Take, eat; this is My body… Christ in you, the hope of glory… Now you are the body of Christ. (Mark 14:22, Colossians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 12:27)
Because He Gets To
So often we hear Christians ask, “What is Jesus going to do,” in a particular situation and it is a silly question because we know that the work of Christ Jesus is finished. Therefore, a more suitable question for the believer would be, “What am I going to do?”
I purposely lumped together three scripture verses to illustrate that position. For those who believe and have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior, the work that He did on the cross essentially qualifies us to continue the effort He left behind. These works of course are not towards our salvation, but rather a grateful response to God’s unmerited favor towards us.
The reality of it all is that the Christian does not have to do anything; we get to. We don’t have to go to church—we get to, we don’t have to read our Bibles—we get to, and we don’t have to serve—we get to.
We Are His Body
Today, if Jesus wants to cross the road (whether it be in or home town or in the Dominican Republic), He is going to use our feet. If He desires to feed a hungry child, He will make use of our hands. And if He desires to speak a comforting or saving word, He will employ our lips.
Consider John 10:10
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The single word that jumps off the page and smacks me right between the eyes is the word ‘might’. Jesus did not say an *abundant life is guaranteed; but that it is something we might have this side of Heaven. It means that unyielding Christians; i.e., or bodies who refuse to yield to the Head, will not experience an abundant life. Oh, they will get to Heaven, but because they ignore opportunities to function as His body, they will not experience a fulfilled Christian life.
(*By ‘abundant life’ I do not mean wealth and prosperity, but the experience that comes with yielding to God’s will and being obedient to His guidance and word)
Amen, thank you!