The Church Is God's Team

WITHIN EVERY HUMAN HEART LIES THE YEARNING TO BE LOVED, AFFIRMED, UNDERSTOOD, AND USEFUL. I BELIEVE THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE IN WHICH TO HAVE THESE DESIRES FULFILLED THAN WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH.

THERE IS NO SAFER PLACE ON EARTH IN WHICH TO USE ONE’S GIFTS, TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAN IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH. ALL SERVE. ALL CONTRIBUTE. ALL GIVE. ALL WORSHIP. ALL ADD VALUE AND PURPOSE. NO ONE IS GREATER. NO ONE IS LESSER. TOGETHER. COLLECTIVE. UNIVERSAL. WE ARE ALL THE SAME BECAUSE WE ALL SERVE THE SAME DISTINCT MISSION OF THE CHURCH: TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST.

THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH, ON THE CHURCH: “THE CHURCH IS CREATED BY GOD. IT IS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. CHRIST JESUS IS ITS LORD AND HEAD. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ITS LIFE AND POWER. IT IS BOTH DIVINE AND HUMAN, HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY, IDEAL AND IMPERFECT. IT IS AN ORGANISM, NOT AN UNCHANGING INSTITUTION… CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH…THE CHURCH IS A FELLOWSHIP OF THE REDEEMED…TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE ON EARTH….”

THE CHURCH WAS INSTITUTED BY JESUS TO CARRY ON HIS WORK. HE COMMISSIONED US TO MAKE DISCIPLES, TO BAPTIZE, TO HEAL, TO EXPEL DEMONS, TO GOVERN AND JUDGE THE ACTIONS AND LIFE OF THE CHURCH.

MANY REFERENCES ARE MADE IN THE BIBLE USING THE WORD “BROTHERS AND SISTERS.” MOSTLY BY THE APOSTLE PAUL, TO HELP US SEE THAT WE ARE FAMILY. EVEN IN GALATIANS 6:10 WE, AS THE CHURCH, ARE REFERRED TO AS “THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”

WE ARE FAMILY. WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. WE ARE ONE AND UNIFIED TOGETHER IN JESUS. THIS IS WHY EPHESIANS 4:4-7 IS SO CRUCIAL TO REMEMBER!

“FOR THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT, JUST AS YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO ONE GLORIOUS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. THERE IS ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS OVER ALL, IN ALL, AND LIVING THROUGH ALL.”

SIMPLY PUT: THE CHURCH IS ONE BECAUSE IT IS CHRIST’S BODY, AND A LIVING BODY MUST BE UNIFIED. WE MUST HUMBLY AND GRACIOUSLY FIND OUR PLACE WHERE WE CAN SERVE, WORSHIP, PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL, MAKE DISCIPLES AND SHINE THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TODAY SAYS THAT AS A CHURCH, WE ARE ONE COMPLETE BODY, BUT WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTS. WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT AND FUNCTION DIFFERENTLY. NOT ONLY ARE WE DIFFERENT, YET ONE, BUT WE BELONG TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS DESPITE EACH OF US HAVING DIFFERENT GIFTS.

IN “ENGLISH” WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE NEED EACH OTHER AND CANNOT FULLY FUNCTION WHEN ONE OR MORE ARE MISSING IN ACTION. WE WERE NOT CREATED TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. EVERY MEMBER IS CAPABLE OF PROFITING FROM WHAT ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE AS A WHOLE.

WE TRULY CAN HAVE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE HAVING SUCH DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR UNITY. IT BRINGS JOY BECAUSE WHEN EVERYONE USES THEIR GIFTS AND WORKS DILIGENTLY WHERE THEY ARE CALLED, THEN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IS ADVANCED IN ITS MISSION TO PRESENT JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD.

THE CHURCH, IN HER FINEST HOUR, IS “GOD’S TEAM.” WHEN WE EACH FIND OUR “AREA” TO SERVE AND THEN PUT OUR HEART AND GIFTS INTO WORKING THOSE AREAS, THEN THE CHURCH BECOMES HEALTHY, STRONG, VIBRANT AND FRUITFUL.

WHEN WE DEVELOP THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH AS GOD’S TEAM, WE CAN NO LONGER WRITE-OFF OR DIMINISH OUR ABILITIES, EFFORTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEAM. ONCE WE REALIZE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM, WE ARE SET FREE TO SERVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE.

THAT MEANS, WE NO LONGER HAVE AN EXCUSE TO SULK, WALK OFF AND REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE. WHEN THE CHURCH IS SEEN AS GOD’S TEAM, WE HAVE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR QUITTING, COMPLAINING OR WITHDRAWING OUR SUPPORT. IF WE ARE TRULY SERVING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, HONESTLY….WHO WOULD WANT TO QUIT OR GIVE UP?

THAT IS WHY PAUL SAID IN VERSES 9-10, THAT WE SHOULD “LET LOVE BE GENUINE…BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE.” PAUL IS SAYING THAT IF WE ARE TRULY WORKING TOGETHER AS “GOD’S TEAM” THEN NO MATTER WHAT IT IS WE ARE DOING….WHO IS DOING IT…COLLECTIVELY, WE ARE ALL GLORIFYING GOD, EXEMPLIFYING JESUS, AND BEARING FRUIT.

THE LOVE EXPRESSED HERE IS AGAPE WHICH IS THE SELF-SACRIFICING, LOVING ON PURPOSE, KIND OF LOVE THAT SEEKS OUT AND CARES FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS.

WHEN LOVE IS GIVING AND SACRIFICIAL, ALL MEMBERS OF THE TEAM BECOME MORE MOTIVATED, PASSIONATE, COMMITTED AND UPLIFTED TO SERVE AND REACH THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL. LOVE EMPOWERS. LOVE MOTIVATES. LOVE BEARS FRUIT!

THIS IS WHY WE REMAIN DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER! DEVOTION IS WHAT KEEPS EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE AND ON THE TEAM! WHEN WE SHOW RESPECT FOR EVERYONE AND HONOR THEIR ABILITIES, THE CHURCH FUNCTIONS EFFECTIVELY AND WILL MAKE THE GREATEST IMPACT UPON THE UNBELIEVING WORLD.