11/4/14- Fortieth Day of Forty Days of Fellowship in the Fall

11/4- Tuesday John 17:20-21 20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Bonhoeffer: “Jesus Christ alone is our unity.  ‘He is our peace.’ Through him alone do we have access to one another, joy in one another, and fellowship with one another.” 

Thoughts: This is Christ’s prayer for you and for me- the church today.  It is a prayer that we in the present and the future would be one.  Some downplay this by saying it is only a spiritual oneness.  Ultimately it is.  But it is also a visible oneness. The church is called to ideally be one both invisibly and as much as possible visibly.  The unity of the church is a great treasure- prayed for by our Lord.  So the things that divide us schism, pride, consumerism, and heresy are to be devalued and we are called to fulfill the prayer of Christ.  We are called to love one another in unity for love and unity of fellowship are eternal gifts of God.  One day we will truly be one in heaven.  But Christ prayed for this unity here.

Prayer; Lord, may we be one as you are one.  Give us grace to answer your prayer. 

6/3/14- The Oneness of the Church

As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so we firmly believe that from the beginning there has been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be, one Kirk, that is to say, one company and multitude of men chosen by God, who rightly worship and embrace him by true faith in Jesus Christ, who is the only Head of the Kirk, even as it is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus. This Kirk is catholic, that is, universal, because it contains the chosen of all ages, of all realms, nations, and tongues, be they of the Jews or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with his Son, Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of his Holy Spirit. It is therefore called the communion, not of profane persons, but of saints, who, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, have the fruit of inestimable benefits, one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and one baptism.  (Scots Confession 15a)

Scripture: On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Thoughts: Knox, who lived in a time in which the western church was dividing, spoke of one holy catholic, universal church. The Church is not one because of institutional organization, or denomination, but because of God's election and call.  The invisible church contains the saints in heaven and earth.  God will always have a church to worship Him.  The oneness of the church is not found in denominations, or creed, but in true faith in God. God calls the true church to himself. During the French Revolution, Voltaire was saying the church would be dead within twenty years.

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember your call upon my life.  Thank you for the unity I have with other believers.

6/22/13- The Oneness of the Church

21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.(John 17:21-23)

Thoughts: Jesus prays the church would be one.  In some ways that prayer has gone unanswered.  In other ways it is answered.
    The classical marks or signs of the true church are "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic."  We will look at these signs now. 
    One- while the visible church may be diverse. spread out, divided by language, culture, theology, or personality, the invisible church is united.  John Leith says, "The unity of the church is easier to confess than conceptualize."  It is a matter of faith- more than a matter of geography, or the ability to recognize each other.  Just as a one dollar bill or a twenty dollar bill are all different but are all the same money- just different denominations. So the church is one though many- and is often labeled different denominations.  Each congregation is united to the next- not by a creed, or by a label,or even by recognized mission- but by God.
     It is very important in this post-denominational age that we recognize the oneness of the church.  This is not something that may happen in the future- but is happening now.  Today more than ever before a minister from one denomination may preach in another denomination's church (so Lutherans have agreements with Episcopalians and Presbyterians).  On the mission field ministers from various traditions have worked together for the common good for years.  "Non-denominational" churches look beyond an affiliation to obtain a minister.  Today there are more non-denominational churches in America than denominationally affiliated churches, and this trend is growing. Many old divisions came from the country-state churches people came from in Europe (Germany and Nordic was Lutheran, England was Episcopalian, Scotland/ Netherlands/ Switzerland was Presbyterian). Some of the things that divided Christians- whether there were elders or not; whether we sprinkled, poured, or submersed in baptism; exactly how old someone was when we baptized- have become what they should be- secondary.  New divisions center around ethics and basic beliefs- which are more substantial, but still not worthy of division. When we get to heaven- the invisible church will be seen for what it is- one.  We would do well to "make every effort keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).  May His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. 

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to recognize the tie that binds us all- your self.  May your Spirit unite me in love with other believers.