Jesus as Head of the Church
Paul is an old friend of mine who has Multiple Sclerosis. It’s onset came when he was still a young man. His career was just nicely underway. His children were young. This disease impairs the ability of the brain to communicate with the muscles of the body. Little by little, as it advances, it robs its victims of their ability to function with the careless ease that most of us enjoy. Paul retained remarkably good humour through his trials, but it was often painful for his friends watch his decline.
Tasks like tying a shoe, is more complex than most of us realize. When the messages from the brain to the fingers are interrupted, this routine job becomes an agonizing undertaking. Eventually, it becomes impossible. Even picking up an eating utensil or writing instrument becomes an insurmountable challenge.
We take for granted that when we will our body to do something, it will get the message and respond appropriately. You don’t have to spend very long with someone like Paul to realize that when the body stops responding to the brain, accidents, messes, frustration and pain are quick to follow.
There are several passages in the New Testament which identify the Lord Jesus as the head of the church. In Ephesians 1:22, we read that God put everything under His feet and “gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” Ephesians 5:23 reminds us that “Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” And Colossians 1:18 reinforces that “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead...”
When I think of Jesus as the head of the Church, I sometimes think of how painful and frustrating it must be for all concerned when the body doesn’t respond to the head. Sometimes, it may be because we haven’t taken the time to discern the message He is sending. Sometimes, it may be because sin makes it impossible for us to respond appropriately at a spiritual level.
This is a challenge to us both at the personal and corporate level. The local church is made up of individual Christians. If they are not responding to God personally, they are not likely to be more responsive when they come together. If we want to be part of a healthy church, we need to be spiritually health ourselves. If we hope to see our church respond to the headship of Christ corporately, we need to respond to Him individually.
Ron Hughes
© October 2007
