" What About the Body"

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20

January 9, 2024 

                Soviet Dictator, Vladimir Lenin, died on January 21, 1924. Out of respect for their fallen leader, Russian citizens display his preserved body in the Red Square in Moscow. 

                  The great pyramid in Giza, Egypt- one of the wonders of the ancient world, standing nearly five hundred feet tall and visible from space-was constructed to house the burial chamber of Cheops, a powerful Pharaoh of Egypt around the year 2500 B.C., as the final resting place for his body. 

                 What about the body? Physical life is a precious gift from our gracious God- a gift we value, care fir, and defend. And what could be more personal than our bodies?

                 And yet, how easy we echo the language of the world: 'It's my life; I'll do what I want. A person can do whatever he chooses. It's his body after all.' Christians in the congregation of Corinth had a similar slogan: "All things are lawful for me." 'What about the body?' they asked. And their answer? 'Well it's not your soul, so do whatever you want with your body.' But not so!

                 The apostle Paul reminds us, "You are not your own." God, after all, created us. We belong to Him. In fact, the Lord created us in body and soul. And which part of you do you see everyday? Yes, your body that God made.

                  And even more; for, as St. Paul adds, "your bodies are members of Christ" - members of His body, the Church. Now, last week we heard how we, body and soul, have been baptised into Christ. Baptism makes us " members of Christ." Our bodies have fellowship with Jesus. With our mouths we take His true body and blood into our bodies. And as Paul then puts it: 'he who is joined to Lord becomes one spirit with Him." And what do we thus 'see' here in the church and in our worship services? Why, the body of Jesus- His arms and legs, His hands and feet...and which are seated in the pews around us.

                And so, what about the body? Certainly, we Christians are not free to use our bodies for sexual immorality. Paul writes to people who thought they could live in sexual sin and still maintain a living faith in Jesus. You cannot have it both ways- taking the body that belongs to God and joining that body to others in immorality or adultery. Sexual sin is unique; for it is a sin against your own body which God has made and redeemed. 

               Other abuses of our bodies are also condemned- overworking, over eating; depriving our bodies of sleep, exercise, or proper nutrition; abusing our bodies with excess alchol or drugs. Don't let these things control you. "I will not be enslaved by anything," is how Paul puts it. 

                And even when our bodies reach the end of this life, we should treat them with respect and dignity... recognizing the sanctity of this body and life even in the midst of illness and pain, injury, and handicap. Our bodily life is still a gift from God even as it draws to an end. And once our bodies die, what then? Well, the lifeless body is not trash; God, after all , created this body; and He promises to raise it again. In life and in death, the Lord warns us not to abuse this body He has given. 

                Moreover, as St.Paul goes on to says, our individual choices that we make in and with our bodies affect us all. When we harm ourselves in the body, it erodes and tears down our faith in God. Mistreating our bodies separates us from others. Immorality divides us one from another, shattering the unity of the church, the body of Christ. What about the body? God punishes sins against the body. 'Repent,' therefore, St. Paul in effect says. "Flee from sexual immorality."

                Quite frankly, God cares deeply about the lives we live in the body. To be sure, He is concerned about our soul-forgiving us, promising us eternal life. But He also treasures our flesh and blood life. The body, after all, was His idea in the first place. 

              That's what we just celebrated at Christmas. Jesus came into our world in a human body- formed in Mary's Virgin womb and born in Bethlehem as the flesh -and-blood Child of Mary...born with a body like ours in order to make us the children of God. And  His reason for so doing? To redeem us in our bodies. With the perfect, sinless life Jesus lived in the body, He buys us back from the guilt of our sins. At what price? Why, with  HIs very life-blood, poured out from the five wounds on His body as it was nailed to the cross. Yes, you and I and all people are so precious to God... He cares about us in body and soul. And so, as St Paul says:"(Since) you were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body." 

               But even more; for our bodies are also "a temple of the Holy Spirit," as Paul writes. And how so? Well, the Holy Trinity took you and me into His care when we were baptised. Water applied to our bodies together with His powerful divine Word was the Holy Spirit's entrance into our hearts. Yes, God is with us. And where? Why, in our bodies. That the Holy Spirit's temple. Think about it. You have an important guest staying with you, that is in your body. Honor Him, therefore! Take care of your body!  

                 In fact, this body is so important to God that He promises to raise it to life forever. The body is not a shell ...not a cage for the soul... not to be aborted or euthanized when inconvenient... not simply trash to be dumped  into a landfill site when we die. No, like a seed cast into the ground, our bodies will live again. Just as Jesus bodily rose from the dead, so we will be raised from death to live in both body and soul forever; as St. Paul says: "God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power."

                Today, we are thus reminded of how God has given us life in the body as a holy, precious, sacred gift: our body and life have been created by God the Father, redeemed by the blood of God the Son, and dwelt therein by the Holy Spirit as His temple. And what, therefore, shall we say to all this? The apostle answers, "So glorify God in your body." Amen.