You’ve probably heard before the term ‘vital organ’ in reference to organs in your body that you could not live without. What about your importance to the body of Christ? Do you feel vitally important to the function of the body of Christ and its fulfillment of God’s purposes on earth?
You should? Here’s why:
One Body with Many Members
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body,so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,[e] yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31 ESV
Well, I think in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he makes the point that their really aren’t any parts to the body of Christ that are not vital. We all drink from one spirit and are called to fulfill his purposes on earth. We are all vital and working together as one body (if we are all running a full capacity) we can help God acheive his purposes here on earth in bigger, better way.
Vitality as defined by Merriam-webster.com
1 a : the peculiarity distinguishing the living from the nonliving
b : capacity to live and develop; also : physical or mental vigor especially when highly developed
b : lively and animated character – Merriam-webster.com
One of my goals for you friend is that you achieve Christian Vitality™.
A Christian that distinguishes yourself as one of God’s Living and not one of the non-living (spiritually dead or not growing) and also physically working towards that end as well.
I hope that you grow spiritually & physically in a way that is better developed with a higher capacity to live life to the fullest. A life full of the power of God and one that has been physically better developed to endure…a life that would allow God to use you for a longer period of time.
My hopes are that you are a lively and animated Christian that leads life in such a way that you are a light that shines bright and points toward Jesus as the way for others to live like you.
Here’s a challenge from me to you today…
Do you feel you are serving in a way that makes you vital to the body of Christ? If not, please takes some steps today toward getting more plugged into how you can serve.
Start small if you have to, but get started. Even serving every other Sunday in the 1st graders class can make you vital in the life of children learning about the love of Jesus.