that descended, He is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.

Eph 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Messiah,

Eph 4:13 until we all arrive to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Eph 4:14 that we may no longer be infants, being tossed as by waves, and being carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in regard to deceitful scheming,

Eph 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Yahshua;

Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the working of the measure of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the edification of itself in love. “

Everyone is given a gift by Yahweh, as it says in verses 11-12. We all have our own position and calling and gift. I know that a lot of people want to be the leaders and teachers of congregations, but they don’t all realize that maybe that isn’t their calling. Yahweh institutes all authorities, men don‘t choose, Yahweh does. (Romans 13:1-3) Some people want to be an authority, some want to be a leader, and some want to be a teacher; but sometimes it just can’t be because it isn’t your calling. If you want to help be a light to the world but can’t become a leader of a congregation, or a teacher in a Synagogue, search for your calling, Yahweh has one for you. Don’t try and take over or get in just for the feeling of superiority. That isn’t good. Pray that Yahweh shows you your calling, look for other ways to be a light to the world. Go into a Walmart and start preaching the Gospel, start a blog and spread the Word and the Truth, and even if you aren’t very good at teaching and stuff, you can be a leader by example! There are all kinds of ways to be a light in this dark world, just keep searching for that light switch, and when you find it, flip it on. You HAVE a CALLING!

Paul really explains things well in 1^st Corinthians 12:4-31

1Co 12:4 Now there are varieties of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:5 And there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord.

1Co 12:6 And there are varieties of activities, but the same Elohim works all in all.

1Co 12:7 But to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the profit of all).

1Co 12:8 For to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

1Co 12:9 and to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

1Co 12:10 to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, and to another different kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.

1Co 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

1Co 12:12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, but all the parts of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Messiah.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and we were all given to drink into one Spirit.

1Co 12:14 For in fact the body is not one part but many.

1Co 12:15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

1Co 12:18 But now God has set the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He desired.

1Co 12:19 And if all parts were one part, where would be the body?

1Co 12:20 But now indeed there are many parts, but one body.

1Co 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1Co 12:22 But to a greater degree the parts of the body which seem weaker are necessary.

1Co 12:23 And the parts of the body which we consider to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater propriety.

1Co 12:24 But our presentable parts have no need. But Yahweh united the body, giving greater honor to the part being inferior,

1Co 12:25 lest there be divisions in the body, but the parts care the same for one another.

1Co 12:26 And if one part suffers, all the parts suffer together; or if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice together.

1Co 12:27 Now you are the body of Messiah, and members individually.

1Co 12:28 And those whom Elohim has appointed in the church are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.

1Co 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

1Co 12:30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1Co 12:31 But strive for the better gifts. And yet I make known a more excellent way.

Just a few more scriptures I wanted to show, about our leaders. They work hard, a lot harder than many of you know. It’s very, very difficult being a leader in a congregation because everyone has different opinions and everyone wants things their way. Well guess what, it’s Yeshua’s way we should be worrying about, not our own or someone else’s, just Yeshua’s!

“Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of Elohim to you, of whom considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”

“Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders, and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls, as giving an account, in order that they may do this with joy and not groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.”

Just a little more and then I’ll let you guys go.

So about all these pointless fights and arguments, I mean, come on guys, we’re better than this. Stop arguing about the correct way to spell the name of Yeshua and Yahweh. It may be spelled Yeshua, Yahshua, Yahushua, Yehshua; Yahweh, Yahuwah, or Yahveh, but no one really knows for sure so just cut it out. This isn’t something we should fight over! Everyone has their personal opinion on how to spell it and/or pronounce it, and that is totally fine! But stop arguing over the name of our Father and our Savior! It’s not right.

It’s time for us all to stop arguing and bickering over things that none of us know for sure, and things that are irrelevant to the big picture. We are the body of Messiah! We are supposed to be many members but all of ONE mind and ONE Spirit. But instead we are many members and many minds… It’s time to come together again as ONE, it’s time to quit acting like the rest of the world, always fighting over such pointless things, and start dwelling together in UNITY. We are disgracing the body by splitting up and dividing, it is not a body if we are separated from each other. The only thing we need to be separate from is the world.

“1Ti 1:3 Just as I urged you to remain in Ephesus as I traveled into Macedonia, that you should command certain people not to teach any other doctrine,

1Ti 1:4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

1Ti 1:5 Now the goal of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

1Ti 1:6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to futile talk,

1Ti 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, not understanding either what they say or what they affirm.”

Today’s scriptures:

Romans 12:

“Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Yahweh, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Yahweh.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching;

Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectionate toward one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;

Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Rom 12:18 If it be possible, with as much that is in you, live peaceably with all men.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.

Rom 12:20 Therefore if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.

Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

1Co 13:5 does not behave disgracefully, does not seek its own, is not provoked to anger, thinks no evil;

1Co 13:6 does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1Co 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1Co 13:8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they shall pass away; whether there are tongues, they shall cease; whether there is knowledge, it shall pass away.”