TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. - 1 Corinthians 11:26
TODAY IN THE WORD
Americans engage in rituals particular to our country. For instance, celebrating Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey feast and pumpkin pie is an American tradition. On July 4, many Americans attend a parade and watch fireworks to celebrate American independence. We also describe some things “as American as baseball and apple pie!”

Today's reading features the two most important practices or rituals for Christians—the celebration of the Lord's Supper and baptism. Both of these are prefigured in the Old Testament, and both proclaim the central message of Christianity.

Paul reminds us that the Lord's Supper began with Jesus' final meal with His disciples (v. 23). On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples (cf. Luke 22:7-23). This meal commemorated God's deliverance of the Hebrews from the hands of the Egyptians (cf. Ex. 12). The slaughtered Passover lamb whose blood was spread on the doorframes of each Jewish house caused the angel of death to “pass over” that house.

Now because of Christ's blood shed on the cross, we, like the Israelites, escape death. When we eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord's Supper, we remember how Christ, the Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29), was sacrificed for us. When we sit at the Lord's table, we remember this salvation and our great Savior. Remembrance becomes proclamation, announcing a message of life through the death of Jesus Christ (v. 26).

Similarly, baptism signifies salvation and is designed for proclamation. Matthew records the final commands of Jesus to His disciples, and baptism figures into Christ's final instructions. Clearly, all disciples should be baptized, not because baptism saves but because Christ was Himself baptized. It also symbolizes our union with Christ in death to sin as well as resurrection and redemption (cf. Rom. 6:4).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We can't seem to escape the fact that the church is group of people saved by God and now commissioned by God to witness and work for Him. Even the Lord's Supper and baptism demonstrate this. Does your church regularly baptize new believers? Have you been baptized? Do you regularly celebrate communion in your church? These essential aspects in the life of the church keep us grounded in the truth of our message.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 5
Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? - 1 Corinthians 5:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
“There is room in this expansive church of ours for all—for those who agree with us and those who disagree, for those who seem to be innovating and those who see themselves as conserving the tradition—because it's not our church, it's the Body whom Jesus has called together.” This quote from an Episcopal bishop who supported the ordination of Gene Robinson (an openly gay man) as Bishop of New Hampshire, represents how many churches today have strayed from understanding judgment and church discipline.

This isn't a new phenomenon, however. The Corinthians were equally ignorant. The particular context here in Corinth was a case of grievous sexual immorality. This wasn't a gray issue. A man had sinned in such a way that it shocked even the pagans! Yet the Corinthians not only permitted the sin, they boasted of it!

In this passage, Paul outlines how and when it is proper to exercise Christian judgment. First, this doesn't apply to those who don't have the redeeming power of the Holy Spirit (v. 12). We shouldn't be surprised that unbelievers sin, nor should we disassociate ourselves from them (v. 10). But it can be expected that in the family of God we no longer deliberately engage in practices of immorality, greed, slander, or idolatry (v. 11). Such sin is “improper for God's holy people” (Eph. 5:3).

Judgment is necessary within the church to stop the pervasive and perverse influence that sin has on others (vv. 6, 7). Especially in a case like Corinth where the sin was quite public, such permissiveness has the effect of diluting the importance of Christian holiness. Moreover, confronting the sinner and excommunicating him from the fellowship was intended to have a restorative effect (v. 5).

For the health of the body, the leaders of the church must decide to “put out of . . . fellowship” (v. 2) those within the church who, with impunity, disregard the commands of God's Word for personal purity.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Does the act of excommunication seem unnecessarily harsh to you? Maybe it's because we've been so afraid in our churches to “pass judgment” even in matters of clear biblical teaching. Pray for such denominations as the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church who are waging war over such issues as homosexuality. Pray for a return to biblical authority and proper Christian judgment. And pray fervently for your church leaders as they have this difficult task of judging and disciplining those in your church.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-5; Hebrews 5:11-6:1
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly–mere infants in Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a baby is just born, her parents feed her milk exclusively. With only gums and immature swallowing reflexes, she is hardly ready for green beans and steak. Her stomach cannot yet digest solid food. The milk nourishes her until her body demands more calories to thrive.

We as believers and churches begin as newborn babes in Christ (cf. 1 Peter 2:2). Our diet consists of the milk of God's Word, the elementary teachings about Christ (Heb. 6:1). This diet is perfectly suited for our immature spiritual digestive systems. But the time must come for maturity and development. The body begins to grow and require solid food (1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 6:12, 14).

When this doesn't happen, when believers stagnate in spiritual immaturity, they are like babies who fail to thrive. Both of the passages in today's reading point out several symptoms of this underdevelopment, when the believer or church is more worldly than godly (3:1). First, the patterns of thinking and behaving aren't spiritually adult or mature; rather, there is a lack of faith, purity, and hunger for the meat of God's Word. Second, where there should be unity and agreement, there is instead jealousy and arguing. When they should be rallying around the common cause of Christ, they are instead dividing themselves into factions (1 Cor. 3:3-4). Third, where there should be promotion from student to teacher, there is instead spiritual inertia (Heb. 5:12).

You can hear the frustration from the authors of these letters to the Corinthians and the Hebrews when they have to address these kinds of churches. Paul demonstrates that the immaturity of the Corinthians was an obstacle to his preaching and teaching: “I could not address you as spiritual” (3:1). The author of the Hebrews calls his readers “slow to learn” (5:11). The apostles want to “go on to maturity,” to throw away the spiritual pureed peas and get to the solid meat of discipleship (Heb. 6:1). They want to feed these churches solid food, but immaturity and underdevelopment prevents that.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The only way a baby begins to learn to digest solid food is by a slow but consistent introduction of it. Spiritually speaking, the writer of Hebrews calls this the “constant use” of the Word of God (5:14).

We need “meals” of God's Word each day. Think of creating times of spiritual meals and snacks throughout your day by pausing to pray and read the Word several times a day.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 2:6-23
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him. - Colossians 2:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Almost three months have passed, and most of us have probably forgotten our New Year's resolutions. We meant to lose a few pounds and serve more at church, and for a couple of weeks, our resolutions paid off. But we turned the corner to February, then March, and our best intentions have failed us. It's often easy to begin a project, resolution, or task—but much harder to continue and finish.

The same is true for us spiritually, especially in the realm of faith in Christ. We do not depend upon our performance to begin this race; neither can we trust our own efforts to run this race. Yet churches find it so easy to fall into the trap of legalism. Where we begin in faith, we try to continue by works.

The Colossians faced this kind of heretical teaching in their church. That's why Paul's command to them is to “continue to live in [Christ]” (v. 6). In other words, he didn't want them exchanging faith for a works-oriented Christianity. He aims to help them see the contrast between trusting in Christ and trusting in rules.

Genuine salvation and sanctification happen because of Christ alone (vv. 6, 7). He is God (v. 9), and He is our victory over sin (vv. 12, 13). He is the source of our spiritual vitality and growth (v. 19). Our only hope for holiness is to stay connected with Christ. Everything—from the initial moment of salvation to our final sanctification—depends upon our union to Christ. The body must stay vitally connected to the Head.

The heretics at Colossae, on the other hand, emphasize “human commands and teachings” (vv. 8, 22), specific rules and prescriptions regarding matters from what one should eat to how one should observe the Sabbath (vv. 16, 20). The result was harsh condemnation against believers. What they said seemed right. Their rules had an “appearance of wisdom,” but because they originated with men and not Christ, they were powerless to restrain sin and promote holiness (v. 23).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's much easier to follow rules than to follow the Rule Maker. That's why churches fall prey to legalism. Rules don't require that we think, pray, or keep learning. They are static and manageable. We are meant to feel in control when we master the rules. Following Christ, the Rule Maker, might be less predictable—but it's certainly more fulfilling and the only way to grow spiritually. Identify your own tendencies towards legalism and confess that as sin to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 24:36-51
Continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. - 1 John 2:28
TODAY IN THE WORD
The first rule for a job interview: be on time! First impressions count, and what is your future employer to think if you arrive late? Best-case scenario, he'll figure that you may have gotten lost. Even still, he'll wish you had driven the route the day before and verified your directions. Worst-case scenario, he'll consider you lazy. Either way, you certainly can't count on getting hired.

Our passage today illuminates how the church needs to be ready for Jesus' second coming. Will He find us prepared, like the wise and faithful servant (vv. 45, 46)? Or will we resemble the wicked and foolish servant who failed to expect His master's return (vv. 48-50)?

The church of Jesus Christ can make herself ready for His return in three different ways. First, we should prepare for His coming just as Noah did (v. 37). Noah believed God when He said that He would flood the earth. He obeyed God by building an ark. For a period of many, many years, he woke up every day with a future reality as his compass. The flood is coming; I've got to be ready. Are our lives characterized by that kind of urgency? Are we fulfilling our individual callings? Are we warning our lost friends and neighbors about eternal punishment apart from Christ?

Second, the church can be ready by keeping watch. The entire chapter of Matthew 24 describes the events that foreshadow the coming of Christ. Are we looking at today's events with an eternal perspective? We don't know when Christ will come (vv. 36, 42), but we can and should be watchful.

Finally, we can be ready by choosing obedience rather than sin in our daily lives (v. 44). We don't know when to expect Christ. Will He come and find us shamefully disgracing His name and neglecting our responsibilities (v. 49)? Or will He find us faithfully and wisely executing His business?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider the faithful example of Noah. He spent many years building the ark. He didn't get preoccupied with the stuff of life so much that he forgot what God had called him to do. In fact, his calling became the very stuff of his life. He also didn't allow himself to be influenced by the wickedness of his generation (cf. Gen. 6). Are you, like Noah, faithfully working for God day by day? Are you, like Noah, walking with God rather than the crowd?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” - Revelation 21:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a construction project begins, a lot of work happens before the first scoop of dirt is excavated. Before the framing, the concrete pouring, or the digging, the architect must design the blueprints for the house. Those blueprints are but a shadow of the reality of that house. But what satisfaction comes when the house is built and the architect can sit back to admire his work!

We started our study this month with God's blueprint for the world. “I will build my church,” Jesus announced (Matt. 16:18). We're still in the construction phase of the project, but this passage from Revelation gives us the rewarding glimpse of the finished product to come.

The church will be the radiant bride of Christ (v. 2). She will finally be made perfect (v. 27). There will no longer be a need for forgiveness and conflict resolution. This glorified church will never have to practice the discipline of its members. We will be completely free from sin and its power to destroy us and our relationships. And freedom from sin will open the way for the completion of God's plan of redemption. From the beginning of time, God has intended to walk with His people. The church of Jesus Christ today is but a partial fulfillment of this plan; here in Revelation we see the final completion of that plan. God will finally live with us and among us. He will be our God and we will be His people (v. 3).

Notice the centrality of the Lamb in this final vision of the church. He is our access to his holy city (v. 27). He is our temple, and He makes His dwelling with men along with God Almighty (v. 22). He is the triumphant glory that illuminates the church (v. 23). The church exists for the worship of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and we can look forward to the day when we'll do this face to face.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The redeemed church, as we see here in Revelation 21, is glorious—but it still doesn't compare to the glory of the Lamb (v. 23). Spend time reflecting on what you've learned about the church this month, and in particular about Christ, the Head and Husband of the church. Worship Him for His love and loyalty to His people. Thank Him for His plan of redemption that He began in the Garden of Eden and that He will finally accomplish!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Chronicles 21:8-19
Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men. - 1 Chronicles 21:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
After the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one analyst summarized his leadership skills in this way: “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. . . . The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully.”

The same words might be said of King David, but in today's reading his misdirected leadership cost Israel dearly. Finally seeing his sin regarding the matter of the census, he confessed and took full responsibility (v. . He didn't try to make excuses, but pleaded for the Lord to remove his guilt. God did forgive David, but He also had to punish him. The king had publicly shown his pride and faithlessness, so to uphold God's honor the punishment needed to be public as well. Since the king was a “shepherd,” when he went astray it was inevitable that the nation, or “sheep,” would suffer too (v. 17).

God offered David three choices. We can see in this evidence of His grace as well as a test. The king passed—by throwing himself on God's mercy he showed that he had learned his lesson and put his trust back where it belonged (v. 13). When the plague hit, David was further granted a vision of an angel with a drawn sword as an awe-inspiring warning, which led to renewed repentance by him and other leaders (v. 16). Seventy thousand people died, but the mercy of God intervened and stopped the plague as the angel reached Jerusalem. Divinely shown the exact location where judgment ceased, David hurried there to offer sacrifices.

How could God both judge or punish and be grieved at the “calamity” and death? This seems a contradiction. Any parent who has disciplined a dearly loved child, and grieved the tears shed as a result of the pain, can understand in some way the depth of God's character that includes both His love and His righteousness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In today's reading, King David felt the full weight of the responsibility of leadership. Similarly, your church leaders bear double responsibility and are worthy of double honor (James 3:1; 1 Tim. 5:17). How are they held accountable? How are they honored? Check your church constitution or denominational governing policies, or perhaps ask an elder a few questions to give yourself a clearer idea of how things work at your church. Last but not least, ask yourself how you can be a more godly follower.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Chronicles 21:20-22:1
I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing. - 1 Chronicles 21:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
Since the Marxist government of the African nation of Eritrea forbade independent churches in 2002, Eritrean Christians have been severely persecuted. At least nine hundred believers have been arrested and imprisoned incommunicado, with neither charges nor trial. Christianity Today reported last summer: “Many of those arrested are held in metal shipping containers. Sweltering in the daytime and cold at night, the containers have no sanitation. Infectious diseases and diarrhea are common. . . . Eritrean authorities torture Christians to try to force them to recant or stop practicing their faith.”

The cost of obedience for these brave believers is high. True obedience always comes with a price tag, as David expressed in today's verse. Araunah the Jebusite (the original inhabitants of Jerusalem) was apparently a normal farmer doing a normal day's work with his sons. He turned around and saw the angel with the sword, then turned again and saw the king and his officials . . . no wonder he put his face to the ground! By offering the land and materials for sacrifices, he showed both reverence and generosity.

David, however, knew it would be wrong to take advantage, that his power as king shouldn't be used in that way. Especially under these circumstances, he himself must pay the full price as concrete evidence of his repentance and changed heart. The price of six hundred shekels was about fifteen pounds of gold! When David offered the sacrifices, God responded with fire from heaven, dramatically demonstrating His acceptance of the king's actions (21:26).

A larger plan was at work here: God had chosen the site for the temple (22:1; cf. 2 Chron. 3:1). His fire consecrated this place traditionally known as Mount Moriah, where Abraham was willing to offer Isaac. David might have composed Psalm 30 on this day: “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime” (v. 5).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What has your obedience cost you? That is, what have you given up for God? If nothing comes to mind, perhaps you have yet to learn the lesson David articulated in today's verse. If things do come to mind, arm yourself against false regrets with Jesus' promise that those who have sacrificed to follow Him have much better things in store for themselves (Mark 10:29-31). As Paul said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 16:13-20
On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. - Matthew 16:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
A wedding ceremony normally begins with what is called the Declaration of Intent. Before the exchanging of vows and rings, the bride and the groom declare their intent to be loyal and faithful to one another. The “I wills” of intent sound the prelude to the “I dos” of the marriage covenant.

Our reading from today reveals Christ's declaration of intent regarding His bride: “I will build my church.” Like a loving husband, His tone exudes a gently possessive quality. My church. Scripture compares the church to many things—a bride, a body, a flock, a family, and a building—but our study this month will focus primarily on the church as the body and bride of Christ. As the body of Christ, we are the hands and feet of Jesus to one another and to the world. As the bride of Christ, we reserve our devotion and faithfulness for Christ alone.

One can imagine how we, humanly speaking, might approach such an immense undertaking as “building the church”— indeed, the way that some do approach this calling. We would focus on the money and manpower needed for the job. But as we can expect, God's plan is different. He's looking not for organizational strategies but for faith.

Peter's confession of faith in verse 16 is the rock upon which Christ will build His church. The world will misunderstand who Jesus is and why He came (v. 14), but the church cannot and must not falter on the identity of Christ. The most fundamental question that the church must answer is this: “Who do you say I am?” (v. 13).

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Peter's response of faith is the declaration of the entire church, from the Apostles until today. The church is built upon this faith in a God who reveals Himself to His people through His Son (v. 17). Despite different denominations, worship styles, and doctrinal points that get emphasized, all Christians share this foundation of faith in Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
This common faith has been expressed from the earliest centuries of the church to today through the Apostles' Creed. “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.” This creed serves to remind us of the foundation of our existence as a faith community, a people drawn together by a God in whom we believe. If you don't know the Apostles' Creed, find a copy and learn it!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 9:23-10:9
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. - John 1:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Christian singer and songwriter, Steven Curtis Chapman, and his wife, Mary Beth, have talked often about the profound impact adoption has had on their family and faith. It wasn't until they adopted three children from China that they began to understand more fully their salvation in Christ. They started to grasp the extent of God's love, that He should adopt us as children into His family, “children not born of natural descent . . . but born of God” (John 1:13).

Our verse for today speaks of our spiritual adoption, revealing what it means to be a Christian. As we begin this month's study on the church, one of the most important questions must be this: am I a part of it? Do I belong to God's family?

We are in the family of God not because we've earned our standing there. God has chosen to love an undeserving group of people (9:25). By His grace, He has given us a family identity as sons and daughters (9:26). He is not motivated by sympathy or pity, but by His character. He is merciful, and He wants to express His mercy. So He saves sinners. He is also glorious and wants to prepare a people for glory (9:23). And so He sanctifies sinners.

We're in the family of God not because we deserve to be, and we're there not because we try to be. This passage in Romans speaks about those Jews who pursued righteousness yet missed it. Their zeal was insufficient for salvation (10:2). On the other hand, the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness did gain it (9:30).

These two examples prove that the way to get into God's family is through faith, the foundation of the Christian's identity (9:32). It is faith in Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sins and the salvation of our souls.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you realize that you cannot depend upon your religious efforts to get you into heaven? Have you ever confessed to God that you are a sinner and admitted to Him your need of Christ for salvation? If you haven't, do it today. Join the church of Jesus Christ! God promises righteousness to all who believe (10:3). If you've already confessed your faith in Christ, pray for an opportunity to share this good news with an unbelieving friend or coworker.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 17:24-31
[God’s grace] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this . . . age. - Titus 2:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Christians in Romania today belong to either the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, or the “Repenters.” The “Repenters” are the evangelical contingent of Romanian believers who earned their nickname during the Communist rule of Romania. The Communists meant the name as an insult, but the Romanian Christians could have taken it as quite a compliment. They were accurately preaching and portraying what it means to be a Christian.

In today's passage from Acts, Paul calls on people not just to believe, but to repent (v. 30). By this, he wasn't advocating salvation by works. Belief in Christ is enough to save us. Jesus proved this when speaking to the thief on the cross (cf. Luke 23:42, 43). However, one of the marks of genuine faith is repentance. That's why a call to salvation has always included both a call to belief as well as to repentance.

They are two sides of the same coin of faith. Has our belief and confession in Jesus Christ generated a new life (cf. John 3:3, 2 Cor. 5:17)? If our belief in Christ is sincere, repentance makes this evident.

We learn from Paul's sermon two reasons God is building His church. He is merciful and is making a way for men and women to find Him and enjoy the relationship they were created to have with Him (v. 27). Moreover, God is also building the church to spare people from the judgment that is sure to come to all at the end of time. This judgment will be meted out with exact fairness (v. 31), and if it's justice we're promised, we surely have no hope apart from Christ. This is the urgency of repentance.

Today's key verse explains that repentance is a change in direction. As sinners, we once followed our own whims and desires. Now in Christ we must yield to God, seeking His will for our lives.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Reflect back to the different times in your life when you've repented and actually changed directions in order to follow God. Thank God for His grace that made those decisions possible. Now consider the areas of sin with which you're struggling now. Do you find yourself in a cycle of sin, confess, sin, and confess without any move towards real repentance? Ask God for an overflow of His grace to help you definitively turn from this sin and turn toward righteousness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 John 3:7-20
He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. - 1 John 3:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the hope of answering the nature versus nurture debate, scientific researchers have performed many studies on twins separated at birth. What really influences us most? the researchers asked. Are we shaped more by our environment or by our heredity? These researchers have found that the twins bear striking psychological resemblance to one another as adults, despite never having known one another or been together. According to these studies, nature seems to trump nurture.

Our reading from 1 John emphasizes that our spiritual transformation is a matter of a change in nature, not nurture. At the point of conversion, a definitive change in heredity takes place. God's children are reborn from His seed (v. 9). Our new spiritual genetic code produces an unmistakable family resemblance. Our key verse today emphasizes that true salvation in Christ produces true likeness to Christ.

Do you want to know whether you are truly a child of God or whether your local church fellowship is a community of true believers? The apostle John gives us a no-fail test to administer, two broad categories for all people. Either we are children of the Devil or children of God. There is no neutral ground.

Children of the Devil sin just as the Devil himself has sinned and continues to sin (v. . These people are lawless (cf. 1 John 3:4). They have no regard for God's commands in Scripture. They act in anger, hatred, jealousy, and callousness.

On the other hand, children of God resemble Christ. They renounce sin. They aren't perfect, but they do not persist in patterns of sin (v. 9). However, rather than just simply being characterized by don'ts, they are also recognized by their dos, specifically in this passage, their love for the family of God (vv. 10, 11, 16). In this letter, we hear an echo from the teaching of Jesus Himself (cf. John 13:35).

Like Father, like Son—Like Christ, like the church.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you struggle with doubts about your own salvation? This passage ends with a great promise for you. It gives us courage to face the fears and doubts that condemn us. It insists that if our lives exhibit a growing courage and willingness to tangibly love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we can know that we belong to Christ (vv. 18-20). By laying to rest these doubts about our salvation, we can have the confidence He gives us as His children.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 2:11-22; Romans 15:5-13
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28
TODAY IN THE WORD
In October of last year, the Iraqi people voted to approve their new constitution—but not without vehement debate. The Sunnis, who had once held power under the Hussein regime, opposed the Constitution. They feared (as did much of the world) that the Constitution proposed a central government that was too weak. Could it keep this fractured nation together? Can Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds embrace a national identity as Iraqis?

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul insists upon one collective identity of the church of Jesus Christ. It trumps all dividing walls, including ethnicity and gender and social standing. The unity of the church resembles the unity of the Trinity. One Father, one Spirit, one Christ, and one people, one household, one foundation, one holy temple (vv. 13, 18-21).

The church is unified not by a vision or cause or not even by doctrine. We are unified because of a Person. Christ Himself is our peace as well as the peacemaker (vv. 14-15). Just as He reconciles us to God through His blood (v. 16), He also reconciles us one to another.

This message of unity must have confounded the first Christians. It's hard to imagine greater religious division than that between Jews and Gentiles in Paul's day. For example, in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem at that time, a huge wall separated the court of the Gentiles from the temple proper. On it an inscription read: “No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death.” But even this dividing wall has been destroyed in Christ (v. 14).

If God could reconcile Jews and Gentiles in the first century, He can reconcile blacks and whites, poor and rich, liberals and conservatives of our day. And He wants to. Christ has one bride and one body. He is Lord of one church.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
By understanding our collective identity as the church of Jesus Christ, we can shed the provincial attitudes that keep us callous to the needs of brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. Persecuted Christians in Sudan will start to matter to us. We'll respond more readily to the need for Bibles in Africa. The church of Jesus Christ will be strengthened by its oneness, heeding the warning that a “household divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12:25).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 15:23-16:5
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. - Matthew 18:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
When traveling abroad, Americans carry passports to prove their national identity. When they pass through customs, they don't insist on the fact that they're from Indiana or Idaho. What matters most is their American-ness.

Yesterday we emphasized the collective identity that we have as Christians worldwide. Whether we live in Beijing or Brussels or Boston, we share a common faith in one Lord. Whether we are black or white, farmers or urbanites, our differences do not overshadow our unity.

This collective identity that unifies all Christians everywhere does not, however, eliminate the need for local churches. The New Testament testifies to the existence of small, local bodies of believers, often meeting in homes, which were called “churches.” In today's passage from Romans, we see several examples of this. Paul talks of the believers in Macedonia and Achaia, referred to specifically in 2 Corinthians 8:19 as churches. He speaks of the church in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26). He mentions the church in Cenchrea, a part of the Achaian community which he has already mentioned (16:1). Notably, Achaia is located only seven miles from Corinth, where another church was established and growing (cf. 1 Cor. 1:2). Paul includes the example of Priscilla and Aquila, and a group of believers meeting in their home constituted a “church” (16:5). The one church (universal) becomes the plurality of churches (local).

These local churches didn't forget their identity as part of the church universal. The Macedonian and Achaian Christians were taking up offerings in their churches to support believers they had never met in Jerusalem (15:26-27). Phoebe, a member of the Cenchrean church, would soon be coming to Rome to help further the work of God there (16:1). Paul was asking the Roman church to become involved in his mission to Spain where he hoped to establish a church (15:24). These local churches gave their money, shared their workers, and prayed for other churches, as a contribution to the church worldwide.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you participating on both levels of the church, the church universal as well as the church local? We should be regularly worshiping and serving with people in our communities, which is an important witness for Christ locally. At the same time, we should contribute our money and prayers to global efforts by the church, whether that means supporting international missions or supporting a partnership between your local church and a church in another country.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 5:22-33
This is a profound mystery–but I am talking about Christ and the church. - Ephesians 5:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
George Washington Carver discovered over three hundred uses for peanuts as an agricultural chemist. He once said, “When I was young, I said to God, ”˜God, tell me the mystery of the universe.' But God answered, ”˜That knowledge is for me alone.' So I said, ”˜God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.' Then God said, ”˜Well, George, that's more nearly your size.'”

Quite like George Washington Carver, we are trying to learn about a subject that Scripture calls a mystery (v. 32). We cannot fully understand or comprehend what it means to be the church. Knowing this, we'll try to take a peanut-sized chunk of the topic! We've already answered some essential questions about membership in the church, and now we'll examine how the church actually functions.

Ephesians 5 might seem an interesting choice for discussion about the church. It's a passage typically chosen for weddings. From this explanation of the marriage relationship, however, we can learn more about Christ and His church.

Christ is Husband of the church. He loved us sacrificially. He took the punishment for sin that we deserved. Now that He's betrothed the church to Himself by His death, He is divinely jealous for her purity. His goal is “to make her holy” (v. 26).

Christ is Head of the church. If the church is the body of Christ, then our well-being matters to Him (v. 29). We are a part of Him. He's more than a CEO of a giant corporation we call “church.” The church derives its life from Jesus Christ, He also calls us His brothers and sisters (cf. Heb. 2:11).

The mystery of these truths is profound. Why did the Divine become flesh and then join flesh with sinners, forming the body of Christ? And why did the Divine seek out the spiritually unfaithful for His wife, wedding the bride of Christ?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Read Philippians 2:5-11 to understand more about the mystery of the Incarnation. This passage explains the amazing sacrifice Jesus made in order to become the Head and Husband of the church. After you read, spend time in prayer, worshiping Christ for His great love for the church. Ask Him how you can reflect the same love and concern that He has for His people. Pray that your attitude will be the same as His (v. 5).