Bound By Love

WITHIN EVERY HUMAN HEART LIES THE YEARNING TO BE AFFIRMED, UNDERSTOOD, AND USEFUL. I BELIEVE THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE IN WHICH TO HAVE ALL THESE DESIRES FULFILLED THAN WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH.

THERE IS NO SAFER PLACE ON EARTH IN WHICH TO USE ONE’S GIFTS, TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAN IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH. ALL SERVE. ALL CONTRIBUTE. ALL GIVE. ALL WORSHIP. ALL ADD VALUE AND PURPOSE. NO ONE IS GREATER. NO ONE IS LESSER.

TOGETHER. COLLECTIVE. UNIVERSAL. WE ARE ALL THE SAME BECAUSE WE ALL SERVE THE SAME DISTINCT MISSION OF THE CHURCH: TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST.

THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH, ON THE CHURCH: “THE CHURCH IS CREATED BY GOD. IT IS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. CHRIST JESUS IS ITS LORD AND HEAD. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ITS LIFE AND POWER. IT IS BOTH DIVINE AND HUMAN, HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY, IDEAL AND IMPERFECT. IT IS AN ORGANISM, NOT AN UNCHANGING INSTITUTION… CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH…THE CHURCH IS A FELLOWSHIP OF THE REDEEMED…TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE ON EARTH….”

THE CHURCH WAS INSTITUTED BY JESUS TO CARRY ON HIS WORK. HE COMMISSIONED US TO MAKE DISCIPLES, TO BAPTIZE, TO HEAL, TO EXPEL DEMONS, TO GOVERN AND JUDGE THE ACTIONS AND LIFE OF THE CHURCH.

MANY REFERENCES ARE MADE IN THE BIBLE USING THE TERM “BROTHERS AND SISTERS” TO HELP US SEE THAT WE ARE FAMILY. EVEN IN GALATIANS 6:10 WE, AS THE CHURCH, ARE REFERRED TO AS “THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”

WE ARE FAMILY. WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. WE ARE ONE AND UNIFIED TOGETHER IN JESUS. THIS IS WHY EPHESIANS 4:4-7 IS SO CRUCIAL TO REMEMBER!

“FOR THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT, JUST AS YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO ONE GLORIOUS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. THERE IS ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS OVER ALL, IN ALL, AND LIVING THROUGH ALL.”

SIMPLY PUT: THE CHURCH IS ONE BECAUSE IT IS CHRIST’S BODY, HE IS THE HEAD, WHILE WE, WHO ARE MANY PARTS, MAKE UP A LIVING BODY THAT MUST REMAIN UNIFIED. WE MUST NEVER EXCUSE OURSELVES, BUT HUMBLY AND GRACIOUSLY FIND OUR PLACE WHERE WE CAN SERVE, WORSHIP, PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AND SHINE THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST EVERYWHERE WE GO.

OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TODAY SAYS THAT AS A CHURCH, WE ARE ONE COMPLETE BODY, BUT WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTS. WE ARE ALL DESIGNED TO FUNCTION WITH DISTINCT PRECISION FOR UNIQUE PURPOSES. DESPITE THE INCOMPARABLE DIFFERENCES, WE ARE STILL COMPLETELY ONE, UNITED TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS DESPITE EACH OF US HAVING DIFFERENT GIFTS.

IN “ENGLISH” WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE NEED EACH OTHER AND CANNOT FULLY FUNCTION WHEN ONE OR MORE ARE MISSING IN ACTION. WE WERE NOT CREATED TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. EVERY MEMBER IS CAPABLE OF PROFITTING FROM WHAT ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE AS A WHOLE.

WE TRULY CAN HAVE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE HAVING SUCH DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR UNITY. IT BRINGS JOY BECAUSE WHEN EVERYONE USES THEIR GIFTS AND WORKS DILIGENTLY WHERE THEY ARE CALLED, THEN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IS ADVANCED IN ITS MISSION TO PRESENT JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD.

THE CHURCH, IN HER FINEST HOUR, IS “GOD’S TEAM.” WHEN WE EACH FIND OUR “AREA” TO SERVE AND THEN PUT OUR HEART AND GIFTS INTO WORKING THOSE AREAS, THEN THE CHURCH BECOMES HEALTHY, STRONG, VIBRANT AND FRUITFUL.

WHEN WE DEVELOP THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH AS GOD’S TEAM, WE CAN NO LONGER WRITE-OFF OR DIMENISH OUR ABILITIES, EFFORTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEAM. ONCE WE REALIZE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM, WE ARE SET FREE TO SERVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE.

THAT MEANS, WE NO LONGER HAVE AN EXCUSE TO SULK, WALK OFF AND REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE. WHEN THE CHURCH IS SEEN AS GOD’S TEAM, WE HAVE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR QUITTING, COMPLAINING OR WITHDRAWING OUR SUPPORT. IF WE ARE TRULY SERVING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, HONESTLY….WHO WOULD WANT TO QUIT OR GIVE UP?

PAUL MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR IN VERSES 9-10 (NLT),“DON’T JUST PRETEND TO LOVE OTHERS. REALLY LOVE THEM. HATE WHAT IS WRONG. HOLD TIGHTLY TO WHAT IS GOOD. LOVE EACH OTHER WITH GENUINE AFFECTION, AND TAKE DELIGHT IN HONORING EACH OTHER.” PAUL IS SAYING THAT IF SINCERELY LOVE EACH OTHER, THEN WE WILL GENUINELY DESIRE WORKING TOGETHER AS “GOD’S TEAM” AS OFTEN AS WE ARE ABLE. WHEN WE TRULY LOVE OURSELVES, OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR ENEMIES, UNCONDITIONALLY, THEN IT WILL NEVER BE “BEYONOD OUR DIGNITY” TO GIVE, SERVE, SACRIFICE AND LOVE.

HONESTLY SPEAKING, IT WAS NEVER “ABOUT US” IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE ATTENTION IS ON JESUS CHRIST. THE FOCUS IS ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHEN WE STICK TOGETHER IN LOVE AND WORK TIRELESSLY AND COLLECTIVELY, IN UNISON, WE WILL GLORIFY GOD, EXEMPLIFY JESUS, AND BEAR FRUIT WITH OUR EFFORTS.