Broken to make us united…

 

The term “broken” is often used by Christians to describe the way God deals with our selfishness. Instead of letting us be the boss of our lives, He ‘breaks’ that old nature using circumstances and other means to show us that the old person is dead in Christ and useless to God. However, when the NT speaks of Christ being the “Bread of life” and His body being broken for us, He had no sin to be dealt with.

In the NT, this metaphor is not literal nor about Jesus. His body was not broken, not one bone. Some decide this is an argument for Transubstantiation. Others say it signifies something about the church because the Bible also uses the term “body of Christ” when speaking of the church.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, (Colossians 1:24)

When our church celebrates communion, Jesus is often quoted: “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19)

Each time I hear it, I tend to think of brokenness as first described — the way God deals with the old nature to ‘break’ our stubborn self-rule and bring us into a yielded body of believers. He wants us to be useful and fruitful to Him, united in our spirits.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4–5)

The old nature cannot do any of this. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned…” (1 Corinthians 2:14–15) Other verses describe this:

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? (1 Corinthians 3:4)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

There is no way we can be the church without this experience of a changed life. The call to deny myself for the sake of love, to return good for evil, to forgive seventy times seven, to endure one another, and to keep on doing this with joy for fifty or sixty or eighty years is not possible to the natural human. It is only possible supernaturally as Jesus said:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

All of this says that this breaking of bread is more about the church than it is about the physical body of Jesus. One verse puts it this way:

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)

But what about the brokenness? Is it the process of becoming yielded? Or something else? Is it about the unity of many different members? Or about Christ giving His body so that the many could be one?

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.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12–14)

Whatever Jesus meant, it was for us to remember. He died so that we could be His Body and when we take the bread, we need to remember that we are united to Him and to one another. As He said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)

PRAY: Jesus, I do think of Your shed blood and Your battered body on that cross when I take communion. You prompt me to think also of those who take it along with me. We are one, unified because of You. I feel it and need to always remember it — as I remember all that You have done to make that unity possible; breaking sin’s hold on us by allowing Your own body to be nailed to that cross and allowing Your life to flow out that we might have life everlasting. 

Unity and diversity = the Body of Christ

God has a way of weaving together what I’m studying in seminary and what I’m reading in daily devotions. The topic this week includes a review of biblical metaphors used to describe the church. Today’s reading is about one of them.

The key verse for this devotional series describes the church as a household and a building with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone. However, the New Testament also uses the image of a body with Christ the head and Christians as His Body. This one is my favorite metaphors, perhaps because it so clearly illustrates the unity and diversity of God’s people.

1 Corinthians 12:12–14, 24-27 say, “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. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many . . . God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Comparing this to my own body, I easily understand how God wants us to care for each others. If my foot hurts, the rest of my body pays attention. If someone compliments even my haircut, the rest of my body feels good, even stands a little taller.

But this is not about me, but about those gathered in the name of Christ to make up the church. God tells us to not think too highly of ourselves, but “with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Then He reminds us that we are also different, particularly in the way we think and are motivated to serve Him. This is called our “spiritual gifts” which differ according to the grace given to us. We are told to use those differences to serve God and others. If our gift is this, then use it like this: “If prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:3–8)

In my study of spiritual gifts, God has helped me more deeply understand what makes people think and act in certain ways, and why individuals focus on different areas of Christian ministry and service. This is valuable in that I also better understand myself. Because of my spiritual gifts, I’m an insatiable information gatherer that also thinks in black and white terms.

Beyond the individual, the Body of Christ is under the leadership and direction of Jesus Christ. God “raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:16–23)

Jesus is the Head of the church “from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” (Colossians 2:16–19) As each part of the body relies on impulses and signals from our brain, each person in the Body of Christ is led by the Head of the Body. While we sometimes get our signals crossed, or we become stubborn about doing what we are told, this metaphor describes how the church can be unified (one Body under one Head) yet diverse, for we are not all hands, feet, ears or elbows. We have work to do, but in varying capacities and from varying motivations, yet all to obey and glorify our Savior.

Lord, as I obediently function according to Your direction, I know that my relationship with other Christians will express the wonderful diversity and yet unity of who You are. Thank you for making me part of Your Body and gifting me to serve You.