We all know that we can’t live without our head. Our head controls the actions of our body. Even those actions that are involuntary are still controlled from the head. In spite of this knowledge we sometimes think that as Christ’s body, the church, we can do things without being controlled by our head, Christ.

The fact is that if a church body is acting without being controlled by Christ it is not his body, it has some other head that is controlling it. A church may be under the control of Christ as her head or she can remove herself from Christ and have some man/woman as a head, or some group of people as a head, but if she does that she is no longer the body of Christ.

As parts of the body of Christ we must respond appropriately to our head, Jesus. When a part of our physical body doesn’t respond to our brains we know there is something wrong and we seek medical attention. The same is true when a part of the spiritual body is not acting in accordance with the messages from the head – something is wrong and help is needed. 

Jesus tells us how we are to live, think, speak, act, worship, teach, and believe if we are to be part of his body. Of course, any human can during their life do whatever he or she wishes, but if we are going to be part of Christ’s body with him as our head and be pleasing to him we must obey him in everything (Ephesians 5:23-24).

As we go into a new year let’s examine our lives and see what areas we have not fully put under the control of our head and work to be proper body parts that function in conjunction with the other parts of the body to fulfill the instructions of the head. What thoughts, words, and actions are there in your life that Christ our head doesn’t approve?

​Again we see Jesus portrayed as an author. We learned last week that this can mean more than someone who writes something, but also the one who causes something or is the source of something. The word used in Hebrews 12:2 is a different word than the one in Hebrews 5:9 even though the KJV uses the same English word. This word means the founder, leader, captain, or head.

That makes perfect sense. Jesus is the founder of our faith. Jesus is the head over the faithful. Jesus is the captain of our army. Jesus is our leader. When we say that he is the founder of our faith we are using faith in the sense of the set of beliefs that are necessary to please God, not in the sense of having faith or trust in someone or something. Both are valid uses of the word faith, and we need to understand from the context which is being used.

Jesus lived a life of faithfulness as an example for us to follow, but he did much more than that. He also established what we are to believe. In a very real way he is both the foundation for our faith as individuals and the founder of the entire system of Christian faith.

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Without a doubt we should be looking to him. Are you? We will look another time at him being the finisher or perfecter of our faith. But for now let’s remember that their would be no true faith without him.

jp