'In Christ'

At the conference I went to in December the theme was 'In Christ' - looking at just how we are in Christ. There was one illustration which was used throughout the talks which I found quite helpful and that is what I'm going to share with you.

So, picture an aeroplane, at the airport, ready for boarding, waiting to depart. The aeroplane is going to... lets say Hawaii. To spell this out the aeroplane is Christ and Hawaii is where we're waiting to go - the New Heaven and New Earth, I suppose.

First use of illustration. Final Destination. If we are in the plane then we are perpetually already in Hawaii - it is a certainty that we will get there. However, we need to be in the plane. We cannot be sitting in the waiting room looking on watching everybody else get on. We can't be standing at the railing thinking about how that might be a good idea to get on. We can't be in another plane. The only way to get to Hawaii is if we are in that plane.

Second use of illustration. Measure of Faith. If there is somebody who has been an avid flyer and travelled many places by plane they might sit down and relax straight away. On the other side of the aisle is an elderly gentleman who has never been in a plane. He is sitting quite upright - shaking a little - double checking his belt is on right - reading through all of the safety procedures and listening avidly as the flight attendant also runs through these things - asking numerous questions about how the plane works to make sure that he's safe. It does not matter what measure of faith one has, it took the same amount to get on the plane in the first place. Likewise, one who gets on at first boarding call and the one who gets on at final boarding call. Both are in the plane, and so both are in Hawaii.

Third use of illustration. Serving in Christ. When you are in a plane, all you do is sit down while others serve you... this is where the illustration does not work. In Christ, we should be serving one another - so lets remove the pilot, this flight doesn't need one as Christ is the only one who knows the way. And now lets remove the flight attendants, as we serve one another in Christ we do not need flight attendants whose job is specifically to serve each of us as that is each of ours job description, to lovingly serve one another in Christ.

I hope you also find this illustration helpful.

Can you think of anything else which this might illustrate - without taking the metaphor too far?

God Bless