johnmarkharris.net

Let all things be done for building up… But all things should be done decently and in order.

Everything in a church worship service, the music, the message, the scripture reading, even the announcements, need to be done to build people up. If it’s not helpful, save it for the blog. The lighting, the stage decorations, and yes, the clothing the people on the stage wear need to all be considered when planning a worship service. Things need to be done well, as best you can, and should not be thrown together. That’s why last minute “hey, do you mind if I add…” is a bit disheartening. Sure, things do come up, but the Pastor and Minister of Worship do pray, plan, and seek the Lord’s will for the service (or they had better). The Holy Spirit moves through planning and preparation, we don’t need to be “spontaneous” to allow God to move, far from it. We follow the principle lined out in James to say “if the Lord wills…” and then plan and implement that plan to your best ability, that honors God. EVERYTHING should build up, EVERYTHING should be done well and be orderly. The Christian shouldn’t be haphazard. Take your life by the horns and make it happen!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

You can do a whole lot of good things, but if you do them with a sour attitude, you’re just spinning your wheels. Not only should we do right, when we do, we need to be patient and kind. We shouldn’t envy or brag. We can’t be arrogant or rude when we were, that really does matter. We can’t insist on our own way, be irritable, or resentful. We can’t be happy with bad things happen and we should always rejoice when the truth comes to light. If we want to be effective, we need to be able to “take a punch.” We need to give people the benefit of the doubt, even if it means we get hurt. We always think the best, and we never give up. That’s love, and that ain’t easy.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body

You are part of a body. Each part of a church is different, every member is unique. If you were just like someone else, one of you would be redundant. It is the Holy Spirit that unites our diverseness. The church isn’t meant to all be the same, we are intended to be different, that’s what makes beautiful harmony, unity from within our diversity. If you are a Christian, you have been baptized into the Church through the Holy Spirit. He is with you, guiding you, and organizing us for his kingdom, for his glory, together.

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Jesus gave thanks for the meal that would symbolize his death. He came to lay down his life for you and me. The bread represents his body that died and the cup represents his life (his blood) that he gave up for us. The blood he shed is the institution of the covenant (cf. Jeremiah 31). As we take the Lord’s Supper, we are reminding ourselves we are in the new covenant, not the old. We are under the law of Christ, the law of love. We know Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and he is coming back again. It’s not just crackers and juice, it is a remembrance of the gospel. Let’s invite and bring people to witness our remembrance. What a great opportunity to proclaim the gospel.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

Don’t buy someone’s “bill of goods.” If you are not called to change your life. If you can continue to do whatever you want. If it is not a difficult road, then someone is leading you astray. In America today we are surrounded by idols. Anything that keeps us from following Jesus as we should, has become an idol. This can be a job, a hobby, travel, sports, even our own family. What keeps you from loving, serving, or even spending time with your church family? It might have moved into idol territory. It’s not complicated, it’s simple, whatever is a potential roadblock to God is something that needs to be reprioritized in our lives.