The Bible teaches God in his infinite wisdom places us in the Body of Christ as it suits him. One of the things we learn in many different places in the word of God is when God gives us a job to do, he not only gives us the responsibility to fulfill the job as we noticed in the example of the watchman, but he also gives us the authority to do the task he has assigned us. One of the biggest problems we have many times is we do not understand the job God has assigned for each of us individually to do. Many times, we as Christians have definite ideas about what we do not want to do, but we do not realize what we need to be doing in order to be pleasing to God.
1 Corinthians 12:4-27 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
We learn in I Corinthians from the beginning of the church, God has planned on each member of the Body of Christ being different. Many times I think instead of rejoicing in the differences God has given us, we try to make everyone like we are. God never intended for us to be exactly like each other, the only way we should be alike is in the way each of us has grown to be like Christ.
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul compares the Church and its members to a physical body. In the same way the physical body is composed of many different parts with completely different functions so also is the spiritual body, the Church. For the Church to fulfill its job of converting souls to Christ and strengthening them it is essential each member not only learn and know their place in the Church, but also they fulfill the responsibility and service God has placed them in the Church to perform.
We learn several important facts about the Church from this comparison to the physical body. One of which is in the same way the various parts of the physical body depend on other parts to help it do its job, it is also true of the spiritual body, the Church. In the way the stomach depends on the mouth, throat, tongue and various other parts of the physical body to do their job in order for the food and various chemicals to be delivered to the stomach on time, so the stomach can do its job so it is in the spiritual body. If any one of the necessary parts does not perform its job, the stomach cannot perform its job and eventually the physical body dies.
Thus we see even a seemingly unimportant part of the physical body can create tremendous problems if it does not perform its job perfectly and in a timely manner. While every time a part of the body does not function properly, it does not necessarily result in death, even a minor problem can create various problems and untold agony. But if all parts of the body operate as they should, a healthy body results.
Another important fact we learn about the importance of the different parts of the body, is how necessary for the health of the entire body the different parts performing their different functions are. For example, would you imagine the problems that would result if the entire body were a single organ such as an eye? First of all, if the entire body were an eye, it probably would not survive very long, but you might think, well at least the body would have good eyesight, but what good would eyesight be without an eyelid to protect the eye, without nerves to transmit the electric signals and without a brain to interpret the electric signals into sight. We are so used to a body with many different functioning parts it becomes hard for us to even imagine the troubles that would be caused by the lack of one part of the physical body let alone all other parts of the body.
The third thing I want to notice in this group of verses is when God places us in the spiritual body, it is done as He wills and as He sees best not as we or others may want. This makes it clear God puts each of us in the Church, the body of Christ to fulfill a responsibility, a job, and when God assigns a task, He expects us to fulfill it and He does not accept any excuse as to why it did not get done. This means God expects us to figure out what our place in the body is and then to do that job. It is my personal opinion this is the primary responsibility of the leadership of the local congregation. I believe God has placed the leadership of the congregation in place to assist the individual members to find their place in the Church and then to train the members to do their jobs.
This is one of the biggest challenges of both the individual members of the local congregation and the leadership of the Church is to help each member to learn their place in the Church and encourage the members to work together in the local congregation. If there is any area the leadership of the congregation needs to concentrate on, it is how to help members find their place in the body, equip them with the tools they need to do their job, and teach members how to work together in unity for the growth of the congregation.
The last thing I want to notice in these verses is we need to realize the interdependency exists in the spiritual body, the Church. For anyone to feel like they do not need Brother or Sister So and So, is the equivalence of the stomach trying to withdraw from the throat. It is the equivalence of spiritual suicide. You may be able to survive without your leg but it definitely affects the rest of the body when members are cut off, it should always be the last resort to amputate a member of your physical body and in the same way it should always be a last resort to withdraw from a spiritual member.
There are rare occurrences when members of the local congregation must be withdrawn from because of sin which must be isolated so it does not affect the rest of the members, but in almost every case I am aware of, it has been mishandled. We need to take the time and spend the type of effort to try and save each member of the spiritual body, the Church as we would to save each member of our physical body. It is truly a mentally ill person who randomly hacks off healthy members of their body or even weakened members which could be made healthy with only a little effort. In the same way it is a spiritually ill person who is willing to hack off healthy members of the Church or even spiritually weak members who could be made spiritually healthy with only a little effort.
Mark 13:34-37 "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
In Mark, Jesus tells the story of what is commonly called the Parable of the Porter and in doing so teaches us about the relationship between the members of the local congregation and the leadership of that congregation. This parable also teaches about authority, and who the authority derives from.
This parable starts off telling us Jesus Christ himself is the one being spoken of. The parable says that Jesus Christ is as a man who took a far journey. He gave authority to his servants and to every man his work and commanded the porter to watch. Let us take a look and see what Jesus is teaching us by this parable. In this parable the porter is the leadership in the local congregation. The Church is the house that the man leaves behind. The servants are the members of the local congregation.
This parable teaches us Jesus owns the Church and He has left on a far journey, which from other places in the Bible we learn that He has returned to Heaven where He is currently preparing a home for each of us who are His servants. This parable goes on to tell us He gave authority to each of His servants and to each servant, He gave work to do. What authority did Jesus give to each of His servants? Jesus is obviously giving each servant the authority to do the work He has been given. The porter (the leadership) has been commanded to watch. This authority derives from Jesus Christ Himself. This means if I want to fulfill the job Jesus has given me to talk to my neighbor about Jesus Christ, I do not need to get the authority or approval of the local leadership. The authority I or any Christian has to do their work is derived from Jesus Christ Himself.
The work given unto the porter (the leadership) is to watch. This does not mean to just sit around and look at Christians doing their work. What this means is the job of the leadership (Elders, Evangelists, and teachers) of the local congregation is to oversee (watch). When we combine this with the instructions given in Hebrews 13:17 we see that the leadership will give an account for the way they watch.
When we combine all of the verses in the Bible, the sense that is given is the responsibility of the leadership (porter) is to do the things necessary to edify each member, to see each member understands their work, to make sure each member has the tools to do their job and the training to do their work. We need to remember the authority for the leadership to watch does not derive from the congregation, but from Jesus Christ in the same way the authority for each member to do their work does not derive from the leadership, but rather from Jesus Christ Himself.
This may seem trivial to many, but it is important especially when we take into consideration in Luke 22:25-26 Jesus makes in very clear that the offices within the Church, for example the Elder, the Evangelist, the teachers, are not offices of rank or authority over the Church, but rather are offices of service. This is especially important in this day when some are arguing for Evangelistic authority, for the authority of the Elders, and etc. The only authority the Bible gives to the leadership is to serve the needs of the congregation and to persuade each member to fulfill their responsibility to do their work and watch because they will have to give an account for the souls that are lost.
This is one of the reasons Jesus Christ gives each Christian the responsibility to do their work and the authority to do their job. In the Day of Judgment, when we stand before the Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe, we will give an account for the work Jesus has given us to do. Trying to blame a poor leadership will not free us of any individual guilt. The leadership in turn will be held accountable by Jesus Christ for whether or not they fulfilled their responsibility in regard to the members of the flock, the Church.
Chapter Summary
- 1. God has placed each of us in the spiritual body, the Church as it has pleased Him.
2. The Holy Spirit compares the Church to a physical body.
3. In the same way each member of the physical body has work to do, so also does the members of the Spiritual body, the Church.
4. Jesus expects each member of the Church to do their work and has given each member the authority to do their work.
5. When each member does their job, the Church grows spiritually and numerically.
6. When each member does their job, the Church grows together unto unity.
7. When each member does their job, there is no division in the Church.
8. Each member has different abilities and difference purposes in the Church.
9. We need to appreciate the fact that each of us is different.
10. God in his infinity wisdom gives us the place in the Church that we have.
11. Each of us as individual members depends upon each of the other members to fulfill their responsibility and their work, in order that we can do ours.
12. In the same way that the smallest member of my physical body is important, so also is each and every member of the spiritual body, the Church.
13. Each member of the Church derives their duties and authority from Jesus Christ, not the leadership of the congregation.
14. Each member of the Church needs to listen to and submit to the leadership of the congregation in order the Church can work together in peace and harmony.
15. The leadership derives their responsibility to watch from Jesus Christ himself.
16. The leadership of the local congregation has the responsibility to help each member find and fulfill their work and equip them to fulfill their work.
17. When each member of the Church fulfills their responsibility, the body of Christ grows up unto the unity of the Spirit.
18. When each member of the Church fulfills their responsibility, the leadership can fulfill their responsibility with joy.
19. When each member of the Church fulfills their responsibility, peace exists within the congregation.
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