“And He is the Head of the Body, the Church…” – Colossians 1:18
“And He [Jesus Christ] is the Head of the Body, the Church;
Colossians 1:18 (NIV)
He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything He might have the supremacy.”
The Bible verses we read together in this post will show that Jesus is Head over everything, specifically Head over everything for the Church.
What does this mean for us? Does it have any application to our daily lives? I believe so. Explore the Scriptures with me and see how knowing (and remembering) that Jesus is the Head can impact your life today.
Over Every Power & Authority
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and in Christ you [the Church] have been brought to fullness. He is the Head over every power and authority.”
Col. 2:9-10 (NIV)
In Christ…
- “…all the fullness of the Deity lives” in what? bodily form
- “…you have been brought” to what? fullness
Jesus is the Head over what? “every power & authority”
There is no greater power or higher authority than Christ.
What does this mean for us?
Well, when Christ says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9a), then we can say with the apostle Paul, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (II Cor. 12:9b), knowing there is no greater power anywhere than what is available to us through Christ!
When Jesus says, “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6), and “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matt. 28:18), we can rest assured that our sins are forgiven in Him!
I may feel and look weak, but the fact is, the greatest power in existence can rest on little ol’ me.
In my current circumstances it may appear that I have no authority, yet the truth is that the Supreme Authority in heaven and on earth has forgiven me and is for me.
"In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise— 11in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 56:10-11 (NIV)
For more about His power in our weakness, see Day 68.
Over Everything for the Church
“And God placed all things under His [Jesus’] feet and appointed Him to be Head over everything for the church, 23which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.”
Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)
- What is under Jesus’ feet? “all things”
- Who placed them there? God
- What is Jesus head over? “everything for the church”
- Who appointed Him to this position? God
- What is the Church in v.23? His Body, “the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way”
Who has the final say?
If you’ve ever wondered who is supposed to have the final say on all things to do with the church, here is your answer: Jesus. Not a pastor or a committee, not a deacon or staff member, not a missionary, the church member with the most money or the oldest family or the longest history, or a so-called “super-Christian prayer warrior” — Jesus Christ is “Head over everything for the Church.” We’re His Body, after all!
From Him the Body Grows
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we [the Church] will grow to become in every respect the mature Body of Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From Him the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV)
Who is the Head? Christ
Who is the Body? We, the Church
How does the Body grow & build itself up in love?
- From Him
- Joined & held together by every supporting ligament
- As each part does its work
What is the goal? “to become in every respect the mature Body of Him who is the Head, that is, Christ”
Ephesians 4:15 begins with the word “instead,” so let’s zoom out to include the first 14 verses of Ch.4 and get the appropriate context.
Unity in One Body
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I (Paul) urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one Body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Eph. 4:1-6 (NIV)
Paul starts this chapter by listing personal responsibilities of individual believers.
Individual Responsibilities
- Live a worthy life.
- Be completely humble & gentle.
- Be patient, bearing with one another in love.
- Make every effort to keep unity through peace.
My paraphrase of v.4:
There is only ONE Body of Christ, and you are a part of it. There is only ONE Holy Spirit, and He resides in you and in each and every believer.
You, the Church, are connected within the ONE Body by the ONE Holy Spirit, and you all have ONE and the same hope — the hope of eternal life in Christ.
Parts of the Body Serving the Body
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says:
‘When He ascended on high,
He took many captives
and gave gifts to His people.’9(What does ‘He ascended’ mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very One who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip His people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Eph. 4:7-13 (NIV)
Christ decided it was a good idea for each part of His Body to be assigned different work.
Some parts of the Body are needed to equip the other parts for works of service. They are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
Therefore, in this section of Scripture, parts of the Body of Christ, the Church, are grouped as equippers or as servers/workers.
Why is this?
| “So that the Body of Christ may be built up |
| until we all reach unity |
| in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God |
| and become mature, |
| attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” |
Whatever our individual function, the goal is maturity.
Maturity of One Body
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature Body of Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From Him the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Eph. 4:14-16 (NIV)
The equipping for works of service
& the doing of works of service
- builds up the Body,
- which leads to unity,
- and causes maturity,
which in turn protects us from being double-minded and easily deceived.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:5-8 (NIV)
In a mature church, believers speak the truth in love and grow more like Christ.
A church in which each person does his or her work (as assigned to them by Christ) grows in love and builds itself up in love.
When you lose connection with Christ…
“Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.
Col. 2:18-19 (NIV)
19They have lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole Body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.”
In order for the whole Body, the Church, to grow, it must be:
- caused to grow by God;
- supported & held together by its ligaments & sinews;
- connected to the Head, Christ.
Individual & Corporate Connection
We must maintain connection to Christ individually & corporately.
It is also our responsibility to support each other as brothers- and sisters-in-Christ & to hold the Church together by using our gifts to serve the church.
God is ultimately the One who causes church growth; however, we can pray for growth, share the gospel, and make disciples as His Word has instructed us to do.
Connection with the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the only way for the whole Body, the Church, to grow as God causes it to grow.
DAY 69 PRAYER:
Father God,
We praise You that You have made Jesus Head over everything! He is Head over every power & authority, and over everything for His Body, the Church.
Lord, when I feel weak, remind me that the greatest power in existence — Jesus’ power — can rest on me.
When it looks as though I have no authority, or I am under oppressive authority, remind me that it is ultimately Jesus’ authority I am under. I can say with the psalmist: “In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” (Ps. 56:11).
I pray every church member will treat Jesus, and Him alone, as the Head of the Church, for that is what He is. Please mature Your Church, Lord! May each part of Your Body do its work.
When I am tempted to compare and contrast the work You have given me with that of my brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, bring it to my attention by Your Holy Spirit and empower me to flee this temptation!
The work You have given me, however humble or lofty it may be, in conjunction with the work of my fellow believers, will protect us from being double-minded and easily deceived.
Let us not lose connection with our Lord Jesus! May our connection to Christ grow ever closer day by day as we seek Him first and submit to Him as Head over everything.
In His name,
Amen.