They will know…
On New Year’s Eve, Tami and I continued a tradition we’ve kept for over 25 years. We had fondue with friends. We were excited about 2020. I think everyone was. Now I look back and think, who could have seen the realities we’ve had to deal with in the last ten months? An Impeachment. A Pandemic. Racial divisions and riots. Economic decline. Working from home. Zoom meetings. School closures. Business closures. A presidential election. The list goes on and on. All the while, churches have struggled to find new ways to gather in worship and fellowship.
2020 is nothing like we expected.
I don’t believe a vaccine will cure our pain. I don’t believe an elected official will heal our division. I believe 2020 has brought out a much more insidious disease than Covid 19, that’s the human condition. Jesus Christ is the only thing that will heal fractured human hearts. Our world needs Jesus’ disciples to live as His followers who reflect his life and teachings.
Did you know the phrase “one another” occurs over 100 times in the New Testament alone?
One third of those passages are calls for unity within the church. These words come from Jesus, Paul, Peter, and James.
Here are some examples:
“Be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50); “Don’t grumble among one another.” (John 6:43); “Don’t complain against one another.’ (James 4:11, 5:9); “Be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving to one another.” (Ephesians 4:32) “Accept one another.” (Romans 15:7); (see also Romans 12:6; 15:5, 15:7; 1 Corinthians 11:33; Galatians 5:15, 26; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; James 5:16)
Another one third are calls for Christians to love one another:
(John 13:34; 15:12; Romans 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 John 5; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:2; 1 Peter 5:14; Romans 12:10)
Another fifteen percent call for an attitude of humility among believers:
“Give preference to one another in honor.” (Romans 12:10); “Regard one another as more important than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3); “Serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13); “Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14); “Don’t be haughty: be of the same mind.“ (Romans 12:16); “Be subject to one another.” (Ephesians 5:21); ”Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another.” (1 Peter 5:5”
The rest of the passages discuss a variety of things like the importance of:
“…not judging one another…” (Romans 14:13); “… bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2); “…encourage one another…” (1 Thessalonians 5:11); “…pray for one another…” (James 5:16). “…speak the truth to one another…” (Ephesians 4:25); “…don’t lie to one another…” (Colossians 3:9); “… comfort one another…” (1 Thessalonians 4:18); (See also Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Corinthians 7:5; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Peter 4:9)
We will spend the next month with these passages as together, we listen for God’s call to be the church in November 2020. Over the next month, as we gather online and in our sanctuary, we will celebrate Holy Communion. We have sealed elements (bread and juice) to share in the sanctuary as well as online. If you plan on worshiping online, you can pick up the communion elements at the church throughout the week. We are also happy to deliver them to you if needed. Please contact us to let us know if you would like them delivered, 509.627.1109.
The world needs the church now more than ever, but if we are going to be Jesus’ church in 2020, we need one another now more than ever. Please join us in communion this November.
In Christ, your pastor,
Bryan White