It is not often the people know when they will die, Indeed it is perhaps only for those on death row who can know with any certainty when they will die. Yet Jesus knew he would suffer and die and that that was the purpose of his Father. On the night before he died he gave us a final few points for us to remember, and examples for us to follow. The fact that he did these things on the night before he knew he would die to me shows the importance he put upon these final few pointers.
Firstly he washed his disciples feet as a sign that we must serve each other. I have spoken at length about the need to focus upon others and their needs rather than me and my needs.
Secondly, he introduced a memorial of him and his work through the sharing of bread and wine. This showed us that we are one body with him .
Thirdly, after supper He went out to pray and after seeking once again his father’s guidance he prayed for unity of his believers . His fervent prayer was that they might be united in the same way as he was united with the father . He lived his life seeking to do his father’s will this unity of purpose overrode any personal things that he might have wanted to pursue. As he now prepared for the greatest sacrifice of all, he prayed that he wanted us to have the same unity of purpose that he had with his Father. The wanted us to be one.
Over the years the church has often lost its way and struggled to remember some of the purpose Christ had for us in this world . People have come along to challenge the church, to pull it back to the way the Christ showed us, however this has tended to lead to many different churches and denominations . Each time leaders have felt their way is true , however Paul warn us in the later books of the new testament that we do not follow a particular human leaders we are here to follow Christ.
By focusing upon him and the example he set for us to follow we should be able to overcome any other differences that we might feel we have with our fellow believers. Often the challenge of a new voice seeking us to return to focus on Christ has helped the church here are the return to its primary purpose . However of ten too human nature within each of us has caused division to remain after the wider church has recognize the call back to Christ’s work.
In place of openness and understanding there is criticism and finger pointing . We seek to focus on the differences rather than on the similarities and we determine the way in which God moves must be by ….insert one or another doctrine of a denomination...
Fortunately for all of us God is not limited by human decisions about how he should or should not move. Overtime different denominations have tended to excel in different areas and that provides an opportunity for us as followers of Christ to find a community for the in which we feel comfortable . Some of us need clear structure and this can be found in many traditional churches. Others might need for joy of worship, others still might need to see God at work around them. The variety of different churches can now provide us with an opportunity to welcome many from different backgrounds with different needs so long as we welcome each other and recognize that we all seek to follow Christ and in this we have unity. To any who still say that only their church provides the way to go on us that you read the following John 17: 15- 26; 1Cor 3: 1 – 4:2 and Eph 4:1-7 and then I ask that your open yourself to God as ask him for his guidance.
It is my passionate belief and prayer that we need to focus on following Christ and that if we do this we can overcome the differences we may feel the exist between different churches and denominations. If we can agree that we seek to follow Christ, we should forget past labels and get on with the task he has given to us, sharing the good news and showing his love. It is difficult for churches to show God’s love to the world whilst fighting between themselves, it is too much of a distraction and outsiders find the fighting an obstacle as they ask “surely this is not what Christ taught”. Indeed not.
If you have any comment or experience that may help and encourage others please do add a comment/response.
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