1 Thess. 5:14, 1 Cor. 12:14-27, Body Life (1)

A local church is the place where the Body of Christ has the best opportunity to BE the Body of Christ.  It is really easy to practice faith, hope and love with believers in far off lands, people you will never see or suffer with personally.  You can send them money, promise to pray for them and write them helpful letters (this was done in NT times so there is nothing wrong with that; be sure and do it).  But what is difficult is persevering with people whose sufferings you hear about every Lord’s Day (and possibly in between).  What is hard is reconciling with someone so you can worship at the Lord’s Table together.  What is uncomfortable is leaving your home and going to someone else’s home or the hospital or the county lock-up so you can pray with them in person.  What can be fearful is engaging in these things when you are not certain what you should do or say; you step out just asking the Lord to lead you.

Now we say this is hard and uncomfortable and so forth; that is because that is what we hear from time to time.  But the fact is it is the most rewarding and exciting aspect of the Christian life.  Humbly and gently stepping into someone’s life, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, is body life; it is being Christ to someone.  Sadly I know too many people who have walked away from the local church because of some problem or disagreement or offense.  They would still say they are in the Body of Christ international and eternal but are opting to stay home from the local Body. 

I generally don’t get personal in this blog but I was filled with joy the other day to hear one of my sons who is an elder in his church say he was trying to add staff to and re-organize his business so he could be more involved in eldering, by which he meant spend time with the people of his church.

All we have said to this point is backed up by both the description of the body in 1 Cor. 12 and the four commands in 1 Thess. 5:14.  It is interesting that when Paul says we exhort you he speaks in the normal “indicative” mood; he is saying that what follows is simply the normal way it should be among you.  But then the intensity is placed in the commands: warn, comfort, uphold and be patient with.  He is calling for a strong ministry to take place among the believers.  And he is calling for it to be the normal life of the body. 

Besides v14 we can also say that v15-22 is a continuation of this emphasis on body life.  But for the next few days we are going to dwell on these four commands and allow the Lord, in His word, to give us some direction in fulfilling what is called for.  Again, don’t look for obedience to come down to following a few do’s and don’ts.  We get truth from the Scripture, from the Head of the Church; and then we must walk in the Spirit.