Scripture: Ephesians 4
Strength in Numbers
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
I don’t know about you, but there are days when I feel pretty weak in my faith and pretty far away from attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It’s kind of like the saying, “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” [NOTE: This saying is attributed to Aristotle.] But we are headed toward the fullness of Christ. That is God’s long-term design and the journey of transformation He is leading us on. And along the way, those apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers Paul mentions don’t refer to people on a full-time church salary. This is all of us with our various giftings and abilities—all believers are to be working together so that we are being built up and the body of Christ is being built up to accomplish God’s work in this world.
We are One
“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others”
Romans 12:5
I think this idea that together, as one body, we become stronger is the reason believers can’t just listen to a podcast of sermons, pray in the woods, or sing worship songs in the shower. Don’t get me wrong—those are great things! You should do them! But we also need to be together, physically, mentally, emotionally, regularly. Because the body of Christ, the Church (not just our church but the universal Church), is not the sermon or the songs or the prayers. Church is the people. And together, as one, we grow.
Growth Requires Change
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”
Ephesians 4:22-24
The church will never be a perfect place. It will never be a perfect group because it will always be made of imperfect people. We acknowledge this. We accept it. But we don’t want to use it as an excuse or settle for habits or practices that we know fall short of God’s best for us. God calls us to so much more. And He wants to carry us to fullness in Christ. He wants to strengthen and use us as His body here on earth. He wants us to experience the joy of being one body, healthy and growing and full of love.
Let’s continue to journey together, committed to the work and change of growth. Like the interconnected roots of the Pando aspen grove our lives are connected together through unity in God’s Holy Spirit. It is in this togetherness that we grow stronger.
