Ewald Schmidt

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”  Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)

These last two verses in Ephesians 1 sum up what our new life in Christ means to us, and the world around us. When Paul states that God placed everything under Jesus’ feet, he is quoting Psalm 8:6, which in turn refers back to Genesis 1:26-28. God created man to be his image, and rule over this world as God’s ambassadors. But mankind has made a huge mess of our responsibility. The hate between people, and the way we ruin our planet are two examples of what has gone wrong in God’s creation.  Man cannot fix this mess. So God sent his Son to come and restore his original plan, and bring peace between God and man, and to show us how to love one another as he has done. Jesus as King brings restoration and harmony just as God originally planned for us.

People who believe that Jesus is Lord, become part of his body, the church here on earth. And yes, the church is not perfect yet. Where we still desire positions of power, and push our own agendas, the church does not look worthy of being called the Body of Christ. Then we are not a place of love, acceptance, grace and hope. God’s plan according to verse 10 is to unite everybody under the Lordship of Christ, him being the head over all. If the church is truly his body on earth, then we must have his DNA in us. We should also be known as a community where love, peace, grace and service rule. Where we help others, instead of trampling them into the mud, if we learn to wash people’s feet instead of judging them, the love of Christ becomes visible in our communities. The church should be the place where healing, helping, loving and caring happens in our communities. The world needs a church that looks more like Jesus, and less like our own ambitions. Where Jesus is head and Lord, peace returns, and harmony is restored.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the perfect head for your body. You are full of grace, truth and love. You have come to show us to love one another, serving and caring for each other. Forgive us where we stray so far from your example. Make your church on earth more like you, so that we can be messengers of hope and healing for this broken world. Amen.