What comes to mind when you hear the word “church”? A building? A denomination? A group of people? In this message from Colossians 1:18, Pastor Mark uses a powerful analogy—football—to help us understand what the church truly is and why Christ must be at the center of it all.
Who is the Church?
Just as a football team isn’t just the building or the uniforms, the church isn’t a building or a denomination. The church is the people—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. And just as every player on a football team has a role, every believer has a role in the body of Christ.
Paul writes in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus “is the head of the body, the church.” This is revolutionary. It means that Christ is not just a part of the church—He is the head, the one who directs everything. No pastor, no elder, no board member is in charge. Jesus Christ is.
The Church’s Purpose
What is the purpose of the church? Pastor Mark points us to Ephesians 4, where Paul explains that Christ gave the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
— Colossians 1:16
Here’s the profound truth: all things were created through Christ and for Christ. This means life is not about you. It’s about Him. God did not create the universe for you or for me—He created you and me for Christ. And this applies to the church as well. The church exists to make Christ preeminent, to build up believers toward maturity, and to defend the truth of God’s Word.
How Does the Church Function?
Using the football analogy, Pastor Mark explains that just as a team has a head coach who calls the plays, Jesus Christ is the head of the church who gives us our purpose and direction. The head coach determines the game plan, organizes practices, and decides which plays to run. Similarly, Christ directs the church.
The key insight is this: in a football huddle, one person makes the decision—not everyone. One person calls the play. And within the body of Christ, one person gives us our purpose: Jesus Christ. He has given us a playbook—the Bible—and it’s our responsibility to know it and live it out.
“He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”
— Colossians 1:18
Living for Christ Above All
For those who understand that life is about Christ, everything they do—whether big or small—has eternal significance. But for those who don’t acknowledge this, no matter what they’ve accomplished, it ultimately is meaningless.
Here’s the practical application: if Christ is the head of the body, then we must make Him first in our lives. This meansSubmitting to His direction, using our gifts for the building up of the body, and living in a way that makes Christ preeminent in everything we do.
The church is not a building or a denomination—it’s the body of Christ, with Jesus as the head. And this changes everything about how we live and serve.
Scripture References
- Colossians 1:15-18 — Christ as head of the church
- Colossians 1:16 — All things created through and for Christ
- Ephesians 4:1-16 — Unity and purpose of the church