God’s Word describes the ‘Church’ in many different ways:
- A Bride
- A Body
- A Family
- A Gathering of Believers
- A Place of Healing
I really like the illustration of ‘the body’ in describing the church because even the simplest among us can relate and understand what we ought to do as members of a church by understanding that it is like our human bodies. And the illustration is SO simple it needs no explanation. So I’ll just give it to you straight from God’s Word. But I’ll cheat a little and present it from, “The Message.”
3I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
6-8If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Romans 12:3–8
So every member of God’s family is important! Everyone is a 10 in some area! And we are commanded (not suggested) to bring our particular gift(s) to the table in order to serve one another. AND…
To give it our best effort as unto the Lord!
So, no more excuses!
- ‘I’m waiting for the right church’
- ‘I didn’t like the sermon this week’
- ‘There are some things I don’t agree with in this denomination.’
- ‘I’m tired of doing all the work!’
- ‘No one else seems to care.’
- ‘I’m not sure what my gifts are.’
SERVE!
And when you do…’Serve Well!’
AND, don’t forget to join us for…
The most anticipated series in a long, long time at Southbrok Church begins THIS weekend! I wanted to give everyone one more EASY way to get everyone you know to one of our campuses for this life changing experience. Here’s how you can…
* Use the E-vite tool from the Southbrook website! Details below.
The ‘E-Vites’ are back up on the website for an easy way to invite your friends to the opening of our, “United Series” this weekend. Click here for a Weddington e-vite and here for a Monroe e-vite. You can send as many of these as you want. Why not send them to all your Facebook friends who live near one of our campuses? There’s no better way for them to spend the weekend then hearing about the life changing love of Christ at Southbrook Church!
See you there!