2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2,3)Will you devote yourself to the church’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers, promising to further its purity and peace? (fifth question for joining the church- in the Book of Common Worship).
Thoughts: When we join the church, we join to not divide it or complain about it. We seek to make it better- more united, more pure- better. There is no perfect church. Not even the church we are used to going to is perfect. We do not design or create the church, but we are a part of the church- when we take part in it- and we shape it as we live in it. So when we join the church we say we seek to make the church a better place.
In our day of American consumerism, we may think we can simply choose a religion, design a religion, and ignore everyone else and the church. But such thinking is an illusion. We seek the peace of God for the Church- not the peace of death. The peace of death is leave me alone kind of peace- the kind of R.I.P. found over tombstones. But the peace of God is shalom- wholeness- contentment- knowing who you are and that you have purpose. The purity is not simply purity of motive, but purity in terms of doing what is right according to God. Such purity assumes there is a God who cares about how we live and love. If God doesn't care or cannot care, then such purity is an illusion. The God of scripture is a God who cares and asks us to care and live in holy (pure) ways.
Prayer: Lord, help me to seek you through your Church. Help me to seek your purity and your peace.
(Celtic symbol of purity)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34,35)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
(John 14:23)
3) Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying His Word, and showing His love, to your life’s end?
Thoughts: To join the church means to follow on the disciple path- following in the steps of Jesus Christ. It means that we forsake our own ideas to follow His ideas. It means we submit our wills to His will. To say this means in part that His will is discover-able So we obey the Word of the Lord found in scripture. We must listen to God speak to our hearts in scripture and seek to heed Him. But more than just obedience we must share the love we experience, showing God's love to the world. Our goal and our covenant is not to serve Christ for a moment, or a day or even a year or two but to our life's end. As we obey and show Christ's love, we smooth the transition into heaven. We promise to love Him even beyond til death us do part. We follow Christ- in obedience and love not just now- but we follow Him into heaven and afterwards in heaven.
Prayer: Lord, let me love you and show your love. Let me follow in your steps, listening to your voice speaking to me in your Word.
