Our, Us, & We
Posted: November 14th, 2009, 3:29 am
HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #132z, Re-Written 14NOV09
The Disciples’ Prayer—Part Twenty Six: Our, Us, & We
by rev dave c
Mt 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one' (NIV).
One of the most important points of the Disciples’ Prayer is not one of the most obvious. It is to be our prayer to our God. While it is true that Christianity is not (read; “should not just be…”) a religion—it is a personal relationship with the living Jesus Christ—we should take note that Matthew 6:9-13 does not say, “My Father...give me...my...forgive me...my...as I...my...and lead me not...but deliver me….” This prayer is all about the integrated relationship between God, and thee, and me, and we.
Our God is triune...He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. John the Revelator tells us that God is logos (Jn 1:1), God is light (Jn 1: 4-5), and God is love (1Jn 4:8&16). God is three persons Who are in a perfect communion of communication, awareness, and willful relationship. We are created in His image and in His likeness. We are not created to be alone—not in our bodies, not in our minds, and not in our spirits. It is not enough to pursue the Word of God from any ivory tower of my own fabrication—not as, “It’s just You and me, Lord;” not as, “My four and nothing more;” and not as, “Thank You, Father, for not making us like those folks across town.” We don’t just need each other (in the sense of “it’s a good idea”)...we must be pursuing an active fellowship with each other, or what we’re practicing is not Biblical Christianity.
Please prayerfully consider all of First Corinthians 12:4-27: 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (NIV). Is Paul saying that the body of Christ is just one church, one conference, or one denomination?
I contend that the above verses are not referring to just the members within a given congregation of Believers. I am convinced that Paul’s message includes the relationship between any, and all, Christian fellowships within a community. One “church” may be blessed with musical talent. One may have an abundance of teachers. Another may have tremendous material resources…or a gift for praise and worship...or prayer...or tongues and prophecy...or evangelism...or a heart for service. While God’s unique gifts to His individual gatherings should make it evident that we need each other to effectively serve our communities in the name of Christ, I fear that we use those very gifts as a basis for arrogant isolation from our brothers and sisters.
Earlier in the same letter, Paul made this statement regarding the relationship between churches: Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little" (2Co 8:13-15; NIV). Whatever size our fellowships, whatever our strengths and weaknesses, whatever our doctrines and mission statements, I know that God has designed us to fit perfectly and uniquely together within His plan for our area...and I know that His plan is not that we should be cut off from the rest of the body like dismembered parts prominently displayed in pretty jars of formaldehyde.
The Disciples’ Prayer—Part Twenty Six: Our, Us, & We
by rev dave c
Mt 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one' (NIV).
One of the most important points of the Disciples’ Prayer is not one of the most obvious. It is to be our prayer to our God. While it is true that Christianity is not (read; “should not just be…”) a religion—it is a personal relationship with the living Jesus Christ—we should take note that Matthew 6:9-13 does not say, “My Father...give me...my...forgive me...my...as I...my...and lead me not...but deliver me….” This prayer is all about the integrated relationship between God, and thee, and me, and we.
Our God is triune...He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. John the Revelator tells us that God is logos (Jn 1:1), God is light (Jn 1: 4-5), and God is love (1Jn 4:8&16). God is three persons Who are in a perfect communion of communication, awareness, and willful relationship. We are created in His image and in His likeness. We are not created to be alone—not in our bodies, not in our minds, and not in our spirits. It is not enough to pursue the Word of God from any ivory tower of my own fabrication—not as, “It’s just You and me, Lord;” not as, “My four and nothing more;” and not as, “Thank You, Father, for not making us like those folks across town.” We don’t just need each other (in the sense of “it’s a good idea”)...we must be pursuing an active fellowship with each other, or what we’re practicing is not Biblical Christianity.
Please prayerfully consider all of First Corinthians 12:4-27: 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (NIV). Is Paul saying that the body of Christ is just one church, one conference, or one denomination?
I contend that the above verses are not referring to just the members within a given congregation of Believers. I am convinced that Paul’s message includes the relationship between any, and all, Christian fellowships within a community. One “church” may be blessed with musical talent. One may have an abundance of teachers. Another may have tremendous material resources…or a gift for praise and worship...or prayer...or tongues and prophecy...or evangelism...or a heart for service. While God’s unique gifts to His individual gatherings should make it evident that we need each other to effectively serve our communities in the name of Christ, I fear that we use those very gifts as a basis for arrogant isolation from our brothers and sisters.
Earlier in the same letter, Paul made this statement regarding the relationship between churches: Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little" (2Co 8:13-15; NIV). Whatever size our fellowships, whatever our strengths and weaknesses, whatever our doctrines and mission statements, I know that God has designed us to fit perfectly and uniquely together within His plan for our area...and I know that His plan is not that we should be cut off from the rest of the body like dismembered parts prominently displayed in pretty jars of formaldehyde.