You know they call corn-on-the-cob "corn-on-the-cob," right? But that's how it comes out of the ground, man. They should just call that "corn", and they should call every other version "corn-off-the-cob." It's not like if you cut off my arm you would call my arm "Mitch", but then reattach it and call me "Mitch-all-together.”
- Comedian Mitch Hedberg
Mitch Hedberg is one of my favorite comedians of all time. Before his untimely death, he quickly became known for not only having a practically flawless sense of comedic timing and delivery, but also for being one of the absolute masters of observational humor. Hedberg was so funny because he routinely noticed and observed so many of the absurd things in life that we had forgotten about and learned to ignore. This was the power of his humor. He was able to rediscover things in everyday life that we had been taught to ignore. Not only was it humorous, but it also felt like pure discovery and exploration.
The “corn-on-the-cob” joke above is one such example. Hedberg astutely wonders aloud why we refer to corn as “corn-on-the-cob” when that is, in fact, its natural state. It begins on the cob, and so it feels absurd or necessary to refer to it as “corn-on-the-cob.” Wouldn’t it make more sense, Hedberg suggests, to just refer to canned corn as “corn-off-the-cob”? Its as ridiculous as if we were to refer to me as “Brent-all-together.” I’m just Brent… My primary state is already to be united and together. So, with “corn-on-the-cob”, how did we get to the point where saying this sort of phrase became accepted or normal? Truly, when did the primary state of corn become the “unusual” one?
The absurdities of this observation provide fertile ground for humor as Hedberg demonstrates, but this week I wondered about another situation where the primary state of something has become the “unusual” one; though a situation perhaps not as humorous. This week as I read the Scripture passage for Sunday from the book of Ephesians, it reminded me of how, in today's society, we may be confused about the natural and unnatural states of a reality.. the ideas of community and the individual. In the Scripture for Sunday, Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus, reminds them that the true reality which they inhabit is a community, the Body of Christ which is the church. Using this idea of a body to its natural conclusion, Paul urges the church to remember that they “are the body of Christ.” Paul’s point is simple, but profound for us today. The true reality of the life of faith is not our individual development and growth, but insteadwho we are as a community. Paul asserts that we are not individuals who gather as the church, but instead a church community which sometimes acts as individuals. Our primary state is community.
But I think we live in a time that tells us otherwise. The core of our taught reality is the individual… individual rights, individual freedoms and individual choices. And while I am not necessarily denying these things, I do see a danger in these phrases teaching us that our primary state is the individual, rather than the church or body of Christ. This may mean that when we come to church, we are thinking about being fed spiritually, rather than thinking “How can I build up this community and those around me?” This week, we will consider how to reclaim the idea that our primary state is community, rather than the individual. If you would like to read the Scripture passage before then, you can find it here. See you on Sunday!(Pastor Brent)
Scriptures and Sermon Story "God's Community" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 26 October 2014
Ephesians 4:7-16
Ephesians 4:7-13 But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,
He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people.
Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.
14-16 No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
Ephesians 4:7-16
Verse 7
[7] But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
According to the measure of the gift of Christ — According as Christ is pleased to give to each.
Verse 8
[8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Wherefore he saith — That is, in reference to which God saith by David, Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive - He triumphed over all his enemies, Satan, sin, and death, which had before enslaved all the world: alluding to the custom of ancient conquerors, who led those they had conquered in chains after them. And, as they also used to give donatives to the people, at their return from victory, so he gave gifts to men - Both the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. Psalms 68:18.
Verse 9
[9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Now this expression, He ascended, what is it, but that he descended — That is, does it not imply, that he descended first? Certainly it does, on the supposition of his being God. Otherwise it would not: since all the saints will ascend to heaven, though none of them descended thence.
Into the lower parts of the earth — So the womb is called, Psalms 139:15; the grave, Psalms 63:9.
Verse 10
[10] He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
He that descended — That thus amazingly humbled himself.
Is the same that ascended — That was so highly exalted.
That he might fill all things — The whole church, with his Spirit, presence, and operations.
Verse 11
[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
And, among other his free gifts, he gave some apostles - His chief ministers and special witnesses, as having seen him after his resurrection, and received their commission immediately from him.
And same prophets, and some evangelists — A prophet testifies of things to come; an evangelist of things past: and that chiefly by preaching the gospel before or after any of the apostles. All these were extraordinary officers. The ordinary were.
Some pastors — Watching over their several flocks.
And some teachers — Whether of the same or a lower order, to assist them, as occasion might require.
Verse 12
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
In this verse is noted the office of ministers; in the next, the aim of the saints; in the 14th, 15th, 16th, the way of growing in grace. And each of these has three parts, standing in the same order.
For the perfecting the saints — The completing them both in number and their various gifts and graces.
To the work of the ministry — The serving God and his church in their various ministrations.
To the edifying of the body of Christ — The building up this his mystical body in faith, love, holiness.
Verse 13
[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Till we all — And every one of us.
Come to the unity of the faith, and knowledge of the Son of God — To both an exact agreement in the Christian doctrine, and an experimental knowledge of Christ as the Son of God.
To a perfect man — To a state of spiritual manhood both in understanding and strength.
To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ — To that maturity of age and spiritual stature wherein we shall be filled with Christ, so that he will be all in all.
Verse 14
[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Fluctuating to and fro — From within, even when there is no wind.
And carried about with every wind — From without; when we are assaulted by others, who are unstable as the wind.
By the sleight of men — By their "cogging the dice;" so the original word implies.
Verse 15
[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Into him — Into his image and Spirit, and into a full union with him.
Verse 16
[16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
From whom the whole mystical body fitly joined together - All the parts being fitted for and adapted to each other, and most exactly harmonizing with the whole.
And compacted — Knit and cemented together with the utmost firmness.
Maketh increase by that which every joint supplieth — Or by the mutual help of every joint.
According to the effectual working in the measure of every member — According as every member in its measure effectually works for the support and growth of the whole. A beautiful allusion to the human body, composed of different joints and members, knit together by various ligaments, and furnished with vessels of communication from the head to every part.
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"God's Community"
Have you wondered what the Apostle Paul met when he quoted King David's Psalm concerning the one who ascended to the highest Heavens did so to give us community with each other? Whatever is meant my the Apostle Paul the reall meaning could be that each person within the community of faith is given a gift not for individual glory, but to bring the community together as one in Jesus. We hear of some examples of gifts given such as Apostle, Prophet, Pastor-Teacher, Encourager, Helper, etc., but these were the gifts that were aware by the Apostle Paul in the times of the early church. What this community building really does is the fact that it eliminates our need for ego where individuals gain praise from fulfilling their gifts. Yet, een though there may be more gifts given to the people in the church, this is still for God's glory to build unity among His people. Some say that certain gifts are not as relevant today such as Apostle because an Apostle is one who has seen the living, resurrected Jesus, yet how do we know that even today Jesus does not appear to certain people for His benefit not ours to be exalted above anybody else. How do you relate to these gifts given to individuals to bring the church into unity of community? How do you see your gift as beneficial even if a large number of people cannot see it in action? Where do you see the gifts bringing people of different ages or cultures or upbringing together to work as one for God's Glory to be seen in the community the church is present in? How does presence meet in your thinking?
There could be a story behind all this, but there are warnings because too often the people in church short-circuit the right of certain people to exercise their God-given gifts in community? These people may be poor, rich, homeless, living in a mansion, people who have different sexual orientation, or een people who are differently abled. I have seen even in the church where one person uses their gift while keeping someone else from using their gifts because they may have been too possessive or did not think the work would get done the way they wanted it to get done. Lord, have mercy on us! Have you ever been received static from others concerning or gift or even given static to other people? How did you react? How are you willing to forget and move forward again?
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