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Listen "Sermon | 1 Corinthians 12:12-17 & Colossians 1:15-20 | ONE BODY, MANY MEMBERS - 2. "Christ the Head" (The Bantu Traditions of Ancestor and Chief)"
Episode Synopsis
Sermon | 1 Corinthians 12:12-17 & Colossians 1:15-20 | ONE BODY, MANY MEMBERS - 2. "Christ the Head" (The Bantu Traditions of Ancestor and Chief) given by Rev. Joseph Sanford
As much as any time, we need to think about this different expression and understanding—with Jesus as the Ancestor and Chief.
A way we often understand this—particularly in Paul’s image of the body—is with Jesus as Head—the word used FIVE times in the poetic hymn which gets translated: firstborn, supreme, ahead, firstborn (again), and chief.
We find the same ideas between Head and Bantu traditions of Ancestor/Chief.
The entire body of the church is meant to function together as one unit—every person placing the good of the body above their own particular desires… Like Jesus Christ—our Head—did for us.
The church worldwide, especially in the west…especially in the UMC, could use a serious focus on this truth.
If we put the body first…we would see healing of division.
If we remember that Christ is Head, we would follow his lead while looking to him to bring the will of God into full focus for us.
The understanding of Head could be summed up as FIRST or HIGHEST PRIORITY.
When it comes to who and what we align our lives with—and we live our lives as a combination of many things—Jesus should be first.
Before we are United Methodists, we align our lives with Jesus first.
Before we are Americans, we commit ourselves to Jesus as Head
Before we are children of our parents, we belong to Jesus.
Before we are parents or friends or even our own bodies and minds, we find our most foundational identity as members of the body of Jesus.
The way we live as people—genders, families, cultures, nationality, and denomination—should FIRST and FOREMOST seek after the way of our Head always discerning how we are called to serve the larger body.
Can you imagine the outcome if the entire church—the whole ONE body made up of MANY members—devoted all of the energy we currently invest in trying to get everyone to see it OUR way whether it be faith, politics, how we dress, how we love, how we protect our own comfort zones, or how we judge ourselves, AND…INSTEAD… devoted that energy to living like Jesus—making every effort to honor and love and serve every person around us with full trust that our future is secure in Jesus our Head.
What kind of transformation would take place in ourselves, our relationships, our community, and our world??
It’s SO easy to get distracted, lose hope, and fall back into the individualistic approach of thinking there is only one way—our way—to which we are required to get every person aligned.
We MUST stay focused and grounded in the truth offered up through the image of Jesus Christ as HEAD.
Remember Jesus the Head and all that he means:
Remember that you have been reconciled to God and God’s people through grace and the faith of Jesus.
Remember that it will be our ONE body which is presented before God as a people who are holy, faultless, and without blame—not by our doing, but by the doing of our Chief, our Ancestor, our Head, our Lord,… our Jesus.
Nothing we have done up to right now can separate us from the Love and Life of God when we trust and follow Jesus.
So may we do all we can to establish and root ourselves in the faith of Jesus as our resurrected HEAD and not shift away from the hope that has already been given to us by the good news of that resurrection and HEADSHIP.
May we never forget that we serve the Head in the way we serve, honor, and love the ONE body with its many members—from the greatest to the least. AMEN
As much as any time, we need to think about this different expression and understanding—with Jesus as the Ancestor and Chief.
A way we often understand this—particularly in Paul’s image of the body—is with Jesus as Head—the word used FIVE times in the poetic hymn which gets translated: firstborn, supreme, ahead, firstborn (again), and chief.
We find the same ideas between Head and Bantu traditions of Ancestor/Chief.
The entire body of the church is meant to function together as one unit—every person placing the good of the body above their own particular desires… Like Jesus Christ—our Head—did for us.
The church worldwide, especially in the west…especially in the UMC, could use a serious focus on this truth.
If we put the body first…we would see healing of division.
If we remember that Christ is Head, we would follow his lead while looking to him to bring the will of God into full focus for us.
The understanding of Head could be summed up as FIRST or HIGHEST PRIORITY.
When it comes to who and what we align our lives with—and we live our lives as a combination of many things—Jesus should be first.
Before we are United Methodists, we align our lives with Jesus first.
Before we are Americans, we commit ourselves to Jesus as Head
Before we are children of our parents, we belong to Jesus.
Before we are parents or friends or even our own bodies and minds, we find our most foundational identity as members of the body of Jesus.
The way we live as people—genders, families, cultures, nationality, and denomination—should FIRST and FOREMOST seek after the way of our Head always discerning how we are called to serve the larger body.
Can you imagine the outcome if the entire church—the whole ONE body made up of MANY members—devoted all of the energy we currently invest in trying to get everyone to see it OUR way whether it be faith, politics, how we dress, how we love, how we protect our own comfort zones, or how we judge ourselves, AND…INSTEAD… devoted that energy to living like Jesus—making every effort to honor and love and serve every person around us with full trust that our future is secure in Jesus our Head.
What kind of transformation would take place in ourselves, our relationships, our community, and our world??
It’s SO easy to get distracted, lose hope, and fall back into the individualistic approach of thinking there is only one way—our way—to which we are required to get every person aligned.
We MUST stay focused and grounded in the truth offered up through the image of Jesus Christ as HEAD.
Remember Jesus the Head and all that he means:
Remember that you have been reconciled to God and God’s people through grace and the faith of Jesus.
Remember that it will be our ONE body which is presented before God as a people who are holy, faultless, and without blame—not by our doing, but by the doing of our Chief, our Ancestor, our Head, our Lord,… our Jesus.
Nothing we have done up to right now can separate us from the Love and Life of God when we trust and follow Jesus.
So may we do all we can to establish and root ourselves in the faith of Jesus as our resurrected HEAD and not shift away from the hope that has already been given to us by the good news of that resurrection and HEADSHIP.
May we never forget that we serve the Head in the way we serve, honor, and love the ONE body with its many members—from the greatest to the least. AMEN
In God we trust