WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.540 This morning we are going to continue a series that we've been doing mainly in the evening 00:00:07.540 --> 00:00:10.679 services about the church. 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:17.160 For the past two Sunday evening services we've been looking at the way in which the New Testament 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:21.219 teaches us about the church by using various different images. 00:00:21.219 --> 00:00:25.460 This week we're swapping things around and we're looking at this service in the morning 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:29.980 and then for the next two weeks we'll return to the evening. 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:31.960 The images that we're looking at are as follows. 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:34.359 First of all we looked at the church as a pillar. 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:36.859 Last week we looked at the church as a farm. 00:00:36.859 --> 00:00:40.880 Today we're going to look at the church as a body and then over the next two weeks we'll 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:46.299 look at the church as a mother and as the church as a bride. 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:50.420 We read from 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and we'll be referring back to that passage several 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:56.159 times during the sermon but I want us to turn initially just now to Colossians chapter 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:02.239 1 and I'm going to read verses 15 to 18. 00:01:02.239 --> 00:01:03.399 This is speaking of Jesus. 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:08.479 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 00:01:08.479 --> 00:01:13.799 For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:17.199 thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. 00:01:17.199 --> 00:01:20.679 All things were created through him and for him. 00:01:20.679 --> 00:01:25.539 And he is before all things and in him all things hold together. 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:29.820 And he is the head of the body, the church. 00:01:29.820 --> 00:01:38.960 He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:43.740 These verses and the passage that we read in 1 Corinthians 12 are two examples of several 00:01:43.740 --> 00:01:49.760 passages in the New Testament that use the image of a body to describe the nature and 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:51.800 functioning of the church. 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:56.879 That's a very powerful image for us but it's also a very simple and accessible one for 00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:57.879 us. 00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:03.079 Paul is saying, if you look at your own body, the way in which it's made up of lots of different 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:09.519 parts, that is teaching you about the church. 00:02:09.519 --> 00:02:13.079 There's a huge amount for us to learn here and it's a subject that in many ways we could 00:02:13.079 --> 00:02:14.359 spend many weeks on. 00:02:14.359 --> 00:02:18.000 We'll only just scratch the surface today but I want us just to focus on two things as we 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:20.519 think about the church as a body. 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:26.120 Number one, we're going to look at the importance of each part and number two, we're going to 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:30.400 look at the unity of the whole. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.800 So first of all, the importance of each part in that body. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:42.840 The passage we read in 1 Corinthians 12 uses the image of the body to highlight the important 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:47.640 contribution that each member makes to the church. 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:52.439 As we said when we were reading the context behind that letter was division and Paul is 00:02:52.439 --> 00:03:00.319 trying to teach them that they are all important and they shouldn't be separating into factions 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:05.239 or groups but rather they need to work together as one. 00:03:05.239 --> 00:03:09.879 In thinking about that I want to just highlight four things very briefly. 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.799 Number one, individuality. 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:20.200 So one of the great truths emphasized by the body imagery is that as individual members 00:03:20.200 --> 00:03:25.080 of the church we are different. 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:30.400 Now when I'm saying that it's important to emphasize that in terms of what we believe 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:33.720 we are not to be different, we are to be the same. 00:03:33.720 --> 00:03:38.360 There's one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:42.560 What we believe about God, what we believe about morality, what we believe about sin must 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:43.560 all be the same. 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:47.680 We must never, ever turn to a different gospel. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:55.120 But in terms of what you and I contribute to the church we are absolutely meant to be 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.120 different. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:02.120 Each part makes a unique contribution. 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:06.240 And that's a very important thing to remember because there's a couple of dangers that can 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:08.199 arise here. 00:04:08.199 --> 00:04:13.560 First of all, as individuals in the church it's very easy to look around and think to 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:21.039 ourselves I'm not like them so maybe I don't belong. 00:04:21.039 --> 00:04:27.039 We could think I'm not confident, I'm not good looking, I'm not a successful professional, 00:04:27.039 --> 00:04:32.639 I'm not married, I'm not musical, I'm not funny, I'm not cool. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:37.919 All of these things can make us feel intimidated or out of place. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:43.199 And we are being reminded with the imagery of the body that none of these things for 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:49.240 one second, no matter what you feel you're not, none of these things mean that you are 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:54.400 not a crucial, precious and brilliant part of the church. 00:04:54.400 --> 00:05:01.080 Paul uses this body imagery to make it absolutely clear that differences do not diminish our 00:05:01.080 --> 00:05:05.680 status, value or identity as part of Christ's church. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:08.400 We read that, he said if the food should say because I'm not a hand I don't belong to the 00:05:08.400 --> 00:05:13.040 body that would not make it any less part of the body. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:18.720 And it's exactly the same for an ear comparing itself with an eye. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:27.040 In other words, if you are united to Jesus Christ by trusting in him it is theologically 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:36.480 impossible for you to be less a part of the body than anyone else. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:43.200 So here's a list of people that we would say are crucial parts of the church, historically 00:05:43.200 --> 00:05:45.200 and even in contemporary times. 00:05:45.200 --> 00:05:52.520 The Apostle Paul, St. Augustine, John Calvin, Thomas Chammage, John Piper, Tim Keller, and 00:05:52.519 --> 00:06:00.919 the space is for you. 00:06:00.919 --> 00:06:04.799 Individually we must remember that we're meant to be different. 00:06:04.799 --> 00:06:11.079 The second danger is that as a group we can sometimes look at other groups or other people 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:16.359 and think they're not like us so they don't belong. 00:06:16.359 --> 00:06:20.359 And so that's almost like the opposite problem of feeling insecure ourselves. 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:26.879 We can look at others and feel they don't seem to fit with us. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:31.040 And our instinctive reaction can be, well, maybe they don't belong with us, they're too 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:32.520 different. 00:06:32.520 --> 00:06:40.000 Now, unless they believe a different gospel then we have to confess that to think like 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:45.480 that is totally wrong. 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:53.040 We must never, ever think that certain types of people don't belong in church. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.280 It's so easy to have a kind of face doesn't fit mentality. 00:06:56.280 --> 00:06:59.600 It's really easy to think this person is going to give us problems. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.000 I remember that happening to me in a certain context where I was going to be serving. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.240 There was somebody there and somebody had said to me, oh, that person is going to give 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:08.560 you a lot of problems. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:16.120 Do you know that person was just a legend in terms of helping and serving and supporting. 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:22.199 But we can have that mindset that they're not like us. 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:29.439 Of course, that kind of thinking is totally worldly and it's unacceptable. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:32.680 In terms of our individuality, the one thing that we've got in common is that we're all 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:40.759 broken and the biblical truth is that underneath that brokenness lies someone incredibly special, 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:44.319 precious and useful. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:48.600 So we're being reminded important things about individuality. 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:53.519 Second thing that I want to highlight is that the body image of us speaks about capability. 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:56.960 So individuality is number one, capability number two. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:03.000 The whole body figure of speech is very functional language. 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:06.560 Paul emphasised that every part has a use. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:09.319 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:14.959 If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:20.959 This principle that each part has its own capabilities is tied in with the New Testament 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.599 concept of spiritual gifts. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:28.200 You see that mentioned in various places, a good example is Romans 12, again using the 00:08:28.200 --> 00:08:30.720 body imagery. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.960 For as in one body we have many, many members and the members do not have the same function. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:39.840 So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another, having 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:46.360 gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:52.240 This is a great reminder that although no one has every spiritual gift, every single 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:54.840 Christian has some. 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:58.680 That means that whoever you are, no matter how weak or useless you feel, no matter how 00:08:58.680 --> 00:09:03.560 many times you've tried to do stuff and it's not gone very well, no matter how many times 00:09:03.560 --> 00:09:11.320 you feel like you just can't do it, it is a theological fact that you have gifts making 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:16.919 you capable to serve as part of Christ's church. 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:22.080 That means that the stumbling block to you serving is never that you don't have gifts. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:26.000 The stumbling block is that sometimes we don't use them as we should. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:28.800 Hence Paul's command, let us use them. 00:09:28.800 --> 00:09:31.840 Now sometimes that can be because of lack of confidence. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.560 We just struggle to step forward. 00:09:35.560 --> 00:09:37.840 Sometimes it can be because we're too busy. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:44.920 Sometimes very often it's because of bad leadership in the church, not delegating or giving people 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:53.000 opportunities, not giving people opportunities. 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:54.919 We need to remember these things. 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:57.159 We need to think about them. 00:09:57.159 --> 00:10:04.399 It's all an example of why it's important that theology shapes our thinking. 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:07.360 So your feelings might say, I can't. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.719 Your schedule might say, I can't. 00:10:09.719 --> 00:10:14.279 Other people might say, you can't. 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:18.319 Somebody says, you can. 00:10:18.319 --> 00:10:22.279 We have gifts where we can serve. 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:27.439 Thirdly, I want to think about compatibility. 00:10:27.439 --> 00:10:31.879 So we have individuality, capability, compatibility. 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:36.439 This body imagery also appears in Ephesians chapter 4. 00:10:36.439 --> 00:10:39.720 Here Paul highlights that everything works as it fits together. 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:41.879 So Ephesians 4, 15 to 16. 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:46.399 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:51.919 head into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:59.000 which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:01.919 itself up in love. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:04.879 The great reminder, this is a great reminder of the fact that all the different parts of 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:08.279 the body are compatible with one another. 00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:12.600 The key truth has been emphasized is that the differences we have, differences in terms 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:18.639 of personality, giftings, capabilities, they don't make us incompatible. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.720 They actually make us compatible. 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:28.879 It's the differentness of all the people in the church that's key to making it work well. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:32.120 And that makes perfect sense if you just look at your own body. 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:33.879 So by hands can grab stuff. 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:35.000 My nose can smell. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.360 My ears can hear. 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:37.439 My kidneys can clean. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:38.800 My heart can pump. 00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:39.800 My legs can run. 00:11:39.800 --> 00:11:44.680 And it's the differentness of it all that makes it work. 00:11:44.680 --> 00:11:51.080 So in a church like ours, one person maybe has two or three or four particular capabilities. 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:56.440 Together, we have about a thousand when we add it all up. 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.960 And that's brilliant because it means that when you're confronted by something that you 00:11:59.960 --> 00:12:06.120 really struggle to do, whether that's mentoring somebody who's a new Christian or whether it's 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:11.000 dealing with finance and accounting things, whether it's complying with charity regulation, 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:14.960 whether it's learning a new song, whether it's dealing with helping and supporting 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:19.200 children's work, whether it's answering a question that you find difficult, if you can't 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:24.720 do it, there will be someone else in the church who probably can. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:28.240 Often we're finding ourselves in situations where we think, well, I can't do it. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:35.960 The answer in that situation is to go to the church and find a brother or sister who can. 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:47.000 And all of this is a reason why it is so important to look for the best in one another. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:50.360 That's a crucial New Testament emphasis. 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:55.360 Paul says that, do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.920 more significant than yourselves. 00:12:58.920 --> 00:13:05.680 Now, when I read a verse like that, I find it really easy to think, yeah, other people 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:07.559 should think better of me. 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:13.639 Of course, that's the wrong way around, isn't it? 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.079 We should think the best of others. 00:13:17.079 --> 00:13:20.599 So often we focus on people's failings and weaknesses. 00:13:20.599 --> 00:13:24.519 So often people have insecurities that make them do things that we wish they didn't, and 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:31.759 yet we just pounce on that and highlight that and know our way at that. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:35.319 The New Testament imperative is to be the other way around. 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.480 Because if we look at the worst, for the worst in people, we're going to miss a huge 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.520 amount of potential in Christ's church. 00:13:41.520 --> 00:13:46.760 So when you look at others, especially when they disappoint you or frustrate you, always 00:13:46.760 --> 00:13:54.800 ask the question, what is brilliant about this person? 00:13:54.800 --> 00:13:59.560 So the importance of each part, we have individuality, capability, compatibility. 00:13:59.560 --> 00:14:04.160 The last thing is dependence. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:08.240 All of these points regarding the church as a body is emphasizing the fact that we are 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:11.240 dependent on each other. 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.679 Paul makes that brilliantly clear. 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:17.759 He says, the I cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:22.919 Nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:28.279 All this means that there are two key truths that I want you to remember in regard to your 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:30.279 place in the church. 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:38.519 Number one, you are always needed in the church. 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:45.519 Number two, you are always needing the church. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:49.000 Needed and needing. 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:54.679 These are two theological facts that we must never forget. 00:14:54.679 --> 00:15:00.239 And it's a great reminder that Christianity will simultaneously humble you like nothing 00:15:00.239 --> 00:15:09.159 else and yet at the same time show you how incredibly special you are. 00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:16.199 So the picture of the church as a body teaches us about the importance of each part. 00:15:16.199 --> 00:15:22.919 Secondly, it teaches us about the unity of the whole. 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:28.240 So you can look at your body, you can see hands and arm and shoulders and knees and 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:32.279 all these different things, loads and loads and loads of different parts and yet it's 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:36.799 still one united body. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.879 And the church of Jesus Christ is exactly the same. 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:45.719 Although it has many parts, many members, it is a single united body. 00:15:45.719 --> 00:15:50.439 There is only one church. 00:15:50.440 --> 00:15:55.360 And that also has very important implications for us and there's two things I want to highlight 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:57.280 under this heading. 00:15:57.280 --> 00:16:05.440 Number one, the health of a part affects the health of the whole. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.960 The health of the part affects the health of a whole. 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:13.760 Just like in your own body, it only takes one part of your body to be injured or to 00:16:13.760 --> 00:16:16.400 be ill for that to affect the whole body. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:22.279 So a good example of it is sportsman, you think of a footballer with a broken toe, he's 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:28.959 still an injured footballer and the health of that toe is affecting the whole health 00:16:28.959 --> 00:16:31.639 of that player. 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:38.240 Now this means that in the Christian church, the health of a part affects the health of 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.240 the whole. 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:50.720 So that means that when you are casual about your own health, you hurt others. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:57.080 Now, we face a big danger just now in the church because of the age in which we live 00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:03.639 in and the danger is that we can think that the individualism of the culture around us 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:06.200 also applies to the church. 00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:10.480 So in practical terms, that can mean that we can think, well, if I compromise on something 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:16.039 in my spiritual life, it's only going to affect me and sometimes we can almost have a sort 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:22.920 of self-loathing that almost motivates us to do that and we can think, well, it's only 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:29.840 going to hurt me and I deserve it anyway. 00:17:29.840 --> 00:17:35.759 The body imagery used in the New Testament reminds us that that's not true. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:42.000 If I am casual about my own spiritual health, it will not simply affect me, it will affect 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.519 others and it will hurt others. 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:49.400 And the reason for that is because sin is never individualistic. 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:53.200 Now that's a very, very important thing to remember. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:56.599 So yes, sin is selfish. 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:01.359 It's putting ourselves first, it's doing stuff that we want and it's disregarding other 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:02.359 people. 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:10.719 It's selfish, but sin is not individualistic in the sense that sin will not just harm you, 00:18:10.719 --> 00:18:14.639 it will harm other people as well. 00:18:14.639 --> 00:18:17.319 And that's one of the hideous things about sin. 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:22.119 It pulls people in, even when they have done absolutely nothing to deserve it. 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:25.879 And you see examples of that everywhere in our own lives. 00:18:25.879 --> 00:18:30.359 And so we have to think about this, the fact that my spiritual health, if I'm casual about 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:33.279 that, it risks hurting others. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:37.279 So we can think of a few examples about this. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:45.000 And these are things that I've come across in my own experience and maybe even been guilty 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.119 of myself. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:52.240 For example, you may go out of a weekend and have too much to drink. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:57.159 And in that context, somebody else in the church, maybe somebody who's thinking about 00:18:57.160 --> 00:19:00.440 going to church, thinking about the impact of his life, might look at you and think, 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:05.680 well, it's obviously perfectly okay for Christians to get drunk. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:11.040 And your carelessness with your own health has risked their health. 00:19:11.040 --> 00:19:15.200 Another example would be if you're very harsh and aggressive at work, your colleagues might 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:20.160 think, this is a church guy and he's behaving like this, he's horrible. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:23.320 Why would I want to be part of that? 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:29.720 And so your carelessness has hurt the church in that regard. 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:33.720 Maybe it's even just coming to church each week, you might sort of not do it so much. 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:39.960 And the person who really looks for your friendship and welcome every week is left wondering, 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:42.519 why doesn't this person want to be here anymore? 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:45.039 Is it something that I've done? 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:49.679 Same when we gossip, when we're impatient, when we're critical, when we're jealous, we 00:19:49.679 --> 00:19:51.119 hurt other people. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:56.959 So my health affects the health of the whole. 00:19:56.959 --> 00:20:02.839 And I know that I have done things that on the surface probably look like they just affect 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:07.879 me, but yet in reality have hurt other people. 00:20:07.879 --> 00:20:13.919 Now, I feel reluctant saying all that because it's a very kind of, I don't, I'm not saying 00:20:13.919 --> 00:20:17.799 it to be harsh or depressing or to hammer you at all. 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:21.319 I just think that this is one of the key truths been set before us with the body imagery 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:24.559 that we have to remember that sin is not individualistic. 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:31.759 And maybe just by remembering that, it'll give us the strength we need to say no to 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:35.879 temptation when sin is in front of us. 00:20:35.879 --> 00:20:43.159 So it's the case that when you're casual about your own health, you can hurt other people. 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:53.920 Equally, when we misteat others, we actually hurt ourselves at the same time. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:59.600 And so the unity of the church body means that if we are inappropriate to other people, 00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:02.440 we'll actually end up hurting ourselves. 00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:08.440 A very clear example of this is when church discipline is handled badly. 00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:17.000 So sometimes people make mistakes, sometimes people make huge mistakes. 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:22.840 But when that happens, we need to respond in a biblical way. 00:21:22.840 --> 00:21:32.640 Often we can make a mistake of forgetting grace, but we need to work to ensure that 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:39.520 we're comforting people, encouraging people, and bringing them back to a place of repentance 00:21:39.520 --> 00:21:40.880 and restoration. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:48.759 The goal of every act of church discipline is to bring people to restoration. 00:21:48.759 --> 00:22:01.280 Sometimes we risk, when we treat people harshly, we can risk leaving everybody around us looking 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:06.680 at us thinking, why are you so different to Jesus? 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:13.000 And it's just a reminder of the care and protection that we need to show towards one another. 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:20.680 Now I think Paul illustrates this for us in 1 Corinthians 12, and we'll look at these 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.680 verses together. 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:27.039 He says, on the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:30.839 And on the parts of the body that we think less honorable, we show the greater honor. 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:34.839 And the unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which are more presentable 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:36.159 parts do not require. 00:22:36.159 --> 00:22:42.119 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it. 00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:48.279 Now this is a bit of an unusual point that Paul is making, and I'm a little bit nervous 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:52.079 going into these verses, partly because of the kind of language that's been used, and 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:59.279 partly because I hope that I'm not stretching things too far with my interpretation. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:03.759 So in what I'm about to say, this is just a stimulate thought. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:08.440 And you don't necessarily have to agree with me. 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:14.279 But I think that this is where Paul is going. 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:18.119 So Paul talks about unpresentable parts. 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:22.160 So roll up your sleeves and let's think about this. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:28.079 So some parts of your body are used for going to the toilet, yes? 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:34.319 These parts of the body are to do with the most unpleasant parts of body functioning, 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:35.319 yes? 00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.319 Okay? 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.559 And we would agree with that. 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:47.199 So these are the kind of bits to do with the yuck and the mess of life. 00:23:47.199 --> 00:23:54.299 And yet these parts of the body, we treat with extra special care. 00:23:54.299 --> 00:24:01.799 So I don't mind if my arms are exposed, don't mind if my face is exposed, I seriously mind 00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:06.639 if other things are exposed. 00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:13.079 And so the awkward, embarrassing, yucky parts are protected. 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:18.119 In fact, they're given the greatest honor, aren't they? 00:24:18.119 --> 00:24:23.399 Now, the point I think that we can make here, and again, I'm just putting this before you 00:24:23.400 --> 00:24:29.000 to think about, this is not necessarily going to go into my systematic theology if I ever 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.800 write it. 00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:34.240 Not that I'll ever write one, I wouldn't, but the only person who would read it would 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.440 be my mother. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:48.920 So the point is this, if somebody in the church falls into muck spiritually, if they make 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:58.160 a mistake that is awkward, embarrassing, inappropriate, I think we're being told to treat that part 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:06.200 of the body with special care until it is presentable again. 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:11.240 In other words, we are to honor the un-presentable mucky part. 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:14.440 Now, that does not mean glorying in sin. 00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:17.120 That does not mean that we're saying, oh, someone sins, it's great, oh, look, they're 00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:18.680 sin, fantastic, it's wonderful. 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:22.240 I'm not saying that at all. 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:27.480 What I think it's saying is that when we deal with brokenness and sin, when that is recognized 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:32.400 in the person who sinned more than anybody else, when they are repentant and broken because 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:37.920 of the mistake that they've made, we need to look after them in a way that does not 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:48.360 shame them and that doesn't humiliate them, but in a way that cares for them and thus 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:51.159 shows them honor. 00:25:51.159 --> 00:25:58.399 And that's because when a Christian badly mucks up, it's our body that's injured, not 00:25:58.399 --> 00:26:02.119 there, ours. 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:05.479 And that's why the goal of all discipline is restoration. 00:26:05.479 --> 00:26:08.259 That makes perfect sense if you think about your own body. 00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:12.559 If your hand is hurt for whatever reason, whether that was an accident, whether it was 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:17.399 neglected, whether it was something incredibly stupid that you did, whatever reason it is, 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:23.360 if your hand is hurt, are you going to respond to that by being rough with it? 00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:26.920 Are you going to heal a cut by adding a bruise? 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:29.160 Of course not. 00:26:29.160 --> 00:26:31.160 If your hand is hurt, what do you tend to do with it? 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:38.160 You pull it in and you hold it until it's better. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:44.840 And in that process, you try to learn from the mistake that you've made and we work towards 00:26:44.840 --> 00:26:46.880 restoration. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:51.760 And that's why we need to watch how our actions affect our own health and how our actions 00:26:51.760 --> 00:26:53.840 can affect the health of others. 00:26:53.840 --> 00:27:00.840 And this is where we see that what Paul writes, it makes so much sense because in chapter 00:27:00.840 --> 00:27:07.160 three of Colossians, he says, put to death, therefore, what is earthly and new, sexual 00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:12.320 immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry. 00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:15.160 On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:19.440 In these, you once walked when you were living in them, but now you must put them all away, 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:23.040 anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk from your mouth. 00:27:23.040 --> 00:27:27.640 These are all means of hurting each other, aren't they? 00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:33.360 You do all of those things, you're going to hurt yourself or hurt someone else. 00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:39.680 And instead, we are to put on as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:45.759 kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another. 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:51.039 And if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:55.120 you, so you also must forgive. 00:27:55.120 --> 00:28:01.240 And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony and 00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:08.799 let the peace of Christ ruin your hearts to which indeed you are called in one body. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:11.200 And be thankful. 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:16.960 These are truths that we need to write on our hearts because the health of a part affects 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:22.119 the health of a whole. 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:30.039 Finally I want to say that the experience of a part is the experience of the whole. 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:33.799 So yes, the health of a part affects the health of the whole, but the final thing I want to 00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:39.759 just look at is the fact that an experience of a part is the experience of the whole. 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:46.779 The body imagery is telling us that as a united whole, the experience of each part should 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.779 be shared. 00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:56.000 Paul gives us two clear examples of that in 1 Corinthians 12, suffering and rejoicing. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:58.839 If one member suffers, all suffer together. 00:28:58.839 --> 00:29:04.699 If one member is honored, all rejoice together. 00:29:04.699 --> 00:29:11.439 As a united body, the church should share sufferings and should share rejoicings. 00:29:11.439 --> 00:29:17.480 And yet it is often the case that sometimes we don't do either of these. 00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:20.319 Sometimes we struggle to suffer together. 00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:22.639 That can be because we're too proud to show our weaknesses. 00:29:22.639 --> 00:29:24.039 Now I am guilty of that. 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:32.960 I am weak, the last thing I want to do is to tell you all we want to hide our weaknesses. 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:37.079 Or it can be because we're reluctant to involve ourselves in other people's mess and so we 00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:38.200 want to avoid people. 00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:42.579 So when it comes to our sin and failings, we hide it. 00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:47.279 When it comes to other people's sins, we can't stop looking at it and can't get past the 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:48.279 fact that it's there. 00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:53.539 And of course these are the very opposites of the New Testament imperatives. 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:57.559 When it comes to our own sin, we should confess and acknowledge it. 00:29:57.559 --> 00:30:03.799 When it comes to other people's sin, we should forgive it and forget. 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:08.279 Equally, we can be guilty of not rejoicing together. 00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:18.359 So instead of the honoring of one part giving us joy, we can sometimes be jealous, critical, 00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:21.000 even defensive. 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:27.960 And I've been guilty of this myself because you remember kind of early in my ministry, 00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:34.480 and I've been a minister for five years now, and I remember in my first year or two, you 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:40.119 would be working away and your church would be more or less the same size all the time. 00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:48.599 And you'd hear of your colleague whose church is growing and growing and you're like, what's 00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:49.599 wrong with me? 00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:52.839 That's the instinctive reaction. 00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:58.399 Instead of rejoicing, you're resenting, which is bonkers, and yet it's something that we're 00:30:58.399 --> 00:31:00.759 prone to do. 00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:09.159 And the body image, imagery in the New Testament, should prevent us from thinking like that 00:31:09.159 --> 00:31:18.079 because as one united body, blessing, success, and joy for a part is impossible to separate 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:19.639 from the whole. 00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:21.039 It cannot be separated from it. 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:24.519 As Paul says in chapter three, we're called to one body. 00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:27.559 The whole structure is designed around togetherness. 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:33.480 So if the church gets stronger in Charlotte Chapel or Chambers or Cornerstone or Carlyway 00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:38.799 or Kalanish or Castletown or Chile or China, then all of that means that theologically 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:43.279 we are stronger too. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:48.399 And that's brilliant, and that should thrill us. 00:31:48.399 --> 00:31:53.519 As a united body, we suffer together and we rejoice together. 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:59.359 There's a final point that arises out of all of this that we need to make. 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.799 I think I just did the classic pre-church thing of doing a final point and then another 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.799 final point. 00:32:03.799 --> 00:32:08.480 But anyway, please, you've been very patient. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:14.200 I want to make this final point because it is actually the most important point of all. 00:32:14.200 --> 00:32:19.559 The emphasis of the unity of the whole doesn't simply mean that we're connected to one another. 00:32:19.559 --> 00:32:26.480 It also means that in all of these ways, we are connected to Jesus. 00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:33.839 That's the great point that is made in Colossians chapter one regarding the church body image. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:36.880 The head of that body is Jesus. 00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:39.800 He is the head of the body, the church. 00:32:39.800 --> 00:32:47.360 He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything, he might be preeminent. 00:32:47.360 --> 00:32:51.000 As head, Jesus is Lord of the church. 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:53.360 That means that he's the one in authority. 00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:57.680 He's the firstborn who is in that position of privilege and ownership. 00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:59.560 The church belongs to him. 00:32:59.560 --> 00:33:03.080 We might even say, when we think of Jesus as the head of the church, I think we could 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:10.199 even say in our own kind of modern language, we could say Jesus is the brains of the church. 00:33:10.199 --> 00:33:15.519 He's the intellectual and strategic authority in the church. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:21.720 That's why we must never add our own ideas as to what the church should be like. 00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:27.399 That was one of the key issues lying behind the letter that Paul wrote to the Colossians. 00:33:27.399 --> 00:33:29.119 You'll see as you read through it. 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:32.199 Paul says, don't listen to these people who are saying, don't eat. 00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:33.200 Don't do this. 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:34.200 Don't do that. 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:36.960 They were bringing their own ideas to the church. 00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:40.200 Paul is saying, no, Jesus is the head. 00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:41.680 He is the one in authority. 00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:43.799 He is the brains behind the church. 00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:48.160 Our job is to listen to what he has said in his word. 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:50.480 Jesus is Lord of the church. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:55.680 As head, Jesus is also the life of the church. 00:33:55.680 --> 00:34:01.480 If you look at your body, I hope that none of us experiences, but you can live without 00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:08.320 your foot, live without your leg, but you can't live without your head. 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:13.840 Our body is totally dependent on our head for life in exactly the same way. 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:19.039 The life of the church is utterly dependent on its connection to Jesus. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:20.039 He's the beginning. 00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:21.240 He's the life giver. 00:34:21.240 --> 00:34:24.079 He's the one who nourishes and energizes the church. 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:28.840 He is the one on whom we completely depend for life. 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:35.440 Even we can think that a church is dead if it's not doing activities, if it's not engaged 00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:39.840 with culture, if the singing is poor, if the decor is old. 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:43.120 These things are important, but they are not what makes a church dead. 00:34:43.120 --> 00:34:51.680 What makes a church dead is if it loses its connection to Jesus. 00:34:51.679 --> 00:35:00.319 And this union that we have with Jesus as our head means that just as we share our experience 00:35:00.319 --> 00:35:06.519 as one body, that experience I think is shared with Jesus. 00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:15.000 So when we talk about sharing joy and sharing suffering, yes, we do that with each other, 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:21.719 but I think the New Testament leads us as far to say that we share that with Jesus. 00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:24.960 So here's a question for you all to chew over at lunch. 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:28.320 Well, you won't chew over it because I think I'm going to give you the answer, but anyway, 00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:30.159 here's a question. 00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:36.199 Does Jesus suffer after the cross? 00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:39.599 So Jesus died in the cross suffering. 00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:43.119 Does Jesus suffer after the cross? 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:48.119 Any reaction is probably no. 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:52.719 I think the answer is yes. 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:59.599 Paul speaks about this in verse 24, I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake and in my flesh 00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:05.679 I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:07.839 is the church. 00:36:07.839 --> 00:36:12.960 Now that does not mean that Christ's sufferings on the cross were inadequate. 00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:18.760 That's a finished work where Christ carried the full implications of our sin and through 00:36:18.760 --> 00:36:22.199 faith in that work we can all have eternal life. 00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:29.280 That work on the cross is a finished work, but I think Paul is nudging us toward saying 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:37.559 that Christ as head of the church suffers with the church. 00:36:37.559 --> 00:36:43.519 And that's why when Christ confronted Paul before he was converted on the road to Damascus 00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:51.679 when he was breathing out violence towards the church, Jesus said, Saul, Saul, why are 00:36:51.679 --> 00:37:00.159 you persecuting me? 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:08.920 I think the reason for this is because if you think about Christ's saving work, then 00:37:08.920 --> 00:37:11.000 the finishing line is the cross. 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:14.440 Yes, that was where it was completed. 00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:15.839 Everything was done. 00:37:15.839 --> 00:37:22.319 But when you think about God's overall plan of redemption, the finishing line is not 00:37:22.319 --> 00:37:24.199 the cross. 00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:25.799 It's not the resurrection. 00:37:25.799 --> 00:37:28.039 It's not even the ascension. 00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:37.759 The finishing line is when Jesus will be able to present you holy and blameless and above 00:37:37.759 --> 00:37:45.599 reproach before God, as Paul beautifully describes in Colossians chapter one. 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:53.000 That's the goal, the new creation when the whole body is brought together. 00:37:53.000 --> 00:38:01.719 And that truth is brought before us very clearly in an interesting place in the Last Supper. 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:04.920 Jesus took a cup when he'd given thanks. 00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:10.920 He said to them, he gave it to them saying, think of it, all of you, for this is my blood 00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:14.639 of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:15.840 Now that's all straightforward. 00:38:15.840 --> 00:38:20.599 It's instituting the Lord's Supper and we're familiar with that, I think, in many ways. 00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:23.519 Those of us who come to church regularly will be. 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:25.319 Then in verse 2090 says something fascinating. 00:38:25.319 --> 00:38:30.839 I tell you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink 00:38:30.839 --> 00:38:37.159 it new with you in my father's kingdom. 00:38:37.159 --> 00:38:42.480 So right now, Jesus suffers with you. 00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:53.199 In the new creation, he will rejoice with you because for Jesus, the time to celebrate 00:38:53.199 --> 00:39:01.360 will only come when you are home. 00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:06.559 That's because every member of his body is precious. 00:39:06.559 --> 00:39:15.880 Every part makes up a beautiful, united whole and whoever you are, you can be part of that 00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:20.039 body too. 00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:26.639 You put your trust in Jesus, pray to him, ask him to save you, trust him and follow 00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:28.559 him. 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:31.559 That's the call of the gospel. 00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:32.559 Amen. 00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:39.559 Thank you for that, God. 00:39:39.559 --> 00:39:47.679 Dear God, our Father, we thank you for the way in which your word can use something so 00:39:47.679 --> 00:39:56.119 simple like our body to teach us truths that are so profound. 00:39:56.119 --> 00:40:00.799 And we thank you, Lord, that we are part of one body. 00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:03.480 We thank you that we are different. 00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:08.680 We share strengths and we share weaknesses. 00:40:08.680 --> 00:40:19.039 We pray that we would grow both in our sense of dependence on one another and in our desire 00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:22.400 to serve and support one another. 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:29.080 We pray that you would forgive us for all the ways in which we've wronged you and for 00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:32.119 all the ways in which we've wronged each other. 00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:37.679 And we pray that as a congregation and as a church in Scotland and as a church throughout 00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:47.599 the world that we really would live and think as a united body in Jesus. 00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:59.799 Amen.