. . . we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15b-16)
The church is not a building. By our very surroundings today, we should be reminded of that central truth. But the church is not simply people either. A room full of people may just be a crowd. If the room is full of Christian people, it may simply be a Christian crowd, it may not be a church.
The church is certainly not a building, and it is more than people. The church is the Body of Christ. As such, it is a living organism, composed of Christ and His people, organized for His work upon this earth. This image of a living body is one which richly reflects the dynamic of how the church ought to function. It is an image we need to understand if we are to fully appreciate not only how the church ought to function, but also how we are to function in the church.
The title of this sermon is Body Life. This phrase was made popular by Ray Stedman, in a book published 20 years ago. Body Life refers to a way of life made possible by comprehending what it means to be in the Body of Christ. Not everyone sees the implications of the Body of Christ. Not everyone understands the responsibilities which come with being a member of the Body. Many fail to “see” this truth concerning the church, and because of that never live their lives from that perspective.
We are told in 1 Corinthians 11:29 that it is possible to fail to “discern” the Lord's Body. I have always been intrigued by that statement. It is found in a section concerning the Lord's Supper. There Paul is dealing with disharmony in the church as it pertained to celebrating the Lord's Supper. Apparently, some where “doing their own thing” in this community meal and failing to recognize that they were part of a larger fellowship of believers. They were failing to take the time to get right with God and with one another and thus were failing to recognize the Body of Christ. They were failing to live by the principle of the Body of Christ.
As Christians, we have embarked upon a new way of life. To guide us along this path, we have been given certain principles for living. These principles have been illustrated for us in the Scriptures with graphic pictures. For instance, the Cross of Christ is not only a historical event, it is a way of life. On the Cross of Calvary, Jesus laid down His life for us. But we are also called to take up our crosses daily. By this we understand that we are to lay down our lives daily and follow Him. This is a principle for living illustrated in the Cross. The Body of Christ is another picture. The Body of Christ is not merely a reference to the church, it is a graphic illustration of how the church is to work, and therefore how we are to live. It is a principle for living our lives. Consequently, it is of great importance that we understand what the Body of Christ is and what Body Life is all about.
. . . we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. (4:15b)
The Body into which we have been placed has a head. Someone is in charge. Who is it? What if some little green men in a spaceship landed in this auditorium and said, “Take me to your leader,” where would you take them? Well, for many reasons, I hope you wouldn't bring them to me. The true head of the church is not the pastor, nor is it the people. The head of the church is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the one who should be in charge. This is His church. The Body of Christ is Christ's!
And as the head of the Body, He is the source of its life. It is because of Christ that we are in the Body. The Bible says “in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He is the source of our life, and He is the focus of our life. That is why we are told that we are to grow up in all aspects into Him. Christ is the head of the church, the source of its life, and our chief priority in life.
The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ is to be everything for us. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 reads, “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, `Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'“ The focus is Christ! Do you need wisdom? Christ has become your wisdom. Do you need righteousness? Christ has become your righteousness. Do you need sanctification? Christ has become your sanctification. Do you need redemption? Christ has become your redemption. Whatever you need, Christ is it! He is our source. He is our life. He is our focus. And He is the head of the Body.
The practical implication of this headship is that Christ is our Lord. He is the one in charge. The head controls the body, and Christ should control His Church. In bodies where the head is not in charge, we have a physical problem. In churches where Christ is not in charge, we have a spiritual problem. It doesn't matter who or what we have replaced Christ with, whether a person, council, board, committee, or congregation; if the Head of the Church is not in charge, we are out of His will. The Body of Christ is to be led by Christ.
. . . that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part . . . (4:16b)
Christ is the head of the Body, but the Body is composed of many unique parts. Here we see our uniqueness as members of the Body of Christ. The emphasis on every joint and each individual part is something we need to recognize. It is the picture painted of us by the apostle Paul in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. The Body of Christ is there compared to a human body composed of many unique parts. Each part is different, yet each works together with the other parts in a harmony of life. Some parts of the body are more prominent or obvious than others, but all are important. Indeed, some of the less obvious parts are the most important. The heart, for example, is not as obvious as a nose, but you couldn't live without it. In fact, all the parts are needed.
Each member of the Body is unique, but each is a part of the whole. In Romans 12:4-5 we read “for just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Because we are members of the same Body, we must be for one another and work with one another. We read in 1 Corinthians 12:14-21, “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say, `Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, `Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, `I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, `I have no need of you.'“
There is individuality in the Body of Christ, but there should never be a sense of independence in the Body of Christ. God has made us different, not so we could be independent, but so we could work together. So God has given us all different gifts and ministries, a different anointing and experience. He has not done this so that we could elevate our gifts or experiences above another's, but so that we could minister to another's need through those gifts.
. . . from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part . . . (4:16a-b)
Each part of the body has a function to perform. The Body of Christ is not a bunch of loose parts placed in a pile. The Body of Christ is composed of parts that are being fitted and held together. These parts are attached to one another. Just as in our human body where each bone is connected to another bone by a joint, so there are joints which connect members of the Body of Christ. In fact, the Body of Christ is held together by that which every joint supplies. And what is that? The “that” which every joint supplies is ministry. It is “the work of service” referred to in verse 12 of this same chapter. The proper working of each individual part is the ministry which we provide to one another. It is at this point of ministry that we are joined. Ministry is the glue which holds us together, or perhaps more suited to the analogy of the body, the ligaments and muscles which bind us together.
Notice, however, that it is the proper working of all of these unique parts which is essential. Just as in our human body where every part must work in accordance with the direction of the head, so in the Body of Christ each part must work in subjection to Christ. In our human bodies, one leg cannot decide to travel in one direction while another leg travels in the opposite direction. The results are painful to imagine. So, in the Body of Christ, we must work together under the leadership of our Risen Lord. And we must take seriously our responsibility to be faithful in exercising our gifts and ministries. Without them, the Body cannot be held together.
It is at this point that we are back to an emphasis on finding and using our gifts. Each of us have been gifted by the Holy Spirit with at least one gift. We have already seen lists of gifts in Scripture. There are gifts of prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and showing mercy mentioned in Romans 12. There are gifts of the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, helps, and administration mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. Additionally, there are gifted people such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers mentioned in Ephesians 4.
What is your gift? Have you discovered it? Are you using it in the church to touch someone else's need. Remember, a gift is given to flow from God through you to someone's need. It is “that” which holds us together.
. . . causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (4:16c)
There is a common goal in the Body of Christ. The goal is the growth of the body. As we do our individual part, this causes the growth of the body. The Body is responsible for the building up of itself in love as it ministers to each member.
God has chosen for this growth to occur in a life in community. He has chosen to put us together in a spiritual body of believers where we can learn to be like Him. He has given gifted leaders to equip us for ministry. He has called us to attain a unity of the faith. He has called us to become mature, to be like Christ. He has called us to speak the truth in love to one another, and thus grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. He has called us to work together in community to be His Body.
Do you see the Body of Christ? Do you understand the implication of being in the Body? Are you beginning to understand what Body Life is all about? We are a community of God's people who have been brought into a living union with God and with one another. We need one another. We do not have the luxury to act independently of one another. There are no Lone Rangers in the Body.
Watchman Nee said, “Yet just what kind of a man is he who perceives the Body? He is a person who seeks for fellowship, who fears that he himself may be wrong, and who dare not work independently. Such is the person who has discerned the Body.” The Body of Christ is a living organism submitted to Christ as the Head, composed of many individual parts, yet all working together in harmony through an exercise of the gifts given to each one, in order that we might all grow together in love to be more like Christ. That is what Body Life is all about.
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