todd nelson

Before you head out for the weekend, here are three (plus one!) things I have read this week and been thinking about. Hope they are as helpful to you as they have been for me. Have a great weekend!

#1

The consensus sought is not an agreement of human voices on God. It is a work of the Spirit creating the unity of the body of Christ.

Classic Christianity by Thomas C. Oden

                                               

But now we can rightly interpret the words ‘in unity’ and say, ‘for brethren to dwell together through Christ’. For Jesus Christ alone is our unity.

Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

                                         

For the Christian, unity is a gift…not a goal. It is not about thinking alike but loving alike. And the one on whom our love is directed is the person of Christ. Jesus himself is the creator of unity through his Spirit at work. As a light is most helpful when the room is dark, so too unity shines the brightest and is most helpful during divisive times.

#2

Even a congregation as healthy as this one has its faults, its strains and tensions. But your builders will outdo your destroyers. There are severe divisions and problems in the American churches, but the builders will outdo the destroyers. The church around the world suffers greatly, but its builders will outdo its destroyers.

And God Spoke to Abraham by Fleming Rutledge

The Rutledge quote above claims the promise given in Isaiah 49:7. The people of God have been assured victory through the work of Christ. What is left to be seen is ‘how’ and ‘who’ will join Christ in working through his Spirit to make it complete. While I don’t dare to be pollyann-ish about the state of the United Methodist Church, I also don’t dare to doubt that Christ can continue to work, and even desires to work, through us.

#3

The Christianly virtuous person is not thinking about his or her own moral performance. He or she is thinking of Jesus Christ, and of how best to love the person next door.

After You Believe by N. T. Wright

How do you get out of dark places and into the light? By focusing on Jesus through the means of grace. By serving others. While there is a place for introspection, there is also a place for getting out of our head and into action. It really isn’t difficult either. Pick up the phone and check on someone. Make a meal and deliver it to someone having a busy week. A quick text or an email could do wonders even for someone else and it may just be what you need as well.