Many Parts, One Body of Christ

[hldude]

“Many Parts, One Body of Christ”
Romans 12:4-5 NLT
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In all the years I have been involved with ministry, both paid and voluntary, I continue to long to see God’s church become a body that loves and supports one another. As I was reading this passage one morning this weekend, I cringed at the thought that so many believers struggle with animosity toward one another in the church. The Apostle Paul was very adamant about believers working together to love one another, despite differences.

Friends, we have all been part of hurtful situations in the church at some point or another. It is unfortunate and we all have experienced scars from these instances. I wonder so often if we will take seriously the call to show love to others and work hard together to be a healthy, functioning body of Christ?

Think of all the different scenarios and situations in which different parts work together to make something operate properly. We could think of so many different possibilities. Consider different machines that are put together to operate to make something or make many things. If one part doesn’t work, it affects the whole machine and the outcome. We see the same thing happen with a vehicle that has many parts. If the vehicle has a part that is acting up, you will notice and sooner or later, the car won’t run properly anymore until you fix that bad part.

Friends, we need to put this illustration to work in the body of Christ and seriously think about what we need to do to contribute toward a positive, healthy and encouraging body of believers. There is unfortunately so much division and animosity within the body of Christ and too many of us focused on what we want and not focused on what God desires. We have become so selfish and focused on things that we want to happen. This leads to great hurt, confusion, and emotional scars as it damages relationships.

To see love and healing start and spread in the body of Christ, we need to set the example of love ourselves for others to see. We can’t fix others, but instead need to pray and ask God to help us show others love. Why don’t we focus on praying for God to use us to show others love, despite our differences? The church today desperately needs to show love to one another and work through differences and past hurt. It is very hard to do, but healing needs to take place.

My prayer is that we all strive to do our part to love, forgive and work hard to make the body function as God intended.

 

[Susannah]

Amen! Thank you for putting into words what is in my heart. I have been disappointed and shunned for my beliefs in more than a few churches. I ended up at a gay church, not because I am gay, but because it was all inclusive. There were a lot of misfits like me. This is who Christ reaches out to in the Bible. The poor, the sick, the pariahs of the world. He found me broken and restored me. Now he wants me to find a church and I am afraid of rejection. Even this forum and I had a rocky beginning. But our leader, Jeff, saw some good in me and welcomed me back even though I am controversial and believe it is ok to IMAGINE the Holy Spirit as a woman. She appeared to me in the shower one day. It was probably Mary but it does not matter. I was filled with joy and "the peace that passes all understanding."

The most moving passage in the Bible to me is the one that says love one another so that others know you are my followers. To me he way saying that it will so unusual for so many people to love each other unconditionally that they will be like a shining light. When I stop to chat to the homeless others are watching me. I wear a cross so that they know I am a Christian. Then I invite them to join the conversation. The homeless people that I do this to are shocked but enjoy the attention.

Even those we don't necessarily love we can give some simple attention to in the name of Christ. Someone asked me once how I knew I was a Christian. I tell them it is a long story, but most of all when the Holy Spirit touched me I suddenly loved everyone, even the ones who had abused me. It was so strange to love my enemy. Today the euphoria has ebbed a little and I struggle to love some people, but I always forgive them. But my desire to love people is always there. No restrictions.

"When God gives good sunshine and good rain to an evil farmer, it’s an example of God loving His enemies. God makes no distinction between the evil and the righteous in this instance—He gives good gifts to both of them. There will be a time of judgment in the future, but, until then, God graciously gives good things, even to those who hate Him."

 

[Who Me]

It is a shame that we do not take Philippians 2:3+4 seriously.
Or those verse in Hebrews about meeting together that we might encourage others.

 

[Tessa]

Amen! Thank you for putting into words what is in my heart. I have been disappointed and shunned for my beliefs in more than a few churches. I ended up at a gay church, not because I am gay, but because it was all inclusive. There were a lot of misfits like me. This is who Christ reaches out to in the Bible. The poor, the sick, the pariahs of the world. He found me broken and restored me. Now he wants me to find a church and I am afraid of rejection. Even this forum and I had a rocky beginning. But our leader, Jeff, saw some good in me and welcomed me back even though I am controversial and believe it is ok to IMAGINE the Holy Spirit as a woman. She appeared to me in the shower one day. It was probably Mary but it does not matter. I was filled with joy and "the peace that passes all understanding."

The most moving passage in the Bible to me is the one that says love one another so that others know you are my followers. To me he way saying that it will so unusual for so many people to love each other unconditionally that they will be like a shining light. When I stop to chat to the homeless others are watching me. I wear a cross so that they know I am a Christian. Then I invite them to join the conversation. The homeless people that I do this to are shocked but enjoy the attention.

Even those we don't necessarily love we can give some simple attention to in the name of Christ. Someone asked me once how I knew I was a Christian. I tell them it is a long story, but most of all when the Holy Spirit touched me I suddenly loved everyone, even the ones who had abused me. It was so strange to love my enemy. Today the euphoria has ebbed a little and I struggle to love some people, but I always forgive them. But my desire to love people is always there. No restrictions.

"When God gives good sunshine and good rain to an evil farmer, it’s an example of God loving His enemies. God makes no distinction between the evil and the righteous in this instance—He gives good gifts to both of them. There will be a time of judgment in the future, but, until then, God graciously gives good things, even to those who hate Him."

WOnderful message. Praying with you for the same thing.

 

[Tessa]

It is a shame that we do not take Philippians 2:3+4 seriously.
Or those verse in Hebrews about meeting together that we might encourage others.

Love those verses.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

God people are Gods nature and attributes divided. The holy spirit gives us a nature like God and Jesus the spirit is the same. This is how we know the spirit exists. Christianity and reformed Judaism are perfect faiths. They really make us in Gods image, its understandable that the devil hates Christians and reformed Jews. They are perfectly like God, and not just superficially like everyone else.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

“Many Parts, One Body of Christ”
Romans 12:4-5 NLT
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In all the years I have been involved with ministry, both paid and voluntary, I continue to long to see God’s church become a body that loves and supports one another. As I was reading this passage one morning this weekend, I cringed at the thought that so many believers struggle with animosity toward one another in the church. The Apostle Paul was very adamant about believers working together to love one another, despite differences.

Friends, we have all been part of hurtful situations in the church at some point or another. It is unfortunate and we all have experienced scars from these instances. I wonder so often if we will take seriously the call to show love to others and work hard together to be a healthy, functioning body of Christ?

Think of all the different scenarios and situations in which different parts work together to make something operate properly. We could think of so many different possibilities. Consider different machines that are put together to operate to make something or make many things. If one part doesn’t work, it affects the whole machine and the outcome. We see the same thing happen with a vehicle that has many parts. If the vehicle has a part that is acting up, you will notice and sooner or later, the car won’t run properly anymore until you fix that bad part.

Friends, we need to put this illustration to work in the body of Christ and seriously think about what we need to do to contribute toward a positive, healthy and encouraging body of believers. There is unfortunately so much division and animosity within the body of Christ and too many of us focused on what we want and not focused on what God desires. We have become so selfish and focused on things that we want to happen. This leads to great hurt, confusion, and emotional scars as it damages relationships.

To see love and healing start and spread in the body of Christ, we need to set the example of love ourselves for others to see. We can’t fix others, but instead need to pray and ask God to help us show others love. Why don’t we focus on praying for God to use us to show others love, despite our differences? The church today desperately needs to show love to one another and work through differences and past hurt. It is very hard to do, but healing needs to take place.

My prayer is that we all strive to do our part to love, forgive and work hard to make the body function as God intended.

This won't happen until the church starts meeting in smaller numbers and lets everybody participate.