#DailyDevotion You Are Part Of A Body To Live In It
Eph. 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
It is a shame that so many people don’t respect their pastor. They read every crock-pot book some charlatan is hawking on his tv show and send a tithe to that guy but they do not spend an hour a week in bible study with their pastor and they give their church the same 2 bucks they’ve been giving since Sunday School. As a result of not sitting at their pastor’s feet, the one whom Jesus has given them as a gift they go about tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Of course pastors have a duty to teach the pure teaching of Christ so that the saints of God are built up so they may recognize when someone is teaching them falsely as well.
But as it is, the Church teaches one doctrine with many articles which point us to Christ. It teaches God’s law so we may repent of our sins and the Gospel of Christ, the free forgiveness of sins we have in Christ so we may be renewed. It proclaims the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit who created us, redeemed us and sanctifies us.
Through the pastor’s instruction and proclamation of Christ we are built up in Christ and strengthened in him. Having received instruction by Christ through the pastor we are to speak that truth in love to one another and to build one another up in love in Christ. We will grow in every way into Christ who is the head of the body of the Church.
The Holy Spirit working through the word and sacraments holds the whole Church together. Each part of the body of Christ is equipped and placed into its proper place in the Church when each of us uses the talents and abilities for the sake of the Church namely in service to our fellow believers. Too often we may perhaps use what God has given us for ourselves, our family and maybe even the community—and we should. However oftentimes we forget about our congregation. How can I use what God has given me to help the people of my congregation. This is your eternal family, the people you are spending all eternity with. When we remember that Church just isn’t an hour on Sunday morning and maybe perhaps a Wednesday evening but rather it is an organism that does a lot of stuff to prepare for those hours everyone is there. We should ask ourselves what we can do to show love to the people Christ has gathered there and then do it. For Christ has called you out of the world to be part of his body. He has served you with his body and blood on the cross and gives it and its benefits to you as the congregation meets. He gives us response to that to serve one another in love.
Precious Christ and Savior, you have sent men to teach us your word, proclaim your salvation and to build us up in love. Grant us faith and your Holy Spirit so we may treasure your gifts and use them in love to build up our fellow Christians. In your name we pray. Amen.