The Bible uses a variety of word pictures to describe the church, and each time, Christ is at the center:

The church is the bride, and Jesus is the bridegroom.

The church is a temple, and Jesus is the cornerstone.

The church is a flock, and Jesus is the Shepherd.

Last week in Colossians 1:18, we saw that the church is the body, and Jesus is the Head.

Your head is the place of leadership and the control center for the rest of your body. It tells you where to go. It governs your thoughts, your speech, your movement, plus it regulates all your organs and systems. And the body has a duty to respond.

There are many people we might be tempted to elevate to the position of “head.” A local pastor. An inspirational speaker, or seminary president, or Christian author. But it’s important to understand none of these are the head. Jesus is the head.

What does it mean for Jesus to be head his church? It means that even though the church is made of different members, with different giftings and different roles to play, he is the one person who leads and instructs us all. We are not free to “do church” however we want. Rather, we are expected to follow the instructions of our head.

Jesus leads and loves his church. He counsels and guides her. He is our source of life and fountain of wisdom. He has the right to tell us what to believe and what not to believe. What to do and what not to do. Just as the body is not free to live or act however it wishes, so the body of Christ is not free to act independent of its head.

When Jesus talks about money, we obey. When Jesus speaks of gender and sexuality, we obey. When he talks about worship, or family, or any other topic, we obey. He is our head, and we have a responsibility to listen carefully and then obey what our head tells us to do. This also means that on any issue, we are not invited to simply say, “My opinion is this,” or “I feel that,” but we are to ask, “What does the Bible say?” and “What does Jesus say?”

Last Sunday, I preached on Jesus as the head and cornerstone of the church. You can catch the audio or video using the links below:

Audio – Sermon page on our church website

Video – available on our church’s Youtube page or use the embedded file below.