The Importance of the Body

The body is important.  I am not for the purposes of this blog talking about our bodies that we move around in, and that we seem to be more concerned about for the first two weeks of January.  Instead I am talking about the body that we have as a church - the body of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says, "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether salves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." (NASB)

I was reminded of this text at the beginning of 2016 as we had the privilege at our church of baptizing four people.  They were baptized into the body of Christ.  The passage goes on to talk about the importance of each individual member and how no one member can do it alone.  It is sometimes easy to think that the church has "important" members and "regular" members, but this is not the case.  The Pastor and Deacon's are not more important than the other members, they simply serve a difference function - a function that could not be accomplished without the help of many. 

May I illustrate this using the baptism itself as an example.  As the Pastor, I am the one who gets in the water, speaks and baptizes the candidates.  However, what you may not know is that this was the effort of multiple members.  I was not the one who filled the water and made sure it was warm, that was done by another who was taught by a third.  A fourth set up all of the carpet that was to keep us from slipping.  A fifth and sixth helped by assisting those who were preparing for baptism and making sure they came up in the proper order, kept safe, had changing rooms, etc.  Another assisted by attending the baptism classes with one of the candidates, and two helped by becoming Bible Study leaders to assist in following up after the baptism.  That morning, someone other than me came and turned on the lights, even more people assisted on the praise team to help set  the tone for the baptism and one set the order of service incorporating songs for the baptism, the sermon, and even communion.  The deacons (5 other men) helped to hear the testimonies of the candidates and approve them for membership into our church.  The candidates themselves helped by attending classes and inviting family and friends.  And the whole church functioned as a witness to the event and welcomed the four new members into our fellowship.  

What seems like a simple event - the immersion of four people, is really at its core a family function - the work of multiple members of the body of Christ for the glory of God.  What a privilege we have to work together to accomplish His glorious purpose.

May I challenge you that if you are not a member of a local church that you are missing a great deal as you are choosing not to participate fully with the body that you should be serving?  May I challenge you that if you do not attend church at all and instead think that your salvation is all about you and God that you are missing this truth of the Scriptures?  Or perhaps you are coming and are a member, but are not serving in an area that God has gifted you.  All of these are tragedies that miss the benefit of being a part of the body of Christ! 

Praise the Lord that we are by One Spirit baptized into the body of Christ.   And you will find no fuller expression of this glorious truth than looking at your local church.  The body is important.

PS - thank you to my local body of Christ with whom I get to serve joyfully.  I am privileged to serve our Savior with you.