Several years ago, there was a football team that became famous. It had a backfield that rang up so many touchdowns that the backfield players became somewhat conceited. One day the coach decided they needed to be taught a lesson, and so he pulled out the first team and sent in a string of substitutes. Very quickly the opposing team crashed through the substitute line and stopped the backfield cold. They were not the unbeatables they thought they were. After a few plays, they frantically signaled the coach for help, and the first-string line went back in again. The backfield players learned that without the support of a strong line they could not score touchdowns. It takes all eleven men to win a football game.
The same is true of the church. Although not called a team in Scripture, the church is called “the Body,” and the same principle applies. First Corinthians 12:12-27 teaches that there must be cooperation of every member if we are to accomplish the goals of our Lord here on earth. The Bible continues to teach us that each member must work together with God (2 Corinthians 6:1). This means we are to not only pull together, but we must pull in the right direction.
Thomas Carlyle said, “Ten men banded together in love and unity can do what ten thousand separately would fail to do.” This quote points out that there is strength in unity and working together. Jesus said in Matthew 12:25 “…Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (NKJV). These two quotes are very applicable to the church today. The church faces many trials from Satan. One is individualism, “doing what I want to do regardless of what anyone else tells me to do.” This is a dangerous attitude and doesn’t get us very far when trying to do the Lord’s work. It’s like the backfield of the football team thinking they do not need the front line to win football games. It will not work.
More can be done as a team effort or as a “body” than can be accomplished solo. Everything we do as the church takes teamwork and trust. Every person in the congregation is valuable and needed. The church is a team, and together we can build for the Lord. So, church, let’s work together!
