SERMON: Same Mind and Purpose

 

10:30 am, Sun, Jan 15, 2023 - J G White / FBCA

(Ps 27:1, 4-9; Is 9:1-4; 1 Cor 1:10-18; Mtt 4:12-23)

From a book of Atlantic Baptist jokes:

“Come right in,” said Saint Peter to the new arrival at the gates. “And, by the way, what denomination were you when you were on earth?”

“Anglican,” came the reply.

“Ah, yes,” said Peter. “You’ll be most comfortable in the room down that jasper corridor over there! Go to the room two doors down on the left.”

“Thank you,” said the Anglican.

“You’re welcome,” said Saint Peter. “But be sure to do one thing, won’t you? Keep very quiet going along the corridor until you reach your door.”

“Yes, sure!” said the newcomer. “but why do you want me to be so quiet?”

“We don’t want you to be heard by the good souls in the first room on the left. We wouldn’t want to spoil it for them. You see, they’re Baptists, and they thin they’re the only one here.” (Let There Be Laughter, pp. 28-29)

It was in 1908 that Franciscan Friar Paul Wattson proposed a ‘Church Unity Octave.’ Here we are today, in the middle of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is actually eight days each January, from the 18^th through the 25^th. Our com-munity worship service will not be until Sunday the 29^th, 4 pm.

An old church hymn that is one of my many not-favourites sings, idealistically: (Sabine Baring-Gould)

We are not divided; all one body we,

One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

We still pray each year, in the direction of unity, because Christianity is divided, not one body. Whether we read that there are 200 denominations in North America, or 1,200; or if we notice there are three Baptist Churches in Amherst, NS, which may have nothing to do with each other (also three in the Sackville, NB area), it can be, well, a bit depressing.

You’ve heard the joke about how Baptists plant new churches? They have a fight and a split!

No wonder, a couple thousand years ago, it is reported, that Jesus prayed, “I ask… on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17; remember John 17?

How does Christ hold people together, across this whole globe with millions of Christians, and through time and history? We peeked into the New Testament Letter, 1^st Corinthians, today. It is a letter that is here, for us, though it was not written to us. A leader, or a few, wrote this letter to the congregation in that ancient, bustling city that we call Corinth, Greece. The first issue the author deals with is church disunity. Here's another wording of it, in English:

I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common.

I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.”

Yeah, they were in trouble. And this was just the one group of Christians in that particular city. How does Christ hold His people together? On the other hand, what things divide up God’s serving people?

There might be two main categories here to look at, today. One is our teachings, beliefs and goals; the other is our personalities, fellowship and leadership.

The author here urges: That you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. It seems to me the dividing up of Christians into separate congregations and denominations gets explained, historically, in terms of doctrines, and the rules and regulations. What we say we teach and are to believe, and how we are organized because of what we believe. Some issues are important enough for people to chose one local church or denomination over another. Or leave one to go to a different one. Often these are moral and ethical teachings; some of is practical stuff.

You know how to tell the Christian denominations apart? The Catholics don’t recognize the ministry of the Protestants. The Anglicans don’t recognize the authority of the Pope over the Church. And the Baptists don’t recognize one another if they meet in the liquor store!

Seriously, an ethical issue like the use of alcohol has been very important to churches over the past 200 years. The Baptists were one group that truly latched on to the Temperance Movement, when it got going in the nineteenth century. Many other subjects are important to Christians in our present time, and many opinions abound.

I am very happy that we are one of the few churches that is an active member in the little group called the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms. (I am chairperson of the CABF Program Committee. Ed Colquhoun is a Council member. Sharon is our Sect.) Peruse our brand-new Bulletin, and you can read a historic statement by the Minister of First Baptist Halifax about the recent approval for ordination as a Baptist Minister of Arla Johnson, a woman who happens to be married to a wife, named Julie.

As we should expect, being of one mind about LGBTQS+ issues is not easy for Baptists, not to mention other Christian tribes. So, the CABF serves as a fellowship of Baptists in Canada that is at least willing to let people and congregations have the freedom to decide things for themselves, under the rule of Jesus Christ.

The official Church stuff – teachings, doctrines, policies and procedures – is one category that is a challenge. Oh, to be of one mind and one purpose! The other gift of the Spirit of God to people is unity of fellowship. It’s all about people.

We see that in what 1 Corinthians 1 mentions: the one congregation in the city is split up according to who they think of as their leader: Paul, Apollos, Peter, ahem… Christ.

I think this is what is most important to so many people of the pews and the pulpits today. How we get along, who we like, where we feel welcome, where we can do some good stuff or have some control. As we look at younger and younger generations, the name and affiliation is less important – Baptist, United, Wesleyan, Anglican. What the group of people is like and how they do things together is far more important than the name, or even the official teachings.

Any local congregation brings together a variety of people. Just look back to the different men Jesus called upon to follow Him, not to mention others who joined in, including women. A tax accountant, a religious zealot, a few fishermen, a prostitute, and so forth. They did not always work together well, while Jesus was training them, and then after.

By the time there were groups of Christians in many towns around the Mediterranean, it was clear there were people of many backgrounds, together. Peasants, business people, soldiers; folks from various religious backgrounds and ethnicities. How did the Spirit of Christ create Christian unity? It took work, it took time, it was never perfect, either.

What was the advice to those folks in Corinth? Remember Jesus. No matter how people may even disagree about just who Jesus is, He is Who He will be, and Christ unites us. We don’t do it. We cooperate with our Master.

Christ is the ruler of our religion. As much as we like certain leaders and teachers, Who is behind it all? Our loving, holy God. Interesting how Paul, in this letter, claims to have not been a show off in his own preaching on purpose, so Jesus and His actions would never take second place.

Remember that being united does not mean all being the same. Hence the talk in this and other NT texts about the group of believers being like a human body. The hand and the eye and the ear and the stomach are quite different from each other, but together in the organism.

So remember to love one another, what Jesus called his new commandment. See others, pay loving attention to people, respect them. Maybe Christ trains us best when we are with those most unlike us. Within Christianity it is important we pay attention to the whole Body of Christ: all the diverse believers around here, and across the globe.

Let us have this same mind and same purpose: to be one in Jesus Christ – and long for others to know this God they were made for too. The Lord can be their light and salvation, and their stronghold.