40 Days of Praise - Day 7
Day Seven
“And he is the head of the body, the church.”
Colossians 1:18a
Most of the time, most people think of the church as an organization. Many local churches see themselves that way.
But not Jesus. He did not establish an organization, He created eternal relationships between Himself and each and every believer. Those relationships are often summed up as “the body of Christ” because He is the common connection point for all of them. We all connect to Him and He connects us to one another. And as we will see on Day 9, He connects us to the Father and the Spirit as well.
In today’s verse, Jesus is described as the Head of the body. Our heads direct our bodies in what we need to accomplish. As our head, Jesus does the same thing for us. He directs us in what He wants us to do and He provides enablement so that we can do it.
This is similar to what Jesus taught in John chapter 15, that He is the true vine and we are the branches. The life of the vine flows into the branches so that the branches produce fruit. But bodies do more than branches. The parts of our body work together to accomplish tasks far more complex than bearing fruit.
Both of these metaphors, however, are organic; vines and our bodies are alive. In the body of Christ, the life of Jesus flows in us so that we can have a relationship with Him and so that we can accomplish His purposes in the world. The emphasis here is not on us individually, but us as a community, working together just as our eyes and ears and hands and feet and legs and arms work together.
What all this means to you and me today is that we have a direct and life-giving connection with Jesus. When you trusted Christ for your salvation, you were given new life and connected to — baptized into — the body of Christ. Galatians 2:20 tells us,
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Today’s verse gives a name to that body that we’re all connected into when we believe: the church. That’s the vital hub of our connection with Jesus and with one another.
We are no longer alone. We don’t just depend on our resources. He is not just with us, His life is our life. Our connection to Him is closer than any earthly relationship we have.
Loved with everlasting love,
drawn by grace that love to know,
Spirit sent from Christ above,
Thou dost witness it is so.
O! This full and precious peace
from His presence all divine;
in a love that cannot cease,
I am his and he is mine.
(George Wade Robinson, I am His and He is Mine, public domain)
Pastor Charles M. Butler
“And he is the head of the body, the church.”
Colossians 1:18a
Most of the time, most people think of the church as an organization. Many local churches see themselves that way.
But not Jesus. He did not establish an organization, He created eternal relationships between Himself and each and every believer. Those relationships are often summed up as “the body of Christ” because He is the common connection point for all of them. We all connect to Him and He connects us to one another. And as we will see on Day 9, He connects us to the Father and the Spirit as well.
In today’s verse, Jesus is described as the Head of the body. Our heads direct our bodies in what we need to accomplish. As our head, Jesus does the same thing for us. He directs us in what He wants us to do and He provides enablement so that we can do it.
This is similar to what Jesus taught in John chapter 15, that He is the true vine and we are the branches. The life of the vine flows into the branches so that the branches produce fruit. But bodies do more than branches. The parts of our body work together to accomplish tasks far more complex than bearing fruit.
Both of these metaphors, however, are organic; vines and our bodies are alive. In the body of Christ, the life of Jesus flows in us so that we can have a relationship with Him and so that we can accomplish His purposes in the world. The emphasis here is not on us individually, but us as a community, working together just as our eyes and ears and hands and feet and legs and arms work together.
What all this means to you and me today is that we have a direct and life-giving connection with Jesus. When you trusted Christ for your salvation, you were given new life and connected to — baptized into — the body of Christ. Galatians 2:20 tells us,
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Today’s verse gives a name to that body that we’re all connected into when we believe: the church. That’s the vital hub of our connection with Jesus and with one another.
We are no longer alone. We don’t just depend on our resources. He is not just with us, His life is our life. Our connection to Him is closer than any earthly relationship we have.
Loved with everlasting love,
drawn by grace that love to know,
Spirit sent from Christ above,
Thou dost witness it is so.
O! This full and precious peace
from His presence all divine;
in a love that cannot cease,
I am his and he is mine.
(George Wade Robinson, I am His and He is Mine, public domain)
Pastor Charles M. Butler
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