The Ascension of Our Lord
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
-- Ephesians 1:22-23
Consider what it means to affirm that God has placed Christ "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come." And this same Christ is the head of the church, "which is his body." If Christ is above all that exists and is also the head of the church, what does that mean for how we function as a church?
Consider what it means for decision-making within the church. Our question should not be what action will be least offensive to the majority or even how we avoid controversy. Can you imagine a conversation within the body that has the hand saying, "We dare not do that because the legs and the feet will be offended or might want to leave the body." Of course that happens at times. Sometimes the result is paralysis or even amputation. Yet a decision within the body is healthiest when it is made by the head of the body.
When the leadership of the church is trying to make a decision, the criteria should be what Christ wants. Since Christ also is head of all the other forces in the universe, all the rule, power, authority, and dominion that exists, it is right that the church should also be concerned with what Christ would want in other areas of the world as well. The issue becomes how we discern the wishes of Christ as we make our decisions and take our actions.
This is why Ephesians recorded Paul wanting the church to receive "the spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him." Our first window into that wisdom is the scripture's testimony about the pattern of Jesus' life. We see Jesus use power, for example, but never to protect himself. That was one of the temptations that he faced and rejected (Matthew 4:1-10). The church, his body, when exercising power and influence, should do so for the sake of others. While Jesus did judge the self-righteousness of religious leaders, he was quick to extend the grace and forgiveness of God to others who sinned. The church should have a far stronger reputation for graciousness than for being judgmental. Jesus invited believers to look to the fruits of people's lives and at times found powerful fruit in people who did not share his faith such as the Roman centurion. The church should demonstrate an ability to listen to God speaking to them through people of other faiths.
When a human body rejects the direction of its head, we speak of mental illness or physical malfunctions. That can also happen to Christ's body. As with the human body, the church needs to be encouraged to practice healthy living and seek help when it demonstrates signs of mental illness. What are the practices that could contribute to the health of your church?
-- Ephesians 1:22-23
Consider what it means to affirm that God has placed Christ "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come." And this same Christ is the head of the church, "which is his body." If Christ is above all that exists and is also the head of the church, what does that mean for how we function as a church?
Consider what it means for decision-making within the church. Our question should not be what action will be least offensive to the majority or even how we avoid controversy. Can you imagine a conversation within the body that has the hand saying, "We dare not do that because the legs and the feet will be offended or might want to leave the body." Of course that happens at times. Sometimes the result is paralysis or even amputation. Yet a decision within the body is healthiest when it is made by the head of the body.
When the leadership of the church is trying to make a decision, the criteria should be what Christ wants. Since Christ also is head of all the other forces in the universe, all the rule, power, authority, and dominion that exists, it is right that the church should also be concerned with what Christ would want in other areas of the world as well. The issue becomes how we discern the wishes of Christ as we make our decisions and take our actions.
This is why Ephesians recorded Paul wanting the church to receive "the spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him." Our first window into that wisdom is the scripture's testimony about the pattern of Jesus' life. We see Jesus use power, for example, but never to protect himself. That was one of the temptations that he faced and rejected (Matthew 4:1-10). The church, his body, when exercising power and influence, should do so for the sake of others. While Jesus did judge the self-righteousness of religious leaders, he was quick to extend the grace and forgiveness of God to others who sinned. The church should have a far stronger reputation for graciousness than for being judgmental. Jesus invited believers to look to the fruits of people's lives and at times found powerful fruit in people who did not share his faith such as the Roman centurion. The church should demonstrate an ability to listen to God speaking to them through people of other faiths.
When a human body rejects the direction of its head, we speak of mental illness or physical malfunctions. That can also happen to Christ's body. As with the human body, the church needs to be encouraged to practice healthy living and seek help when it demonstrates signs of mental illness. What are the practices that could contribute to the health of your church?
