Wyoming Church of Christ Sunday 13th April 2008
The horizontal dimension (3) Confetti Allan Blyth
Texts Rom 12:4-21; 1Cor 12:4-7; Eph 4:7,11-12
“Whoever loves God, must love others also.” 1 Jn 4:21
Our relationship with God is expressed and reflected in the way we relate to people.
I know I need to remember that the person who overtakes me on the freeway, then slows down in front of me so much I eventually overtake them - then they overtake and sit right in front of me again - just a bit slower than I am going - is also a person loved by God and to be loved by me!
Over the last 2 weeks we have focussed on the horizontal dimension of our walk with God as disciples of the risen and coming again Lord of creation and Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. The imperative of forgiveness Col3:13 and the blessings of encouragement 1 Thess 5:11 are two vital aspects. Always having the words “I am sorry, please forgive me” and “I forgive you” close to our lips; seeking every opportunity to affirm, include, build up, encourage.
When the Lord is “my Shepherd and in Him I have all I need, our lives are lived out in the horizontal dimension. Today I want to share some scriptures that more fully describe this horizontal dimension
Devotion to one another Rom 12:10
Honouring one another above ourselves Rom 12:10
Living in harmony Rom 12:16 1 Pet 3:8
Not passing judgement on one another Rom 14:13
Accepting one another Rom 15:7
Instructing one another Rom 15:14
Greeting one another with a holy kiss Rom 16:20
Serving one another in love Gal 5:13
Carrying each other’s burdens Gal 6:2
Being patient with one another Eph 4:2
Being kind & compassionate to one another Eph 4:32
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ Eph 5:21
Humbly consider others better than yourselves Ph 2:3
Teach one another Col 3:16
Admonish one another Col 3:16
Confess sins to each other James 5:16
Pray for each other James 5: 16
Love each other deeply 1 Peter 4:8
Offer hospitality to one another 1 Peter 4:9
Use gifts to serve one another 1 Peter 4:10
Care for the sick, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner of Mt 25
When the horizontal dimension is really buzzing I think the church is like “confetti”.
You know about confetti?
Yes lots of little bits of paper or (these days) plastic (no. not shiny - that’s glitter) Confetti is not shiny. Strictly I think I should say confetti are not shiny as the word confetti is plural. A fantail for anyone who knows the singular of confetti!
Yes, confetto!
Can anyone remember weddings where there was lots of confetti?
Or trophy presentations at sporting events - confetti?
We had confetti. I was still getting little circles of coloured paper out of my car for years after our honeymoon.
Confetti is just lots and lots and lots of little bits of paper of all colours. Usually stored in a small cardboard box about the size of a toothpaste box, the end can be opened and then it can be showered all over the happy bride and groom as they go on their way.
There is a tradition of confetti (especially the chocolate coated almonds also called confetti in Italian) representing the wish or hope for a fertile marriage and the joy of children.
We can learn something about the church, especially this horizontal one another dimension, from confetti.
One confetto really doesn’t make much of an impact.
But put a whole lot together and shake them all around and we’ve got a very different picture.
Churches of Christ (From our NSW Website)
The ‘Priesthood of all Believers’ is a mark of all Churches of Christ. We speak of ‘mutual ministry’. Participation by lay people in all aspects of the church’s life is a notable feature. Lay people conduct the sacraments. . . .
Not so long ago, few of our churches had paid staff. Now that many local churches have a “pastor” or “minister” I’m inclined to think we would be better off to employ a pastoral director (rather than a pastor) or a ministry co-ordinator/facilitator, rather than a minister. The scriptural model is always that the church should carry one another’s burdens Gal 6:2 and that the whole church is a priesthood Rev 1:6; 1 Pet 2:9
As you read or listen to today’s scriptures can I invite you to be thinking about the giftings and ministries of people you know as well as your own. You may also like to think about ways of affirming or encouraging others in their ministry gifts, You may also need to be ready to forgive others who have at times tried but not done so well - maybe more motivated by self, sense of duty or obligation than by Spiritual empowering & prompting.
Scriptures: Rom 12:4-21; 1Cor 12:4-7; Eph 4:7,11-12
According to the scriptures we all have spiritual gifts for building up the church. I was doing some tidying up at my parent’s in law on Thursday and came across a gift they had been given decades ago. It still had the cellophane on. We decided to put it in the St Vinnie’s box. Unwrapped gifts are not that much use. Maybe God has tried to unwrap some gifts in us - sending us repeated invitations to do this or try that. Spiritual gifts can be enriched and enhanced by use. E.g. the more we give, the more joy is ours in giving and the more we want to give, and so on. I’d like to share a couple of opportunities maybe to unwrap a gift or further develop a gift that God may have given you as a priest in His Kingdom.
Pastoral Care Course—Fridays 8 - 4:30 at Narara Uniting Church 16May—13 June Cost $100 can be subsidized by the church where finance may be a constraint. This course ideal for anyone and everyone.
Graduates of the above 40 hr course are eligible to register for a 400hr CPE Unit - again I would recommend for anyone who has a calling/gifting in the Pastoral Care area.
NSW Churches of Christ Annual Conference
Fri 16 May 7:30pm at C3 Silverwater Peter Steinke “Leadership in an Emotional System” a free session for elders, deacons, ministers - not to be missed. Then at the Conference on Saturday from 1:30 following the AGM at 12:45 2 sessions: Change Challenge and Mission & Relationships in Emotional Systems.
As I said last week we can encourage one another just by being at church.
Perhaps there’s someone you can encourage to go to conference or to take up the 40 hr pastoral education course with Ken Shakespeare.
To conclude let’s just read again how it worked in the first church. Acts 2:42-47
Sometimes things happen in our lives. We relocate. There can be sickness, unexpected trouble, grief, promotion in work, new opportunities for involvement in community groups, but please remember - every single confetto is needed to make one box of confetti.
Your love, your gifts, your ministry as part of the church of Jesus Christ is vital. You count.
