Readings for today: Psalms 130-133, 1 Corinthians 8
Unity seems so elusive these days. Our families are divided. Our churches divided. Our communities divided. Our nation divided. Certainly, our world is divided. We divide along political lines. We divide along economic lines. We divide along social and cultural lines. We divide along ethnic lines. We divide along theological lines. We divide along generational lines. The issues are legion. Masking or no masking. Vaccinations or no vaccinations. Republican or Democrat. Progressive or conservative. Black or white or brown. African or Asian or Latino or European. Rich or poor. Old or young. Gay, Queer or straight.
As a pastor, I see it all the time. In fact, I have a front row seat to the pain. I also know the root cause. Idolatry. Human hearts are idol factories and it seems like the assembly lines of our souls are running 24/7 these days. Idols are anything - good or bad - that becomes an ultimate thing in our life. Anything that causes us to draw a line in the sand and separate from those we love. I think of the dear friends I know who no longer speak to their parents or their children because they have allowed a particular issue to trump the love they once shared. I think of dear friends I know who have jettisoned relationships of ten, twenty, thirty years simply because of how the other person voted. Most tragically, I think of brothers and sisters in Christ who have left churches - including the one I serve - or who have separated themselves from the fellowship of the saints because they have bought the lie the enemy is selling that those who think differently then them are going to hell or deserved judgment or scorn or are not worth their time.
Idolatry. It’s the besetting sin of the human heart. It is the source of all division. The root of so much relational pain. It is the greatest and most effective weapon in the enemy’s arsenal as he seeks to kill, steal, and destroy all God has made. Friends, listen again to God’s truth. Listen again to God’s Word as He casts His vision for His people…
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3)
Unity. Not unanimity. Not conformity. Not sameness. But a unity that transcends all earthly differences. A spiritual unity that binds our hearts together. A unity Christ prayed for, fought for, and ultimately won for us on the cross. At the foot of the cross, the ground is level. All have sinned. All stand in need of His grace. Not one of us better than another. Not one of us more worthy than another. At the cross, humanity is brought to its knees before her Lord. All idolatrous identities are cast down. All that we hold dear and think important, we throw at His nail-scarred feet. Oh, that we could keep our eyes fixed exclusively on Jesus! At the cross, God commands His blessing which is life forevermore!
So what does this life of blessing look like in real time? What does it look like when the person I live with watches a cable news channel 24/7 that I can’t stand? What does it look like when the person I work with takes a different position on masks or vaccines? What does it look like when the person I love goes down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory? What does it look like when my child comes out to me? What does it look like when our national leaders fail? Or church leaders fall? Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 8, using the example of food being sacrificed to idols…
“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God…For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “Lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3, 5-13)
Paul clearly gives up his “rights” in order to remain in relationship with those around him who do not share his understanding on idolatry. He refuses to put a stumbling block before them. He doesn’t want to be the one who gets in the way of them potentially coming to a deeper understanding of Christ. Instead, he walks with them. He willingly sacrifices on their behalf. He loves his neighbor by placing their needs before his own. He knows the limits of human knowledge. He knows at best it puffs up while love builds up. He knows it is useless to argue or cite statistics or share articles on Facebook. Instead, he seeks to walk alongside the “weaker” brother or sister. Love them where they are. Meet them where they are. Enter their life so that he might win them to Christ. How is he able to do this? He has complete confidence that “there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” Everything else is an illusion. Every other god an idol. Every other line in the sand simply not worth defending. Every other hill not worth dying on.
Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 134-137, 1 Corinthians 9