We Need Each Other More Than We Know

Scripture

25This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:25-27

Observation

Paul was writing this letter to a church divided!  So, he uses a metaphor that anyone with a body can understand. “12The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” The Jews were looking down on the Gentiles because they were the first to come to Jesus and be filled with His Spirit. Paul made it clear that every part of Christ’s Body was to be honored.  "Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face" would be hurting themselves and marring the face of Christ.  As it turns out it’s our diversity of gifts and expressions that really shows the world what Christ looks like.  It’s unity, not uniformity that Jesus is after as we all follow The Head that is Christ.

Application

I remember stubbing my baby toe on the corner of a wall and the pain shot through my entire body like a shock wave. For the rest of the day and many days after all I could think about was hurt my toe was. My arms were fine, eyes were working, heart was pumping, but my toe was throbbing. I couldn’t even put my socks and shoes on as it hurt too much. How could a body part that I never paid much attention be my primary focus? My toe was in pain and the rest of my body was focused on that. In fact, if I didn’t have my baby toe I wouldn’t have balance and would fall over. It turns out the pain revealed a body part I’d been taking for granted. So, it is in the Body of Christ. When one part of the Body is hurting we should all be paying attention. It doesn’t matter what denomination they are  a part of, what style of worship they enjoy, what their cultural traditions are.  If they are a part of the Body of Christ when they hurt we hurt. I’ve been reminded of this recently as I’ve come alongside my brothers and sisters at Victory Outreach Church. They have experienced a number of deaths recently and a few families have moved on to other churches. I know exactly how that feels and how hard it is to bounce back from. I remember my first meeting with Pastor Agner over three and a half years ago. I had invited Victory Outreach to rent our facility as they were meeting in Grape Day Park having their facility in COVID. I told Pastor Agner I felt that God wanted us to have a covenant with each other and not just a rental agreement. Over the years we have seen the beauty of this strength and diversity of expression showing Christ to the community around us. Victory Outreach has an amazing gift and connection with North County and has helped us build bridges through meeting needs. Now, we get meet their needs. They are feeling the end of their season has come, but this has led us to swing wide the doors of The Father’s House to a new level of ministry and connection. They will be joining us for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. That seems to be rather appropriate doesn’t it? Death must precede Resurrection. Instead of turning away from this part of The Body that is hurting we are turning to them because we need each other. Just as with all the parts of the Body we are stronger together than we are apart.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given to the members of Your Body. Thank You for how you bring together different personalities, gifts, traditions and make us One in You. I think about how You brought the Baptist church in Seattle to join our young upstart Foursquare Church plant. No one from the outside thought it would work, but because You were in it the two became one and Seattle saw the face of Jesus in a new way. I pray that every one of our brothers and sisters in Victory Outreach would feel Your nearness and the comfort of Your Spirit in the process of closing down their church and joining ours. I pray that each of us would know that are we stronger together and that our best days are ahead. We need each other and we need You!