Sunday, January 27, 2019

“Heinz 57—The Body of Christ” (I Corinthians 12:12-31a)



When I say, Heinz 57, what do you think of?  I would imagine that a lot of you thought of steak sauce . . . and, if you did, you would be partially correct.  Heinz 57 is a steak sauce, though I prefer mine on pork chops.  Heinz 57 is more than a steak sauce . . . much, much more.

Heinz 57 is a part of an advertising slogan that Henry J. Heinz of the H.J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came up with in 1896 to advertise his company’s products.  At first it was “57 varieties of pickles” telling consumers about the numerous pickle products it sold.  The slogan stuck as “57 varieties” was slapped on all the products it sold, and it is still going strong today.  And, I bet you thought that the steak sauce was called that because it had 57 different spices in it.

Now, there may have been a few of you, when you heard Heinz 57 you thought of dogs . . . mixed breed dogs.  That is the answer some owners give when asked what their mixed breed dog is.  But dogs are not the only creatures referred to as Heinz 57 . . . even humans get that designation.  Heinz 57 has come to mean anything that is comprised or mixed from a lot of parts or origins.

Heinz 57 would be a good description of the body of Christ, or what we call the “church”.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he dealt with several issues that were stressing it members and its existence.  One of the chief issues was the congregation splitting into factions that were competing against one another as to which was the true followers.  Each group insisted that their group was the “in” group while all the others were “fakes” and “imposters”, even heretics.  Like good human beings none of the groups were giving an inch while demanding that they were correct in their beliefs . . . it was their way or the highway.  This division threatened to destroy the church.

It is into this divisive situation that the apostle wades into.

In the apostle’s mind he saw the body of Christ or the “church” like a great big puzzle that took many parts to make it a whole.  Paul writes: “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ . . . the body is not made up of one part but of many.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you are a part of it.”  The apostle could of save a lot of time and effort by declaring to those he was writing that the body of Christ, the “church”, was a Heinz 57—something that is made up of a large number of parts or origins.  And, in the apostle’s heart, he believed this in order for the followers of Jesus to fulfill God’s call.

Now we know that God did not create any two of us alike.  We know that we are all unique and special in our creation.  We also know that—as it is stated in the Book of Genesis, that we each were created in the image of God.  None of us is the same.  We are all different.  We are special in who we are . . . and, we are vital in who we are, especially when it comes to being the body of Christ, in being the “church”.  It takes all of us . . . just as we are.

As the followers of Jesus, we should take heed of Paul’s words here when it comes to being the body of Christ.  A significant event in the history of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) occurred with the Reverend Barton Stone and several other Presbyterian clergy withdrew themselves and their congregations from the Springfield Presbytery on June 28, 1804.  The foundation of their argument centered around doctrines and interpretations of scripture as being tests of faith, but more importantly for membership in the church.  Simply put, people had to express their belief in certain doctrines and interpretations or they could not become members.

Stone and these other members of the clergy believed that creeds were not relevant to one’s faith . . . only confession of belief in Christ was important to belong to the church.  Thus, the famous Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) saying, “No creed but Christ.”  They also believed that individuals had the right and responsibility to interpret the scriptures as the Spirit led them, not according to some religious hierarchy’s standards.

Like the Apostle Paul, Stone and his followers recognized that there was no cookie cutter or template or rubric that fit individuals who had become followers of Jesus.  Recognized that it took all the people in their diversity to be the “church” or body of Christ.  Thus, it was that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) movement embraced the diversity that is the body of Christ—the “church”.  That is a fundamental part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and who they are.  With that in mind, the movement coined another saying, “Unity in our diversity.”

The apostle acknowledges that there are differences while emphasizing that it takes all the different parts to be a whole.  Each part has a role to do in order to succeed . . . and, it takes all the parts to make it happen.  In this way, no one part was more than any other part.  As far as Paul was concerned, it was an “all for one, and one for all” mentality.  It was the only way that it was going to work.  Paul said, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you are a part of it.”  

Now, you are probably thinking . . . we are all different . . . really different.  We do things differently.  We like and dislike different things.  We think differently.  We read different versions of the Bible.  We vote differently . . . like different hobbies, movies, books, and art.  We talk differently.  We understand the scriptures differently.  We look different.  None of us is the same . . . we are different.  So, how in the world are we ever going to come together and become the body of Christ . . . become the “church”?

Easy.  We all believe in Jesus.  We believe in the words he spoke.  We believe in the life that he lived.  We believe in the witness of that life.  We believe in his saving grace.  We believe in his promises.  And, because we believe in him, we have given our lives over to follow him . . . to live as he lived.  That belief is the glue that holds us all together . . . the many parts . . . as the whole . . . as the body of Christ . . . as the “church”.  That is the tie that binds us together as one.

Jesus is the “heart” that keeps us together.

Charles M. Schulz’s beloved character, Snoopy, is out jogging one day.  As he is jogging, the feet speak up proclaiming that they are the most important part of the body when it came to jogging.  Of course, the legs did not agree; nor did the arms.  In fact, none of the body parts agreed as to who was the most important part of the body except their own.  As Snoopy is jogging the argument is getting louder and louder, until a voice shouts out, “Stop it!”

Suddenly it got quiet.  The voice said, “Stop it now.  I am the heart . . . without me, none of you even exist as I am what gives you life.  I am the most important part of the body!” 

Realizing that the heart was right, the argument stopped . . . every part was silent . . . working together.  Snoopy jogged on.

So, it is with the body of Christ . . . the church.  Jesus is the “heart” that keeps it all together.

When someone asks you what sort of a “church” you are a part of, I hope that you tell them that it’s a Heinz 57 . . . many parts, one body.  The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians and us: “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ . . . the body is not made up of one part but of many.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you are a part of it.”

Heinz 57 describes us well . . . the body of Christ . . . the “church”.  We are all for one, and one for all . . . it takes us all.  Amen.
    

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