The Church as a Body
When a person studies biology, or life science, in school, they eventually study anatomy. Anatomy is the study of the functions, systems, structure, and parts of the human body.
For anatomy, a person learns about various systems of the human body. Some of these systems are: the circulatory system (how blood flows), respiratory system (how oxygen flows), digestive system (how food flows), nervous system (how pain and sensation occurs), the skeletal system (how bones function), the muscular system (how muscles function), and the immune system (how the body fights off sickness and disease).
Within these systems, various unique organs and other features accomplish certain tasks. The heart pumps blood and veins carry blood to the body. The diaphragm draws in air and lungs filter that air into the body. Nerves take feedback from the outside world and send that information to the brain. And so on.
Now, within these organs are various tissues, which is the specialized material that makes up the organ. Then within these tissues are microscopic cells which carry out basic functions and which hold vital information for all that the body does.
Consider the human brain itself, which is a muscle that scientists describe as the most complex structure in the entire known universe. It contains approx. 85 billion cells, 86 billion neurons, and over 100 trillion connections. And that’s just one of our many organs.
And what is the purpose of all these systems, organs, tissues, and cells in a body? To support and sustain the existence and actions of a single person.
When Paul describes the church in the NT, he frequently describes it as a body. He does so in Romans (12:4-5), 1 Corinthians (10:17; 12:12-27), and Ephesians (1:22-23; 4:12). If we are going to have an accurate and clear understanding of what the church is so we can cherish, love, and participate in it as God desires, then we should view it as a body.
In viewing it as a body, we should understand two important concepts. First, we should understand that like a body:
The church is a group of closely connected people.
In this preaching series, we have defined the church as “a growing group of people who follow Christ together by faith.” But this group of people is more closely connected than a group of people at a baseball game, music concert, or movie theater. Such crowds are only loosely connected on a surface level by a shared interest in a sports team, musician, or movie. The church, however, is more closely and deeply connected by a shared faith in Jesus Christ.
This shared faith in Christ as our God and Savior fundamentally changes our spiritual identity and DNA so that we actually become members of a growing group of people called the body of Christ. As we’ve learned in previous sermons, this group of people is identified as: people who believe on Christ alone as God and Savior, who have then submitted to baptism by immersion and who then continue to participate in the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis.
The NT tells us that on a full, large-scale perspective, the church (also called body of Christ) is a worldwide group. This worldwide group consists of all genuine believers throughout the entire world (Eph 1:22-23; Heb 12:23). We sometimes call this the universal church.
At the same time, the NT also tells us that the church functions on a smaller, local scale, through individual, independent congregations (churches) (Acts 11:22; 13:1; Rom 16:5; Col 4:15; Rev 2-3). Many NT letters (epistles) were written to such churches. These smaller congregations baptized new believers, observed the Lord’s Supper together, gathered for weekly worship on Sunday, and were cared for by their own pastors and deacons. Sometimes these local churches partnered together for missionary projects.
The key point here is that the church is a group of people who are closely connected in a deep, spiritual way because they have believed on Christ as God and Savior and are following him by faith. In this way, they have all come to share in the same spiritual life that Christ provides and have become – as it were – body parts of one, same body, the body of Christ.
This close connection resembles how all parts of a human body share the same DNA, though they vary widely in form and function. That’s why criminal investigators search a crime scene for hair follicles, skin cells, fingernails, saliva, and more. They can examine these items for DNA to see if the DNA matches the DNA of a person on record. And when a person receives an organ transplant, the new body part will retain the DNA of its donor.
The church is the body of Christ, which means we are a closely connected group of people spiritually. We share the same DNA of faith in Christ and eternal life from God. Scripture describes this close connection and deep unity this way:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4-6)
This close, deep spiritual connection (or shared spiritual DNA) portrays the church as something very different from how we tend to view the church today. Today, in our American Christian culture, we tend to view the church not as a body but as something else. What is a better metaphor for how we view the church today?
To use a sports analogy, we tend to view the church as a sports team fanbase. We share a mutual interest in and appreciation for a particular sports team. So, we follow the scores, buy tickets and attend some of the games, and wear their clothing. We also complain about the team when they lose and find ourselves becoming more or less interested and involved based upon whether or not the team is doing well or not and whether or not we have any other more interesting or important things going on at the time.
To use another analogy, we can also tend to view the church as a shopping club, like Costco or Sam’s Club. We invest a little money in it up front and then show up every week or two. But when we show up, we do so to receive certain benefits, products, and services. In the case of the church, we want to receive spiritual and religious services, of some kind or another. But this is a one-way, consumer-oriented mindset and does not resemble the analogy that the Bible uses of a body.
A body is a far more serious and closely connected kind of group than a sports team fanbase or a shopping club. A church is far more connected than a casual group of observers or people who come to receive spiritual services. It is a group of people who have clearly committed themselves to Christ and to one another.
The church is a group of clearly committed people.
The way a body works is that all of its parts and systems are active and connected. They don’t just show up and do things sometimes, randomly. Its parts don’t just receive benefits from other parts, but each part also contributes support needed to other parts. And every part is governed by the head. Here is how Scripture describes this:
Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:15-16)
Here we see that the head of the church as a body is Jesus Christ. This is why our mission statement as a church, for instance, is “helping people take their next steps in following Christ.” As a church, we exist to learn about Christ, love Christ, obey Christ, worship Christ, serve Christ, and follow Christ. He is our head, and we must do what he says. The church does not exist for people but for Christ.
So, as the body of Christ, a church must follow Christ as its head. But also like a body, a church must also receive vital functions and service from all of its members. Paul describes this as “what every joint supplies” and how “every part does its share.”
This way that every body part does its part for the benefit of the whole is what makes a human body so amazing. The way that eyes take in light, tongues process taste, ears hear sound and help us maintain balance, and so on. And all of these systems, organs, and parts are not only closely connected but clearly committed to the body as a whole. The Bible describes it this way:
There are many members, yet one body. And 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.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. (1 Cor 12:20-22)
Today, churches in general have become imbalanced. It’s common for people to expect the pastors, deacons, and a few specially gifted and committed members to provide the majority of spiritual effort and service that a church requires. Ratios like 10:90 and 20:80 are sometimes cited, as how 10 percent of people in a church tend to do 90 percent of the ministry and gospel work, or 20 percent do 80 percent, etc.
To be fair, this isn’t just true of modern churches today, but it is also true of many churches in the Western world for years and years before us, as churches has often traditionally been portrayed as a building w/ stained-glass windows, led and cared for by a pastor, with a variety of other people who come to worship gatherings on Sunday but who also do not much more than that.
To be sure, not every body part does the same or equal work as every other body part. A heart does more than a little toe does, for example. But as Scripture teaches, every part does something. No part exists on the body only to receive benefits from other parts of the body. To be a healthy body requires every body part to do its part.
The challenge we face today in churches throughout America is that people like to be part of churches which offer all sorts of engaging spiritual experiences and services. But they want to benefit from these experiences without becoming a committed member of that body themselves. To become a member not just a recipient requires personal commitment, obligation, energy, service, and time.
Yet our American way of life and competing values and goals makes this seem like an impossibility or overcommitment. How can we consider adding another serious commitment and volunteer activity to our already busy lifestyles and schedules? This is a very challenging and real question for many of us, one that I take so seriously as a pastor that I do, at times, ask church volunteers to take a break or to reduce the amount of what they are doing.
When one part of a body is not functioning properly, or in some cases not functioning at all, this can have a significant impact on the rest of the body. In the case of Type 1 Diabetes, for instance, the pancreas fails to secrete insulin, which is needed to regulate blood sugar levels. This malfunction can affect multiple other systems, such as the circulatory system, which is responsible for distributing nutrients and removing waste, and can lead to complications like cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure.
Put another way, when any part of the body fails to function properly or at all, then this causes discomfort and pain at best, or may even cause malfunction leading to failure and death over time. A body is designed for all its parts not only to receive service from other parts but to provide service to other parts all at the same time, in a harmony that is beautiful, healthy, productive, and fulfilling.
So, how can knowing that the church is to function as a body help us to cherish the church and to love the church as Christ loves the church?
Be a committed member of the church.
As God sees it, he intends for every follower of Christ to be a committed member (or body part) of a church within the larger body of Christ. We cannot simply be members of the church “at large.” Throughout the NT, we see that Paul spoke to individual churches, and these churches were made up of members, not just attenders. After all, this is how a body works. We know what parts belong to it and which do not.
As followers of Christ, we should grow in our love for, commitment to, and service to the body of Christ. We all have so much to give, so much to offer, so much to contribute in so many special ways, just as the parts of a human body do. If other commitments and engagements in our lives make this difficult, then we must prayerfully explore how we can adjust those things so that we can cherish the church as Christ does.
Your listening ear. Your unique background and experience. Your special, God-given abilities. Your creative ideas. Your material resources. Your energy and enthusiasm. All of these things as they are present in your life in a special and unique, God-given way may be just what a church like Brookdale needs to become even more healthy, more complete, and more effective. It may be exactly what God desires to be part of this body for us to become an even better representation of him!
The health of the church affects the reputation of Christ.
This is important because – in the end – the parts of a body are not supposed to attract attention to themselves. A heart does not exist to get attention, nor does a toe exist to get attention, etc. Said another way, a body does not exist for the toe any more than a body exists for the heart. I say this to point out as Scripture does that the church – any church – does not exist for people or for you. The church – as a body – exists for Christ.
We are to “grow up into him” and to bring glory to him through the church. As different and diverse people with a shared faith in Christ and commitment to God’s Word come together as committed members of the church, each part must be focused on doing their part for the glory of Christ.
This is the problem with so many professional and college sports teams today. Top-tier players (or wannabe top-tier players) conduct themselves in such a way that they receive all the attention. But there was a time when professional and college athletes better understood that true success and glory is found in playing and winning for the team, the owner, the school, and the city.
When you see me, you don’t say – look at his nose, or look at his elbow! If you do say that, then it is very likely that something is wrong with my nose or elbow. As the church, which is Christ’s body, people who hear about, watch, and come into contact with Brookdale Baptist Church shouldn’t say look at those pastors, or look at that children’s program, or look at that music, or look at that building! They should say, “Look at Christ!” And, if that’s how Christ is, then I want to learn more. I want to know what it means to follow him.
As we reflect on the church as the body of Christ, let us embrace our calling to be closely connected and clearly committed members of his body, each contributing our unique gifts to the health and mission of the church. Just as every part of a human body works in harmony to sustain life, we are called to serve one another in love, not for our own glory, but to point the world to Christ, our head.
May we leave here today inspired to cherish the church, to grow in our commitment, and to live out our faith in a way that declares, “Look at Christ!” Let us go forth, united in His Spirit, to bring glory to Him through our shared life as His body, trusting that He will equip and sustain us for His purpose.
If you are interested to learn more about becoming a follower of Christ or becoming a member of this church, please let Pastor Will know. He would be glad to assist you. And if you are a member who would like to do something to be a help and get involved in some ministry to make a difference and meet a need, please let him know as well. May God richly bless you!
Discussion Questions
For anatomy, a person learns about various systems of the human body. Some of these systems are: the circulatory system (how blood flows), respiratory system (how oxygen flows), digestive system (how food flows), nervous system (how pain and sensation occurs), the skeletal system (how bones function), the muscular system (how muscles function), and the immune system (how the body fights off sickness and disease).
Within these systems, various unique organs and other features accomplish certain tasks. The heart pumps blood and veins carry blood to the body. The diaphragm draws in air and lungs filter that air into the body. Nerves take feedback from the outside world and send that information to the brain. And so on.
Now, within these organs are various tissues, which is the specialized material that makes up the organ. Then within these tissues are microscopic cells which carry out basic functions and which hold vital information for all that the body does.
Consider the human brain itself, which is a muscle that scientists describe as the most complex structure in the entire known universe. It contains approx. 85 billion cells, 86 billion neurons, and over 100 trillion connections. And that’s just one of our many organs.
And what is the purpose of all these systems, organs, tissues, and cells in a body? To support and sustain the existence and actions of a single person.
When Paul describes the church in the NT, he frequently describes it as a body. He does so in Romans (12:4-5), 1 Corinthians (10:17; 12:12-27), and Ephesians (1:22-23; 4:12). If we are going to have an accurate and clear understanding of what the church is so we can cherish, love, and participate in it as God desires, then we should view it as a body.
In viewing it as a body, we should understand two important concepts. First, we should understand that like a body:
The church is a group of closely connected people.
In this preaching series, we have defined the church as “a growing group of people who follow Christ together by faith.” But this group of people is more closely connected than a group of people at a baseball game, music concert, or movie theater. Such crowds are only loosely connected on a surface level by a shared interest in a sports team, musician, or movie. The church, however, is more closely and deeply connected by a shared faith in Jesus Christ.
This shared faith in Christ as our God and Savior fundamentally changes our spiritual identity and DNA so that we actually become members of a growing group of people called the body of Christ. As we’ve learned in previous sermons, this group of people is identified as: people who believe on Christ alone as God and Savior, who have then submitted to baptism by immersion and who then continue to participate in the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis.
The NT tells us that on a full, large-scale perspective, the church (also called body of Christ) is a worldwide group. This worldwide group consists of all genuine believers throughout the entire world (Eph 1:22-23; Heb 12:23). We sometimes call this the universal church.
At the same time, the NT also tells us that the church functions on a smaller, local scale, through individual, independent congregations (churches) (Acts 11:22; 13:1; Rom 16:5; Col 4:15; Rev 2-3). Many NT letters (epistles) were written to such churches. These smaller congregations baptized new believers, observed the Lord’s Supper together, gathered for weekly worship on Sunday, and were cared for by their own pastors and deacons. Sometimes these local churches partnered together for missionary projects.
The key point here is that the church is a group of people who are closely connected in a deep, spiritual way because they have believed on Christ as God and Savior and are following him by faith. In this way, they have all come to share in the same spiritual life that Christ provides and have become – as it were – body parts of one, same body, the body of Christ.
This close connection resembles how all parts of a human body share the same DNA, though they vary widely in form and function. That’s why criminal investigators search a crime scene for hair follicles, skin cells, fingernails, saliva, and more. They can examine these items for DNA to see if the DNA matches the DNA of a person on record. And when a person receives an organ transplant, the new body part will retain the DNA of its donor.
The church is the body of Christ, which means we are a closely connected group of people spiritually. We share the same DNA of faith in Christ and eternal life from God. Scripture describes this close connection and deep unity this way:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4-6)
This close, deep spiritual connection (or shared spiritual DNA) portrays the church as something very different from how we tend to view the church today. Today, in our American Christian culture, we tend to view the church not as a body but as something else. What is a better metaphor for how we view the church today?
To use a sports analogy, we tend to view the church as a sports team fanbase. We share a mutual interest in and appreciation for a particular sports team. So, we follow the scores, buy tickets and attend some of the games, and wear their clothing. We also complain about the team when they lose and find ourselves becoming more or less interested and involved based upon whether or not the team is doing well or not and whether or not we have any other more interesting or important things going on at the time.
To use another analogy, we can also tend to view the church as a shopping club, like Costco or Sam’s Club. We invest a little money in it up front and then show up every week or two. But when we show up, we do so to receive certain benefits, products, and services. In the case of the church, we want to receive spiritual and religious services, of some kind or another. But this is a one-way, consumer-oriented mindset and does not resemble the analogy that the Bible uses of a body.
A body is a far more serious and closely connected kind of group than a sports team fanbase or a shopping club. A church is far more connected than a casual group of observers or people who come to receive spiritual services. It is a group of people who have clearly committed themselves to Christ and to one another.
The church is a group of clearly committed people.
The way a body works is that all of its parts and systems are active and connected. They don’t just show up and do things sometimes, randomly. Its parts don’t just receive benefits from other parts, but each part also contributes support needed to other parts. And every part is governed by the head. Here is how Scripture describes this:
Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:15-16)
Here we see that the head of the church as a body is Jesus Christ. This is why our mission statement as a church, for instance, is “helping people take their next steps in following Christ.” As a church, we exist to learn about Christ, love Christ, obey Christ, worship Christ, serve Christ, and follow Christ. He is our head, and we must do what he says. The church does not exist for people but for Christ.
So, as the body of Christ, a church must follow Christ as its head. But also like a body, a church must also receive vital functions and service from all of its members. Paul describes this as “what every joint supplies” and how “every part does its share.”
This way that every body part does its part for the benefit of the whole is what makes a human body so amazing. The way that eyes take in light, tongues process taste, ears hear sound and help us maintain balance, and so on. And all of these systems, organs, and parts are not only closely connected but clearly committed to the body as a whole. The Bible describes it this way:
There are many members, yet one body. And 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.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. (1 Cor 12:20-22)
Today, churches in general have become imbalanced. It’s common for people to expect the pastors, deacons, and a few specially gifted and committed members to provide the majority of spiritual effort and service that a church requires. Ratios like 10:90 and 20:80 are sometimes cited, as how 10 percent of people in a church tend to do 90 percent of the ministry and gospel work, or 20 percent do 80 percent, etc.
To be fair, this isn’t just true of modern churches today, but it is also true of many churches in the Western world for years and years before us, as churches has often traditionally been portrayed as a building w/ stained-glass windows, led and cared for by a pastor, with a variety of other people who come to worship gatherings on Sunday but who also do not much more than that.
To be sure, not every body part does the same or equal work as every other body part. A heart does more than a little toe does, for example. But as Scripture teaches, every part does something. No part exists on the body only to receive benefits from other parts of the body. To be a healthy body requires every body part to do its part.
The challenge we face today in churches throughout America is that people like to be part of churches which offer all sorts of engaging spiritual experiences and services. But they want to benefit from these experiences without becoming a committed member of that body themselves. To become a member not just a recipient requires personal commitment, obligation, energy, service, and time.
Yet our American way of life and competing values and goals makes this seem like an impossibility or overcommitment. How can we consider adding another serious commitment and volunteer activity to our already busy lifestyles and schedules? This is a very challenging and real question for many of us, one that I take so seriously as a pastor that I do, at times, ask church volunteers to take a break or to reduce the amount of what they are doing.
When one part of a body is not functioning properly, or in some cases not functioning at all, this can have a significant impact on the rest of the body. In the case of Type 1 Diabetes, for instance, the pancreas fails to secrete insulin, which is needed to regulate blood sugar levels. This malfunction can affect multiple other systems, such as the circulatory system, which is responsible for distributing nutrients and removing waste, and can lead to complications like cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure.
Put another way, when any part of the body fails to function properly or at all, then this causes discomfort and pain at best, or may even cause malfunction leading to failure and death over time. A body is designed for all its parts not only to receive service from other parts but to provide service to other parts all at the same time, in a harmony that is beautiful, healthy, productive, and fulfilling.
So, how can knowing that the church is to function as a body help us to cherish the church and to love the church as Christ loves the church?
Be a committed member of the church.
As God sees it, he intends for every follower of Christ to be a committed member (or body part) of a church within the larger body of Christ. We cannot simply be members of the church “at large.” Throughout the NT, we see that Paul spoke to individual churches, and these churches were made up of members, not just attenders. After all, this is how a body works. We know what parts belong to it and which do not.
As followers of Christ, we should grow in our love for, commitment to, and service to the body of Christ. We all have so much to give, so much to offer, so much to contribute in so many special ways, just as the parts of a human body do. If other commitments and engagements in our lives make this difficult, then we must prayerfully explore how we can adjust those things so that we can cherish the church as Christ does.
Your listening ear. Your unique background and experience. Your special, God-given abilities. Your creative ideas. Your material resources. Your energy and enthusiasm. All of these things as they are present in your life in a special and unique, God-given way may be just what a church like Brookdale needs to become even more healthy, more complete, and more effective. It may be exactly what God desires to be part of this body for us to become an even better representation of him!
The health of the church affects the reputation of Christ.
This is important because – in the end – the parts of a body are not supposed to attract attention to themselves. A heart does not exist to get attention, nor does a toe exist to get attention, etc. Said another way, a body does not exist for the toe any more than a body exists for the heart. I say this to point out as Scripture does that the church – any church – does not exist for people or for you. The church – as a body – exists for Christ.
We are to “grow up into him” and to bring glory to him through the church. As different and diverse people with a shared faith in Christ and commitment to God’s Word come together as committed members of the church, each part must be focused on doing their part for the glory of Christ.
This is the problem with so many professional and college sports teams today. Top-tier players (or wannabe top-tier players) conduct themselves in such a way that they receive all the attention. But there was a time when professional and college athletes better understood that true success and glory is found in playing and winning for the team, the owner, the school, and the city.
When you see me, you don’t say – look at his nose, or look at his elbow! If you do say that, then it is very likely that something is wrong with my nose or elbow. As the church, which is Christ’s body, people who hear about, watch, and come into contact with Brookdale Baptist Church shouldn’t say look at those pastors, or look at that children’s program, or look at that music, or look at that building! They should say, “Look at Christ!” And, if that’s how Christ is, then I want to learn more. I want to know what it means to follow him.
As we reflect on the church as the body of Christ, let us embrace our calling to be closely connected and clearly committed members of his body, each contributing our unique gifts to the health and mission of the church. Just as every part of a human body works in harmony to sustain life, we are called to serve one another in love, not for our own glory, but to point the world to Christ, our head.
May we leave here today inspired to cherish the church, to grow in our commitment, and to live out our faith in a way that declares, “Look at Christ!” Let us go forth, united in His Spirit, to bring glory to Him through our shared life as His body, trusting that He will equip and sustain us for His purpose.
If you are interested to learn more about becoming a follower of Christ or becoming a member of this church, please let Pastor Will know. He would be glad to assist you. And if you are a member who would like to do something to be a help and get involved in some ministry to make a difference and meet a need, please let him know as well. May God richly bless you!
Discussion Questions
- Other than the pastors, what are some ways that parts of the body of a church support and sustain the existence and actions of the church?
- How can a sense of belonging to a church generate godly joy, confidence, and peace in believers? Is the church unique in this way?
- Describe the shared spiritual “DNA” that connects the body of Christ together. How significant is it and why is it so significant?
- How is the connection between a church body different from that of a club or group of fans?
- In what ways should we live out the deeper connection between the members of the church body?
- How does Ephesians 4:15 help us understand the purpose of the church?
- Based on the connection between the members and the purpose of the church, how should we act toward our church family?
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