Thoughts for the Day

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift...... The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.... We must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

• (Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Paul continues to think in his letter to the Ephesians about the Church that is 'in Christ'. He speaks of the qualities that Christians must show to one another and to the world. We are to patient with each other, show humility, and deal with one another peacefully keeping the unity within the Church, with the help of the Spirit. Then he gives us what is almost a Creed, though we should remember no such Creed existed at this time. The nearest might have been "Jesus is Lord" (ie Messiah and Saviour), but now Paul makes the following statements, lest any be in doubt:

• There is one body (the Church)
• There is one Spirit (it is the Holy Spirit who holds us all together)
• There is one Lord (Jesus Christ, who is the head of the body that is the Church)
• There is one faith (we hold a common belief and hope in our Lord and his promises to us)
• There is one baptism (given in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
• There is one God (Who is both Three but One and and Who holds all together)

Then Paul gives us the functions that Christians are called to do. If you have recently attended your Church Annual Meeting, you will have been reminded of those who do a lot of the work - the church secretary, the teachers and pastors, the flower arrangers, and the musicians. The Church is made up of dozens of people doing a myriad of things. I never forgot in RAF Marham church that it took us six weeks to discover that a person who had left had been washing the tea-towels after coffee! We were humbled at her silent dedication. The Body of Christ needs everyone, there are no passengers in God's Church!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
we ask Your forgiveness when we fail
to show the qualities that You require
of us, Your children.
Help us to show more love
to those around us:-
to our family and to our neighbours;
and also to those whom we will meet.
May we also offer to take up the work
that needs doing within the Church
with joy and not leave it to others..
Amen.