Meeting 11/23/19
Unity
There ought to be something different about the Body of Christ that stands out as different from the world and its divisions. Instead, His church should be unified. Jesus prayed for this in John 17, that we would be one, as He is one with the Father. He would know a thing or two about unity, considering He is a part of the awesome and mysterious Trinity. Within that relationship is wholeness and perfection. And we are invited into that same relationship; therefore, we have that same potential for unity. The Holy Spirit points to the Christ. If we will point to Him as well, we have that special unity Jesus prayed for.
Why does He pray for our unity? So that the world may know Him. He loves His people so much, He wants everyone to be with Him in heaven. He died to prove that.
Is there too much independence in churches today? The last count I can remember, we have some 227 churches in our immediate area. More and more, churches are building their own independent structures, housing their own coffee shops, book stores, gyms, etc. There seems to be very little coordination and sharing of resources or community events or gatherings. I remember years ago, a public coffee shop that promoted Christian values. I encouraged churches to move their small groups and meetings there to support the business. Sadly, it was too little too late, and the shop closed its doors. I'm not privy to the details of how it unfolded, but I would've loved to see that little shop thrive in our community. To me, it's an especially encouraging interaction, when I discover a stranger that is a fellow believer. It's a thrill to find out what 'body part' they are within His church and to hear what He is doing. And it just brings Him glory, as we are amazed at how He uses different folks.
We should be about Jesus. That is our focus. When we come together, there shouldn't be squabbles over doctrine, theology, or worship methods. We are called to be unified, as one body, full of many different parts, all working together for His greater purposes, so we can put aside our selfish, nearsighted agendas and be about Him. I've always liked the idea of dissecting the word 'community', because within community, is unity.
The world should see a positive difference in genuine believers. To some, it will be an attraction and cause wonder, as well as intrigue. To others, a frustrating ire. What fruit should be evident among us? Faith, hope, and love. But the greatest is love (1Cor. 13:13). I guess the question to ask ourselves, or maybe even better, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal, "As a saved, disciple of Christ, am I any different from the worldly, unsaved man?".
