What is the difference between a spotlight and a laser beam? Why is it that a medium-powered laser can burn through steel in a matter of seconds, while the most powerful spotlight can only make it warm? Both may have the same electrical power requirements. The difference is unity! Now forgive me I am now expert at all, but here goes. A laser can be simply described as a medium of excited molecules with mirrors at each end. In the processes that occur some of these excited molecules release a photon, a particle of light; and it is here that the unique process of the laser begins. The photon moves along and “tickles” another molecule, inviting another photon to join him on his journey. Then these two photons “tickle” two more molecules and invite two more photons to join the parade. Soon there is a huge army of photons marching in step with each other; and it is this unity that gives the laser its power.
A spotlight may have just as many photons, but each one is going its own independent way, occasionally interfering with other photons. As a result, much of its power is wasted and cannot be focused to do any useful work. However, the laser, because of its unity, is like an army marching in tight formation and is able to focus all its power on its objective.
Is the Church more like the laser or the spotlight? Someone (Vesta Kelly) once said, “Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.”
In his letter to the Church in Ephesus, modern day Turkey, Paul has reminded the believers that when they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, they were included in Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, the saviour (Ephesians 1:13). They – like us - were once dead in their sins; but now they are alive with Christ (2:5).
There is life eternal for all who trust in Jesus! Sins forgiven and forgotten and the promise of life in all its fullness; but it’s not something that is just for when we die. Far from it! Eternal life in all its fullness begins the moment we entrust ourselves to Jesus. Here. Now!
Paul has also reminded his readers that Jesus has broken the barriers erected between Jew and non-Jew. Chapter 2 verse 14: “He himself is our peace; [He] has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility”; and he then describes believers as a building with Jesus as the chief-cornerstone (2:20). “In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (2:22).
Paul has also expressed his prayer for believers that Christ will dwell in their hearts, that they will be rooted and established in love (3:17) and that they will “be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (3:19).
And having written, explained, and prayed for the believers, St. Paul now urges them and urges us “to live a life worthy of the calling [we] have received” (4:1) by making “every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (4:3). He lists practical qualities, character traits that disciples of Jesus are called to. They are not pie in the sky, and they are not even qualities to be aimed for. They are the way of life to which Christian believers are called.
Richard Dunagin is a Methodist Church Minister. He tells of the time when at their school fete his children won 4 goldfish, and he went to buy an aquarium. The first few he saw were expensive, but then he spotted it, a discarded ex-display tank, complete with gravel and filter for only £5. It was nasty and dirty, but after a 2 hour clean-up the 4 goldfish looked great in their new home, at least for the first day. But by Sunday one had died. Monday morning revealed a 2nd casualty. By Monday night a 3rd had gone belly up.
So Richard called in an expert, and it didn’t take him long to discover the problem: Richard had washed the tank with soap - an absolute no-no! His uninformed efforts had destroyed the lives he was trying to protect …Sometimes in our zeal to clean up our own lives or the lives of others, we unfortunately use "killer soaps" such as condemnation, criticism, nagging, or fits of temper. We think we’re doing right, but our harsh, self-righteous treatment is more than they can bear.
Exhorting believers to unity, because Jesus has broken down the barriers to unity, Paul writes this: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (4:2).
Be Humble. Humility is Christ-like. It does not mean a grovelling, pitiful state in which we think we are worthless. It means not thinking of ourselves more highly than we should, but rather with sober judgement (Romans 12:3).
It also means not undervaluing ourselves or others. To be humble is to be open to learning, and not totally set in our ways or our understanding. True humility has no time for false modesty. It means not trying to cover up our faults or our mistakes; and it means we admit our mistakes and then let them go.
Books to avoid on the subject of humility are those entitled ‘Humility, and how I achieved it’, and my all-time favourite ‘The ten most humble people in the world and how I chose the other nine’! For more about humility, Stephen Cherry has authored a book called Walking the way of passionate humility. I haven’t read it yet but it comes highly recommended.
Be Gentle. Our word ‘gentle’ doesn’t fully capture what Paul means. ‘Gentle’ translates a word where gentleness is kept perfectly in balance between two extremes. The one who is gentle gets angry about sin and injustice, but is polite and patient with offenders.
Like Jesus! Be patient. Bear with one another in love.
In 1 Corinthians 13 St. Paul outlines in detail what this means. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, [and] it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-5). It describes the character of Jesus, and the character he develops in us by his Holy Spirit when we cooperate with him.
Thomas Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb". It took his team 24 straight hours to put one bulb together. It is said that when Edison finished one light bulb he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, frightened of dropping the priceless piece of work; and perhaps you’ve guessed what happened. The boy dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the team 24 more hours to make another bulb. Tired and ready for a break, Edison prepared to carry the bulb up the stairs.
He then gave it to the same boy who dropped the first one. Be patient. Bear with one another in love!
Why? Because there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one hope, one faith, one God and Father of all. We are one family! We have the same Heavenly father; and Jesus himself commands this: “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). My friends, do we love one another as Jesus loves us?
Jesus also prayed this for the whole of his body – the church: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me” (John 17:23).
A few weeks ago I suggested we should change the aim of this Church slightly. Our Church council agreed and our aim is now this: “To know Jesus better and to make him better known.” Some of you have asked how we are going to do that. I believe we must grow in our unity and our love for one another.
Unity promotes and enables mission. The world looks at the Church and loves to point out arguments, broken relationships and splits; whereas unity helps people to see that we are disciples of Jesus; but that is not just in relationships between individuals or within a single Church fellowship such as Christ Church. It is between Churches and church leaders. So are we actively seeking love, patience and unity with our brothers and sisters in the Baptist Church, in the Roman Catholic Church, and others? I believe the answer is not nearly enough and I hope that when we next have a Churches Together service such as we did at St. John’s last week, I hope there will be many more than 8 members of Christ Church present; because we’re family, with ‘one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all’ (4:6).
Does unity mean we should all be the same and look the same? No! Unity – yes, but not uniformity. Different expressions of worship and Church is good!
But the risen Lord Jesus who stepped down into our world, was crucified, died but rose again (4:8-10); He, Jesus has given different gifts; unity with variety.
Some are called to be apostles – planting Churches, starting new congregations, breaking new ground. So those who began Pensioners’ Praise all those years ago, and those who recently launched our Sunday afternoon congregation ‘Just Looking @ Jesus’ were exercising an apostolic ministry (4:11).
Some are called to be prophets – speaking the word of God, in a spirit of encouragement to situations. We need gifts of prophecy. The Church needs prophets!
Some are called to be evangelists – not stars of the TV screen. Perhaps gifted in public speaking, but evangelists are those who explain and unpack the good news of Jesus for those who don’t yet know him. Many of you are evangelists and don’t know it yet.
I would encourage you to join Margaret Fowler’s Lent course entitled ‘Christian Life and Work’ because she will be unpacking what it means to live out our faith in the place and with the people that we work.
Some are called to be Pastors – people who very quietly and without fuss tend to God’s people, caring for them. Many more of you have the gift of ‘pastor’, tending, caring, shepherding than you realise.
Some are teachers - those who explain the meaning of God’s word to others. What does that part of the Bible mean? Teachers explain and unpack the Bible.
And all of this is for the purpose of unity, so that we may not be blown off course by false teaching (4:14) but may all, each one of us carry out the works of service that God has for his people. I believe our community is ready for the Church to carry out the works of service that God has for us to do – out there.
I think that I shall never see
a church that’s all it ought to be;
A church that has no empty pews,
Whose preacher never has the blues;
A church whose deacons always “deke”;
And none is proud but all are meek;
Where gossips never peddle lies,
Or make complaints or criticize;
Where all are always sweet and kind,
And all to other’s faults are blind.
Such perfect churches there may be,
but none of them are known to me.
But still we’ll work, and pray and plan,
to make our church the best we can!
If you could find the perfect church,
without one fault or smear,
for goodness sake, don’t join that church;
you’d spoil the atmosphere.
If you should find the perfect church, then don’t you ever dare;
to tread upon such holy ground, you’d be a misfit there.
But since no perfect church exists, made of imperfect men,
then let’s cease looking for that church and love the one we’re in.
Of course it’s not a perfect church, that’s simple to discern;
but you and I and all of us could cause the tide to turn.
(Anonymous).
Amen!
