Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,
A number of years ago I went hiking up a hill at the summer palace in China. My Chinese guide who spoke broken English said to me when I got to the top, “you did good.” I said, “really?” She said, “Yes, professor said you are old and fat.” Well I can’t do much about my age, but I can work on the fat. So this summer Cheri and I tried to walk two miles every day. Some days she didn’t want to walk. Some days I didn’t want to walk. What we found was that between the two of us, at least one wanted to walk and encouraged the other to do so. We did all this to try to get these bodies into shape.
When we turn to our text we find an extended discussion not about our bodies, but the body of Christ, the Christian Church. As believers in Christ we are all part of the body. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, {5} so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Is this body in shape or is it just old and fat? As we continue our study of the church, today I would like to reflect on how the Apostle Paul approaches the whole matter of motivation in the Christian Church. Like a coach, like a general to the troops, he has words to urge the people on. That will set our thoughts today: Motivating the body of Christ, The Church.
I. Methods of Motivation.
Have you ever had a police car pull up behind you and the first action was to take your foot off of the accelerator and then you would look down at your speedometer? What made you slow down? Was it fear? See fear works doesn’t it. How many here have played sports and had a coach yell at you? Or have the whole team get on your case? Peer pressure works. How many have had a drill sergeant chew you out? How many have had somebody call you names trying to get you to do something? Has anyone given you the evil eye and that had an impact on your actions? Fear, mockery, shame, and shouting can have an impact on people and even motivate them to do something. All of these work. Is that how Jesus wants us to motivate in his church?
Some congregations and clergy have used fear. They either try to scare someone into doing what is right or they try to intimidate so that they go away with the feeling that God is always angry at them. Rather than going away with a great appreciation of our loving God they see him only as a task master, a slave master who is going to beat them. Some times the clergy or committees try to shame people and embarrass them. Could someone go to hell, because you failed to do something, shame on you! Sometimes rather than motivating on the basis of our relationship to God, it is on the basis of the organization. In the church, all these methods have been tried. To some extent they have worked. The only trouble is God wants more than just outward actions or outward compliance with his will.
The Apostle Paul has special words for God’s people in the city of Rome: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Paul focuses the peoples on God’s mercy which was found in Christ. (2 Cor 5:14 NIV) For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. The Apostle Paul could have so easily found on his lips those words: when I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died …love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life and my all.
Jesus does want your pastors to motivate his people to be the best possible Christian. Christian motivation begins at the foot of the cross where we realize how much we are loved. When we don’t understand the cross in our own lives, we can be frustrated as Christians, we can be discouraged, and we can be judgmental. When we realize that it is only pure grace and mercy we are part of the body of Christ and a member of the Holy Christian Church, then the motivation for our words, life and actions will be pleasing to the Lord.
Even knowing this we need reminders and need to get refocused on Christ. As we look at Paul’s words of the Romans we find him trying to get their eyes on Jesus. The problem was they were looking at other people.
II. Comparisons in the Church
I remember one of my favorite Peanuts cartoons. It was all about Snoopy jogging. As he was running down the road all his body parts start to complain. Each part was arguing who has the worst of it all. Who has more pain? Who has put more effort into the jogging? I was reminded of that cartoon because it can capture life in a church, even in the Holy Christian Church. The Apostle Paul put it this way: By the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Do you remember the prophet Elijah? He had seen the great working of the Lord of bringing fire down from heaven and consuming a sacrifice. But when Queen Jezebel wants him dead he flees. God finds him hiding in a cave. When God questions him what are you doing here, Elijah answers, poor me. Poor me. I am the only one doing any of your work Lord. No body else is helping me. I am the only one left. He was only looking at himself and failed to realize what God still was doing.
Two things can happen when we take our eyes off of Jesus and look at others. I can complain others are not doing their part. I am working so much harder than they are working. Or I can get jealous of them and then wish I had the gifts God had given them. We can become discouraged looking at what others are doing.
When we look at ourselves rather than Christ we may think we are so much better than everybody else. Pride can be a problem in the Christian church also. The second thing is that we fail to realize what God has given us. In the discussion of the body of Christ every part is important. Every part has a role to play.
In all these situations the work the Lord wants done by his church and through his church fails to get done. So the Apostle Paul wanted each member to look at themselves from the perspective of what Jesus sees of them from the cross where he has had mercy on them.
III. My Role in the Body of Christ, the Church
What am I suppose to do in the Lord’s kingdom? Paul writes, {4} Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, {5} so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. {6} We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Our human bodies have many parts and we need them all working together. So also is it in the church. We all have different gifts; different roles and we all are needed. Some need to speak God’s word, which is prophesying. Others need to serve in variety of capacities. Some need to teach in the Christian school and Sunday school. Others God has given the gift to encourage. For others they have been given special gifts just to help financially over and above what others can do. Some have the gift of leadership and organization so that the whole church works together. Others have a special heart for compassion and showing mercy to those in need. Notice what Paul says of all those gifts. Let him use it in proportion to his faith. {7} let him serve; let him teach; {8} let him encourage; let him give generously; let him govern diligently; let him do it cheerfully. We need to turn God’s people loose to do the work God has gifted and called them to do.
I saw a slide for a service that read: “Welcome to Love”. That was to be the greeting people experience when they come into the church. I wonder how many people leave never feeling “the love.” Would that be a a sign where people would say, that is false advertising. Here is something important, no matter what gift we have, no matter what skills and talents we have, we all have been loved. So the Apostle Paul would encourage his people: {9} Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. {10} Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. {11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Then may we come to the day when the Lord says, Well done thou good and faithful servant. Amen.
