The church is the body of Christ; but have you ever thought about what it would be like if the members of our physical bodies behaved like the members of the spiritual body sometimes do?
For example, one day the heart says, “You know, I’m just stuck in a rut. For the last 43 years all I do is beat and beat. Lub, dub... lub, dub... lub, dub... I’m tired of it. It’s time for someone else to step up and do this job. Okay, feet, it’s up to you. You pump the blood.” At about the same time the lungs add their complaint: “We are so under-appreciated around here. I don’t think the other organs realize that they couldn’t do their jobs without us. If we give up doing our job for a few minutes, everyone will finally see how valuable we are to this place. The brain thinks he’s really something. Ha! Let him do without some oxygen for a while and we’ll see how important he is!”
Next, the Liver speaks out: "Why do I get all the dirty work? Do you think it’s fun making bile? I’ve been in this body for 43 years now and do you think anyone has ever asked me to make any decisions, pump any blood, or perform any functions that are noticeable outside the body? Sometimes I wonder why I bother." Finally, the appendix breaks his silence: “Ha! Just watch the rest of those organs work. Day after day, hour after hour, they work themselves do death. I’m just along for the ride. Why contribute when I can just sit here and get the same nutrients and oxygen that they get? Why get involved?"
I’m sure you get the idea. The point is that the individual parts that make up our bodies were created specifically for certain tasks within the body as a whole. The body works as a finely tuned machine when all the parts do what they were uniquely gifted to do. There are no unimportant parts - except the appendix; so don’t be an appendix in your church.
Former Archbishop Michael Ramsay said, “Despite our wicked divisions, there is a unity which is a fact.” We are the body of Christ, warts and all! The fact is that Christ cannot be divided and Christ is not divided, but divisions in the church make us wonder; and as for me - divisions in the church have at times caused me to weep tears of frustration, hurt, and anger; and tears of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. Whereas we divide ourselves, Christ is not divided.
Three years ago in January 2009 I returned from a 9 day prayer retreat in the Judean desert. Praying in Jerusalem, standing in the synagogue at Capernaum, experiencing the gloom of the condemned man’s cell underneath the remains of the house of Caiaphas, and walking down the steps where Jesus carried his cross had a profound impact upon me. I physically stood and walked where he walked; and I want to commit my life to walking, behaving, acting and reacting as he did in partnership with all of you.
Another highlight was worshipping at Succat Hallel – a 24/7 worship venue near the slope of Mount Zion. I worshipped the God and Father of the Lord Jesus along with Christians from many different nations, but most significantly with Arab Israeli Christians, with Palestinian Christians, and with Messianic Jews – Jews who confess that Jesus, Yeshua, is Messiah. We worshipped together and I glimpsed something of the answer to the prayer of Jesus, “[Father] may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23).
Sometimes we’re so aware of tensions within our own church denomination or our local congregation, that thoughts of unity with the wider church seem so far away; but the prayer of Jesus was for every believer in every church to be one in him, without exception. “My prayer is …that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (17:20-21).
And since that is the prayer of Jesus, what are we doing to contribute to his prayer being answered? The Churches together movement is very close to my heart and that’s why I will gladly and willingly serve as your chairman for the next year. I love God, I love Jesus, and I love his church; but the prayer of Jesus is not simply unity for the sake of unity. He prayed for unity for the sake of mission, for the sake of those who will in the future believe in Jesus because of our message (17:20). He prayed, “[Father] may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me” (17:23). It was a prayer for unity, yes, just as Jesus and the Father are one, but it was a prayer for unity as a sign to the rest of the world!
In his first book, "Fellowship of the Ring," J.R.R. Tolkien describes the camaraderie of a diverse group, banded together by a common cause. Called "the fellowship of the ring," their quest is to destroy the power of the Dark Lord lodged in his ring.
Though they differ in nearly every way--racially, physically, temperamentally--they are united in their opposition of the Dark Lord. In a section omitted in the movie, a heated conflict breaks out among the fellowship. Axes are drawn, bows are bent, and harsh words spoken. Disaster nearly strikes the small band; but when peace at last prevails, a wise counsellor observes, "Indeed, in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him."
Today, the Dark Lord of this world still shows his power when there is discord among believers; but I see and experience wonderful signs of hope in the church - and for the church - and across our town.
The camaraderie amongst church leaders in CTB is good. Excitement about the possibility of Street Pastors is growing. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have Street Pastors operational here before Christmas?
Could we worship together at St. Mary’s on Billericay High Street on the morning of the 2012 Christmas market? Could it be a CTB carol service, maybe songs of praise style, a short talk or two, music, drama, puppets, and all morning instead of us being invisible until the afternoon? Might we take up the challenge of doing something different for our community; sacrificing a Sunday morning ‘in church’?
A few years ago I came across a challenging word picture. In the picture, the Church is represented by a wonderful family car. It belongs to a family who live in a lovely town house with a large garage attached, and in the garage the family keeps their very splendid car. Every day the father of the family goes with two of his well-behaved children to inspect the car, cleaning its wheel-rims, waxing the bonnet, inspecting the oil gauge, even polishing the interior upholstery. But such a lovely car, the family is convinced, should never be taken on to the dangerous and dirty road.
For that reason, the car is kept snug and dry in the garage, and the family thinks it best to come and observe it there instead of bringing it out into the open. Each Sunday the whole family packs their sandwiches, goes to the garage and sits together in the car. They eat a meal together and sing lovely and sentimental songs about journeys, roadway dangers and the beauties of the car. Sometimes things get so emotional that the family cries together a little because they are nice people and love their car. They love it so much that once or twice a year the family invite their neighbours to come to a special gathering in the garage. The neighbours especially enjoy all the present giving that accompanies these big annual festivals. The family are very pleasant people, much loved and respected by all their friends and neighbours. But the fact remains of course that the neighbours know that the family is insane. The car has never been out of the garage. It is a great pity, but everyone knows that the family has gone mad.
My beloved friends in Christ, we are the body of Christ; and Christ was at home out in the world, out in the community, in the fields, on the lake, having meals and conversations with ordinary people.
We have a faith that we are called to take out on the roads! Street Pastors is one way. A conversation at the school gate is one way. A drink in the pub or at home with a friend is one way. Getting involved as a volunteer with SMB is one way. Helping at the Billericay Summerfest or the Essex County show at Barleylands is another; but please, let’s be churches that take the car out of the garage. Let’s work together. Let’s help fix our cars together, and let’s be people who so love one another that the Billericay community will see clearly that we are disciples of Jesus. Unity for the sake of the community was the prayer of Jesus, and may it be our prayer, and our active commitment to one another; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen!
