Tag Archives: Body of Christ

Now In Christ

23 Aug

Heaven

(11) Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; (12) that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ.

The first verse of or our text takes me back to my roots. Not to the day of being reborn, but to the days of my childhood. I was living in a small desert town in southern California; no running water, no indoor plumbing, jack rabbits for dinner, popcorn for breakfast. I was a nobody headed for nowhere . . . But God! God saw this skinny little towheaded kid, with a tender heart, and He made a place for me in His Kingdom.

In the days of the Old Testament, only the Jews were God’s Chosen People. He led them and provided shelter and food for them in the most desperate of times. But with the Birth of Christ and the gospel of promise came the understanding of the Great Mystery (1 Corinthians 2:7). No longer was salvation earned through a birthright (those of circumcision of the hands), it was freely given to all who would believe on Jesus and accept Him as the Son of God, our Savior (1 Corinthians 1:24-25) (circumcision of the heart and spirit).

No longer would salvation and eternal life be given to the mechanics of birth, circumcision and living the religious life passed down from Jewish father to Jewish son. Now there had to be more than the yearly “required” trips, bloody animal sacrifices and the “holy” rituals. Now there had to be spiritual covenants, promises of faith, humility and hope in the gospel, brought to draw an entire world to the saving grace of God. Now those without hope can receive the promise of eternal life and continued relationship with God.

Today we can all be Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Whether born in Israel or in the back alley of a dead end street in the worse part of town; we all have the opportunity to become part of the Body of Christ. We are all born to a mighty and loving God that wishes that all would receive His Word, brought through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, and freely given to all who would ask. Eternal life in a mansion with streets paved in gold. Everyone. Even that skinny little towheaded kid, raised in poverty, with no hope for tomorrow, one day to become a pastor and bring the love of Christ to a hurting people. Even you!

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29 (KJV)

** A Journey Through Ephesians: Chapter 2 – Part 6:

By Linda J. Humes

2-1-2015

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The Fullness of Him

4 Aug

Circle of Prayer

“and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”  Ephesians 1:22-23 (ASV)

Many years ago I worked for a large church in Phoenix.  Christmas was a bustling time as we pulled together our huge Christmas event – not the play or the kids dance event – it was an event called “Drive-By Blessings.”  For weeks we pulled together bags of nuts, candy, toys, a tract and a piece of fruit to hand out in the worse parts of Phoenix.  On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we took trucks and vans into the most impoverished and dangerous streets to hand out Blessings to the kids and clothing and food to the adults.  I treasure the memories of those years.

We left at 6 am to group together and didn’t get back home until 6 pm.  There wasn’t a traditional Christmas meal waiting for us, no aroma of a cooking turkey, and no fragrance of a pumpkin pie; but there was a most warm and fulfilling feeling deep in our souls as we talked about those we encountered and how their frowns and frustrations turned to smiles with our simple Blessing.

As we drove into these Phoenix neighborhoods, we became the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing a little bit of hope and happiness into a dark world.  We became the only Jesus many of those people will ever know.

In our scripture reference, God has put “all things” in subjection to Jesus, His Son.  All Things!  Subjection means that others must be submissive and under the authority.  All good and all evil were in subjection to Jesus; all living things and all death.  All angels and all demons were under subjection to Jesus; even Satan himself was placed in subjection to the instructions and authority of Jesus.  All things are under the feet of Jesus (Psalms 8:6).

God also made Jesus the head over the church, which is the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).  The church which is the hands and feet of Jesus (Proverbs 31:20).  The church which is the unified body of believers who will one day become the Bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9).  Jesus sends the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16) and cleansing of Baptism (Acts 1:5).  And as He stands in this place of authority, He takes the time to kneel in intercession for all of the needs we lay before him in prayer (Romans 8:34, John 17:9).

We, the believers, become His body.  We become His fullness on earth, which is the satisfaction of our deepest needs, which is the fulfillment of His deepest needs.  We become His hands and feet to a hurting and dark world.  We become the spoken word to a desperate person at a critical moment.  We listen carefully for His guidance and recognize our duties and call, stepping forward to fulfill that life changing moment.

 “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ’s compassion to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”   ― Teresa of ‘Avila

My Lord, help us to remember that although You can move mountains and change a person’s condition in a heartbeat, that you prefer to work through the Believers, to continue that precious relationship You place within the Body of the Church.  We can receive the supernatural healing while all alone in a hospital room, but oh the joy of knowing that there are people standing in prayer and encouraging us to go forward to a stronger and greater call for Christ.

*A Journey through Ephesians – Chapter 1, Part 13

Written by Linda J. Humes

10-25-2014

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