+ Paul continues his work to build up the unity of the church, the early Christian community. He does so in two ways.
First, he describes Christ’s actions in the building of the church by his “ascending and descending” and giving “gifts to men.” Second, we get a very significant listing of those gifts as apostles and prophets, and evangelists and pastors and teachers, we see the pillar like charisms and ministries of this budding church. He ends this with an eloquent description as to what should happen in this community —
“Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, l Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body’s growth and builds itself up in love.”
It is the perfect statement that leads to Paul’s identifying statement, which was —
“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.”
Nothing he could ever say could be grander than that!
Jesus is just as concerned with the people to whom he is preaching. He refers to two tragic incidents: the Galileans put to death by Pilate; and the 18 people who were tragically killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them, crushing and killing them.
“Do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?”
And this echoed the rather persistent belief that tragic events usually came about because of the sins of the people. But then, Jesus tells a parable that brings it all together.
A fig tree. Producing no fruits after three years. The gardener says, “Cut it down,” seeing it as useless.
And some unidentified person tells him, “Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down.”
Interesting story. It is not the past or the future that is so important, nor is it where we should be living, but rather in the present, applying all of our cultivating and caring skills for growth and productivity; and for being always present in the here and now, ready for God’s grace, and ready to respond to every invitation of life that he gives to us!
