Body Double

I love movies don't you? The stories...the drama...the humor...the villains being defeated...the fantasy worlds coming to life...exploring places we never even knew existed...often on the shoulders of some hero we identify with...yet can't be. Now with computer generated images, CGI, the special effects are insane! Our hero's do the most amazing things. The stunts and scenes can be completely other worldly, its crazy, but so much fun to experience the adventure. Having known some people who work behind the scenes in film, its amazing to get a glimpse into how all this is done. The computer effects...the sets that are built and look so real...and the stunts, wow how do they do all that? It turns out most stunts are not done by the actual actor or actress, but rather they are done by a what's called a "body double". Someone who looks very similar to the original actor or actress, yet is given the task to do what the actor or actress cannot. They are usually difficult stunts or dangerous maneuvers of some type. The kind of things you need to be equipped and trained to do properly. But on film, the body double represents the original in such a convincing way, that the audience doesn't see a difference, they seem as one! In many ways I believe the people of God, those who follow Jesus, the church, if you will, are intended to be body doubles. Let me explain. Jesus was the physical representation of God on earth...Jesus loved as God loved, healed, forgave, and taught truth as God the Father does. Jesus was the physical manifestation of God to us humans, so that we may understand God on our level... human to human...yet also the spiritual expressed through humanity. Why? To teach us. Because Jesus would then ask "us" to be "His body"...the physical, human representation of God on earth. You see, Jesus passed the baton, so to speak, to those that would believe. Jesus was the light of the world, but now He says "we are to be the light of the world." The baton has been passed. We are now the "body double" continuing to do what Jesus did. We are the current representation of God's love on this earth. Human beings, in cooperation with God's Spirit, living out His ways, so that others may come to experience the love of God through us! Wow, quite a concept! Now unlike an actor who can't do his own stunts...Jesus clearly didn't hand off this task to us because He could not do it Himself...rather He chose to allow us to do it, so that we could learn what His love is like when lived out. So that we could learn to trust the Spirit of God as it guides & directs us. So that we could be part of the Story He is telling, and hopefully, people will not be able to see the difference between Jesus and us. Jesus said "when you see me you see the Father"...may we become a people that others will say, "when you see them, you see Jesus."

be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas