Imagine watching a movie scene where you have two family settings preparing dinner? The first family have one person doing all the work whilst others watch and mourn that they don't like what's on the menu or they are starving and the food is late. The second family are all involved, they all participate, from food prep, cooking, setting the table, each to their own ability. Which of the two would you want to be part of?
Paul in both his letters to the church in Rome and Corinth encourages them to be united and having the same mind. Instead of having divisions, united. God delights in us when we walk in love and unity. I can imagine Him watching us as His children, working together to get dinner ready, to fulfil our mission as a church.
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6 NKJV
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
I Corinthians 1:10 NKJV
What does this mean? Back to my movie setting, it means as a church, the body of Christ, we need to work together, support each other and be like minded whilst we get the dinner ready. We have this mandate: commissioned to go and preach the good news, making disciples of all nations, Matthew 28:19
When we are united, we achieve more. Jesus said to his disciples when they loved each other people would know they were His disciples. When we are united in the love of God, the world is easy to reach out to.
I love the vision of GoChurch, a family of churches working together to reach the world. With our different callings, cultures, abilities, skills etc., we work together as a family to reach our world.
As you continue reading these scriptures, be encouraged to be a participant and not an observer or food critique whilst dinner is getting prepared. Don't leave it just to your pastor or the leaders. How can you help, support or participate? Don't be the one causing division. Pray that God enables you to be likeminded and be in tune with the rest of the church body, unified to accomplish its mission. Where there is unity, God commands a blessing, Psalm 133:1-3
