The Body Of Christ

READ

Ephesians 4:11-16
1 Corinthians 12:12-31

CONSIDER

When we look at our hands, what do we notice? Fingers, thumb, palm, skin, finger nails… all of these make up our hands as they are inseparably connected, function together, and exist as part of our bodies. But more than that, our hands play an integral part in how we live our lives, care for each other, and accomplish our goals.

In the middle of Ephesians, the apostle Paul writes one long 124-word sentence in the original Greek which comprises the verses of this passage. Though many parts of this portion of Scripture have been examined individually, when we look at it as a whole, we see the emphasis the author makes on the church being the body of Christ and what it means to grow and mature. Spiritual gifting, roles, and unity all flow from the life that we have in Him as the gospel takes on a tangible expression as the people of God. Comparing the church to being a body provides many insights of how we are to continue to live and what we strive for as we follow Jesus together.

Join us on Sunday as we unpack these ideas and challenges of continuing to be His church.

Pastor Jon Nip

PRAY

Gracious God, we thank you for your faithfulness to us. We are grateful for how you continue to bind us together, heal divisions, and restore our relationships, even when it is painful and challenging. Would your Holy Spirit continue give us a picture of how we are your body and how you are the source of life and the center of our church. We ask for a deeper surrender to you and a conviction to exercise all the ways you have shaped and gifted us for your work of ministry. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

DIVING DEEPER