Sunday, September 22, 2013

Members of the Body


1 Corinthians 12:12-27 "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 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? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 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.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.


Drove up north with my son to spend a long weekend with my dad. Whenever I come up to the lake, I love to attend the Sunday Worship service at dad's church and hear Pastor Tracy preach. It is always a blessing to listen and learn from this outstanding servant of the Lord. This week, Pastor Tracy was expounding on "Membership with the church", which was coincidentally an issue that I had just posted about last week. Pastor explained that the church (the body of Christ) is not an institution or an organization, but a living organism. Not like being members of a club, but a body of Believers with Christ as the head, alive and functioning. What does it means? well, there are three phases that happen at the same time in order to work properly as designed, taken from the verses above. 

(1) The body is baptized / "born again" into His resurrection by receiving Him as Savior and Lord - Him in me and me in Him. Don't experience "a little Jesus", but be submerged in Jesus. Drink in , not taste, Christ's life and follow Him. Not affiliated with, but permeated and saturated in the body of Christ. Not visiting or attending, but addicted and serving the ministry of the Lord.

(2) The body is not all one part. God has not placed us as we desire, but by what is His will, so we don't pick and choose. God chooses by His plan. We are here because the Lord has lead us, the universal church, here, then established the local churches to accomplish His will, work and way in this particular time and place - set and establish, while circumstances do not move us ... God does. 

(3) The body is composed - not in inferiority, nor in superiority. Every part of the body is important and necessary, so whatever God gives us to do is important to Jesus, the head of the body.Wisely keep composure because the Greek work for composure means to mix, mingle or weave together,causing several parts to combine into one organic body ... being like Christ (in His likeness), as He helps us to grow, mature and be transformed in unity and diversity, with love and purpose. What we do either brings "fame" or "shame" to His name, so be composed. 

Always remember that God's reign has fell down on us and washed all our sins away by His amazing grace. What is He calling you and I to respond to today?


In Christ, Brian

2 comments:

child of God said...

Hi Brian,
I love this, the church (the body of Christ) is not an institution or an organization, but a living organism. Yes indeed! We are alive, thriving and hopefully growing bigger.

So nice you were able to spend time with your son and dad.

Blessings,
<><

Brian Ray Todd said...

Child of God, The Word of God preached in Sunday Worship is an edifying blessing to the truth that builds up the body of Christ, a living organism called the church of Christ, for His purposes and our contentment and satisfaction in life. The gospel translates literally as "good news", but Jesus Christ is the best news that we could ever get. Blessings to you and thank you for writing.