As I begin, I want to review from a moment.  We began this series speaking about the origin and foundation of the Church in Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ.  Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church”.  Last week we talked about the church as the Temple of God and each of us are living stones built around the Cornerstone who is Jesus.

Today we’re looking at the church as the body of Christ. We’re going to be talking more particularly about the spiritual gifts that are mentioned here in an upcoming sermon. So, stay tuned for that, but we are focusing today on the work of the body of Christ here on this earth and what Paul says about that, particularly as we use our gifts in the body of Christ.

There’s a story of a church that was severely bombed in World War II. The church has a statue of Christ that was damaged through the bombing in a manner where the hands and feet of Christ were severed from the body of Christ on that statue. Well, the church made an incredible decision. They decided not to replace the hands and feet of Christ. They left the statue as it was, and they put a placard and inscription out by that statue that read, Christ has no hands but your hands. Christ has no feet but your feet.”  Show pic of Christ with no hands here

There have been several versions of this story over time. One person researched and said one is about a church in England that was bombed, as I just mentioned. Another about a cathedral in Germany, another about a village in France, and even one in Africa. But as they began to research it, they also discovered a Catholic Church in San Diego, that had a statue of Christ outside the church. The hands were broken off by vandals. And instead of repairing the hands, the church decided to put up a plaque at the base of that statue as well, “I have no hands but yours.”

It is based on a poem by Saint Teresa of Avila… “Christ has no body now on Earth but yours. No hands but yours, no feet, but yours.” The statue is still there outside the church without hands. But today we’ are talking more specifically about the church as the body of Christ, and how each of us are members of that body together here.

It’s important to note that the head of that statue was not removed. Well, that would be a real problem, right? An irreparable problem – if the head was removed. We couldn’t recognize who it was or what it was, right? The leaders of the church and the scriptures make a significant point here…Christ is the true head of the church. And through him we have our source of life and identity as the people of God.

So first, we would point out here that Paul is teaching us:

First: We must be vitally connected to the Head of the church, Jesus Christ.

The headship of Christ is paramount here. It’s noted specifically in another passage which Paul talks again about the metaphor of the church as the body of Christ. In Ephesians 1:22 and 23 “He has placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

Remember at the outset of this series we emphasized when Jesus at a pivotal point in the gospel, raised the question, “Who do you say I am?” He asked that question to His disciples and Peter, of course, spoke in his great confession…and he said, “you are the Christ, you’re the son of the living God.” And Jesus basically said, Right answer!. But you didn’t get that on your own, Peter…it was revealed to you from the Father. And that was his confession of Jesus as Lord wherein Jesus stated, “Upon this rock, I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” And I capitalize “MY” church there, emphasizing that the church belongs to Christ. It is Christ’ Church.  I remind you again the words of the great hymn, classic hymn of the church – The Church’s One Foundation… The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord…from heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride and with His own blood He bought her and for her life He died.

Those are incredible statements that give great clarity, crystal clarity, to Christ who is the head of the church!  And I know there are a lot of verses in the scripture reading here, but different verses in this chapter speak about the headship of Christ  and the  Holy Spirit making Christ the true head of the church and distributing gifts into the church in a very sovereign way. Here are some examples:

If you look at verse 4, reads, “the Holy Spirit activates the gifts.”

Verse 11 reads, “the Spirit chooses.”

Verse 18 reads, “God has arranged the members in the body.”

And verse 24 reads, “God has combined the members.”

All these verses throughout this chapter clearly indicate that this is God’s work first.  And we receive our instruction then we respond in faithful service to Christ.

But the real danger in the church as we might say today is that “we lose our head” …we rename it to say…we lose the Lordship of Jesus. And when we do that, we lose our sense of identity. We lose our real reason for being. And the result is that we become just another human institution where we might be doing good -but we’re not fulfilling the main purpose we were called to perform as the church. A key part of this is when we are surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus, we’re surrendering our desires and our will to God. And saying, Lord, I am turning control over to you in my life and I want your will to be done in me thoroughly and  completely! And that carries over into the church as well, which we’ll talk about in just a moment.

In history, some theologians and church leaders have made some very probing statements about what happens when Jesus is not long Lord of the church.

When we lose the Lordship of Christ in the church:

We stress the material building more than the living body of Christ.

We become keepers of the aquarium more than fishers of men.

We build a monument of stone rather than exist as a movement.

We become self-serving rather than fulfilling the mission of making disciples.

All those statements have an orientation which is centered on being self-oriented and having no real outward focus. This happens when we lose our Head!

So, this first part of this is that we must be vitally connected to the head of the church, who is Jesus. We must have Jesus as Lord over our lives and over what we are doing. For He indeed is the true head of the church. If we’re not connected with Jesus personally, we really cannot be the church. We may come to church. We may participate in its activities, but we cannot be the church as the body of Jesus if we are not connected to Christ.  It is like a lamp not connected to the power source.  It may look good, but its purpose is lost.

This passage also speaks to us of another vital connection.

Second: We must be vitally connected to the body.

Verses 15 and 16 mentions this very directly, “If the foot would say, ‘because I’m not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. Or if the ear would say because I’m not an ear, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body.”

We could also relate this more directly to our physical body as well. Certainly, this is a metaphor for the church, as the body of Christ. But if we lose an arm or a leg by accident or terrible circumstance, and the neuro connection to that body part is lost that part cannot function separately from the body. It might even be reattached, but if the vital neuro connection is lost, that part is unable to function as intended. The same is true in the world of nature. Jesus spoke a lot in parables and used natural examples for people to understand greater spiritual truths.

In John 15, He talked about the vine and the branches, similar here, He says, “remain in me.” This is John 15:4-6: “Remain in me as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ‘I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers.’”

Some time ago, I received a call from my neighbor. My next-door neighbor said, “apparently you haven’t looked in your driveway.” He said, “a major branch has fallen from your tree and is lying by your driveway in your car.” Well, I immediately got up out of my chair in my living room and I went outside, and I looked and there was this huge branch lying by our driveway. Sure enough, I didn’t even know it happened. Thankfully, this branch missed my car, missed his house, missed our house, missed the fence, and the utility shed where it was on the backside. Thank Jesus how it fell. Doesn’t always happen that way, as we know through storms we pass through. However, the point is that that branch was now severed from the tree, and it had no life in itself.  The vital connection had been lost. And now it can only be cut away and wither…and maybe be used for firewood.

Simply put, we don’t have life in ourselves, it’s only as we’re connected to the body.

Now I would have you think this morning using the body inventory and ask you…this is always kind of a fun thing to do. In my own life I’ve done this.  But ask yourself “What part of the body would you be?” Think about that. I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about that in your own life, but I want you to think about it. What part of the body would you be? Some of you might be thinking I’m an appendix. If you’re thinking that way today, let me encourage you to think differently.  Are you fulfilling some part, some ministry, some role, some function? Even if it’s a small part? In the ministry of the church are you using the gifts and abilities that you have…your resources in some way, in connection with the church? It’s not necessarily all that we do in the walls of the church as well, but also in our neighborhoods.  Here’s the danger: we can be physically present but not vitally connected. We may have a personal relationship with Christ, our head, and may not be vitally connected in the church. We become like the branch that’s severed from the vine, and wither away, not growing or producing fruit. We must be vitally connected to the head which is Christ AND vitally connected to the body here – the body of Christ.

The last thing that I mentioned here, and the third point.  Very similar to the former point.

Third: we must be vitally connected to each other.   Let’s look at

I Corinthians 12:21:22, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you, nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seemed to be weaker are indispensable.”

I’ve often been asked by my children growing up and by adults, and different churches where I’ve served, “Who do you consider to be the greatest member of the church?” Is it those who contribute more financially? Is it those who are very regular in their worship and Sunday school attendance? Small group involvement? Is it those that are more involved in missional service in the world? And then I remember the disciples, who were caught up in wondering who was the greatest disciple dilemma.  It was creating a lot of problems. This mentality was also creating a lot of problems for the church in Corinth. And this is one of the primary reasons Paul wrote this letter. People were giving more attention or importance to certain gifts and abilities than others, causing division in the church because some were favored, and others were ignored or overlooked. Some were desired and others were not desired by their gifts and abilities and talents. And it’s clear from this statement that all members are equally important…even those we might think less important or valuable.

This is like a mother of four who was asked which child she loved the most. And as a good mother, she said, I love all my children the same! But she also insightfully said, “I may give greater attention to the one who is sick or struggling in the moment.”

I love what Paul says here in verse 26, “We weep with those who weep. We rejoice with those who rejoice.” We are demonstrating empathy and sympathy and compassion here as Christ relays that to us. And we are connected to the head, the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we are connected in His body here, and we’re connecting to others.

One great lesson I have learned that has recurred time and time again as a pastor, in the church we are meant to be in community with each other. When we experience category three storms or higher and our neighborhood is torn up and trees are everywhere, we need each other. Right? When we get a phone call that is not good news, and we may only have months to live. We need each other. When our son or daughter is taken by addiction. We need arises in our lives we are trusting and praying and hoping together, and we’re leaning on the everlasting arms of God. And we’re leaning on each other.

I agree with Bill Hybels when he said the local church as the body of Christ is truly the hope of the world. I firmly believe that.

A couple years ago, I was sent a text from a letter written by Desmond Doss. You may know that name. It was written a week before the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Part of Doss’s story is inspired by the movie Hacksaw Ridge, where he saved 75 men one night. Now, I won’t recommend that movie to you because it is very graphic. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s real…expressing realism and heroism in times of war.

Here’s what he wrote in his letter: “I sure will be glad when this war is over, and we can come back home and live Christian lives among Christian associates. One thing the Sabbath school lesson brought out that impressed me is that if these experiences in the army do not make us good Christians, nothing will. If we do not live up to all we know to be right, then we are not Christians. I know that if I do not live up to all that is the light I have and if anything happens to me, I am a lost soul. That is why every hour of every day I endeavor to carry out all that I know to be right. Life is not sure for anyone. So, I try to keep ready for anything that may happen. I believe that if the Lord wills, I will come through this and return home a better Christian. This army experience has made me stand on my own feet for Christ. And I can see why the Lord saw best to separate us for a while. For this has brought me a deeper experience. And I’m so glad that my wife is doing her part for the Lord. She will be better rooted and grounded in the faith by teaching this truth to others. Keep praying for me because I know God answers prayer.”

He did make it back home. And he did bring 75 soldiers off Hacksaw Ridge that night. I think Desmond Doss knew Jesus. And I think he knew Jesus was sacrificed for us as well. Even more, he was the Lord of Desmond Doss that caused him to value life in an even greater manner. He was living that out in very unusual ways. He was seeking to follow Christ. To fulfill his mission by being part of his body here on this earth.

We may not be in a war or active conflict and face such dire times and circumstances.  And I pray we never do. But I do believe Jesus is calling each of us to engage our world. We seek to become His living and active body to perform His will as it is perfectly done in heaven, as we pray it every Sunday, “Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven”.  The only way that can happen is if we are connected to Christ and His Church and one another.

In closing, here are some questions for you to ponder and respond to:

Are you vitally connected to Christ as the Head of the church?

Have you truly surrendered your life to His Lordship?

Is he the chief controller of your life? This is the only way He can become the true head of the church, if He’s first, the Lord of your life.

Are you vitally connected to the church?

Is God using you in some way or activity through the church? Are you using the talents, abilities, skills that you have been given to engage the body of Christ?

This is why we ask every member, every person that becomes a member, “Will you be loyal, supportive of the church by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service?

Are you vitally connected to others?

Are you engaging vital connections here? Are you praying and looking to encourage those around you?

It’s heartwarming for me. I just wanted to say for a moment I am encouraged!! Because I see people here who are reaching out to encourage those around them…Weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice.  And I want to go back to where I started. We are the body of Christ here and now.  Christ has no hands, but yours. No feet, but yours. Let’s simply be the church and continue to be that for the world for which our Savior died.

As we close this time together, I would simply open the altar for any who would like to pray today for any decisions and responses you might want to make in your life. Maybe the vital connection with Christ as Lord. Maybe the connection to the church. Or maybe in connection with others as the Spirit of God might lead you this day.