One Body, Many Parts

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

1st Corinthians 12:12

In 1st Corinthians 12:12-26 Paul explains how important each body part is. If we didn't have ears we wouldn't be able to hear, and if we didn't have eyes we wouldn't be able to see (v.17). Each part of the body is unique and different. They contribute in their own way to make up one body. This is obviously true with the physical body, but I believe Paul is trying to say something about the spiritual body of the church. We do not come together for ourselves, and if you think that's what you're doing you're wrong. When you fellowship, worship, pray, or just have a conversation with members of the church you are bringing your unique qualities to the body. You are encouraging others, sympathizing with them, bringing a smile to their face. When we all come together we make one, strong spiritual body that is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. Never believe that you are too young to be a part of the church, or that your presence means nothing. You help make up this church and this youth group. You are important, and it brings God so much joy to see you using your unique traits (meaning her loves it when you act like YOU) to encourage and uplift other members of the church.
Love you TCOC youth group! Have a blessed weekend.

Acts 4:32-35

"All the believers were of one heart and mind. No one claimed any of their property as their own, but the shared every thing they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of our lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy people among them. for from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money form the sales and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who was in need."

Doesn't this strike you as extraordinary? That is the way I see it looking at it from the context of America today with all of its capitalistic tendencies, and emphasis on getting ahead and accumulating more wealth. The Christians of the early church did not believe that anything they had in their possession was actually theirs. It ALL belonged to God. If any one was in need the members of the church would not simply give out of their savings or extra money they would sell a house or land in order that their christian brother would not have to suffer. This spirit of closeness and family and love is what we should all be striving for, especially in our church families. It doesn't that our human weakness often judges others to be less worthy than some to receive our help or that we often think we earned what we have. In out hearts we must realize that every thing we have is a gift and that none of us could every be worthy or have earned a single thing we have because it has all come from God and none of us could ever measure up to his standards. When you understand that the only thing that will make sense is to give the gifts god has blessed you with so that others do not have to struggle. When this can be understood again we will have regained a piece of the Christianity that draws people in and hold them to God because no where else can the experience such love and caring, and that after all is what Christianity is all about.

FEARLESS LOVE

FEARLESS LOVE is a blog maintained by two youth ministers at a California Church. It contains their own reflections and personal devotionals. It exists for the sole purpose of encouraging others and helping others to dig deeper into the scripture. Your comments, questions, and personal reflections are more than welcome in this community of Christians.

Jeremiah 3

" 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the Lord

'I will frown on you no longer,

for I am a merciful,' declares the Lord,

'I will not be angry forever.' "

Jeremiah 3:12

In verses 1-11 God says through Jeremiah that He has divorced Israel; the people He loved and rescued. Yet they had committed adultery by worshiping other gods, and being the jealous God that our Lord is He decided to depart from them. Verses 6-10 show God comparing Israel to their sister Judah who apparently was much worse than Israel. They too worshiped other gods, but never felt any remorse about it (v. 8). He then declares that Israel is more faithful than Judah, and this leads us to verse 12 where God asks for Israel to come back to Him.

First, I want to focus on what it meant for God to divorce Israel. He describes Israel as His wife, because that is a passionate love that humans can understand. When a person begins to love another friend their previous friends don't get so jealous that they leave them (at least I hope not). And within the past few decades some parents have been learning to share the love of their children with step-parents. There might be jealousy there, but never enough for a parent to want to leave their child. The love of a spouse is very different. Through marriage a man and woman promise to give their love to one another "until death do [they] part." It is meant to be shared between the two of them; no one else. It is the only kind of love that people will leave each other for when it is shared with another person. When someone learns that a spouse has loved another they feel betrayed, hurt, and might question whether or not their spouse loved them to begin with.

These are the feelings God had. He delivered them from Egypt, brought them to the Holy Land, and Israel still turned to a god named Baal. A god that did/does not exist. Deuteronomy 6:15 says that God is jealous God which further explains His anger. He felt betrayed and hurt by His own people. It's not wonder that He wanted a divorce. But the second thing I want to point out is that He began comparing Israel to Judah. God pointed out through Jeremiah that Judah never had any fear when worshiping another god (v. 8). They never cared. If we look back at Jeremiah 2:27 God said that Israel would always return to Him when they were in trouble. They asked Him to "come and save [them]." I'm not saying this was a good thing. Israel should have turned to God at all times. But in my opinion when God saw this while comparing Israel to Judah He saw a glimmer of hope. A possibility that He hadn't completely lost his bride. So what does He do? He begs. He proclaims that He is merciful, and will not remain angry (v. 12). He wanted them back. He couldn't bare to be away from them. He wanted to save them

In Jeremiah 3:14 God says, "Return, faithless people...For I am your husband. I will choose you..." That is such a wonderful proclamation to hear from our Creator. "I will choose you." That is was what all of us want to hear when Christ returns, and here the Israelites are hearing it from Jeremiah...The man whose lips were touched by God, and was filled with His word. God wanted His people back. He didn't want to leave them. This can be applied to the modern day. He didn't deliver us from Egypt, but His Son delivered us from sin. We don't have to walk through a desert for years to reach the Holy Land, but we do have to live on this earth until we can reach Heaven. Throughout our time on earth some of us will fall or stray away, and it makes God angry and jealous. But he doesn't want to leave us. He wants to save us. Let Him save you so when judgement day comes you can hear His glorious words: "I choose you."