by Ed Young
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:4-5
The church has been called a "body" of believers with Christ at the head. And just like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many parts. But what are these parts? What does this body consist of? Is it the church building, the classrooms, the landscape, and the parking lot? No. The body of Christ consists of much more profound and important parts than physical locations or buildings. The parts of the body of Christ are you and me.
Without each of its parts, a body will not function the way that it is designed. If your nose were missing, your body would not function to its full potential. Without your shoulder, your arm would not be as useful. For the church to function as the vehicle to spread God's message of truth, hope and love, all of the parts of the body must be present.
But there is one more thing necessary for the body to reach its potential. The parts of the body must be functioning - they have to work. If you have ever broken your arm or leg, then you know how useless that broken limb is until it is working again. That is true with the church too. Just showing up for one hour a week to worship corporately is not enough to keep the body healthy and working. God wants each of us to use our gifts for his glory and to use those gifts to serve in the church.
Too many of us, though, put church and service at church on the back burners of our lives. We cram our schedules full of events and activities until there is no longer room for everything. And too often church is what gets pushed aside. But that is not what Christ intended. He wants us to live our lives with the church - to do life with church as a priority. And nothing should take priority over living the life that Christ wants for each of us.
This week, remember that you are a vital part of the body of Christ. Remember that you are needed in order for that body to reach its potential. Use the gifts that you have to help spread God's message. Remember, the church is one thing that Christ was passionate about. It is something that you should be passionate about too.
For more information about this or other subjects, visit the Ed Young Ministries website: www.edyoung.org
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Well said!! By design, we are dynamic social creatures. Finally, Satan has figured out that rather than capturing us with his agenda, it is a better strategy for him to deluge us with so many diversions and calls upon our time that they squeeze out churchanity. God created time that man can spend but he cannot save. We are faced with the dilemma of being in the world but distracted by our responsibilities and interests or withdrawing into irrelevance. The successful church will be the one that can meet the challenge head on to integrate the church into the multifaceted, pluralistic and changing world.
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