Today we celebrate the baptisms of three children of our congregation. A lot of things are happening in a baptism. Their parents are asking for God's blessing on their children and making promises to provide Christian nurture for them. God is making a statement to the children, that he loves them and wants them to be his for all of time. And baptism is an initiation into the church, the family of God. So I want to look for a moment at just two verses in the first chapter of Ephesians which say some amazing things about the church. And as we talk about these statements, remember, its not talking about some theoretical church. Its talking about us.
Let me read for you Ephesians 1:22-23. You can find them on page 192 of the New Testament section of your pew Bible. The first half is referring to Jesus Christ when it says "him," the second part refers to his church.
"And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."
We are his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
There was a day when Jesus walked this earth as a human being. He looked just like us. He would walk to a village and tell people about God's love. He would touch those who were ill and heal them. He would befriend those who were treated as outcasts by everyone else. And then he would go to another village and do the same things again, over and over. He was physically there. But then they killed him, he does not walk on earth in such a body anymore.
How is he going to touch anyone today, physically? Through us. How is he going to befriend the outcast today? Through us. And, of course, God does sometimes do things in a direct, spiritual way without any human touch. But primarily he works through us, his body. If you pray for something to happen, don't just sit back and wait for him to do something mystical. If you are listening for the answer to his prayer, he may very well show you how you can be the answer, because you are his body.
When we touch someone in love in his name, then it is his touch. When we help someone who is in trouble it is him working through us. We are his body.
One of the fun parts of being a pastor is that people more easily identify you with God's care. I remember very clearly going over to the house of a family one night after I got a phone call that they were in a crisis. The wife told me that just seeing me made her feel so much better. I know it wasn't because of how handsome I looked or the smart things I said. I know what she meant. When I was there, she sensed that Jesus was there. I was there because Jesus loved that family. Because I am his body. And all of us can be Christ in that way. You are his body.
We are the body, and he is the head of the body. And you know what the head does for the body. The head is the brains of the outfit. The head has the eyes and the ears and the nose to know what is going on at a distance. Christ is the one who knows all things, who sees all things. He knows so much more than we do.
The head controls the central nervous system, telling all the other parts of the body how to work together.
Once I was in a group in the Netherlands that needed to raise three thousand dutch guilders quickly. That was about a thousand dollars. There were maybe 100 people in a meeting. The leaders asked us to all pray and ask God if we should contribute, and specifically how much we should contribute. And I think that God guided all 100 people except maybe one, because we messed up a little. We needed 3,000 guilders. The offering added up to 3,003 guilders, three guilders too much.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if churches always worked together with such beautiful coordination? I fear that when God calls us to do a project its more like an unruly kindergarten class, with one kid looking out the window, another one making mischief by pestering someone, another one rearranging his desk, and going off in every direction.
But as we all grow up and learn to listen to him and focus our lives on obedience, he really becomes the head of the church and can guide us to work together as a smooth and effective team.
I am sure he has a plan for the particular team he has brought together here, the particular combination of gifts he assembled. We are his body. If it is going to get done, it will have to be done by his power flowing through us. That's the way he has chosen to do it. He wants to include us in all the blessings.
And how about for the world, those who don't know or realize who Jesus is? How are they going to see some Spirit who doesn't have a body? Well, you are his body. Or, as Jesus said it using a different image, "You are the light of the world." How is the light of the gospel going to shine? Through us. We are the light of the world. We are his body.
How is God going to bless these three dear children we receive into this fellowship today? I pray that he will speak to them directly to their hearts, and I trust that he will. But who will flesh out God's love for them? When they feel God's love inside in their heart, what experience will the have of the love of God to help them recognize his voice? We are his body. That's our job.
Last week in our baptism class I was remembering some of the people who did that for me when I was growing up. Lyle and Evelyn Ritzenthaler, who taught my Sunday School class, probably when I was in fifth or sixth grade. I remember we did a lot of work making a model of the Jerusalem temple. I remember them having us over to their house and playing ping pong in their basement. I remember them setting up wild games at the Sunday School picnic. I remember seeing in them a desire to be faithful servants of God. They put a face on Jesus for me.
I have no idea who did it, but I remember somebody giving all the kids at church little boxes of candy at Christmas time, as a very simple statement of love.
I remember Mr. & Mrs. Rader, a couple who taught my high school Sunday School class. They were pretty unsure of themselves when they started, but as they were working hard to grow to be good teachers, God met them in a very special way. They wondered whether they even had been Christians before, and they shared with us the excitement of what they were going through. They were Christ's body for me. I could see Christ working in them.
I remember Chaplain Welch when I was in college. He worked so hard to get to know every student by name. If he ever had to ask your name twice, he would automatically invite you to his house Sunday evening for ice cream so he could get to know you. They said he went through the school directory and prayed for every one of us. And every time you met him, he would smile at you and just give you all his attention. I could see Christ coming through him. He was Christ's body for me.
Who is Christ's body today? We are the body of Christ. Let's say it together, Who is the body of Christ? We are the body of Christ. AMEN
