One of the shortest Psalms is Psalm 133:1-3. It talks about how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. That, and some of the reading I have been doing lately, has led me to ponder this question: In North America, are our churches truly a family of believers all together, or are we more a collection of individuals who happen to get together once a week?
One hallmark of North American thinking and culture is the focus on the individual and that individual's freedom. Everywhere we are taught to put ourselves and our needs and our cares and our concerns before others. And the sad thing is, this attitude has carried over into our places of worship. We start to look for what we can get out of our gathers. When we don't like the music, or the format, or what the preacher says, we go somewhere else that suits what we think we need.
This kind of thinking is extremely destructive to building unity, in the church as in life. And yet, our God makes it clear that He wants His people to be unified, to be looking for the good of one another. St. Paul even writes that God's people should put others' interests before their own (Philippians 2:3-4). So should we really be surprised that, when we each put our own thoughts and desires above that of our brothers and sisters that we end up with broken, fragmented churches?
God created us as a body together. To borrow another of Paul's images, we are grafted together into one vine, and that vine is Jesus. We are united to Jesus, and in that unity, we also are united to one another.
How can you help to build unity in your house of worship this week? What would be a good first step, and then a second step toward such unity?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
A Day to Remember
In the history of this world, there have been many people who fought and died for the freedom of their families, friends, and countries. Here in the United States, we are no different. Many untold thousands (perhaps millions or even more) of lives have been willingly offered to protect and serve those who benefited from their sacrifice. So it is appropriate for us to take time today to reflect on those lives, and to be thankful for those lives which have been given for our freedom.
Chiefly, though, we have been given a more enduring freedom, won from our in-dwelling sin, from the power of death, and from the clutches of the evil one which the Bible names as Satan. Through Jesus and the cross, these powers have been overcome. We could not do it ourselves, but rely upon His great victory, the spoils of which He gives to all who believe and follow Him.
"Do this, in remembrance of Me." Jesus
Chiefly, though, we have been given a more enduring freedom, won from our in-dwelling sin, from the power of death, and from the clutches of the evil one which the Bible names as Satan. Through Jesus and the cross, these powers have been overcome. We could not do it ourselves, but rely upon His great victory, the spoils of which He gives to all who believe and follow Him.
"Do this, in remembrance of Me." Jesus
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Community: Love in the Community
Throughout the account of Jesus' life that John wrote, he speaks of Jesus and love quite often. This is especially apparent on the Thursday night of Passover, the night before Jesus would be betrayed, arrested, tried, and eventually crucified. As He spent time talking with His disciples, one point that He really seemed to want to get across to them was the necessity of showing love to one another.
That's why you will find Jesus telling them to love one another repeatedly throughout chapters 13-16. You can see it in places like John 15:9-10, John 15:12-13, John 15:17, and many more times throughout. And in doing this, Jesus shows us the importance of love for one another in our faith community.
Yet, love is something that we westerners seem to have forgotten how to do. You watch movies or read books, and the prevailing sense of what love is is some kind of attraction or pleasure. That's because we have so thoroughly watered down what "love" means that we no longer know how we can love one another. After all, if "love" has sexual or pleasurable connotations, then what does it mean to love our brothers and sisters in Jesus? What does it mean to love Jesus, for that matter? If we're looking for some pleasurable feeling in doing this, then it's no wonder we aren't finding or experiencing that kind of love in our church communities.
That's because love finds its base in a verbal form, not in a noun form. Love is action, not some feeling, or something we get from another. Love is something that we do. Love is commitment. Love is caring. Love is, when needed, putting the needs of another before our own needs. Love is looking around at our brothers and sisters and seeing that we need them and they need us far more than some kind of sense of pleasure. In many respects, love is a commitment to care.
Maybe that's why we in the west have such a hard time of knowing how to love one another. We're told to look out for our own selves first and foremost, and then we're told that love is some pleasurable feeling that we should pursue at all costs. Is it any wonder, then, that our faith communities (and in many cases, our families) are falling apart due to lack of love?
Who do you know that needs your love toward them today? How can you go about showing that love to them?
That's why you will find Jesus telling them to love one another repeatedly throughout chapters 13-16. You can see it in places like John 15:9-10, John 15:12-13, John 15:17, and many more times throughout. And in doing this, Jesus shows us the importance of love for one another in our faith community.
Yet, love is something that we westerners seem to have forgotten how to do. You watch movies or read books, and the prevailing sense of what love is is some kind of attraction or pleasure. That's because we have so thoroughly watered down what "love" means that we no longer know how we can love one another. After all, if "love" has sexual or pleasurable connotations, then what does it mean to love our brothers and sisters in Jesus? What does it mean to love Jesus, for that matter? If we're looking for some pleasurable feeling in doing this, then it's no wonder we aren't finding or experiencing that kind of love in our church communities.
That's because love finds its base in a verbal form, not in a noun form. Love is action, not some feeling, or something we get from another. Love is something that we do. Love is commitment. Love is caring. Love is, when needed, putting the needs of another before our own needs. Love is looking around at our brothers and sisters and seeing that we need them and they need us far more than some kind of sense of pleasure. In many respects, love is a commitment to care.
Maybe that's why we in the west have such a hard time of knowing how to love one another. We're told to look out for our own selves first and foremost, and then we're told that love is some pleasurable feeling that we should pursue at all costs. Is it any wonder, then, that our faith communities (and in many cases, our families) are falling apart due to lack of love?
Who do you know that needs your love toward them today? How can you go about showing that love to them?
Friday, May 27, 2011
Community: Meeting at the Gate
One of the charges that the LORD God gave to Israel was to write the contents of His Law to them on their doorposts, and also on the gates of the city where they happened to be. (See Deuteronomy 6:1-9, for example) It was at these gates that the elders of Israel would go, to meet with the people, to hear disputes, and to make judgments on what God's law said pertaining to whatever the people might ask. In essence, the elders were to go out to the gates and pretty much engage with people, answering their questions, and making themselves available.
This is perhaps one of the more difficult lessons to teach those of us raised in North America. We've been raised and taught to be productive with our time. So sitting around simply engaging people in conversation, listening to their needs and thoughts, and building up relationships with them may seem like a waste of time. And yet, this is perhaps one of the weakest components of our western society. We simply do not place a great value on sitting around in conversation with others.
Yet, if we look at spending time with people in this kind of way as a waste of time, is it any surprise that we really don't know how to relate to others? Throughout this week, I have been talking about being a community of faith in Jesus, and of the interpersonal relationships that calls for. It would seem that, if we are to really become the body of Christ, or a community of faith, simply spending time with each other is vitally important.
True, if we spend our time with people to avoid doing other things that we should be doing, then we have problems. But there is such an important part of our life spent in social interactions with others. It's hard to share tough times in life with someone you don't know well, but if you have never tried to get to know people, should it be any surprise that you don't have anyone with whom to share such moments?
Who can you make time to spend with this coming week? Not for any particular agenda, but just simply to grow in relationship with them. Give it a try!
This is perhaps one of the more difficult lessons to teach those of us raised in North America. We've been raised and taught to be productive with our time. So sitting around simply engaging people in conversation, listening to their needs and thoughts, and building up relationships with them may seem like a waste of time. And yet, this is perhaps one of the weakest components of our western society. We simply do not place a great value on sitting around in conversation with others.
Yet, if we look at spending time with people in this kind of way as a waste of time, is it any surprise that we really don't know how to relate to others? Throughout this week, I have been talking about being a community of faith in Jesus, and of the interpersonal relationships that calls for. It would seem that, if we are to really become the body of Christ, or a community of faith, simply spending time with each other is vitally important.
True, if we spend our time with people to avoid doing other things that we should be doing, then we have problems. But there is such an important part of our life spent in social interactions with others. It's hard to share tough times in life with someone you don't know well, but if you have never tried to get to know people, should it be any surprise that you don't have anyone with whom to share such moments?
Who can you make time to spend with this coming week? Not for any particular agenda, but just simply to grow in relationship with them. Give it a try!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What connects the body and holds it together?
As a runner, I have a fairly significant interest in the parts of the body that hold it together. At various times, knees and ankles can feel a little sore from the movement of running, and the stresses that are placed upon those parts of the body. But if those parts are not strengthened and prepared for the task, then the connections between the feet and the legs, or between the upper and lower legs, suffers greatly.
When Paul writes about the body being one unit made up of many parts, or members, he doesn't just leave it there. After all, what good is a body without the various connections that give it form and shape. While our skeletal system shapes what our body looks like, it would be nothing more than a pile of bones without connective tissue holding them together, to give them form.
In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul speaks about Christ's body (that is, all those who have faith in what He has done for us) growing up into Him. But then, Paul speaks about connections in the body. He says that the body is held together by the joints, and that the joints are equipped for what they are supposed to do. When each part is working properly, then the body grows, built up in love.
That last part is key for us as we think of ourselves as the body of Christ. The body is built up and equipped by love. Faith is what connects us to the head, but it is love that connects the parts of the body to one another. If we are missing those connections of love between the members of the body of Christ, should we be surprised to see that body fall apart, sometimes literally. In our current day and age, so many wander in and the "slip through the cracks", and we wonder why, when the reality is, they have not been joined with the connection of love that unites the body together.
Perhaps you can think of someone in your worshiping community who may share faith in Jesus, but is barely hanging on to their connection to the body simply because no one has shown them love and care. Why not find some way to make that kind of connection with them? It just might be the kind of thing that joins two vital bones together in the body of Christ, and equips it even greater for the task of proclaiming Jesus' good news.
When Paul writes about the body being one unit made up of many parts, or members, he doesn't just leave it there. After all, what good is a body without the various connections that give it form and shape. While our skeletal system shapes what our body looks like, it would be nothing more than a pile of bones without connective tissue holding them together, to give them form.
In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul speaks about Christ's body (that is, all those who have faith in what He has done for us) growing up into Him. But then, Paul speaks about connections in the body. He says that the body is held together by the joints, and that the joints are equipped for what they are supposed to do. When each part is working properly, then the body grows, built up in love.
That last part is key for us as we think of ourselves as the body of Christ. The body is built up and equipped by love. Faith is what connects us to the head, but it is love that connects the parts of the body to one another. If we are missing those connections of love between the members of the body of Christ, should we be surprised to see that body fall apart, sometimes literally. In our current day and age, so many wander in and the "slip through the cracks", and we wonder why, when the reality is, they have not been joined with the connection of love that unites the body together.
Perhaps you can think of someone in your worshiping community who may share faith in Jesus, but is barely hanging on to their connection to the body simply because no one has shown them love and care. Why not find some way to make that kind of connection with them? It just might be the kind of thing that joins two vital bones together in the body of Christ, and equips it even greater for the task of proclaiming Jesus' good news.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Living Stones and the Chief Cornerstone
Many people are familiar with the words of 1 Peter 2:4-10, where God's people are called a royal priesthood, and are described as living stones, with Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. It's a great picture of God's people, built up by God, all in line with Jesus, and being built as God's spiritual house in this world.
A couple of nights ago, I was talking about this section with my friend Bill. Bill had a rather startling insight that I think is really worth sharing. Lately, I've been focusing a lot on our community of faith, and what it looks like for that community to be built up in Jesus, showing love to one another, and the great variety of ways that God has given for us to do so.
That's when Bill said something rather profound. He said you can't really call yourself a spiritual house if you are a brick sitting on top of the cornerstone all by yourself. In fact, if a good wind came along, you might even be blown off of top of the cornerstone. Sadly, there are many Christians who don't feel like they "need" to be a part of a community of faith, and so, in many respects, they are like this solitary brick. Are they still on the cornerstone? It's likely, but, as Bill pointed out next, they truly are missing out on something.
Think of the difference between that solitary brick on top of the cornerstone, and then the whole wall of bricks, built together, mortar sealing them to one another (the mortar of faith, of forgiveness, of godly love to one another). The same wind that might knock that solitary brick off has little effect on the whole wall. The individual bricks of the wall receive strength from their connections with the other bricks, and are able to withstand much more than the single brick.
Likewise, the brick that simply sits upon the cornerstone all alone has no form or structure to it. It could be aligned along the edge of the cornerstone, or it could sit diagonally, or even on one end. But the bricks that are built together to form the wall are aligned with the cornerstone, and help serve to keep one another in that proper alignment. Their strength is in the proper alignment with the cornerstone and with one another.
I even see Bill's insight, which he shared with me, as part of this. All alone, he might know this, but when it is shared with the rest of his fellow bricks, it serves to give us even more strength as we live life together as fellow bricks in God's spiritual house.
A couple of nights ago, I was talking about this section with my friend Bill. Bill had a rather startling insight that I think is really worth sharing. Lately, I've been focusing a lot on our community of faith, and what it looks like for that community to be built up in Jesus, showing love to one another, and the great variety of ways that God has given for us to do so.
That's when Bill said something rather profound. He said you can't really call yourself a spiritual house if you are a brick sitting on top of the cornerstone all by yourself. In fact, if a good wind came along, you might even be blown off of top of the cornerstone. Sadly, there are many Christians who don't feel like they "need" to be a part of a community of faith, and so, in many respects, they are like this solitary brick. Are they still on the cornerstone? It's likely, but, as Bill pointed out next, they truly are missing out on something.
Think of the difference between that solitary brick on top of the cornerstone, and then the whole wall of bricks, built together, mortar sealing them to one another (the mortar of faith, of forgiveness, of godly love to one another). The same wind that might knock that solitary brick off has little effect on the whole wall. The individual bricks of the wall receive strength from their connections with the other bricks, and are able to withstand much more than the single brick.
Likewise, the brick that simply sits upon the cornerstone all alone has no form or structure to it. It could be aligned along the edge of the cornerstone, or it could sit diagonally, or even on one end. But the bricks that are built together to form the wall are aligned with the cornerstone, and help serve to keep one another in that proper alignment. Their strength is in the proper alignment with the cornerstone and with one another.
I even see Bill's insight, which he shared with me, as part of this. All alone, he might know this, but when it is shared with the rest of his fellow bricks, it serves to give us even more strength as we live life together as fellow bricks in God's spiritual house.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
God's Community: Different Looks at Life Together
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42
I've often heard this verse and the verses that follow it (Acts 2:43-47) outlined as the ideal way that Christians should be in fellowship with one another. I've heard it talked about as the ideal way that we live our Christian lives together with one another.
But I have to admit that I have always struggled with thinking that. It's not that I think what they did was bad or wrong. In fact, I see a lot of strengths in how those Christians lived together and cared for one another. The thing that I have struggled with is the idea that these verses tell us how all Christians should pattern their lives together.
Let me explain for a moment. In some cultures, sharing possessions such as is described in Acts comes much more naturally than in other cultures. If we suggested doing that same kind of thing in North America, however, I doubt there are many churches that would be able to pull it off. Our culture is just different. It's not to say that one culture is better or worse than another, but the idea of independence and ownership is just different for most Americans that it likely is for much of the rest of the world.
In other words, part of our challenge is to figure out how to incorporate the principles behind what these disciples in Acts did, and then act upon those principles. It may not result in a shared pot, but consist of, say, a church benevolence fund that is continually given toward. It may mean that we find different ways to pray for one another and to let each other know about it (facebook, email, text message, or some other means of letting someone know prayer needs or that we are praying for them). It may mean that we have to be more intentional about being in connection with one another simply because our lives don't bring us into that regular contact with each other that those Christians in Acts experienced, as they saw each other in the market or along the towns streets. The principles remain the same, but the form that they take varies from culture to culture.
Perhaps the biggest thing that has started to stand out to me is that it has to be intentional. We don't live in a society where we regularly run into each other anymore. We have to plan the times we see each other, and so, if we are to maintain the community life together, it will require planning and intentionality. That doesn't make it any less of a community than that which is spoken of in Acts. It just means that the same things happen, but the way they happen looks a little different.
I've often heard this verse and the verses that follow it (Acts 2:43-47) outlined as the ideal way that Christians should be in fellowship with one another. I've heard it talked about as the ideal way that we live our Christian lives together with one another.
But I have to admit that I have always struggled with thinking that. It's not that I think what they did was bad or wrong. In fact, I see a lot of strengths in how those Christians lived together and cared for one another. The thing that I have struggled with is the idea that these verses tell us how all Christians should pattern their lives together.
Let me explain for a moment. In some cultures, sharing possessions such as is described in Acts comes much more naturally than in other cultures. If we suggested doing that same kind of thing in North America, however, I doubt there are many churches that would be able to pull it off. Our culture is just different. It's not to say that one culture is better or worse than another, but the idea of independence and ownership is just different for most Americans that it likely is for much of the rest of the world.
In other words, part of our challenge is to figure out how to incorporate the principles behind what these disciples in Acts did, and then act upon those principles. It may not result in a shared pot, but consist of, say, a church benevolence fund that is continually given toward. It may mean that we find different ways to pray for one another and to let each other know about it (facebook, email, text message, or some other means of letting someone know prayer needs or that we are praying for them). It may mean that we have to be more intentional about being in connection with one another simply because our lives don't bring us into that regular contact with each other that those Christians in Acts experienced, as they saw each other in the market or along the towns streets. The principles remain the same, but the form that they take varies from culture to culture.
Perhaps the biggest thing that has started to stand out to me is that it has to be intentional. We don't live in a society where we regularly run into each other anymore. We have to plan the times we see each other, and so, if we are to maintain the community life together, it will require planning and intentionality. That doesn't make it any less of a community than that which is spoken of in Acts. It just means that the same things happen, but the way they happen looks a little different.
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