The Gift That Keeps On Giving

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. – Ephesians 4:7-14 ESV

Paul has encouraged the believers in Ephesus to live together in unity, recognizing their shared faith and common bond in Christ. God had called them and placed them in the body of Christ, and together, they were to bring glory and honor to God. Paul reminded them that God had given them gifts to make their unification possible. Paraphrasing from Psalm 68:18, Paul emphasized that when Jesus ascended back to heaven, He gave gifts to men. This was fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. – Acts 2:1-4 NLT

Jesus’ departure guaranteed the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Just before His death, He told His disciples, “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:15-17 NLT). He went on to prepare them for His pending death, but then assured them, “I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:18-20 NLT).

The Holy Spirit’s arrival was a game-changer for the disciples. He empowered and equipped them for service. He provided them with the capacity to speak languages they didn’t know and perform supernatural miracles of healing. And Jesus had told them this would happen.

“I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” – Luke 24:49 NLT

The gift of the Holy Spirit was not just for Jesus’ original disciples. He was to become a permanent fixture in the life of every believer. At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a believer, providing them with a gift, a supernatural enablement designed to build up the body of Christ. Paul described the nature of the gifts in his letter to the Corinthians.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,[while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. – 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NLT

These gifts are God-ordained, Spirit-empowered, and not man-made. They are not talents or natural capabilities, and no one is born with these gifts.

But the Spirit’s indwelling presence and the gifts He provides are not all that God has given the church. Paul reminds the Ephesians that God has also provided godly leaders for the church. These are divinely appointed individuals whom God has chosen and equipped for the task of leading His people. Just as God chose and appointed Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, He also chose David to transform Israel from a kingdom of former slaves to prominence as one of the greatest nations in the world. In the same way, God provided the church with leaders.

Paul describes them as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. An apostle was literally a “sent one” or messenger. The original 11 disciples had been commissioned and sent by Jesus to take the gospel message to the world. Paul, though not one of the original 12 disciples chosen by Jesus, regarded himself as an apostle because he had been commissioned byJesus on the road to Damascus. The primary role of an apostle was to spread the gospel and establish churches throughout the known world.

Prophets were “forth-tellers” who had the divinely enabled ability to speak the truth of God. These individuals were responsible for building up the body of Christ, especially the local churches. Paul provides insight into their role in his letter to the Corinthian believers: “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (1 Corinthians 14:3 ESV). In the early days of the church, before most of the New Testament had even been written, the role of prophets was vital. These individuals were divinely empowered to discern and disseminate the truth of God in a time when false teachers and false gospels were prevalent. 

Evangelists were “heralds of salvation.” They were Spirit-empowered to share the gospel, and their role was essential. These itinerant preachers played a significant part in leading others to Christ. Some evangelists stayed close to home, ministering to their local communities, while others traveled from city to city to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

When Paul refers to pastors and teachers, he is likely speaking of a single function, not two. It could be translated as “pastor-teacher,” referring to one role within the church. Regardless of whether Paul was speaking of one or two gifts, these individuals were essential in shepherding and teaching the body of Christ. The term “pastor” literally means “shepherd,” one who ministers to the needs of the flock of Jesus Christ. He was to care for, protect, guide, and feed them. As a teacher, he was responsible for instructing the people of God in everything from the teachings of Jesus to sound doctrine. This particular role was essential to the church's well-being because of the growing problem of false teaching and divisive doctrine.

Together, these gifted individuals were to minister to God’s people, equipping them for the work of the ministry. It seems quite clear that Paul did not have in mind a professional clergy who did all the work of the ministry on behalf of God’s people. These were lay leaders who were specifically gifted as equippers and trainers, ensuring that the believers under their care were able to do the work of ministry in their local congregations.

It was as individual believers were properly taught, trained, and equipped that they were able to minister to one another and build up the body of Christ. Just a few verses later in this chapter, Paul describes the outcome of a well-equipped church:

He [God] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. – Ephesians 4:16 NLT

The goal is growth, and the objective is spiritual health and doctrinal soundness. Jesus did not leave His flock defenseless or alone. He provided us with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit has given the church gifted individuals to lead, guide, and equip the body of Christ.

Paul has in mind not only the spiritual maturity of every believer but also the unity and well-being of the local body of Christ. There was no place for spiritual stagnation or immaturity. There was no excuse for disunity and discord. God expected His people to grow, and so did Paul. But it was to be a team effort. Each individual was expected to do his or her job, selflessly and sacrificially. And the commitment was for the long term.

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. – Ephesians 4:13 NLT

Father, You have given us Your Spirit, equipped us with spiritual gifts, provided us with qualified leaders, and placed us into the body of Christ. In doing so, You have “given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1;3 BSB). We have no excuse. There is no reason we should struggle with uncertainty, disunity, or spiritual ignorance or apathy. Unless, of course, we choose to quench and grieve Your Spirit by refusing to hear His voice and heed His commands. As Paul made clear to the Galatians, we each have a daily choice to either live according to our selfish, sinful flesh or according to the Spirit. We can live empowered by the Spirit or enslaved to our sinful nature. Which is why Paul wrote, “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT). That is the way I want to live, but I know I can’t do it on my own. That is why I am grateful for the gift of Your Spirit. You have given me all that I need and have surrounded me with other like-minded men and women who are Spirit-enabled, empowered, and committed to building up the body of Christ until Your Son returns. May we bring You glory and honor as we carry out Your will. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Mystery Made Known

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. – Ephesians 3:7-13 ESV

Paul saw his role as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a gift of grace. He had no right to be the bearer of the good news to the Gentiles. In fact, Paul saw himself as the very least of all the saints. As a fallen human being, he was morally unqualified to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, but God had mercifully showered him with His grace, transforming him into a worthy messenger of the glorious gospel. And Paul took his role seriously, willingly enduring rejection, ridicule, and even physical abuse in order to fulfill his God-given mission.

Even as he wrote this letter, he was under house arrest in Rome. But imprisonment would not stop Paul from preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. Until he began taking the message of salvation through faith in Christ to the Gentiles, it had remained hidden from them. They had been incapable of understanding or accessing the incredible offer of God’s grace made available to them through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. But Paul spent his life making sure they heard the good news and were given the chance to know the joy of being made right with God through faith in Jesus as their Savior.

One of Paul’s greatest joys was unveiling the mystery of the church, God’s wonderful plan to make the Gentiles “fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV). When we read the New Testament, it is tempting to view the world as divided into two groups: Jews and Gentiles, and it is easy to mistake the word “Gentile” as referring to a particular people group. But that word was an all-encompassing label for anyone who was not a Jew. It included Greeks, Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Phrygians, Egyptians, and Romans.

Paul was an equal-opportunity evangelist who shared the gospel with everyone. And as those individuals placed their faith in Christ, they became part of “the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things” (Ephesians 3:9 ESV), the church. And Paul said that God was using the church “to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10 NLT). That word, “manifold,” is the Greek word, πολυποίκιλος (polypoikilos), which literally means “much variegated, marked with a great variety of colors” (“G4182 - polypoikilos - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). 

The church's ethnically diverse makeup reveals the wisdom of God. The concept of a racially and socio-economically integrated gathering of people from all walks of life was not something men would have come up with because it made no sense. The blending of people from different cultural backgrounds and social standings into a single homogeneous group was unheard of.

The degree of equality and equanimity made possible in this mysterious thing called the church was a societal anomaly.  Even the angels and demons are perplexed by the unexpected success of God's plan to bring unity out of diversity through this mystery called the church. The unifying nature of God’s redemptive work through Christ is like nothing else in the world; no other organization, effort, or man-made institution has the capacity to draw people together in love as the church does. And that is why Satan spends so much time trying to destroy the unity within the church; he wants to divide and conquer from within. So he brings in false teaching and harmful doctrines that create schisms and divide congregations. He promotes pride, while God calls us to live in humility and selflessness. The enemy wants us to recognize our differences, while God desires that we celebrate our oneness in Christ. Satan wants us to dwell on our individuality, while God calls us to live in unity.

“The church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural community is like a beautiful tapestry. Its members come from a wide range of colourful backgrounds. No other human community resembles it. Its diversity and harmony are unique” – John R. W. Stott, The Message of Ephesians

“. . . the church is to be an audio-visual display of God’s reconciling work. In this primary way she testifies to God’s grace and wisdom. So Paul encouraged living life in Christ in such a way that reconciliation is the dominant feature of church life.” – Darrell L. Bock, A Theology of Paul's Prison Epistles

The church is an amazing, divinely-ordained and Spirit-empowered entity that reveals to the world God’s incredible wisdom and the life-transforming power of the gospel. King David wrote, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” (Psalm 133:1 NLT), and that maxim is lived out most effectively in the church.

A common faith in Jesus Christ and the presence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit give members in the body of Christ a bond that is unlike anything the world has ever seen. This was God’s “eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11 NLT). The church should be an unstoppable force in the world today, illustrating the power and wisdom of God. We should model God's love and exude His grace and mercy to the world. We should demonstrate the unity of God as we live together in harmony, sacrificing our individual needs for one another's sake.

When Peter confessed to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 NLT), Jesus responded, “Upon this rock [Peter’s confession] I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT). As men and women from all walks of life and from every nation on earth confess Jesus as Lord, God builds them into the most powerful force in the universe: His church, and nothing can stand against it.

Father, the church is far from perfect because it is made up of people just like me. Though redeemed and forgiven, we are all still sin-prone and pride-filled. Selfishness and a desire for autonomy tend to trump Your call for selflessness and sacrifice. But Your Spirit continues to convict and encourage obedience to Your will instead of our own. As we listen to the Spirit’s promptings, He empowers us to live in unity despite our diversity and obsession with individuality. When I consider Paul’s question, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT), I am reminded that salvation is not a solo sport, it is a team endeavor in which You have chosen the players and equiped them with the spiritual skills they need to accomplish Your divine game plan. We are in this together, it is only as we work together in love and unity that we display Your manifold wisdom to the world. As David said, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” (Psalm 133:1 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Diversity, Unity, Fidelity,

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. – Romans 16:1-16 ESV

Phoebe, Prisca, Aquila, Epaenetus, Mary, Andronicus, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodian, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Phililogus, Julia, Nereus, and Olympas. That’s quite a list. Paul took the time to include the hard-to-pronounce names of 24 people to whom he wished to express his personal greetings.

Since Paul had never been to Rome, it is unclear how he knew some of these individuals. In a few of the cases, Paul had met them before. Phoebe, the woman to whom he sent his letter, was an active member of the church in Cenchreae, a port city of Corinth. She was most likely a Gentile and had been a patron to many in the church. Evidently, she was from the wealthier upper class, but had used her resources to assist others in the church in Corinth. Paul had also enjoyed a prior relationship with the husband-and-wife team of Prisca and Aquila; they had worked alongside him in his missionary journeys. 

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. – Acts 18:1-3 ESV

This couple, who had been forced to leave Italy because of an edict of the emperor Claudius, had risked their lives for Paul and made an impact on the Gentile churches. They were now back in Rome and continuing their efforts to grow the church and spread the gospel throughout the city.

Most of the people on Paul’s list remain unknown to us, but they provide a glimpse into the makeup of the local churches in Rome. It is interesting to note that verse 1 of Romans 16 is the first time in his letter that Paul uses the word “church.” The Greek word ekklēsia was used in reference to any gathering, congregation, or assembly. It literally means “called out” and was used to refer to any group called out for a meeting for deliberation. It was the perfect designation for the people of God, those who had chosen to follow Christ as their Savior. They had been called out by God and were to remain in the world, but not be of the world.

In the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden on the night of His betrayal, He emphasized the called out nature of His followers.

“They do not belong to this world any more than I do.” – John 17:16 NLT

“And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.” – John 16:14 NLT

Paul’s list contains the names of those who had been called out by God to be a part of His universal church. They were people of all walks of life. There were Romans and Greeks, freedmen and slaves, the wealthy and the poor, the influential and the insignificant. There were men and women, young and old, the educated and the illiterate. All had been placed into local congregations by the grace of God and because of their faith in Jesus Christ, His Son.

As Paul so painstakingly explained in his letter, there was no reason for anyone in the body of Christ to boast; at one time, they had all been equally guilty and worthy of God’s condemnation. None had earned favor with God because of their own self-manufactured righteousness. There was no one whose wealth or social influence had earned them brownie points with God. Every one of them had received their justification before God the same way, by placing their faith in the righteousness of Christ; none had been more righteous than another. Their sinfulness was equally condemning in God’s holy eyes, but He had extended His grace and mercy. Paul made this point earlier in his letter.

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. – Romans 3:22-24 NLT

Every individual Paul lists was dear to him. Each had a unique name and personality and had come to faith in Christ in their own way. They brought different talents and spiritual gifts to the body of Christ and had their own individual role to play within their local congregations. But at the end of the day, they were one. They shared a common faith in a common Savior and shared a common bond with every other believer.

Paul sent greetings to them from all the churches of Christ, so they would know they were not alone. They were part of a much larger family made up of individuals who bore different names but shared their belief in the risen Christ.

We are the called-out ones. We live in the midst of a world that hates us because we share a common love for Christ. We don’t belong here; we are aliens and strangers living in a land that is no longer our home. But we are brothers and sisters in Christ, compatriots who share a love for the cause of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We are in this together because God has placed us together into the body of Christ. May we learn to look past our diversity and embrace our unity through a growing desire for mutual love and fidelity

Father, while this list can be easily overlooked or dismissed as irrelevant, it provides a much-needed reminder of the diversity of the church. You have called out people from every nation, tribe, and tongue to be part of the body of Christ. We come from different cultures, speak different languages, and reflect the multidimensional nature of humanity. But we have been unified by our common faith in Your Son. As Paul put it, You use the church to display Your wisdom “in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10 NLT). The gospel is color blind and uninfluenced by the cultural criteria that divides humanity. Peter was right when he wrote, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35 NLT). You are no respecter of persons. You see everyone as a sinner in need of a Savior. Which is why You sent Your Son to serve as the sinless sacrifice to pay mankind’s debt.. You did that for all, regardless of their perceived righteousness or wretchedness. You knew that all had sinned and fallen short of Your glorious standard. So, You came up with a way for sinners to be saved — whether they were rich, poor, male, female, slave, free, Jew, or Gentile. And You included me in that number and placed me in Your family. And I am so glad You did. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

Unity In Diversity

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 ESV

God’s goal for us is oneness. It was one of the primary requests Jesus prayed to His Father in the garden on the night He was betrayed.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” – John 17:20-23 ESV

Jesus knew that the unity of His followers would be the greatest expression of the heart transformation that only salvation can produce. It is the Spirit-empowered oneness of believers that proves to the world that Jesus was who He said He was and that He actually accomplished all He claimed He would do.

Paul picked up on the theme of Jesus’ high priestly prayer and echoed those sentiments to the believers in Corinth, whose brand of spirituality was not working. Rather than leading to unity and reflecting the oneness of Christ and the Father, it was producing arrogance, pride, and division within the church. Even their view of the gifts of the Spirit was dividing rather than unifying the body. So Paul gave them a lengthy primer on the spiritual life, with special emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit.

Paul emphasizes that they are all one in Christ, but they are not all the same. Unity does not demand uniformity; instead, it embraces diversity. That is what makes the body of Christ so unique and reflects God’s power. He takes people of all shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, backgrounds and traditions, and molds them into a single entity called the body of Christ, His church. The unifying factor of the church is not our shared ethnicity or ancestry, our common cultural background, or country of birth. It is our mutually shared calling by God and our redemption as a result of faith in the death of His Son. We are one because God has made us so. He has adopted us as His sons and daughters, placed us in His ethnically diverse family, and given us the power of the Holy Spirit so that we might live in love and unity.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul described Jesus as “the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it” (Colossians 2:19 ESV). It is our common faith in Christ that binds us together, and He does so through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. That is Paul’s point to the believers in Corinth, and to make it clear, he uses the analogy of the human body.

Each of us has just one body, but it is made up of many parts. It consists of muscles, ligaments, organs, and limbs, each assigned a different purpose and designated function. Some parts operate behind the scenes, unseen and unrecognized for their role in the body's functioning. Others are more prominent and seem to bear greater responsibility for the body's overall health. We give these “vital” parts the lion’s share of our attention because we can’t imagine life without them. Paul uses the ears, eyes, hands, and feet as an example.

If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? – 1 Corinthians 12:15-17 NLT

It is the diversity and unity of the human body that make it so incredibly amazing. Each part, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is necessary for the whole body to function properly. In fact, Paul states, “some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:22 NLT).

There is a God-ordained design to the human body that causes it to operate most effectively when it is unified, and each part fulfills its assigned role. The same thing is true of the body of Christ. Paul writes, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT). That means no one is more important than anyone else and no spiritual gift is more essential than another. The spiritual gift each individual receives is intended to build up the body of Christ, not to stroke the ego and promote an air of self-importance and selfishness.

Paul lists various spiritual gifts, including the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. The list is intended to emphasize the variety of the gifts, not their order of importance. Yet the Corinthians were categorizing the gifts by what they believed to be their importance. They were focusing on which gift appeared to be the most significant and spectacular. But Paul reminded them that it was the Spirit who distributed the gifts, as He saw fit.

The Corinthians needed to spend more time using the gifts they had been given rather than debating over who had the better gift. The goal was unity, but it was their God-ordained uniqueness that made it possible. Each individual’s gift, assigned to them by the Spirit of God, is intended for the mutual edification of the entire church. But in the Corinthian church, the more flamboyant gifts, like healing and tongues, had been deemed more important and therefore more desirable. But one’s giftedness is not to be a badge of honor or a source of pride.

The Holy Spirit does not give out gifts to stroke our ego or prioritize our importance within the church. We have been gifted by God for the good of the body of Christ. The goal behind our calling and giftedness is “harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NLT). Individuality and community. Uniqueness and unity. Giftedness and shared good. That is what makes the body of Christ function and proves that our faith is real and our Savior is alive.

Father, unity in diversity is a difficult concept for us to grasp. We tend to prefer homogeneity and uniformity. because there is something strangely comforting about sameness. Yet, at the same time, we all fight the urge to be different, to stand out in the crowd. And we see the spiritual gifts as an opportunity to set ourselves apart. So we place them into categories that differentiate their importance and elevate our own significance. But that was not Your plan. The gifts were given to unify and edify. As the apostle Paul stated, the diversity of the body of Christ was meant to illustrate Your wisdom. “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11 NLT). The church was intended to be a melting pot of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue, unified by their faith in Christ and equipped with the gifts of the Spirit for their common good and Your glory. Show us how to make that a reality in our individual fellowships and throughout the universal church. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A High Calling.

Ephesians 4:1-16

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. – Ephesians 4:1 NLT

One of the things to constantly keep in mind when reading most of the letters of Paul is that he is typically writing to a congregation, not an individual. Except in the case of his two letters to Timothy and the one he sent to Titus, most of his letters are intended for a particular body of believers. He is addressing the church corporately. In his letter to the Ephesian church, he is stressing the unique nature of their identity as part of the body of Christ. They are a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life and a variety of religious backgrounds, whom God has called together and placed within His family. They share a common bond as recipients of the grace of God made possible through Jesus Christ. And while everything about their diverse backgrounds might naturally result in disunity and dissension, Paul calls them to unity. They have been loved by God, so now they should love one another.

He begs them to lead lives worthy of their calling. He wants them to conduct their lives in a manner that is in keeping with God's purpose in calling them in the first place. Then he gives them concrete examples of what that kind of corporate life will look like. They are to be humble, gentle, patient with each other, and willing to love in spite of one another's faults and failures. He stresses that their union as members of God's family was the work of the Spirit of God and, as a result, they should strive to maintain their peace with one another. This was not an easy thing considering the natural animosity Jews and Gentiles had toward one another. And it's important to remember that, as a result of the Gospel, the church in Ephesus was made up of both factions. Paul reminds them that "there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all" (Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT). Unity is the theme of this section. Unity in diversity.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has not only called together a diverse group of individuals and placed them into His family, He has gifted each and every one of them with special Spirit-enabled gifts designed to benefit the body of Christ. Among them are the leadership gifts He has given to the church in form of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers. These individuals were given to the church by God in order to strengthen and equip the body of Christ so that each member would do his or her work effectively, resulting in a vibrant and growing church. The Greek word Paul uses for "equip" is katartismon which means preparing, mending, or restoring people to their proper use. There are those in the church whose primary responsibility it is to help the body function efficiently and effectively. The church functions best when each individual believer is utilizing his or her spiritual gift in order to build up the rest of the body. When everyone is doing their job and conducting their lives within the body of Christ according to their individual calling, the entire body prospers. And the goal of all of this activity is spiritual maturity – "until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13 NLT).

Spiritual maturity or increasing Christ-likeness is God's objective for the church, and everyone plays a vital role in the process. God's plan calls for unity and a shared concern for one another. "He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" (Ephesians 4:16 NLT). We are in this together. The church is not a collection of individual believers growing independently and in isolation, but a body where each part has been meticulously and strategically placed by God and designed to function in a symbiotic and sympathetic relationship. This God-ordained and Spirit-empowered entity called the church is to be a remarkable witness to God's amazing wisdom. It shouldn't work, but it does. But only as long as we live in humility, gentleness, patience and love with one another, doing everything we can to maintain the unique spirit of unity that God has created to experience.

Father, thank You for the church. When I consider the incredible diversity of the body of Christ and the wide assortment of personalities and backgrounds represented, I am amazed that it works at all. In spite of our individual sin natures and tendency to live self-centered lives even in the midst of community, Your Spirit makes it all function – in spite of us. Give us a growing desire to live in unity, using our God-given gifts to benefit one another. Help us to understand that we grow best when we grow together. Amen.

God's Mysterious Plan.

Ephesians 3:1-13

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 3:10 NLT

As a God-ordained spokesman of the Good News regarding Jesus Christ, Paul was given inside information or understanding that had been hidden from others for centuries. Like all the authors of the Scriptures, Paul was given insight from God through the Holy Spirit into things that others had been unable to comprehend or see. In this section of his letter to the Ephesian believers, Paul refers to God's "mysterious plan" regarding Christ. He discusses God multifaceted wisdom and uses the Greek word, polypoikilos, which means "variegated or made up of different kinds." And this wisdom is displayed through the rich variety of the church. "The church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural community is like a beautiful tapestry. Its members come from a wide range of colourful backgrounds. No other human community resembles it. Its diversity and harmony are unique" (John Stott, The Message of Ephesians).

Paul makes this mysterious plan clear when he says: "Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 3:6 NLT). This is the remarkable thing about the church, the body of Christ. Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, everyone enjoys the same promise of blessings. We all get to experience the same gift of grace and take advantage of God's forgiveness and reconciliation made possible through Jesus' sacrificial death in our place. In Paul's day there had been a division between Jews and Gentiles. In fact, there was a great degree of animosity and hatred between these two groups. The Jews looked down on Gentiles and considered them less than dogs. And yet, here was God uniting these two groups into one family. This would not have been dreamed of by the Jews of the Old Testament. They wouldnever have imagined that the Gentiles would someday be viewed by God as their equals. For generations they had been the chosen people of God. Now God had opened up the Gospel to all people, and Paul had "been given the privilege of serving him by speaking this Good News" (Ephesians 3:7 NLT). "…he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ" (Ephesians 3:8 NLT).

Because of Christ, all men can enjoy a right relationship with God. It is not reserved for some specific group or based on ethnic identity. Anyone who accepts God's free gift of grace through Jesus Christ "can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence" (Ephesians 3:12 NLT). Redemption and restoration are available to all. And as a result, the church is made up of all kinds of people, from all walks of life. There are Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, males and females, slave and free, servants and masters, the influential and the seemingly insignificant. The common bond we all share is faith in Christ. It is what He has done for us that links us together as one body. Regardless of our background, we all needed the same thing: His righteousness and God's forgiveness. And God has placed us all in this unique institution called the church. Together we "display his wisdom in its rich variety." Even the angels are amazed at what they see. The church should not work. It is a recipe for disaster. The very idea of bringing so many who are so different together, and expecting them to live in love and unity, is insane. It shouldn't work. But it has for centuries and continues to do so, revealing God's infinite wisdom. “. . . the church is to be an audio-visual display of God’s reconciling work. In this primary way she testifies to God’s grace and wisdom. So Paul encouraged living life in Christ in such a way that reconciliation is the dominant feature of church life” (Darrell Bock, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament).

Paul wanted his readers to understand just how special this thing called the church really was. He didn't want them to take it for granted. It was not a man-made institution, but something God had ordained and orchestrated. The diversity of the church is one of its distinctives. The rich variety of individuals who have been chosen by God and placed into His family is a testimony to His great love and grace. The very fact that we can live in unity together is a vivid illustration of His power and presence among us. God not only reconciles men to Himself, He reconciles men to one another, erasing man-made lines of distinction and eliminating the prejudices and animosities that have long plagued mankind. Like the Jews and Gentiles of Paul's day, we are all "part of the same body and … enjoy the promise of blessings because [we] belong to Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 3:6 NLT). One body. One family. One church.

Father, thank You for saving me, but more importantly, thank You for placing me in Your family, the Church. Give me a growing appreciation for just how rich and diverse the Church really is. Never let me lose sight of the miracle of grace that has brought together so many who are so different under one common cause and all as a result of Your great love and Christ's great sacrifice. Amen.

The Church: A Melting Pot.

Romans 16:1-16

Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. – Romans 16:3-5 NLT

Phoebe. Priscilla. Aquila. Epenetus. Mary. Adronicus. Junia. Ampliatus. Urbanus. Stachys. Apelles. Aristobulus. Herodian. Narcissus. Tryphena. Tryphosa. Persis. Rufus and his mother. Asyncritus. Phlegon. Hermes. Patrobas. Hermas. Philologus. Julia. Nereus and his sister. Olympas.

What a list. Paul closes out his letter with this lengthy compilation of individuals to whom he wished to send his greetings or offer introductions for the local congregation in Rome. In addition to the sheer number of names on the list, what should jump out at us is the cosmopolitan nature of the list. It contains Romans, Greeks, Jews, Gentiles, men, women, rich, poor, slaves and citizens in high standing. In just 16 short verses, Paul gives us a glimpse into life within the early church. In less than a century, the body of Christ had grown from that small, rag-tag group of disciples who had gathered in the days just after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Just as Jesus had promised, they had received the Holy Spirit and were immediately transformed into agents of change and messengers of the Good News, spreading the message of salvation throughout the known world.

Now we see that their efforts, and those of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others, had been effective. The Good News was being preached and people from all walks of life were being saved. Individuals from every strata of society were hearing and accepting the message of reconciliation with God made available through belief in Jesus Christ. These people, whom Paul knew personally and loved deeply, were not just Christians, they were fellow servants, co-workers, brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, ex-inmates, house-church leaders, and co-laborers within the Kingdom of God. Paul gives little to no explanation or clarification about most of these individuals. He doesn't tell us how he knew them or where he met them. He simply explains that they are his brothers and sisters in Christ, and offers them to the believers in Rome as well worth getting to know.

The church was designed to be a melting pot. It was intended to be a place of unity, where individuals from every walk of life were joined together within the Kingdom of God because of their common relationship with and reliance upon Jesus Christ. While in Rome there would have been a well-defined social strata and caste system, within the church there was to be no such division. The body of Christ is about diversity. Paul put it this way in his letter to the church in Ephesus: "And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News" (Ephesians 3:6-7 NLT). There is unique quality of unity and cohesiveness that should mark the church. Paul reminded the believers in Corinth, "But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength" (1 Corinthians 1:24-25 NLT). Social standing, economic status, personal attributes and educational background had nothing to do with it. "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT).

God chose. God called. God saved. Not based on merit or worth. Not according to our own worthiness or some arbitrary standard of value. The one thing that binds every single believer in Christ together is our inherent unworthiness. God's gift of salvation was just that – a gift. It was undeserved and unmerited. Christ died for us while we were still neck-deep in our sins, not after we got our spiritual acts together and somehow earned His favor. Each of the individuals listed in Paul's closing to his letter to the Romans shared one thing in common – their complete dependency upon God for their salvation. As a result of God's redeeming work, they had become part of the body of Christ and found themselves inextricably linked to one another regardless of income, ethnic background, social standing, or personal history. Paul tells his readers to "Greet each other in Christian love" (Romans 16:16 NLT). The fact that they didn't know each other well was irrelevant. That some were Greeks and some were Romans was immaterial. The reality that his list included both Jews and Gentiles didn't matter. They were all part of the body of Christ and each belonged to the other. Together they represented God's unique, one-of-a-kind plan known as the church.

Father, what an amazing thing You have accomplished through Your Son Jesus Christ and the faithful witness of Your servants over the centuries. Men and women from all walks of life and every tribe, tongue and nation have found salvation, hope and life through Your Son and have been included in Your family – the Church. Thank You for the diversity and unity found within the body of Christ. May we continue to seek to expand the reach of Your Kingdom and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. Give us a love for ALL believers, not just those who look like us and talk like us. Help us look past our differences and see our common bond in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Unity and Diversity.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. – 1 Corinthians 12:24-26 NLT

Paul had heard about divisions and disunity taking place in the local congregation in Corinth. They had taken sides within the church, with some claiming to be followers of Paul, while others claimed Apollos as their spiritual leader. They had even been bragging about who had baptized them, claiming some kind of spiritual superiority as a result. Then there were those in the church whose disputes with one another had resulted in law suits in the secular courts. On top of all that, Paul had to deal with a spirit of division that had crept into the church as some were claiming their right to live in their new found freedom in Christ, but who were causing their fellow believers to stumble and fall into sin. There had crept into the church an attitude of selfishness and self-centeredness that was doing serious damage to the cause of Christ and the health of the body of Christ. What seemed to be missing was any concern for the common good. Everyone was in it for what he or she could get out of it. Personal rights had trumped any concern for the corporate well being of the body. So Paul provided them with a metaphor that he hoped would help them understand the unique nature of their role as members of the body of Christ – the church.

Because the church is a collection of individuals, it is easy for us to bring our individualistic mindsets with us and never fully understand what it is that God has in mind for this unique institution He has ordained. Becoming part of the church is not like joining a country club or a fraternity. There is something spiritual going on behind the scenes when an individual is called by God into a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. That act of salvation places the individual into an entirely new situation, making him a Son of God and a brother to every other individual who has placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. He becomes a member of the family of God. But even more so, He becomes a member of the body of Christ. To make His point, Paul compares the body of Christ, the church, with the human body. His emphasis seems to be on diversity, first and foremost. Unity is a byproduct of that diversity. In other words, in the human body, God has divinely designed each and every part with a purpose in mind. Each part is necessary and must work in conjunction with every other part. Some parts are seemingly more important – like the brain or the heart. Yet God has brought every part together and given it its own function and role to play. Some of those parts go unseen, working behind the scenes, but playing an essential part in the overall well being of the body. Each part is necessary. There is not competition or jealousy within the human body. One part does not envy another part. There is no pride or arrogance within the human body. Because God has crafted each part and placed it right where he wants it, to perform the role for which He created it. The same is true of the body of Christ. God has called every believer and placed them within the body of Christ, the church, and provided them with a spiritual gift that is designed for the good of the body. Paul had made it clear to the Corinthians: "It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. he alone decides which gift each person should have" (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT).

The body of Christ is a divinely ordained and designed organism filled with a variety of individuals who represent and a diversity of gifts. Paul lists some of these as apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, leaders, and even those who speak in other languages. Not everyone has the same gift. What would a church look like that was made up of only teachers? Diversity is a necessity. Every gift is needed. Every individual is important. But the goal is always for the common good. The motivation is always love. Paul is going to drive this point home in the very next section of his letter. Because even the spiritual gifts can lead to disunity if they are done without love. If our overall objective is not to express selfless, sacrificial love to others, then even our spiritual gifts can become destructive rather than constructive. They can divide rather than unite. We must recognize that God has divinely organized the church, placing each individual where they belong and gifting them in such a way that they play a vital, non-negotiable role in the overall health of the body of Christ.

Father, the church can be a messy place. There are so many people who have come from so many walks of life. They bring their personalities and all their baggage to the equation. Then there is our tendency to compete and jockey for positions of prominence and importance. Help us to understand that there are no spectators in the body of Christ. Each person has a role to play. Each is necessary and needed. You have designed the church to be a well-ordered organism where all the parts work seamlessly and effortlessly together. But all that is impossible without love. Show us how to be more than an organization. Give us a growing awareness and understanding of just how unique this thing called the church really is. Amen.

All For One and One For All.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. – 1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

Spiritual gifts. There is probably no other topic more misunderstood, abused or simply ignored in the Bible. And it would appear that, among the believers in the city of Corinth, there were some serious issues involving the importance and use of spiritual gifts. So, once again, Paul was forced to provide them with insights and instruction. Like so much else involving the Christian life, the spiritual gifts were given by God in order to bring about unity in the body of Christ. Yet the Corinthian believers were actually using their God-given spiritual gifts to cause division and disunity. There was jealousy over who had which spiritual gift. Pride had crept in as they compared and contrasted each other's gifts and determined which ones were of greater value. In the midst of it all, they had lost sight of the true purpose behind the gifts in the first place. So Paul clarified it for them. "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other" (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT).

Later on in this chapter, Paul is going to use the analogy of the human body in order to get the Corinthians to understand the true nature of the church of Jesus Christ. It was not to be viewed as a collective of independent individuals, like rocks in a box, but a well-designed organism made up of various parts, each with its own function and purpose, but completely dependent upon one another for survival and health. The body of Christ is NOT about equality. We are not all the same. There is diversity and different degrees of giftedness. Each individual brings his or her unique personality and spiritual giftedness to the body in order to serve and contribute to the greater good. But there is no place for pride, comparison, jealousy, envy, or any other self-centered outlook that inevitably destroys unity and robs the body of its health and vitality.

It is the Spirit of God who distributes the gifts within the body of Christ. He gives to one the gift of wisdom, to another the ability to heal, and to another faith. And then there is the one who is given the gift of tongues, while someone else gets the gift of the interpretation of tongues. It doesn't take a genius to understand that the sheer variety and distinctiveness of the gifts could easily lead to competition and unhealthy comparison. Some of the gifts are more visible and flamboyant than others. Some would appear to be more "spiritual" than others. But Paul emphasizes that it is the same Spirit who distributes these gifts – as He sees fit. And He hands them out with one purpose in mind: the well-being of the body of Christ. They are not badges of honor and they have nothing to do with the merit or deservedness of the recipient. "It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have" (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). But it is so easy for us to decide that one gift is more important than another and, therefore, to conclude that one person is more important than another. But nothing could be further from the truth. The gifts are given for the common good of the body, not to elevate the worth or significance of the individual. We have nothing to do with our spiritual gift. It is given by God through the Holy Spirit. And it is not given to US, but to the church. We are simply stewards of our gifts and are to use them to minister to one another, selflessly and sacrificially. Our gifts do not belong to us. They are not badges of honor or symbols of spiritual worth. Spiritual gifts are not given based on merit or as rewards for righteousness. They are God-given, Spirit-empowered abilities that God has ordained and distributed among His people in order to create unity and increase the vitality of the body of Christ – His church.

Father, it is amazing how easily and quickly we can turn something you intended for unity into something that causes division and disunity. Pride is always waiting in the wings to cause us to make everything about us. We can even turn the spiritual gifts into measurements of self-worth and value. We compare and contrast. We measure one another by the degree of our giftedness and then wrongfully conclude that some of us have more value than others. We lose sight of the common good and the call to selfless, sacrificial love. Open our eyes to the pride that lurks in our hearts. Give us a passion for the body of Christ – the Church. Amen.