Dear Brethren,

Today, March 17^th, 2018, is the first day of the sacred year.  We will observe Passover just after sunset on the evening when the 14^th of Abib begins.  This year the Footwashing, with the Bread and Wine Passover ceremony will be observed on Thursday March 29^th.

Leviticus 23:4-5  These are the Feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover.

We are less than two weeks away from Passover.  Jesus greatly looked forward to His last Passover with His apostles, and He told them it would be His last.

Luke 22:15-16  Jesus said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

And suffer He did.  It was cold when Jesus went through His torment intensifying the throbbing sting of His shredded skin… He was pierced… His bones were exposed… He was crowned with thorns… He was battered and torn until He was marred more than any man… He was unrecognizable by His closest friends...but not a bone was broken indicating the integrity of His Body.  Scripture reveals that we, the saints of God, the Church of God, the one Body of Christ, are represented by the bones of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:30  We are members of His [Jesus’] Body, of His flesh, and of His bones.

1Corinthians 10:16-17  The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the Body of Christ?  For we being many [brethren] are one bread, and one Body.

Consider the example of the first-century Church brethren after just having received God’s Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:32  The multitude of them that believed was of one heart and of one soul.

That was Godly love in action!  It’s as though they were all family.  Lately, in the overall Church of God, we have not been oriented in that direction.  If we, Brethren, are not of one heart – one mind – one Spirit… We need to ask ourselves if we are truly a part of the Body – or pretenders to the Faith.  The Church of God – which is the Body of Christ – is ONE Spiritual Body – by definition it is not broken… It is not divided… It exists in Unity…  But this scenario does not begin to represent God’s separated congregations today where there is no fellowship between them.  We need to ask a serious question:  Is one or the other excluding themselves from the fellowship with Christ?  Paul addressed the disunity:

1Corinthians 1:12-13  Now this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided?

Today, Paul would write: I am of Paul; and I of Jimmy; and I of Ron; and I of Vic; and I of David or Dave; and I of Fred; and I of Rick; and I of Gerald or Gerald.  Thirty-two years after Herbert died, why is no one concerned about God’s most serious warning?

1Corinthians 12:12  As the [human] body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one Body, being many, are one Body: so also is Christ.

How many bodies does the Lord have?  One!!!  Where would He go to Sabbath services if He just dropped in today?  Where is His unity doctrine believed and practiced?  What are they hoping for – a pass – a Mulligan – a do-over?  Fellows, this is our one opportunity!

It is only the Church of God that comprehends that the Scriptures take the concept of the Body of Christ to a higher spiritual dimension.  In fact, the Church of God consists only of the true believers who God the Father has called to be a part of the one “Body of Christ.”

1Corinthians 12:27  You, brethren, are the Body of Christ, and members in particular.

Jesus Christ has only one spiritual Body – the Church of God – the Bride of Christ – the saints – the called out ones who will reign and rule with Him in the Millennium.

If the Church of God fully appreciated these words we would not be in the scattered state we find ourselves today.  Instead we would be growing in perfection unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:15-16  Speaking the truth in love, may we grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Brethren, if we as the Church of God could discern who the members of Christ’s Body are, we would not be dying off as rapidly as we find ourselves today (1Corinthians 11:29-30).