This last week, I have seen the church family at its best. Families at Central have been grieving the loss of a loved one, and they have been at another family’s side after a traumatic experience. They have also attended the performance of the children on Thursday night, and the seniors met to figure out how they can move forward with BJ answering another call. It was inspiring to watch the people be Jesus Christ to one another. We call this being the body of Christ together.
Sometimes it is necessary to tell people that what we do, we do in the name of Jesus, to help them remember or be introduced to faith in Jesus. Sometimes what we do needs no words at all. But it is the same regardless: we are being the hands, the feet, the hugs and the comfort of Jesus to one another. We grow in our expression of Jesus in us when we allow ourselves to experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ. We grow in our expression when we open ourselves to the ways that Jesus reveals himself to us: in the Scripture, in our prayer life, and in the presence of one another. And the beauty is that this service to one another and this commitment to growing deeper in faith both feed off of one another. When we grow deeper in our faith, we find ourselves wanting to serve others, and when we serve others, we find ourselves refreshed from the inner spiritual life we commit ourselves to.
It has been beautiful to watch this interaction this week, as people have gathered for prayer together and privately, and as people have served one another in the name of Jesus Christ. Maybe this is what the Psalmist had in mind when he wrote: “How good it is when the people of God dwell in unity.” May you find God’s blessings this morning in worship.
Sonny