Community Devo

June 12th, 2016  

Devotional

“Simple Spirituality: Community” - Matthew 25: 42-43 and 1 Cor 12: 12-31

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “One Body” - 1 Cor 12: 12-13, Luke 10: 25-28

“We are the body of Christ! The hand clapping, toe tapping, heart pumping, mouth tasting, arm embracing, justice seeking, hymn singing, love making, bread baking, risk taking, body of Christ.” This statement is from my favorite call to worship. I like it because it explains that the body of Christ is something we experience and that we are truly a part of. That we are members of one body.

The apostle Paul is writing to a church that is divided. Some people believe that they are better than others because of their status in society, wealth, or previous background. There was fighting at the communion table. People were disregarding the sins of a few and focusing on the sins of others. In other words, Corinth was turning into a dysfunctional church. They didn’t see the necessity of their brother and sister and it was causing distress. 

Paul wanted to remind the church that their were baptized by one Spirit and under the leadership of one Lord. The church is one of the only places I can think of where we are valued as both individuals and part of a group. God loves us individually as children, has crafted each of us even before we were born and knows us, yet calls us to be part of something bigger than our individual selves in the work of the Kingdom of God. In fact, God invites us not only to be part of this particular body of Christ here in this community, but as part of the body of Christ in many churches in this county, and the body of Christ across the United States and around the world. In fact the body of Christ working to realize the Kingdom of God on earth is bigger than what we can possibly comprehend in our minds, yet we are called to be part of it! We are called to be part of Christ’s beautiful body.

What does it mean to be part of the body of Christ? 

What do we profess when we share in communion together? 

How do we need each other?

Prayer: Jesus, we confess that sometimes we act just like the church in Corinth - we forget that we are members of one body. We forget that we need each other. Reveal to us this day the beauty of the body of Christ, dear Lord, and help us live into this body for your honor and glory. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Belonging” - 1 Cor 12: 14-19

Paul is facing an obvious problem, people don’t realize how big the body of Christ is. They are saying to one another that some are not important, that some aren’t needed. And that critique from other’s was leading people to not see their worth or value in the body of Christ. Because they did not have the same gifts to offer as others they felt as if they did not belong. 

While we may not communicate this message as blatantly today, people still get the message that they do not belong, that they have no value or are not worthy. By telling people you would rather do a task for the church on your own. That you don’t need their help or their gifts. By telling young people that they aren’t allowed to participate in worship in certain ways. The list goes on and on. The result is that slowly, over time, people stop offering to participate in the body. Stop coming. Start thinking that they don’t know enough or aren’t good enough to contribute to the Kingdom of God. And friends, that breaks my heart. 

We are united by the broken body of Christ for something bigger than ourselves, but sometimes that means we need to get out of God’s way. It means we need to realize that we are of value and not second guess God’s call on our lives or the gifting we have been graced with. It means that we realize we cannot do everything alone, and that we need all, yes all, of the body of Christ working together or we will miss out on missional opportunities.

Have you ever received the message you did not belong to the body? How did you respond?

In what ways can we communicate that everyone belongs to the body better? 

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we do not reflect your heart and message as the church. Sometimes we exclude from your community instead of helping others see how they belong and how they are treasured by you. Make us be a place where all are truly welcomed in your name. Amen. 

Wednesday: “ Many Members, Many Gifts” - 1 Cor 12: 20-25, Matthew 6:33

I rejoice in the fact that we are all different and have different gifts. I believe God provides within our local body every person and thing we need to reach this county for Jesus Christ. I believe that in the Church Universal we have all the people and things we need to transform the world for Jesus Christ. I have often churches bemoan and say “if only”. “If only” we had more people, more resources, more money. But brothers and sisters, if we neglect this body, the body we have been gifted with, by saying that we are not yet good enough or have enough for the mission of Jesus Christ then we are not living up to the call of the Kingdom. And more will not come. 

People are perceptive. One of the statistics thrown around a lot about new people entering into a church community is that they will decide in the first five minutes if they are going to return at any point in time. Five minutes. Its because in those five minutes people can perceive if people love and respect one another. They can tell if people feel appreciated or dejected. Because nothing is heavier then a sense of hostility amongst church folks. Because that sense of being told “I don’t need you” hangs in the air long after an incident of rejection. Visitors can tell better than people who have been part of a local church for a long time if this community is a place where people find wholeness. If members are actually connected like muscle and bone. If people truly suffer and rejoice together.

How can we rejoice in the gifts that each person offers?

Prayer: Lord, help us to rejoice that we are part of your body. Help us to rejoice in the many gifts that are represented in our congregation. Help us value each other as you value us, Almighty God. Amen. 

Thursday: “Suffer and Rejoice Together” - 1 Cor 12: 26, Matthew 25: 42-43

Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of the church happens when we do not share what we are going through with one another. How  are we to live into suffering and rejoicing with one another when we keep secrets from one another about our lives? We are depriving the body! You may be having a really rough day right now. Maybe you just got a diagnosis that you want to keep to yourself. But if you don’t share it how can anyone come beside you and encourage you, pray for you, be your family? Or maybe you just had a baby and are feeling completely overwhelmed! Why not ask for help from one of the wise mothers in the body? The reason we reject sharing our trials and joys is because it requires honesty and humility. The author Lauren Winner wrote "Community doesn't come about simply by having hard, intimate conversations. Having hard, intimate conversations is part of what is possible when people are already opening up their day-to-day lives.".We need to start sharing our day to day lives. Doing life together like a true family.

Do you feel safe to share your day to day life with your church community? Why or why not? How can we improve in this area?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for the times we have failed to share our lives with one another. Forgive  us for the times we have not been a community safe enough for others to share with us. Make us a place where we can suffer and rejoice together, truly upholding each other. Amen. 

Friday: “What’s Your Gift?” - 1 Cor 12: 27-31, Luke 4: 18-19

Being part of a body means that we know ourselves enough to be able to give of ourselves. Have you ever really noticed that giving of yourself is really hard if you don’t know who you are? Even worse, when you don’t know who you are, you easily become jealous of other people. You find yourself wanting the gift or talent that another person has instead of rejoicing in your own gift and sharing it with others. Paul uses this obtuse image of the entire body being an eye or an ear, earlier in 1 Cor 12. I don’t know about you, but if I saw a giant eye or ear, I would be pretty freaked out. Yet for some reason, we try to live in this balance between being independent and being just like everyone else. How does that work? It doesn’t. God has created you to be unique, but to fit perfectly with everyone else. To be your own bright color in the rainbow. Or to be your own puzzle piece that fits with everyone else to make the picture complete. If you were meant to be a center piece of the puzzle and you desire to become a corner, you aren’t going to fit into the puzzle anymore. You must know your gift and where your gift fits into the body.

What is your spiritual gift?

How is your spiritual gift used in the body of Christ? 

Prayer: Lord, reveal to us the gift that you have given us. Reveal to us the way you want to use us in the body of Christ. Knit us together as a community, gifted for your use and glory alone. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Simple Spirituality: Simplicity” - 2 Cor 8:9

Family Activity: Read the story Stone Soup together. How do the different gifts fit together in the story. What do you think your gift is? How can we celebrate your gift as the Church?