#faithbites #faithjourney One<\/p>\n
If you have ever watched or read The Lord of the Rings, you are familiar with the saying \/ theme: One Ring to Rule Them All. In the books and movies, this ring had ultimate power but corrupted everyone who touched it. The books were about keeping the ring from “bad people” and ultimately destroying it. I thought this theme of One Blank to Bind Them All was fitting for today.<\/p>\n
For the first time in many many moons, we held our worship service at a site other than our sanctuary. The service was at our school to launch the school year, our ministries, and to remind us all that we are one. One body with many parts. I played the part of the AV tech and for me, making sure the sound levels were good was the most important thing.<\/p>\n
We think the head is the most important, but if the heart isn’t there, the head doesn’t work. If the legs aren’t there, the body doesn’t move. If the bones aren’t there, the body is blob. All are the most important pieces of the body. Likewise in the church and our world, we are all parts of one body. You can be the most important part as all parts are important.<\/p>\n
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.<\/p>\n
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he ascended on high,
\nhe took many captives
\nand gave gifts to his people.\u201d<\/p>\n
(What does \u201che ascended\u201d mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.<\/p>\n
There is one blank to bind them all. If you haven’t figured it out, I will give you a hint: JESUS. (If you guessed God, I’ll give points for that). There isn’t Jew nor Christian, Black nor white, Caucasian or Asian or African or other races. One human race that is unified and part of the body.<\/p>\n
As we mentioned above, we can’t all be the head of the body. Nor can we be the leg or the arms or the kidneys. We all have our part that we were created the serve. Imagine if you took a leg and sowed it on the head would that work? If you took an eye and put it on a toe? The body doesn’t work that way.<\/p>\n
What part of the body are you? Are you using your gifts to help the body move or are you the bum knee that makes the body stumble? Maybe you should be the eyes of the body but are you the disease in the bloodstream making the body ill?<\/p>\n
Today’s service demonstrated that we are all important and the most important. It’s not a case where “Everyone get’s a participation trophy” but we are all most important. From cleaning the floors to serving tonight to sound to giving the message, it is all equally important and most important.<\/p>\n
I felt that importance today twisting knobs or shifting levers helped people hear what was being shared. This is where I needed to be. Where do you need to be?<\/p>\n
What do you do in live that divides rather than multiplies? Do you help people be part of the One? Are you sharing your gifts to move the body forward? Take a few minutes to list your gifts and help the body to be one in Christ and move forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"