July 30th, 2017
Devotional
“The Gospel in Story Books: Stone Soup” - Romans 12: 4-5 and Matthew 18:20
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” - Romans 12:4
The body of Christ is a community. We are part of one body. However, we need to take time to deeply consider both what that means and what it does not. When we are part of one body, we admit that we need each other. We cannot claim anything to the contrary. For it is a community that allows us to be strong in our faith. It’s a community that helps us clarify our identity as Christians.
But we also need to know what community is not - community is not the place where we all look the same or agree with everyone all the time. In fact, I know no such place that exists. I confess that for a long time I actually didn’t like the word community because I had been in place that had corrupted the word to mean just that - a place where you have to think and be exactly like another person in order to be accepted. That is not the community of the church, which Paul stresses when he talks about having different people with different gifts. What is important in the community of the church is that we are all under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
What do you think of when you hear the word community?
What does the body of Christ mean to you?
Prayer: Loving God, you have gifted us with so much, including the body of Christ, the community of faith. Help us treasure this gift for what it is - diverse invidious who come together to care for one anther and to serve you in the world for the sake of your name. Use us, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday: “Functions” - Romans 12:4
Christian community works with what it has, the very gifts and functions of the people present. 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.
What is your spiritual gift? How do you celebrate and use this gift to serve Jesus Christ?
Prayer: Lord, we confess that we often miss what is right in front of us. We think of what we could do if we had more or different gifts instead of celebrating the gifts that we and our brothers and sisters already possess. Help us to see our community of faith, as you do, Precious God. Help us to use what we have and who we are to bring you honor and glory. Amen.
Wednesday: “In Christ” - Romans 12:5
Sometimes, even when we know that we have many gifts, we can forget what we are supposed to be doing with them. There are many passages where Paul speaks about spiritual gifts beyond Romans 12, and one of those passages can be found in Ephesians 4: 1-16. Paul tells the followers in Ephesus that they are to live a life worthy of their calling. Here’s the thing about calling - we all have one - we just sometimes choose to ignore it. Everyone identifies as a Christian are called to some time of servanthood and ministry by way of their baptism. Its just that the calling varies. But in this scripture passage we are told that we all have gifts - its just that the gifting and calls vary.
Have you ever taken time to pray about why you are part of this local body of Christ? Because you aren’t here by accident. You are here, because Christ gives us every gifting we need in each local body to thrive for the Kingdom of God. To make a difference in transforming the world.
What is the purpose of the local body of Christ?
How do we live into our gifts well together and where are our growing edges?
Prayer: Lord, at times we forget why you have given us gifts in the first place -to proclaim the Gospel Message - the Good News of Jesus Christ Help us to encourage one another in this body and in our parish to use all of our gifts, together, to make a difference in our communities and world. Amen.
Thursday: “One of Another” - Romans 12: 5
The Kingdom of God is about being the body of Christ together, not about being a lone ranger. Community is one of those words that has been marketed to the point of its very degradation over the past few years, but it is up to those laboring for the harvest to keep the image of community alive. We can compliment one another’s strengths.
I’ve grown up singing, but it is only since I’ve been in college that I’ve come to discover the beauty in being an alto. If we all sing the lead then we miss out on the beauty of harmonies. Harmonies compliment what is being sung in such a way that it makes it more interesting, and if done correctly, more beautiful to listen to. And if done just the right way, harmonies can be breath taking. Maybe this is what life is like, when we live out our lives fully we can make beautiful harmonies together in community by being ourselves. When one person has the words to speak powerfully to a certain group, another may have the means to communicate more clearly with a different personality. One may have the gift of prophecy while the other may be able to heal.
How do you live into the tension about having both a private and communal faith? What does this look like for you to live out daily?
Prayer: Lord, we seem to live into a paradox of faith. We know that we need a personal relationship with you, and we also know that you call us to be part of the body of Christ. But often you can find us in between forgetting that we need both a personal and communal faith. Help us to re-discover what it looks like to live our our private faith in you in a public way with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.
Friday: “Gathered” - Matthew 18:20
Part of being the body of Christ is gathering together. In the Methodist tradition, small groups and Sunday School were also the places where you faced some hard questions, like “how is it with your soul”. Small groups genuinely cared about the person who gathered, so they created a safe space to hold each person accountable. It was a place to confess your sin and ask for prayer. It was a place where people were prayed both for and with. And it was a place where folks were spurred on to the fruits of the spirit. We need more places like that today - places where we can truly be the church for one another. In the Gospel of Matthew we find the oft quoted teaching of Jesus that, where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them. We need places to gather together as the body of Christ in the name of Jesus.
Where do you gather with other believers?
What does this time together mean to you?
Prayer: God, you have given us the gift of each other. Let us not take that gift for granted. Help us to build up and encourage our brothers and sisters in the faith as we serve together and seek to know you better together. Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Time with God: Faith” - Hebrews 11: 6, 27 and Hebrews 12: 1-2
Family Activity: Read Stone Soup together. What special gift do you have to offer God? How can we celebrate that gift together as a family?
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