...from Whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds up in love (Eph 4:16).
Long before a football player runs out the tunnel and hits the field, he spends hours and hours getting his body in tip top shape. Pumping iron. Stretching. He knows that he can't perform at his best if his muscles aren't ripped and joints aren't limber. Paul says the same thing about the local church in Ephesians 4:16. He points out that Jesus' body needs to be in maximum physical condition for top performance. Too much is at stake to limp onto the field. It's only because Christ "from Whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds up in love" (v16). Only when each one of us is strong, limber and serving is the joint really jumpin'!
From the top of the verse, Paul lets us know who's behind the growth and health of my church. It's Jesus "from Whom...makes the body grow" (v16). Christ is personally responsible for the health and maturity of His church. He told His buddy Pete that this whole church building deal is on Him (Mt 16:18). As a result, He gives spiritual gifts through His Spirit to equip His body. He also handpicks His coaching staff, "the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds/teachers" (Eph 4:11). This is like an NFL team providing the best facilities, coaches and equipment for their players. Jesus personally provides everything His team will need to be successful on the field.
But like a winning team, your church needs all the players on the field, healthy and performing. Paul says Jesus has put together the Ephesian squad and it's "joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped" (v16). The word "joined" is the Greek verb sunarmologeo. It means to fit closely together like parts of a building or body parts. Christ has put together each roster at each local church exactly as He's planned. He has just the right players at each position. Jesus doesn't just bring us together, He keeps us together. The apostle describes how we are "held together" (v16). The Greek word sumbibazo means to cause to unite or gather or compact. Paul encourages the players for Colossian franchise using the very same language (Col 2:19). Jesus doesn't just assemble His team and hopes it stays together. He personally works to maintain great team chemistry of the locker room.
But a well-trained squad that has great chemistry off the field still must play well together on the field. The local church only performs "when each part is working properly" (v16). My church only functions at max capacity when everyone is doing what God has gifted them to do. The local church is a joint venture. (Yeah, I know. That was bad. VERY bad.) But when each one of us is serving and using our God-given gifts, talents and abilities, we're "working properly" (v16). When every ligament, every cartilage, every joint, every arm and every leg is doing its thing, the local church is in limber and strong. If not, we limp and we stumble. The church can't perform with a bum shoulder, cranky knee or gimpy ankle. We can't end up on the DL. We can't fly around the field wearing a big, clunky knee brace. We need everyone serving in their gifts in order to be healthy and out on the field.
That's when is the joint really jumpin'!
So is your team at full strength? Is everyone serving using the gifts Jesus has given? Are YOU serving? Are YOU ready to hit the field? Paul told the team in Rome that their squad must have all of its players healthy and ready to play. "For as 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 of one another" (Rom 12:4-5). The stakes of the game are too high to not have full, healthy roster. There's a lost and dying world out there. Eternity hangs in the balance.
We need the joint to be jumpin'!
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