What Is the Church?Sample

Body of Christ When we talk about the Body of Christ, we don’t mean Christ’s physical body when he was here on earth. Instead, metaphorically, we are the body of Christ, living out the great commission that he gave to his disciples in Matthew 28. This body is a community of believers that is very much connected and alive. We read in Colossians that Jesus is the head of the body—he holds all things together. Through him all things are reconciled; in Jesus there is peace (Colossians 1:15-20). No one can function without a head, and in the same way, the Church can’t function without God. Jesus is the center of all that we do. As the body of Christ, there are many parts that each play a role. No part is greater than another because none can function apart from Christ (1 Corinthians 12). In 1 Peter 4:10a, we see that we are called to be stewards of God’s grace: “as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another.” We have been saved so that we can serve. As a body of believers, we are called to speak the truth in love, growing “in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15-16). We are all a part of something that is bigger than ourselves, and when we work together, we can share God’s love with the world. Yesterday we saw that we are a part of the building of Christ, and because of this we are to honor our bodies (take care of them). We need to care for ourselves so that we can care for others—so the whole body can function together and grow in love. What role can you play/do you already play in your church? What are some of the gifts you see in your friends or family?