Will you please turn to the Book of Acts?
We will read from Acts 2:42-47.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.
Let us turn to Revelation 3. We will read from verses 7 through 11.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:
I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep My word, and didst not deny My name.
Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Because thou didst keep the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.
Let us also turn to Revelation 22. We will read from verses 1 through 5.
And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and His servants shall serve Him;
and they shall see His face; and His name shall be on their foreheads.
And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Dear Lord, we do want to thank Thee for inviting us to Thy table. It is indeed a table of love. How abundant is Thy table! It is Thy blood and Thy body that are being given to us.
Dear Lord, we owe everything to Thee, and Thou art truly everything to us. We want to thank Thee for all that Thou hast done for us.
We thank Thee for Thy love, that loves us to the uttermost. We thank Thee for the privilege of gathering again in Thy presence.
We wait for Thee to speak to us. We are but unprofitable servants. But, Lord, do take us in Thy own hands. Use each and every one of us according to Thy will.
We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.
Thank God that we have been together these days. I hope we have all been in the gymnasium of Christ for about ten days.
As a matter of fact, even though you may not have formally entered that gymnasium, you have been there ever since you were saved.
We would like to make some assessment. We want to know: how do you feel about being in the gymnasium of Christ? After you have gone through some exercises, how do you feel?
Do you feel yourself being really helped? Or do you feel that it is a little bit too difficult? Do you feel you want to go on with it, or do you feel that you had better quit? What is your reaction?
I remember my younger days. When I was in high school, I was pretty active. I played basketball, I played table tennis—ping-pong—and I used Chinese boxing. I felt myself quite athletic.
But when I went to college, we had to spend two years in physical education. It included track and field, gymnastics, and other exercises.
As a matter of fact, I had never been in a gymnasium before, so I really did not know what was going to happen. There were various exercises that we had to do.
Of course, one of the simplest exercises was the push-up. I had never done that before. In the beginning, I found myself unable to do it, because when I pushed up and came down, I simply fell down to the floor.
But after exercising and practicing, I was able to do some push-ups. Then it became easier.
We also had rope climbing. A rope hung from the ceiling of the gymnasium, and it was very thick, so it was hard to hold. The instructor would use a stopwatch. You had to jump, hold on to the rope, climb to the ceiling, and ring a bell. Then he would tell you how many seconds you took.
It was a little difficult, but by practicing, you could do it.
The hardest exercise for me was the vault. There was a bar, perhaps about four feet high, and you had to run toward it, do a somersault, and go over the bar. That was difficult.
But even with such difficulty, by practicing, gradually you found that you were able to do it.
After going through that gymnasium, I discovered one thing: I was not as strong as I thought I was. I felt myself pretty weak. My body did not seem to be so athletic after all.
Now what is your assessment today? You have been in the gymnasium of Christ for some time. What have you learned? What have you gone through? After going through this, how do you feel? Do you feel hopeful, or do you feel that you had better quit?
How is your report card?
Spiritual exercise is the only way to turn vision into vocation.
Body life is what God wants for His Son. He wants a body, and in that body He wants to express Himself.
Over two thousand years ago, God the Son came into this world. He took upon Himself a body.
It was a body given to Him through Mary; yet, actually, He was conceived through the Holy Spirit. When Christ was born, He had a human body—a mortal body, a body open to temptation, a body that could be defiled and that would fade.
Yet that body was a holy body, because He did not inherit the sin of Adam. The Lord Jesus was a perfect man. He had everything that we have; the only difference was that there was no sin in Him.
When we were born, we were born inheriting the sin of our forefather. But when Christ was born, He was the holy One.
In that body, He lived thirty-three and a half years. In that body, He suffered temptations. Everything in which we could be tempted, He was tempted; yet He sinned not.
In that body, He taught, He worked, and He carried out the Father’s will. Do you think it was easy for Him to do that? No.
You find that He had to deny Himself in order to obey His Father. Throughout His life, He walked the way of the cross. He said, “I can do nothing of Myself.”
Do you think He really could not do anything on His own? He was the Son of God incarnate. Of course He could. But He would not, because He took the form of a bondservant. He wanted to be a bondservant to God.
He gave up His own rights. So He said, “I can say nothing without the Father. I can do nothing without the Father.” He was obedient to His Father. The principle of His life was obedience to the Father.
He was so obedient to the Father that He was obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
In that body, He accomplished the work of redemption. Then He was resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven.
When He ascended to heaven, God the Father anointed Him with oil—that is, with the Holy Spirit. That anointing began to flow down.
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down, and the one hundred and twenty believers were baptized into one body.
In other words, our Lord Jesus took upon Himself another body. It was not the physical body that Mary gave to Him; it was a corporate body.
There were one hundred and twenty believers in the upper room in Jerusalem. They were together, praying with one accord for ten days for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
What did the Holy Spirit do? The Bible tells us that in one Spirit they were baptized into one body.
Before that, they were one hundred and twenty individuals—one hundred and twenty bodies. But now those one hundred and twenty bodies became one body. Before, they were the bodies of individuals; now, they are the Body of Christ. What a change!
Pentecost is a marvelous event. It can never be repeated, because what was done at Pentecost continues forever.
Everyone afterward, in the following centuries and generations, wherever they may be, when they believe in the Lord Jesus, is not only saved. Their sins are forgiven, they receive life from above, and the Holy Spirit dwells in them.
But more than that, they have been baptized in one Spirit into the Body of Christ. Dear brothers and sisters, you are not merely individuals; you are members of the Body of Christ.
It is the will of God that this Body should grow. What is meant by body growth? It means that this Body shall grow unto the fullness of the stature of Christ.
As the Head is, so shall the Body be. All the character of the Head shall be imprinted in the Body. The Body is the fullness of the Head. He who filleth all in all shall fill the Body.
The Body should contain the fullness of Christ and express the excellencies of Christ.
In the Book of Acts, we find that Luke wrote a former discourse—the Gospel according to Luke. In that book, he told of all that the Lord Jesus began both to do and to teach.
Now he writes the second discourse. It is the continuation of Christ’s doing and teaching.
In Luke, our Lord Jesus taught and worked in His physical body. But in Acts, He continued to do and to teach in the corporate body. This Body should manifest Christ Jesus.
There is a difference, however. When our Lord Jesus was incarnated, the body He took upon Himself was a mortal body, yet a holy body. Throughout that life, holiness was His nature, and He was able to express the glory of God through that body.
The cross, to Him, was glory. You remember the last time He went into Jerusalem: many people welcomed Him, and even the Greeks wanted to see Him. The Lord said, “The hour is come for the Son of man to be glorified.”
But this was different from human thought. He was thinking of Himself as the grain of wheat that would fall into the ground and die, and thereby bear much fruit.
In that body, our Lord accomplished all that God had ordained Him to do. But now, for these two thousand years, He has been in the corporate Body, and in that Body He desires to fulfill all the will of God.
Yet He finds that the corporate Body is more difficult than His personal body. Even though every member of that Body contains His life, and His life is in our spirit, we still carry our fallen soul and body.
Our self-life is still the life of our soul, and our body has been so long associated with our fallen soul that it still follows its steps.
For His corporate Body to truly express Himself, He meets many problems. He has to do more work with us. He has to deal with many things that are opposite to His life.
Our soul needs to be saved. By the salvation of the soul, it simply means that our self-life has to go and Christ’s life has to reign.
Our body has to be put under our spirit. There are many crosses that have to work in our lives. The Lord has to spend more time and do much more work in our lives in order that this Body may really grow into Christ and be made fit to be the Bride of the Lamb.
This is the reason why we are in the gymnasium of Christ.
If this is important for us individually, how much more important it is for us to be together.
The cross has to work not only in our individual life; it has to work in our corporate life. Oftentimes, you find that the cross in corporate life is more difficult than in individual life.
Oftentimes, we think that we have denied ourselves and taken up the cross to follow the Lord. But when we are put together, we find that there is much more that needs to be done—much more self that needs to be laid down, much more self that needs to die—in order that Christ may really be all and in all in the Body.
We need many spiritual exercises.
When you have been going through all these things, are you a little discouraged? Do you find that it is getting more and more difficult?
You may have thought that if you came to the church, you would simply be carried on a sedan chair to heaven. In the world there are so many confusions and conflicts; surely, you thought, when I go to church I can be at rest.
But you find that to live together is even more difficult than to live alone. Even though you thought you had prepared yourself well, when you come together you discover that you are not yet prepared.
You may have been bearing the cross for the Lord. But when you come together with your brothers and sisters and more crosses are formed, you find that it is too much for you.
Do you want to quit, or will you continue on?
This is a very practical question, especially for believers who have been saved and in the church for many years. After many years of conflict, do you feel ready to quit, or are you still pressing on?
This is a very important question. If we look around, we may become disappointed. If we look into ourselves, we may also become disappointed.
You may think that what God requires is too difficult. How can I be perfect as God is perfect? How can I love my brothers as I love myself?
Let us be honest. We have tried. We have been trying to bear the cross, but it is too difficult.
Thank God. With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
This is the lesson we have to learn. We often think that with man it is possible. If we have that kind of concept, we can never be saved. But when we realize that it is impossible, we find that God is able.
The same is true with the purpose of God. If we ourselves could fulfill God’s purpose, we would not need the cross anymore. With man it is impossible.
Whenever you come into the spiritual realm, man is completely impossible. But because we are impossible, God is all possible.
This is a lesson of faith. Do you believe that God can do it? You cannot do it. You are tired of it. But thank God: He can do it.
I remember once Brother Sparks asked Brother Nee a question: “What is the most difficult prophecy to be fulfilled in the Bible?”
Have you thought of that? What is the most difficult prophecy in the Bible to be fulfilled?
Brother Nee answered, “It is Ephesians 5.” In Ephesians 5, we are told that one day the Lord will present to Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish.
That He might present the church to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
—Ephesians 5:27
When you think of the church today, do you see glory there? Yet one day the Lord will present to Himself a glorious church, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
A spot speaks of the flesh. When we are in the flesh, there is a spot. A wrinkle speaks of age, but the church will be ever fresh. It will be holy and blameless.
This is the most difficult prophecy to be fulfilled in the whole Bible. With man it is impossible; with God all things are possible.
We would like to go through the Word of God to see whether this glorious church, this Body of Christ, has ever been on earth as a glorious church; and we want to see the prophecy concerning the end.
When Pentecost came upon the earth, that was the beginning of the church on earth.
When Christ was on earth, He said, “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” But while He was on earth, He was preparing the materials. The real building began at Pentecost.
What do you see of this Body of Christ? We find in Acts 2:42:
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.
—Acts 2:42
Who were these people? They were not only the original one hundred and twenty believers. Three thousand were added to that Body in one day, because they were baptized into Christ.
How did these three thousand one hundred and twenty believers live? They persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles. They continued in it—not merely for one day or one hour, but every day.
What is the teaching of the apostles? There were twelve apostles, but did they have twelve teachings? Did Peter have his own teaching, John his own teaching, and James his own teaching?
No. The Bible says “the teaching” in the singular, while “apostles” is plural. Even though there were twelve apostles, they had only one teaching, because they taught only what Christ had taught and what they had received from the Lord.
They had no teaching of their own. They simply taught what Christ had taught.
The fellowship of the apostles is also singular, while “apostles” is plural. In other words, there is not the fellowship of Paul or the fellowship of Peter.
You find this problem in 1 Corinthians 1: “I am of Paul,” and “I am of Apollos.” But there is only one fellowship: the fellowship of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
—1 Corinthians 1:9
It is the fellowship described in 1 John 1:1-4: the apostles had fellowship with God and with Christ, and they extended that fellowship to us. There is only one fellowship—the fellowship of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
What is the fellowship of God’s Son, Jesus Christ? Even before anything was created, there was fellowship between the Father and the Son in the Spirit.
They shared everything together. It was so sweet, so harmonious. There was never any argument, never any struggle. It is the fellowship of God’s Son with the Father in the Spirit.
It is the most exclusive fellowship in the whole universe. There are only three Persons, and yet the three are one.
But thank God, His love is so great that He wants to extend His fellowship to us.
We may not have the privilege of joining an exclusive earthly club because we are not qualified. But thank God, we have been called into that fellowship which is the highest and noblest in the whole universe.
How do we join that fellowship? How are we made members of that family? By being born again.
It is a fellowship in life. We are born again into that family. Thank God, He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We can enjoy all the privileges of that most exclusive fellowship.
But do not forget that we have responsibilities too. In the early church, with all these thousands of people, they continued in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles.
It was not a theory. They practiced it.
The breaking of bread is the practice of the teaching and fellowship of the apostles.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul said, “For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.” On that night, our Lord Jesus took the bread and took the cup, saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” until I come. That is teaching.
And where is the fellowship? In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul said that we have communion with His blood and communion with His body. Communion is fellowship.
The breaking of bread is an expression of the teaching and fellowship of the apostles.
Unfortunately, today in Christianity, the breaking of bread has become a formality, a ritual. But actually, the breaking of bread is the practice of the fellowship and teaching of the apostles.
Then there is prayer. I believe every believer must have personal, private prayer, because if we have no prayer, we have no life.
But how about corporate prayer?
In the early church, they prayed together. They prayed with one accord. Not only did they have their own personal prayers, but they came together and prayed with one soul and one heart.
That was their life. Brothers and sisters, today how we neglect corporate prayer! On Sunday many people come together to hear the ministry, but at the prayer meeting only a few attend.
“I pray by myself. Why should I pray with other brothers?” Dear brothers and sisters, in the early church they prayed together. The Bible says they prayed with one accord.
How powerful was their prayer! God answered them.
You find that these believers were together. Today, God’s people, in a sense, neglect being together.
Perhaps we have suffered too much by being together, and so we think, “The less being together, the better.” When we are really together, we may touch one another; we may step on one another.
But here you find how they were together. They gathered together in the temple every day, and they also broke bread from house to house.
Of course, this was possible for them at that time because many Jewish people had come to Jerusalem for the feast. When they were saved, they did not want to go home. Those who were residents in Jerusalem had to open their homes.
They also had to sell their property to meet the needs of these people.
They were delivered from self-possessiveness. Self-possession is a basic instinct of human beings.
You can see children playing together, and there is a toy. Suddenly, one child says, “This is mine.” That is self-possessiveness. It is a natural instinct.
But these believers were so delivered from that instinct. They came together freely and gladly.
How could thousands of people be together? They had not built a large building yet. They went to Solomon’s Porch, and they used every opportunity to be together, to hear the Word of God, and to encourage one another.
When they ate their food, they ate with thanksgiving and singleness of heart. That is body life.
If you go to Acts 4, you find the same thing: they were of one heart and soul. No wonder the gospel spread.
In the early church, we see a glorious church—a body life that truly was glorious.
If you turn to Revelation 2 and 3, you find the seven churches in Asia. These were actual local churches in Asia Minor.
This was at the end of the first century, almost fifty or sixty years after the church began. What do you find there?
Of the seven churches, five were called by the Lord to repent. One was without blame. But one was praised by the Lord.
Why was the church in Philadelphia praised by the Lord? Because they really had body life. They truly loved one another, and they had a little power.
Today we want great power. We think that if we have great power, then we are successful. But we must ask: is it the power of God, or some other power?
Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
—Zechariah 4:6
These are the days of small things. Do not despise the day of small things. So long as it is of God, it is enough.
They had a little power—not human power, but the power of God. They did not deny His name.
They did not deny the name of the Lord Jesus. In other words, they considered the name of the Lord Jesus sufficient. Why should they be called by other names? We have been called by the name of our Lord Jesus.
His name is sufficient. They also kept His word.
Here you find a body that truly had body life. This is history, and history tells us that it is possible.
Then, in Revelation 21 and 22, we have prophecy. But God has already told us beforehand that the day will come when the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven.
It is all glorious because it is all of God.
There is only one street, and it is transparent gold. Can we have fellowship with such transparency?
There is only one river, going through the whole city: the river of life. There is only one tree: the tree of life.
There is the throne of God and of the Lamb. God is the temple. God is the light. We are all His servants, and we shall reign eternally.
There, body life has reached its fullness.
Seeing these things, I hope, brothers and sisters, that we are encouraged.
But finally, how can God accomplish this? We say that with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. God has His way.
This is made possible through the principle of the overcomers.
The last call to the church is the call to overcome: “He that overcometh.”
Overcomers are not super-Christians. Overcomers are normal Christians in an abnormal church.
Whatever God has revealed, by the grace of God, you follow. When everywhere you find decay, you do not follow the current. Your heart is toward God. You obey whatever God has shown you.
Then you are an overcomer.
These overcomers do not overcome merely for themselves. They overcome for the church. They stand for the church, for the testimony of Jesus.
These overcomers will be the firstfruits, and the firstfruits guarantee the harvest.
This is the way in which God fulfills His word.
Do not be discouraged by what you see. Do not be discouraged even with yourself.
Look unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith.
Learn to be faithful to the Lord, and God will do His work. Thank God.
Dear Lord, as we come to Thee, we do realize that with us nothing is possible, but with Thee all things are possible.
We thank Thee for showing us Thy way, that we may be faithful to what Thou hast revealed.
We praise and thank Thee because Thy purpose will be fulfilled. It is all by grace.
We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.