I am......what?

You have probably heard it.
You may have said it.
You likely have thought it.

The church will take care of_____________________.
Or
The church should take care of___________________.

While these comments are somewhat innocent, the implications are huge. To align ourselves with this thinking is to somehow separate ourselves from "the church". If we are separated from the church, what is our role exactly?

Criticize when we do not personally agree.
Leave when we are offended.
Designate our giving for our interests.
Take no responsibility in the mission or ministry of the church.
Consume Without contributing.

"Now you are the body of Christ (the church) and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:27 (insertion mine)

As a Christian, I am not only gloriously part of the body of Christ, I have responsibilities within the collective body of Christ. We ALL are called to contribute (serve); therefore we are served as we serve. We are never to young to serve. We are never to old to serve. We are never to busy to serve. We are never to tired to serve. We are never positionally beyond serving.

Why? Since it is God's priority, we make it our priority.

The best model of our behavior as the church, and within the church, is Jesus Christ. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus served the disciples by washing their feet and giving them bread and drink. The next day He was crucified and buried.  On the third day, He was risen in a glorified (for lack of a better term) body and appeared before the disciples numerous times. On the third appearance, The resurrected and glorified Jesus did something astonishing!

"Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish." - John 21:13

He served them! I pray that we, the church, will follow the model of the Head of the church (Jesus) by intentionally serving each other. Doesn't this sound more appropriate?

I will take care of_____________________ (because I am the church).