'Body of Christ' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’” vs. 60 John 6:56-61 Many people are attracted to the person of Jesus. His teachings point us to a way of life that is admirable–we can all agree on how important it is to love others and give ourselves in humble service. But there are some teachings that have been contentious from the very beginning, and one of those has to do with…
Daily Devotions
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.” vs. 56 John 6:54-58 It’s no wonder that our favorite name for the Sacrament of the Altar is Holy Communion.John’s graphic description of eating and drinking flesh and blood makes it abundantly clear that in this meal Jesus becomes incarnate in us. As the bread and wine are absorbed into the flesh of our body, Christ himself comes to abide in us and we…
Daily Devotions
“You that are simple, turn in here!’ To those without sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.’” vss. 4-5 Proverbs 9:1-6 A large section of the book of Proverbs is devoted to pointing out the differences between wisdom and folly. Here Wisdom (always portrayed as a woman) is throwing a party and she sends out a special invitation to those who are simple and without sense. It’s not that she seeks…
Daily Devotions
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.” vss. 1-3 Ephesians 4:1-10 Followers of Jesus from the beginning have understood themselves to be his living presence in the world. Early on they began to speak of living…
Daily Devotions
In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” vss. 21-22 Ephesians 2:19-22 Christians have traditionally seen these verses from Ephesians as an ancient description of the Church as the Body of Christ, and they’ve not been wrong. By our baptisms we have become members of Christ’s body. As such we are his living presence in the world,…
Daily Devotions
He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” vss. 2-3 Isaiah 42:1-9 As the prophet laid out his vision for Israel, he uses the term “Servant” in describing the nation’s work. The new Israel will not use military might to force its will upon the world, but will instead faithfully,…
Daily Devotions
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?” vs. 19 1 Corinthians 6: 15-20 Paul was a champion of God’s grace, but he wasn’t the least bit permissive! There was no way that he could condone the visits to prostitutes that were evidently taking place in the congregation at Corinth. In his estimation such a practice was a sin…
Daily Devotions
John 1:10-14 “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” vss. 12-13 John the Gospel writer seems to be saying here that people are not the children of God unless they have received Jesus, that only after believing in him do they truly receive the power to…
Daily Devotions:
Isaiah 45:1-4 …“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates shall not be closed:” vs. 1 Jerusalem was conquered in about 587 BCE and the leading families were taken into exile in Babylon across the Euphrates River. In 539 BCE the Babylonian Empire was conquered by Cyrus, the leader of the Persians, one of…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 2:1-4 … “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” vss. 3-4 As Paul bares his soul to his friends in the Philippian community, we see clearly what he desires for them in their life together. Living in Christ will be different from life in the world. No longer will they be dominated by desires…
Daily Devotions
Romans 12:4-8 … “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” vss. 4-5 Paul’s words about the body of Christ are familiar. We’ve understood from the beginning that the many members of the Church have different functions, and that together we make up the one body. Even though we’ve had to fight…
Daily Devotions: March 21, 2019
March 21, 2019 For full passage click: 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 …“and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” vss. 2-4 Paul was frustrated with the folks at Corinth. They’d been baptized into Christ and were feasting on Christ’s body and blood, but their behavior was abysmal.…