Delivered January 21, 2007
by Pastor Eric Henderson
The conductor walked to the podium, raised her arms, the audience was quiet, most of the performers were ready, the conductor signaled to the musicians, and the music began. Simple rhythms, melodies and harmonies filled the room and when the director signaled, the musicians ended and the listeners smiled and enthusiastically applauded. Most everyone knew there were missed entrances, notes out of tune, even some incorrect rhythms. Everyone was relieved that there was only one time when the conductor needed to stop and start again. The listeners were justified in smiling and applauding, because the musicians only started learning and practicing a year ago. They just started figuring out what all those dots and lines on the paper mean and how to make a sound and perform together.
As the pastor walked into the room, the group got quiet. A small group gathered with the pastor in the front facing the congregation. The pastor, members of the group and the audience spoke, some water was applied, prayers were offered. Listeners smiled and enthusiastically applauded, and welcomed the newly baptized members. Simple statements and vows were made. Most everyone knew that some of the statements by those baptized expressed rather interesting theology, and that the vows made would likely be broken at least once. But the listeners were justified in smiling, welcoming and applauding, because the newly baptized members of the church had only recently made decisions to follow Christ, and they had just begun to understand what Jesus and the Bible have to do with relationships, with activities, with daily choices.
Later in that same service, everyone quietly listened as someone talked. Soon heads and eyes turned downward, some faces got red, the pastor was uncertain what to say or do. The speaker accused the pastor and congregation for being weak, shallow, afraid to take a stand on what the Bible clearly says about the most recent issue facing the church, and for applauding in the house of God. No one applauded or smiled or welcomed the reprimand. The speaker was baptized decades ago.
Eph. 4.15 & 16 says, We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.
The conductor walked to the podium, raised her arms, the audience was quiet, most of the performers were ready, the conductor signaled to the musicians, and the music began.
Rhythms, melodies, harmonies, and volumes varied from one piece to the next as music filled the room. The performance lasted an hour. Conductor, performers, and audience had fairly high expectations of the performance. When appropriate the audience applauded enthusiastically and many smiled with pride. A small group of listeners noticed a few intonation problems, a ragged entrance or two, and the immaturity of sound. But the listeners were justified in smiling and applauding, because the musicians had only been practicing their instruments for 6-8 years. They'd mastered some fairly complex lines and dots on the page and were becoming more skilled in creating pleasing tones. The maturity of musical performance was a result of hours of practice, money invested, listening, persistent and competent teaching. All participants needed to willingly offer a variety of talents for the good of the group.
A small group gathers in a family room of a house. There's chatting about a variety of topics; most are enjoying the snack and drink. Fifteen or twenty minutes after everyone is gathered the hostess formally welcomes them and asks them to share about their lives. Various group members share and pray. Someone else leads in some singing. Later one of the members leads a Bible study on Ephesians 4. After reading it carefully they wait in silence.
One person notices that their translation uses the word urge at the beginning while the person next to them has a translation that uses beg. The group decides it's not a big deal, but agree that there's a strong call to live with humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.
Someone admits, "I am so impatient with my impatience!"
Another says, "I have a hard time showing love to people in the church who don't sing."
The leader asks everyone to choose one characteristic for growth. After choosing one area of growth all meet with their prayer partner and make a promise to pray now and until the next gathering for one another.
The leader moves them along to discover the focus of the passage. Together it's decided that unity, joining together, and one are mentioned often. Now the question is how does a group grow in unity?
A couple of stories are told of groups or congregations that divided. All agreed that division and conflict were easier than unity, but were also certain God's desire is unity among believers so they dug and discussed some more.
Someone noticed the list of gifts and the call to share them for building up, unity, and maturity. The leader gave the members a list of spiritual gifts compiled from other books of the NT, and asked every member to name their gift from the list. Most could, others that were younger in faith couldn't. A more mature member of the group offered to meet with those younger in faith and help to discover their gifts.
Soon the allotted time for the group was finished. Everyone left committed to pray, to grow in either humility, gentleness, patience or bearing with others in love. There was renewed commitment to continue growing in the use of the various spiritual gifts.
During the ride home, one person began complaining about the leadership during the Bible study, but realized that they were not bearing with others in love--the very thing the group recognized as a sure-fire unity killer. Another person was excited that the music was being led by someone else, who did alright considering that it was a new thing for them.
As we leave this place, let us commit ourselves to pray for self and another, to grow in either humility, gentleness, patience, or bearing with others in love and to the discovery and use of our spiritual gifts.
Let us no longer be children, but speak the truth in love and grow up in every way into Christ who is the head, building one another up in love. In so doing may our lives be worthy of the name Christian-Christ-like-and harmonize with others.
Following another reading of the text, there will be an opportunity to share what you hear God saying.
Read Ephesians 4:1-16
Petitcodiac Mennonite Church