“Implications of Being the Body of Christ” (Part Three)

¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

~ Colossians 1:18-20

We’re looking at the implications of being the body of Christ, the church.  On Monday we saw some of the very direct references to how that means we should relate to our Head and Lord.  On Tuesday, it was how we should treat each other in that same body.

The commands related to the body, the church, and its relationship to outsiders are not as specific.  These practical steps in some cases are more by implication or by our inferences.  But they are still important.

1. Outsiders should see us functioning as the body of Christ in unity and in bringing Him glory.

They may not even use the word “glory,” but they can tell by our lives and the church services themselves and even hearing us talk about church that we are centered on obeying and pointing to, uplifting, the name of Jesus.

As we all know, often they have seen the opposite.  A friend who used to live in Brazil told me there was a television program there that started this way (let’s make up the name of the star of the show and call him Jose Smith): “And now (drum roll) that great servant of God, Jose Smith!”!

And apparently they didn’t see the paradox.  The oxymoron.  The ridiculous idea that a drum roll should introduce a great person who is, in all humility, the servant of God!

Though I’m not so sure we should have drum rolls for God either, we clearly should point to Him by the way we treat each other in the church, and by the way we function to both sing to Him and honor Him by our lives as a church.

Everyone has heard the accusations about how Christians cannot get along with each other.  Or they have heard others, including media, play up the illnesses of the body, rather than pointing to the many good, united ministries.

2. Since we are the body of Christ, we should do what He would do if He were here on earth.  He would love the people who are not in the church.

As the great physician, Jesus came to heal the sick and to help the sick spiritually.  One of His statements is so meaningful that way:  “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matt. 9:12).  It is so easy to want the sick, the admitted sinners, totally out of our lives and places.

It is in fact easy to have very little touch with unbelievers, those who are not in the body of Christ.

3. Outsiders should notice we really do love being part of the church.

It is not a duty they see us doing when we go to church, or do what Jesus would do, as best we know how.  It is a high privilege.  And others should note our joy.

Why would I ever be embarrassed that I worship the maker of the universe, sing to the one who hears even our thoughts, and go the extra mile because of His example?

It is the place to be – in the redeemed family of our Lord, in His body, the church.  That enthusiasm will be evident when we talk about Christ or His church.

Our joy will show in service and love toward the people Jesus wants in His church.

We are the church.

The body of Christ.

The pastor must teach and model all of these, and with joy.