These few weeks following Easter, we are called to live into the stories of the early church. Stories, I must add, that show us that it isn’t always comfortable to live as the body of Christ. In the beginning chapters of Acts we see imprisonments, persecution, and the trials of figuring out how to live in this new way of community. Last week we even heard about death for the sake of the gospel. Church, it turns out, isn’t easy.
Any of you who have been around church, any church, long enough know that is true. There are disputes about money, mission, and the building. There are disputes about worship, capital campaigns, and the carpet color. There are disputes when we rock the boat and when we keep on doing what we do because we’ve always done it that way. Because while we are made new as the body of Christ we don’t stop being human. We struggle with being of one mind, we advocate for our own interests, we get annoyed. And for that I give thanks. Because if we believe that in this Easter season we are still celebrating the resurrection then we get to practice all the ways that God keeps making us new. We get to practice forgiveness. Listening. Giving. Sharing. Letting go. Celebrating. We get to practice working out how we are being called to be the kingdom, together.
So questions for your reflection today:
- When did I see God at work in my congregation?
- How have I grown by being in community with people I didn’t necessarily choose?
- What comforts me and challenges me about being a part of a community of faith?
As we spend time in Acts may we give thanks for the challenges and the blessings of community.
In Peace, Pastor Ruth
Let us pray:
Good and Gracious God, you are the author of life, and you adopt us to be your children. Fill us with your words of life, that we may live as your witnesses to the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.