United We Stand!

Genesis 12:2-3 - "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Pastor Rory Grooters began his Sunday sermon with a short video clip showing a soccer team at practice. Under his breath the coach was urging one of the players to pass the ball. He did not. He kept it to himself. The coach stopped the game and called the young man over to speak to him. A long story short, he told him they needed to work as a team. That the name on the back of his jersey (his own) was not as important as the one on the front (the team's).

There are two thoughts going through my head about this sermon...one is the unity we are to have with fellow believers; the other is how we are to expand the number of fellow believers to enlarge the body of Christ.

As Christians we are united in Christ. Our name, on its own, is of no importance. It is the name on the front, and Pastor Rory pointed to his heart, that is the most important. We are part of "Team Jesus." As a group united in Christ we should be acting as a team, not as an individual who believes they are standing out from the team and more important than the rest. I am reminded of the scripture in John that states He must increase, but I must decrease. If we do not bond together and work together as a unit, obviously we bring disunity. 

One of the things Pastor brought up was how we, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, have fulfilled the promise God made to Abram (Abraham) way back in Genesis. If we are believers we are part of the great nation and we are blessed as the scripture above points out. It is up to us to bring others in so they can also be blessed.

From Jesus forward in His genealogy (as those who come into relationship with Him and become part of His spiritual family) came the beginning of the Church (in general). Ephesians 1:22-23 shows us God's plan: And (God) put all things under (Jesus') feet, and gave (Jesus) to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. "Team Jesus." He is the head of the Church...For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23). 

If you notice, the word body is mentioned in both scriptures. As believers in Christ, being in Christ, being part of His body spiritually, we ARE the body of Christ. The Church is the body of Christ. As believers and followers, becoming one in Christ and therefore part of the Church (of Jesus Christ) it is our responsibility to continue the fulfillment of the very first scripture...to continue to bring about a great nation and to have others be blessed by being one in Christ, His body, His Church...unified in one belief. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).

God developed a plan through His Son that all people of all races, all religions, all denominations would have access to God the Father of all. And when we receive Him we become coheirs in Christ. United with Christ. Part of the team. Willing to go into all the world....

Maybe the reason for this blog is what Pastor Rory mentioned to us: when you believe in something you want to tell others about it. I find it much easier to write than to speak for some reason. This is my outlet for telling you what I believe!

Pastor brought up that our strength comes first in our individual unity with Christ, then being with like-minded people. Because I have believed first, have realized the forgiveness of a Savior, it is my desire to bring others into this same unity, this body of believers, becoming one in the Spirit of God with Christ. It is part of my responsibility to spread the Gospel! I have joined the cloud of witnesses who can testify of God's love, His power, His promises. If you become an heir to the Throne and the Kingdom of God, you too become united in the Body of Christ. You become a disciple and a part of Team Jesus.

Philippians 2:1-3 - If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

The Body of Christ

1Corinthians 12:36  - And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

As the news continues in the progress of the families suffering the loss of loved ones in Sunday's accident, my heart is aching as the fullness of all that has happened is sinking in.  I did not know this family, but because we are one in the Lord they are part of the body of Christ. When one part of the body is hurt, the entire body feels the pain.

Yesterday the wife of the man who died had the the difficult task of telling the surviving children their father and brother went to be with Jesus.  I can't possibly imagine the intense pain physically and emotionally they are going through.  And my heart aches.  Her words to our pastor were, "Jesus will see us through this."  I fight back tears just writing this.  I remember what I wrote yesterday about her husband "unabashedly loving his wife."  The love of Christ was so evident through that statement and that love was strong in this whole family.  It appears their life was based on the solid foundation of Christ.

What must the family whose children were in the car with them be feeling?  We were told some of the family members gave their lives to the Lord Sunday night.  Amid all the pain, there is hope for that family.  If they continue to seek God's guidance during this tragedy, they too will find the peace that passes all understanding.

First Corinthians talks about the Body of Christ.  As believers who have given our lives to our Lord Jesus Christ, we are now one in the Lord.  We are one body of believers, one in spirit.  We are all given different gifts within this body and each person has a different role within the Body.   

It will be hard to live without the parts of our body that have been taken away.  But in time the wounds will heal.  Through this tragedy we have lost three parts of our body but there are other parts being added at the same time through this difficult time.  We will never understand why these things happen in our lives.  That's why it is important to know that God's ways are higher than ours.  There is a higher purpose. It's our relationship with our heavenly Father that carries us through these times.  Jesus is in the midst of this comforting and strengthening those who need it and rejoicing with those in heaven with Him today.  

I thank God for a relationship that brings peace in the midst of trial.  The wounds will heal slowly and certainly not without pain, but our Lord will be praised.  We are to remember that God and His ways are always good.

Nahum 1:7 and Romans 8:28 - The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Heavenly Father, again I ask that you minister to these two families.  The days ahead will be difficult but with You by their side they will see the hope that lies ahead.  I thank you in the midst of all this for Your wisdom, Your guidance for these families.  Let our family of believers bring comfort through prayer and encouragement.  It is upon Your strength we lean.  Heal their bodies and spirits.   Be the minds, eyes and hands of all the doctors and nurses assigned to them.  Most of all, Lord, thank that Your presence will be with them always.  In Your precious name we pray, Jesus.  Amen.