Being Body

Our community, Kleipot, decided to discuss seven invitations to a closer walk with Jesus this year. We spend approximately four weeks on each invitation and completed "Number One" where we looked at the Kingdom of God and making God our first priority. We call the second invitation "Plugged in" and discussed spending time with God, spiritual disciplines and salvation.

Yesterday we started talking about the third invitation - "Re-member". This invitation is about community and to introduce the topic, we looked at the true Church reading Acts 2:42-47.

Two things stood out. Firstly I think we romanticise the Acts 2 church. We were reminded that the Acts 2 church became the Acts 4 church who struggled with pretense and money. They became the Acts 6 church... Galatians who thought they knew it all and did not need grace... Ephesians... read the New Testament. They had the same issues we battle with today! They were as imperfect as we are. They had the same calling we have today. They were Church just like us.

Church... ekklesia... those who were called out. A group of people called to be the Body of Jesus and to spread His Good News, to show His love... yet we get it wrong. We get it wrong in many ways.

The second thing that stood out, is that we - being Church - forgot what we were called for. I think we were called to love? I think we were called to show Jesus to the world. Jesus is not the Lion of Judah who came to wipe the wicked off the face of the earth. Jesus is the Son of God who chose to die in my place, who loved me so much that He gave his life for me... and for the next sinner.

Our job? To live the Good News of Jesus' love. To tell people the Good News of Jesus' love.

We closed our service by listening to a song of Casting Crowns, I include the lyrics in this post:

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

CHORUS

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

CHORUS

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

Chorus (2x)

If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
Jesus is the way

Today is Monday, the second day of the week. My challenge this week? To be part of this Body of Christ. To live the Good News. To love with His love.