The history of the Church of Scotland is littered with division, perhaps not surprisingly, since it began with division back in 1560.
Although many of those historic divisions have been mostly healed, there still remain some independent Christian denominations, that began life in division from the Church of Scotland.
Even today, there are stresses and strains within the Church of Scotland that threaten the unity of the people of God. Some of those stresses and strains are about belief, and some about practice, but I think that Jesus is exasperated at our willingness to squabble over peripheral issues, and our unwillingness to proclaim the Good News that God offers to each person, through the resurrection of that same Jesus.
This morning I was preaching on the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 4 verse 32, through to chapter 5 verse 10.
It's a difficult story to grasp a hold of, not least because during the narrative two people die. But in the end it becomes clear that the central point of the story is the importance of unity to the followers of Jesus.
Ananias and Sapphira try to deceive the church by hiding away some of their money offering, but their deception is revealed, and the consequent shock results in the deaths of both Ananias and Sapphira.
The Church of Scotland is facing difficult issues, about money, about the place of the Bible, about the way we live as individuals and as community, and whether we will continue to realistically serve the whole country.
We need to find ways to engage each other on these subjects, not because they are central, but because they are important. Unless we find ways to discuss these subjects, to live together with our variances, we will fall apart, and that's the last thing the Church needs, and that Jesus wants.
As Paul wrote to the Ephesians (4:32), 'Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, as God in Christ forgave you.'
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Stewart,
ReplyDeleteI was doing the Body of Christ today and talked about unity and all being different but part of the same body - each with a part to play. One of the quotes I used was from Augustine who said:
In essentials – unity
In nonessentials – diversity
In all things – charity
I think this is something in a broad Church such as we are part of we need to hold on to. Rather than try and find commanality in issues and or theology - lets acknowledge our differences and move on united in the essential command of our Lord - to love one and another as he loves us!
Indeed so. However, the body is continually having new 'organs' transplanted in, and sometimes the anti-rejection drugs don't work too well! Loving you too, S.
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