Thought for the Week

We continue to think of Christ building His Church. Everyone who has experienced a radical change in life, who is a Christian person is a “Living Stone” in the great Church: We can hardly review all the things Scripture has had to say about what goes on in the process of building the Church of Christ. Hopefully you have been thinking about this. Today I want to consider how Christ uses His “living stones.” He sees every stone as of great importance. As humans we tend to rank and order people in importance. We likely think someone earning a large salary, or having riches is more important than a poor person. We consider a person with a vast education more important than someone with only an elementary education. Not so with Christ. Every person is of great value and importance to Him. It is true in the Church, there are callings, gifts, and offices, but these should not be considered as of more importance. Story of yesteryear is told of a great organist coming to give a concert. He took his place with an aura of pomp and pride, sat on the organ bench and proceeded to show off his ability. But no sound came from the instrument. After a stressful time, came a small boy from behind the organ. The boy said, “When you tell the people I am important too, I will pump the bellows and you can play.” Jesus uses several parables to demonstrate it is required of His servants they be faithful to their calling. If they are, He has reward for them. Jesus calls people to fill roles in His Church. Some seem more prominent. But in Christ’s eyes, each has value. None can say to others, “I am more important.” Pride in self has no place in Christ’s Church. A primary responsibility of every member of the Church is to support and strengthen other members. Of course each and all are to magnify and glorify Christ. A piano has 88 keys. It is certainly true some are more frequently used than others, but in order to play a composition, the pianist wants to be sure every key is in good working order and properly tuned. The same is true in The Church. Christ wants His every “living stone” to be in working order and working. He wants everyone to be in tune with Him and His purpose as well as being in tune with other members. Paul tells us it is good to earnestly desire gifts (and I think offices [See I Timothy 3:1]) but goes on to tell us there is a greater, more excellent, way. That way is to love. (See I Corinthians 12:31 and chapter 13). John writes his first Epistle stressing the value and importance of love. He maintains that if we fail to love those we can see, we cannot love God Whom we have not seen. (See I John 4:20 and in fact the entire book). In His last night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed that His Father, God, would preserve, protect and purify His Apostles. (See St. John 17)I cannot over emphasize the need for every “living stone” to not only love God with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength. But there is also a desperate need for each one to love each and all the others. If we see failure of the Church to grow and be built up, we must know the failure is not on God’s part. I must ask myself, “Do I truly love? Do I willingly sacrifice self?”

Scriptures to Read

Acts 4:4 & 5:12-16

I Corinthians 12:20-28

St. John 17:6-11

St. John 17:12-19

St. John :20-23

Romans 12:3-13

I Corinthians 13:1-13