Pastor Mike is preaching well these days. The Sermons are pointed, revealing, and inspiring.
Today was no different. Today he preached on Unity.
When I was a younger Christian, I had the mistaken belief that this unity meant -somehow- that my actions/behaviors and my thinking/beliefs had to be, pretty much, a carbon copy of the rest of the church. Sure, I knew there was some latitude in this, but only a little.
Years later, I started discovering that not only was Unity NOT to be confused with Uniformity, but that Unity and our Uniqueness in Christ meshed well together. (Something about how we all have specific gifts (uniqueness) for the common good (unity):
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 New American Standard Bible
Pastor Mike also explained that as we become more unified with the Lord, we will -out of necessity-draw closer to one another: Relationship building. Mentoring. Supporting one another.
And, one very good way for us to build relationships is to know and practice our spiritual gifts so that we can ‘be there’ when we truly need to be for our Christian family, supporting them in the manner through the gifts God has given us.
How I pray for my Christian brothers and sisters, not just in my church, but worldwide, to know and to use those gifts God has given to you.
I can only imagine how many troubling situations might have been averted if we, as the church, knew and used our spiritual gifts ‘for the common good’.
I can only imagine how much stronger His church would be as we realize our uniqueness in Christ, our destiny as children of the King, our joyful responsibility to ‘be there’ for one another…which all come about as we press into unity.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it isFor brothers to dwell together in unity!