by Jonathan Manafo | Feb 14, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
I’ve been quite into golf for many years now. I discovered it in my mid to late twenties and have been hooked ever since. Many people say that golf is not a game you perfect, but a game you discover and try and figure out your hole life. Out of the many things I learned about this sport, one of my favourites might be what they call ‘a mulligan’. A mulligan is a redo, a do over, a grace shot. If you’ve hit your ball into the woods or into the water, your partner may say, ‘take another shot, we’ll give you a mulligan’. They are some of the sweetest words you’ll hear on a golf course; because of course you’ll hear many not so sweet words (insert wink and a smile).
Imagine you could use a mulligan in real life? How wonderful would that be? As a police officer is about to write you a ticket you might say, ‘I think I’m going to take a mulligan on that one…I’ll see you another time, have a great day.’ After you’ve said something completely foolish you might say, ‘Mulligan. I’m taking a mulligan on that one. Pretend I didn’t say it, here’s what I really wanted to say.’ You might want a mulligan for a whole season of your life, a few months, a few years maybe. You just wish you could turn back the clock, address the situation differently, and move towards a much better experience or result.
Believe it or not, there is such a thing in life. Forgiveness. That’s right, forgiveness is what God offers to remove our wrongs doings and mess ups. King David in Psalm 103 actually describes it like this, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” You mean God can take my wrongs…so far away…and make it like I’ve never even done them? That’s what forgiveness is – much better than a mulligan in golf. Golf is a game – Life is real.
We have been journeying through the Lord’s Prayer and have arrived at the point where Jesus tells us that we can ask for forgiveness. We’ve addressed God as Father, we’ve invited God’s Kingdom and will to be present among us, we’ve asked for something as basic as bread, and now we are invited to ask for forgiveness.
Forgive us our sins…
If we never ask for forgiveness when we pray, then something is either off with our hearts or we have forgotten a very important reality, we are broken people. This phrase in this prayer acknowledges one very important thing: SIN exists, in the world, and in us.
It might be easy to say that sin exists in the world. Watch the news, read the paper, see the terror and the violence and the injustice. Sin, wrong doing, selfish behaviour, it’s all there. But what about in me. Do I have what it takes to identify that sin is in me? Because it is. Paul says, in Romans 3, ‘we have ALL sinned’ ‘we have all done wrong’. David says in Psalm 51 that we are prone wander from the God we love.
NT Wright said, “we must beware of perceiving a world where forgiveness isn’t necessary”. That is a world where no one admits their wrongs and identifies that we need fixing – we’re broken.
E. Peterson says that Sin Kills; it kills relationships, it kills the soul intimacy that is inherent in our image of God, it kills what had potential for growth and nutrition. Some say it wastes what is good, what had life. But Forgiveness is Resurrection. Life from the dead. Forgiveness redeems what sin wastes.
Jesus says, ‘Forgive us our sins’ because he knows that we are sinners in need of forgiveness.
As we forgive those who have sinned against us…
Jesus of course never lets us off the hook that easy. When you acknowledge what’s wrong in you, what you need forgiveness for, and are appreciative of what God has done for you, Jesus says, your automatic response must be to forgive those who sin against you. But Jesus, can’t I just sit here for a while and bask in my forgiveness?
Jesus goes into more detail on this after the prayer. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Paul reiterates this in Colossians 3:13, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you…Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.”
We who pray this are called to be the ones who live it. The church lives this. We’ve got to be a forgiveness-of-sins people. Forgiven people, forgiving others. If we don’t forgive others, it’s like we’re selfishly saying, “I want it all for me”. “I want to hoard this gift of mercy and grace”.
There are always two steps in praying for forgiveness: 1) Ask for grace, and 2) Extend that grace to others. It’s hard to do. It’s easier to host a charity event, or feed the poor, or raise money for world vision, but forgive someone who wronged you – no way, that’s too hard. Jesus’ response to that was his death on the cross. He did what only he could do so that we could receive forgiveness. He simply asks us to pay that selfless act of love forward.
Asking for forgiveness is like going to your Doctor. You know something’s not right, but in that moment you don’t really tell her what’s wrong. The Doctor can’t help you unless you’re honest about your condition. That’s why confession is important.
The church and the world are full of people who need do-overs…mulligans. We’re in luck, because God is in the business of mercy, grace and forgiveness.
Jesus says, when you pray, confess what’s up, what’s wrong…ask for forgiveness. And then, after you’ve been overwhelmed with God’s great forgiveness in your life, extend that to others around you – to those who’ve wronged you.
Life’s richest blessing comes from being forgiven and being willing to forgive.
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small(er) group questions: (short vide recap)
Was there anything this week that you wish you could do over? Don’t give us your biggest secrets, but perhaps a small regret? Did you pray the words of Cher, “If I could turn back time”?
Forgiveness is a powerful and profound thing to wrap your mind around. Read Psalm 103:8-12 and talk about how the Psalmist describes forgiveness?
Do you find yourself identifying the wrongs of others while neglecting to see the wrongs you’ve been involved in? Why is it so much easier to find fault in others and not in ourselves?
(there might be more on this though next week)
How often to you include Jesus’ words in your prayers? Forgive us our sins? Why do you think confession and forgiveness are so important to prayer and to our walk of faith?
Why would Jesus’ second part to this prayer be so difficult – forgive others? Or as Paul put it in Colossians 3:13, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you…Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.”
What do you think it means to be forgiveness-of-sins kind of people?
by Jonathan Manafo | Feb 7, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
When looking at the Lord’s Prayer as an example to follow, we are tempted to run or rush through the first few lines to get to this one, “Give me Food / I need __________”
Or as you know it, “Give us this day our daily bread”
When you’re hungry, you wanna get to the kitchen as fast as possible. Sometimes that’s how we approach prayer. That’s why Jesus doesn’t start with this phrase, but with what we’ve talked about in our earlier talks/posts: Father, Holy, Kingdom come, Will be done, is where Jesus wants us to start.
The first 3 petitions of this prayer (in Matthew) reorient our lives, our imaginations, our language to the presence and action of God.
The first 3 pronouns are “Your”
The final 3 pronouns are “Us”
After we understand who we’re praying to, what his purpose and intent is, we can move to asking him for what we need – The Basics. Pass the bread please!!!
Give Us…
We should be weary of the both extremes these two words lend themselves too. Are we the one who is always asking? For every little thing? Who rushes to the kitchen when we arrive at someone’s home? Give me this & give me that? Or, are we the one who never asks for anything? Who is either too afraid or possibly too proud to ask for something? Both extremes are faulty.
Jesus says, when you pray, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
Remember that you and I need God. He is our provider.
Today…
Today is a very important word in this prayer. Our tendency is to jump ahead, to worry about tomorrow, to be anxious about what we can’t control – the future.
Jesus says, “Give us this day” “Give us today”.
Prayer reminds us that we live one day at a time. That we are provided for one day at a time.
First century labour wasn’t like we know it. The worker knew only that they worked that day – they got paid at the end of that day – a few sick days in a row could be tragic. When they prayed these words, they knew what it meant to pray for today…to pray for more work and more pay and more food for today and tomorrow.
Jesus’ words a little further in Matthew 6 help us understand this even better. He teaches us not to worry about tomorrow, to trust that God will provide for our very basic and daily needs.
Praying daily…for one day at a time is the way to an emotionally healthy and gracious life. We combat things like consumerism (I want this), and technology (I don’t need you), and money & machines (if these work I don’t need to pray).
Our Daily Bread…
If we can get to the point that we pray, and ask, and seek, what are we asking for? Bread.
Bread means provision. God did, does and will provide.
Bread means that we are asking for basic needs…and specific needs.
Bread can mean that God provides in a fresh way, in a variety of ways, in a daily manner, for my growth and nutrition.
Bread also means that God sets the table for community…and parties…and friendships. (i.e.Biblical Kingdom theme of Party & Banquet, Jesus ate and drank with so many…he facilitated parties)
Bread is also…JESUS (I am the bread of life)
In Luke’s version of this prayer, Bread is at the centre. Bread is central to the prayer.
Sure…don’t turn prayer into a shopping list, but please don’t forget that God wants you to ask for basic and specific things.
Give them today, their daily bread…
Any time we ask for ourselves, and any time God provides, it must turn our prayers towards and for others in need. In the context of scripture, we can’t pray for ourselves without praying for others. God sets the table for us – we must in turn set the table for others.
Give us
Today
Our daily Bread
What do you need today? What are you asking for today? What are you seeking for today? What are you knocking at the door for today?
According to Jesus, you need to bring that need, that petition, that request, to God, our Father.
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Small(er) Group Discussion: (video recap)
We’ve walked through a little more than half of The Lord’s Prayer so far. What are some observations, insights or questions you might have?
Do you appreciate the way Jesus laid his prayer out? Father first, Kingdom & Will second, Bread third? ETC?
Would you like to comment on our first two conversations: Our Father & Kingdom & Will? Anything resonate with you about either of them?
– Our Father who are in Heaven, Holy is your name (blog post)
– Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (blog post)
What side do you tend to be on when it comes to asking God for help? Are your prayers a little too much like a shopping list? Or are you the one who never asks for anything? Why do you think you lean to one side or the other?
How important is trust in this part of the prayer? What does trust in God help us combat in ourselves?
How can Matthew 6:19-34 help us understand God’s heart about our basic needs?
What are the most important words in this phrase for you? Give us, Today, or Bread? Why?
Anything you wanna ask God for today?
by Jonathan Manafo | Jan 26, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
Can you think of two things in your life that just do not mix? Two things that if they met, would end in a crash and not look pretty? Perhaps an old high school friend that you don’t really want your family to meet. Might be awkward eh?
There some small things that we don’t care to mix up either aren’t there? Coffee and nachos might be one for me. When I think coffee, I think something sweet should accompany it. Would you agree?
We’ve ventured into a journey on prayer – The Lord’s Prayer. Prayer, if it is anything, it is about God’s space and our space colliding. It’s about God’s kingdom and our earth interweaving. When we pray we expect God to show up, to crash our party, to do his thing in our circumstance. There are no more powerful words that reflect this than the second phrase of Jesus’ prayer.
Your Kingdom come
your will be done
on earth
as it is in heaven
Those are some powerful words. If we ever thought prayer couldn’t accomplish much, these words tell us otherwise.
Let your kingdom come…
To understand Jesus, we have to understand kingdom. Jesus’ first used these words in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand” Jesus came to announce a kingdom – his arrival, his life, his death, his resurrection was the announcement of that kingdom, God’s kingdom.
He says in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
In other gospel texts we read about this kingdom being like…a person finding a rare and valuable pearl, like someone discovering treasure, like a mustard seed, starting small, but growing large, wide and strong.
At the end of the New Testament, Revelation says that Heaven will come to Earth – his kingdom will be fully here, realized.
So when Jesus says, “Your kingdom come”, he’s asking us to be part of his mission, his ways, his plan, to see a kingdom that rules and acts very differently than the kingdom of this world, to come and be present on earth.
Let your will be done…
Of course if we’re praying for God’s kingdom, then we’re praying for his will too.
God’s Will. You hear some Christians talk about this a lot right? People search for it, desire it, long for it, they hope they’re ‘in it’. Much mis-direction has happened under this umbrella.
I believe whole heartedly that there are certain things God wants me to do, certain choices God would want me to make, certain paths God wants me to take. That’s where discernment comes in. But in this prayer, we are not praying specifics as much as we are praying intention & purpose. Here Jesus is saying that we want God’s ways, God’s ideas, God’s love, God’s heart, God’s purpose…to be what guides and directs us. I guess the details will take care themselves.
When we pray “may your will be done” we’re essentially praying, “may my will be gone”.
This is a risky and crazy prayer of submission and commission. God, I want your ways in and my ways out – your love in, my hate out, your heart in, my selfishness out. When we pray this prayer, our view of people changes, our love for the world expands, our parenting changes, our friendships look different, everything is effected. Know this though – God doesn’t steamroll our wills in order to dictate his will in our lives and the world. He invites us to participate, and we invite him to come and do as he sees fit.
On earth… As it is in heaven…
Once you’ve prayed the first two parts of this phrase in the prayer, you realize very quickly that it affects you deeply, intimately, tangibly – in real and practical ways.
David Fitch says that, “Kingdom prayer demands location & presence.”
Heaven is where it begins (kingdom/will), but earth is where it’s realized.
Eugene Peterson says, “Prayer is worldly…it has to do with earthly matters…it’s the most worldly thing we do.”
This is where the practicalness of this prayer begins – the hereness, the nowness, that is involved in every prayer we pray. It’s the gutsy participation in every earthly detail.
Praying this prayer means that we see the world as beautiful as God intended it, while at the same time seeing it as broken as it truly is. May God’s ways, God’s grace, God’s beauty, be seen on and in the earth’s brokenness, it’s hurts, it’s depravity.
You can insert whatever you want in this phrase…
- at work as it is in heaven
- at home as it in heaven
- in my marriage as it is in heaven
- in my neighbourhood as it is in heaven
- in my situation as it is in heaven
- in my leaders as it is in heaven
This is so humbling, because as soon as you pray this for someone else, you realize how much you need it yourself. Shane Claiborn recently tweeted, “Tonight I pray for Donald Trump (insert any name you like) – that he might repent, follow Jesus, and live out the Sermon on the Mount. I pray the same for myself.” See, when we pray these words we are saying, ‘right here, right now, in me, in those around me, let your kingdom ways be real, be present, be tangible, be effective, etc.’
Where do you ‘do’ God’s will? On Earth. Everyday. With intention and purpose. In how you parent, in how you work, in how you love, in how you buy coffee, in how you serve others, in how you forgive, in how you do life. “Kingdom prayer doesn’t remove us from the world – but places us firmly in it.” (Fitch)
It’s a prayer for everyday and everywhere.
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Where in your life is Heaven and Earth connecting?
Are there thin places in your life where God is present, where God’s ways are evident, where God’s kingdom has shown up?
“May your kingdom come…your will be done…on earth as it is in heaven…”
by Jonathan Manafo | Jan 19, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
Have you ever wanted to spend an hour with a mentor who you respected, looked up to and wished you were like in some way? Maybe you’re an artist, a musician, a writer or someone in trades, and you’ve been inspired by others in your field of interest. Whatever it is that you do, either for work or as a hobby, there are others in your field who are better than you, that’s right, better than you. Anybody who wants to get better at who they are or what they do will look for and appreciate those who can teach them a thing or two.
If you know parts of (or much of) the Jesus story you’ve noticed that he is constantly teaching, inspiring, and modelling his life for others to learn and be challenged in the ways of his kingdom. Most of the disciples would follow as close as possible to hear everything Jesus was saying and watch everything he was doing. On one occasion, the disciples turned to Jesus and specifically ask him to teach them something. There was obviously something that was so pressing for them they asked Jesus to teach them a specific or particular thing. Their question, “Teach us how to Pray…”
Pray? You have one pressing question and it’s about prayer? Why not ask how to turn water into wine? There’s some money to be made there. Or how about to turn the switch off on a stormy day? That would be helpful. Instead they ask him to teach them how to pray.
Prayer is one of the those foundational things that you may not see happening, but it holds up the house. Like any foundation in a home, if it’s in place, and done well, it’ll hold up a whole lot of weight.
What was Jesus’ response to the disciple’s question? The Lord’s Prayer. You may have heard it, read it, spoken it, or simply heard of it. It’s a small part of the biblical text found two times in the NT: a full version in Matthew and a shorter version in Luke. It’s brief, simple, to the point, while being profound, powerful, life changing, and spiritually forming. This prayer is a model prayer; one to follow, emulate, in a broad sense or even an exact form. No pressure either way, though you might be hard pressed to find a better prayer to copy word for word!
For the next few weeks we will dive into this prayer. We will walk through it phrase by phrase. All 52 words (depending the translation you use) of it will hopefully have the impact on us that Jesus intended it to have.
Matthew 6
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
It’s important to see how Jesus starts this prayer. It’s like entering a house for the first time. It’s obviously more important that you actually enter the house than what entrance you choose, however, the best place to walk into any house for the first time is the front door. If our faith is a home and prayer is our way in, then Our Father is the front door.
Jesus is the one who introduces us to the term Father. Israel were called God’s children, but they didn’t refer to God as Father, at least it’s not recorded that way in the OT. Jesus on the other hand makes this term common, normal, accepted, and welcomed. The word he uses is Abba, Father, (Mark 14) the most intimate of ways to use the word Father. Paul picks up on this and uses the term in places like Romans & Galatians.
Romans 8:15
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:6
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
We can’t love God as an idea or a force or a dogma, we can only love him in a personal and intimate way, as Father. This is Jesus’ metaphor of choice. He uses the word 15x alone in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7).
When we start with Father, we start with relationship.
When we start with Father, we start with love, goodness, kindness, etc.
When we start with Father, we start with community.
“The oldest and most implacable enemy in the practice of prayer is depersonalization – turning prayer into a technique, a device.” (E.Peterson)
Jesus says, when you pray, make it personal, start with Father, our Father. Notice he doesn’t say, My Father, as if God is just my or your father, he says ‘Our Father’. We don’t pray to God alone. We may feel alone at times, we may be alone at times, but no matter where you are or where you pray, when you communicate do God, you are part of a community that looks to him as Father.
I’m sure as many read this you might be thinking, ‘but you didn’t have a dad like mine, he wasn’t so great, in fact he was pretty bad.’ The reality is that some of have had horrible experiences with their father or parents; it is unfortunate and unfair, but it happens. For those with good parents, know that God is better, for those with bad or no parents, know that God can be the only Father or Parent who ever loved you the way he does. He is a Holy, powerful, wonderful, capable, strong, loving Father. That’s a great place to start when you begin the journey in discovering God through prayer.
The disciples could’ve asked Jesus to teach them anything. They chose prayer.
Jesus could’ve started anywhere. He started with ‘Our Father’
Will you make prayer personal, relational, real, and honest?
Will you go to God like a loving Father who cares, loves, guides, and helps?
Will you see God as Holy, Big, Strong, not you, but HIM?
by Jonathan Manafo | Jan 10, 2017 | Sunday Conversations
It’s fair to say that if there was one blanket statement that covered all your resolutions it would be, “I hope this is a good year?” Who wouldn’t want a ‘good’ year, especially if you’re comparing it to a ‘bad’ year.
The top five area’s of our life that get addressed (or should get addressed) are our Health, Finances, Relationships, Spirituality/Faith, Impact. We might say things like: I want to eat less, I want to spend less, I want to solve more relational conflicts, I want to grow spiritually, and I want to make a greater impact in the world. Why are these ones the biggies? Because they really do effect who we are and who we are becoming.
You’ll notice pretty soon into each new year that people give up on their resolutions fairly quickly: the Gym sees you less, the diet isn’t as strict, the budget isn’t clean, the bible gets dusty, and it’s only January 9th. Maybe it’s because we don’t start with December in mind. I mean, if we started our planning thinking about how we want to feel or look in December, or how much money we want saved, or what kind of Jesus follower we want to be, we might make more wise decisions. Saying that, the best way to get to where we’re going is to start in the right spot, get on the right train, pick the proper route.
This is why days like January 1st, September 1st and Birthdays can be so key. They give us a chance to reprioritize, reorganize, create new and healthier habits, declutter, etc.
Paul’s words from Philippians 3 are very helpful here. Paul is writing to friends, encouraging them, challenging them, and teaching them how to better followers of Jesus. It’s interesting that the words he uses are clever, wise, strategic and very thoughtful, especially when it comes to helping us figure out what direction our lives can and should be headed. As you read it, notice the words that pop up…
For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us…But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
Paul is clear and intentional. He chooses who we wants to know (Christ), and what knowing him will lead to (resurrection). He is focused, determined, pressing towards a goal. He knows how to balance letting go and holding on in a way that helps him move forward and become who God is calling him to be. Then he invites his friends to follow a pattern, his pattern, knowing that if they do, they to will experience something similar, Jesus and his resurrection life.
May we be people who move from intentions to plans to patterns. May we make thoughtful and strategic choices today, knowing they will lead us to where we want to be tomorrow (where God wants us to be). May we take advantage of certain seasons throughout the year (New Years, September, Birthdays, Lent, Advent, Spring, etc.) to take stock of where we’re at and if there’s any realignment necessary to get to where we’re headed. May we never think that we can do it alone, but with God and in community. And finally, may God’s spirit in us, the spirit of Jesus, effect the way we view and handle our health, our finances, our relationships, and of course our faith, so that we can be people who impact the world around us in meaningful and restorative ways.
AMEN!
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We shared two other things on Sunday that we hope were helpful. One was a video (at the top of the talk) and the other were 5 reasons our resolutions often fail (at the end of the talk). The video can be found HERE. The 5 reason are below & in full HERE. (borrowed from Carey Nieuwhof)
- Your Resolutions Are Essentially Intentions
– strategy is key / make a plan
- Your Priorities Keep Being Hijacked
– only you can control this
- You Added, But Never Subtracted
– if everything is important, nothing is important
- You Didn’t Address Your Patterns
– patterns can help or hurt us, choose wisely
- You Left Your Calendar Out Of The Equation
– what fills up the squares on your calendar?
by Jonathan Manafo | Nov 15, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
This week’s Sunday conversation came a few days after the historic US election that saw Donald Trump win the presidency. From whatever side of the political sphere you stand, the weeks and months leading up to this, as well as the historic 2016 election day, have been both fascinating and concerning.
This isn’t a political post. We don’t get into sides on this platform that is for sure. However, we can make some observations as bystanders. This election taught those of us watching just how divisive elections are (if we already didn’t know this). The country involved is divided almost down the centre, at least that’s what the vote results show. We know, that as much as North Americans have in common, they also have many things that split them apart. Politics is one of them.
I remember talking with a sales woman in Quebec many years ago. She told me that her and her husband decided to never talk about 3 things: Religion, Money & Politics. She said it’s kept them together for over 20 years 🙂
Well, as right as she may be, we can’t avoid conflict 100% of the time. So the question is, how can we move forward when important issues divide us?
It’s not just a country that’s been divided because of this election – the church is too. Christians voted on both sides of this election. (This happens in Canada too when we vote) As hard as that is to believe, it’s true, and it can cause much harm if we don’t deal with it in a heathy way.
The church is the only organism (community) in the world that should be able to overcome differences, even strong ones like electoral votes for Presidents or Prime Ministers. Why you say? Because the church comes together to be an alternative community, based around one person and one truth, Jesus, his death and resurrection.
One American pastor held a communion/eucharist service on election night last week. He tweeted by saying, “The election booth divides, but the eucharist table unites.” How can that be? Two reasons. Scripture and Tradition.
Scripture…
Both Galatians 3 and Colossians 3 say that we are One in Christ. No matter what our gender, our race, our class, our income, our citizenship, we are One in Christ Jesus. His death and resurrection are what bring us together. Paul says it this way:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal 3)
…put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Col 3)
Historians tell us that in 1st century Rome, there was no other place for a Roman citizen, a Jew, a slave, a free person, a woman and a man, to be in the same room together and share community other than the church. They were our first examples of true christian community. So in 2016, we should really be able to say…no conservative or liberal, democrat or republican, no income level or education status…we can be ONE in Jesus.
Tradition…
The creeds help us here as well. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, creeds were created to bring people together and to remind them of what unified their faith community. They do come with some tainted history unfortunately. The Nicene Creed was encouraged/issued by Constantine, who wanted to enforce Christianity as the state religion. This wasn’t the best idea, mainly because following Jesus was never meant to be on one political side or another. As you may know, this caused some problems. However, The Apostles Creed, (which I like more) is succinct in nature and is a wonderful reminder of what brings us together. You can read it HERE.
Writer Tim Keller talks about ‘creedal issues’. He says we need to focus on creedal issues to bring the church together. There are many branches of christianity that stem from the root and the tree, but the Creeds are what keep us as one – they are the big branches. Denominations may have different things they hang their hat on or expressions that matter more, but what ties us together is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit (the Trinity).
My favourite Creed is the Jesus’ Creed found in Mark 12 which simply tells us to Love God and Love others. If we could just focus on that, we’d be fine.
So now what? How do we come together with so many things coming between us?
Here are a few helpful things to think about (and do):
Learn to disagree with out being disagreeable
– we’re called to be Christ’s ambassadors, not Christ’s lawyers
– Give people the dignity to disagree with you
– Not all ideas are created equal, but all people who hold those ideas are created equal.
Faith grows in difficult times
– we are called to follow Jesus in whatever era we find ourselves in
– Jeremiah 29 teaches Israel to be true to themselves in a land that was governed by the ungoldly. God’s advice? Plant gardens and pray for your the wellfare of your cities.
Don’t grow weary in doing good (Gal 6:9)
– we vote everyday…with how we live and how we love
– living out our values is more important than legislating them
– If you want to be holy, be kind (F. Buechner)
Befriend people who are different than you
– we can’t stress this enough
Confess your sins
– we have enough sin to work on and confess with out focussing on others sins (Matthew 7)
Be the change you want to see in the world
– parents, your kids will watch and learn from you more than they will any politician or cultural leader.
– ‘vote for whoever you want, but We are the ones who shape culture’
– If we expect the gov’t to be the voice of the church or do its work, we’ve put our trust in the wrong place.
Lots of stuff in this post. Hope the discussion below helps.
Important Note:
As much as unity is of utmost importance in the church. And as important as it is to be able to disagree in a loving and civil manor. Know this, we are to stand up against the things Jesus stood up against: Racism, Favourtism, Pride, Hate, Violence, etc. And we are to love the people Jesus loved…EVERYONE. Whatever difference you may have, let the Jesus Creed be your ethic: Love God, Love other. You can’t go wrong with that.
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small(er) group discussion : (video wrap up)
Why is it so difficult to disagree without being disagreeable? Is living in harmony that hard?
What about the church? Have you experienced some disagreements that couldn’t be resolved? What were (or are) the main obstacles to unity?
After reading Galatians 3 and Colossians 3, what stands out to you about the early church?
What’s the church’s role in society when it comes to this? How can we help?
What do you think of this – “Our conversation (lives) must be grounded in an identity that runs deeper than our ideas or differences”?
Look over the take home points. Which one resonates with you? Which is easiest and/or hardest to live out?
Pray for unity in the church in Durham Region tonight. Name the churches you know and pray for them? And pray for our cities well-being (Jer 29).
