One Body (Liz Morris)

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“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

I Corinthians 12: 12-14

 

Paul’s description of how a community can work together would have been such a radical concept for the people living in different cities around the Roman world and still is today. The Roman empire enforced a clear hierarchy with man at the top and women, children and slaves at the bottom. The gospel message, on the other hand, does not teach of a hierarchy but of a partnership with Christ that is offered to all. Our differences do not set us above or below each other but instead we are all equally valued and expected to each play our different and important part.

 

Amen!

 

There is so much more to discover in Paul’s letters and I have barely skimmed the surface. I encourage you to continue reading his letters and learn about the history of Christianity which is so culturally diverse. We are part of something so much more ancient than the world we live in today. Jesus is not captive to any culture, He is king of all nations. Christianity is not a western religion, Jesus is not the patron of any political group nor captive to any one nation and no one is on the outside of what Jesus represents. He was Israel’s Messiah but so much more and we are all invited to play our part and form the body of Christ.


Let’s pray - Thank you Father God that you lead us by your Spirit to play our different parts within the body of Christ. Thank you that you sent your son to die for each and every one of us because you loved the world so much. Thank you that Jesus is king of all nations. Amen.


Liz Morris

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