BROADCASTS.com

b'

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows, and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:14-16).

Next week, we turn to the gospel of Luke to begin our Advent reflections. Before we leave Ephesians, let\\u2019s consider the image of the body Paul regularly uses to stimulate our imagination regarding the church. There are several things that are worth pondering.

First, the image conveys the intimacy that exists between Christ and those who believe in him. There is nothing here about a distant king ruling and taxing and profiting from his subjects. Rather, Christ, as head of his church, provides all the resources we need for life and faith. He provides all the gifts required for life as a Christian community. Its as if Jesus provides the gifts as they are needed. This body imagery suggests that Jesus provides everything his church needs to grow to maturity in him, looking increasingly like him.

Second, the body imagery suggests that we are joined together. As human bodies function organically as a unit, so does the church. Every organization needs structure, so does a congregation and denomination. These structures can help the church function well. Yet, a community growing up into Christ her head, will function beyond the structure. The assumption is that fellow believers walk with each other, so they do not wait for the structure to tell them when to help each other. Christians share in each others pains and celebrate with each other\\u2019s joys.

Third, each person has the responsibility within the body to fulfill their calling, \\u201cBe completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace\\u201d (4:2-3). Christians move towards each other, not away from each other. We are to exercise the gifts the Spirit has given us for the sake of the church. We must recovery this profound sense of calling which God has placed upon his church, upon each of us, without it, we will diminish and fade.

Fourth, we are to understand every congregation as a place of progression, a community that is growing up. When our children were young, the doctor regularly checked their height and weight. The expectation was that these would increase. If not, there was something a miss. The same is true for the church. We must mature. This happens as each Christian activity participates drawing on the sustenance Christ provides. Christians are attached to Christ by faith; as they grow, they are more closely brought into relation with him and into conformity with his character and his will.

Finally, everything done in the body is done in the context of love. Having stated that Christ\\u2019s laying down his life for us is love, John writes, \\u201cIf anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth\\u201d (1 John 3:17-18). Love demands sacrifice. As a church matures, the level of sacrifice for each other increases. Can you say that about your Christian community?

Once again, it must be noted that the main challenger to love is our own ego. Feelings of inferiority and arrogance, of envy and greed, of prejudice and defensiveness, of intolerance and abuse all originate in the ego. As William Temple noted, pride is always the root of spiritual failure. The solution is God\\u2019s grace, for grace tells us we are loved unconditionally, now and always; there is nothing for us to prove or to clean up. Thus, grace prevents the ego from inflating its own significance. All that matters is the grace of God.

\\xa0Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).