Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16
Harmony seems like such a Hippie word. In fact, a student at my college was raised by Hippie parents in the Northwest. Her name was Melody. Her sister’s was Harmony. Harmony is reminiscent of that old Coca-Cola commercials, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony…” (Let’s all sway together.)
I don’t know that our focus is so much harmony as avoiding disharmony. You do your thing. I’ll do my thing. As long as our things don’t interfere, we sort of have harmony. Avoidance or tolerance would be better terms.
In music, harmony is any simultaneous combination of tones. Every instrument doesn’t play the melody in unison, but all of the different tones fit together. Harmonies can be beautiful. Disharmony can be painful.
According to this passage, the issue of harmony revolves around pride, conceit and snobbery. The problem comes down to how our possessions make us feel important.
I love cars (and I didn’t say like). Over the years, I have owned the following vehicles: Porsche, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Mazda. In high school mine was the only Porsche in the parking lot. I loved that little Porsche. I could break the speed limit with elegance. There weren’t a lot of Porches in Topeka, Kansas in the early ‘80s. But, when another Porsche saw me, I got a little wave. I was in an elite club of Porsche owners. It felt good.
Then, the Porsche fell apart. After a two year hiatus from any car, my parents gave me a 1974 Cadillac Coupe deville. It was huge. It could sleep six. It was rust colored which fortunately matched the rust. It got nine miles per gallon, which fortunately my folks bought the gas. I wasn’t proud of that car. It got me from point A to point B without having to beg my college friends for a ride, but that was the best of it. It had a very smooth ride probably because it weighed 8000 pounds.
Shortly after college, I traded up to an Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais. Now, I was back in business. A few years later, I upgraded to a Honda Accord. When the Accord turned 12-years-old, I got a free car from my father-in-law, so it was a Ford and a Toyota. Both were respectable cars.
Today, I am driving a 12-year-old Mazda that was a godsend in a time of vehicular need. It gets me from point A to point B. And, at this point in my life, that is all that I need. The reality is that Porsche Allen would not have associated with Mazda Allen. Fortunately, Mazda Allen is mature enough to realize that our significance comes from God, not from what we drive.
Jesus didn’t drive anything. In fact, Jesus was basically homeless (Matthew 8:20). He was on the fringe of society. Jesus didn’t put up with the conventional wisdom of the day. As the Firstborn of All Creation (Colossians 1:15), Jesus knew that a person’s place in this life had no bearing on their place in the next. In fact, the opposite was true (Mark 10:31).
How has disharmony crept into your life? Who are you uncomfortable being around? Who do you feel “better than”? I would encourage you to repent of those thoughts and see the true worth of God’s children.
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1728041609
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. John 13:14
In my sixth grade Sunday school class, our teacher, Dallas Satterfield, decided to demonstrate feet washing as part of the lesson. He didn’t ask for volunteers. He just asked me to come to the front of the room and sit in a chair. Dallas proceeded to explain foot washing while he brought over a pail of water and removed my shoe.
As he took the cloth and began to wash my feet, I began to wonder if this was a carefully crafted plot to improve my pre-teen hygiene. But, I thought better of that. The reality was that I would have much rather been the washer than the washee.
Having a grown man kneel in front of me was more than a little uncomfortable. Maybe if he wore a lab coat that would be okay, but here in church with my naked feet exposed. I thought, “I’m never going to live this down.” I have no recollection as to the condition of my socks or toe nails that day. I am assume that I was in good shape.
In Jesus’ day, foot washing was a welcomed and necessary thing. Sandaled feet and Palestinian dust didn’t create a comfortable situation. The wealthy had people to take care of these feet. As Jesus met with his disciples, there were no “people” to take care of this, and there were no volunteers. So, Jesus volunteered.
Just like He volunteered to take on the humble form of a servant (Philippians 2), He took the towel and the bowl. The one that should have been the most honored among them took the position as their servant.
Then, Jesus told them to wash each other’s feet. This might have involved actual feet washing, but the meaning was clear: “serve each other.”
Today, there are churches that still practice feet washing. It might not be a bad idea to review that actual practice and remind ourselves that we’re not such a big deal after all.
But, with shoes on or off, how can we humbly serve each other? When a fellow believer casually mentions a need, do we engage that or do we turn a deaf ear? Whose feet can you wash today?
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://galatians419.blogspot.com/
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
I’ve known many devoted fans over the years. You know them. These fans go to every game or at least watch the game on TV. Devoted fans wear their team’s jersey and decorate their cars and houses with their team’s memorabilia.
Shortly after moving to Greenville three years ago, our family spotted a car with four flags (one for each window), a team magnet on the back, a team license plate, and a tiger tail hanging out of the trunk. Someone asked, “What’s that?” I said, “It’s a Clemson fan.” Devoted fans take this seriously.
But, what if the qualification of being a devoted fan wasn’t just devotion to the team? What if the qualification was devotion to all of the other devoted fans? We can feel a certain connectedness with other fans of our team, with other members of our political party, or with other devotees of our hobbies. But, to be devoted to other people in the sense that we’re devoted to our team, do you know how many thousands of fans there are?
So, here’s the question, how can you be devoted in brotherly love to thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ at Brookwood Church? We can’t remember 6000 names let alone show any specific devotion.
In a general sense, we can honor others above ourselves even in a large church. Greater love has no man than to give up his parking place or his favorite seat… We can certainly be courteous to everyone. But, devoted, I’m not so sure.
The early church had the solution to this. They met in temple courts and they met house to house (Acts 5:42). The Sunday morning service is our “temple court” if you will. We gather to worship and to learn. But, it’s challenging to connect, and “sharing” is discouraged during the service.
But, “house to house” is a different story. Here the early disciples “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Devotion is possible in a small group.
Who’s your small group? Whether you’re in an official small group or not, you have a small group. It’s not your hundreds of Facebook friends, but it is the handful of people that you keep up with. Who do you connect with regularly? Who’s on your speed dial? This is your small group. Now, the question is what are you intentionally doing to express brotherly love and honor each other? Do you pray together? Do you encourage each other with God’s Word?
I would like to challenge all of my devotional readers to meet with your small group as a Small Group this Fall. Brookwood Church is doing a 5-week study starting in September. It’s easy to use and comes with a teaching DVD. You don’t need to be a Bible teacher. The teacher’s on the DVD. You don’t need to be a leader. You just need to invite your friends.
If you are willing to try this study and take a further step of devotion in your personal small group, shoot me an email. We’ll have a brief meeting after all three services on Sunday, August 29 to fill you in on the details.
“Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle” (Romans 12:9-10, Msg)
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://galatians419.blogspot.com/
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35
What does it mean to love completely? I don’t know if many people have actually experienced it. Who are those people that no matter what we’ve done will always accept us? They may not agree with us or like what we’ve done, but there’s something about their love that those disagreements don’t seem to get in the way of it.
Our families would be a likely place to experience unconditional love. At least, so it would seem. For some, a family gathering is a warm reassurance that they’re fully loved and fully accepted. Nothing will cause their families to turn away. For others, a family gathering is a test of their endurance. How much can they take? When do they get to leave? Yet for some, family is such a painful and distant idea that they just don’t want to go there physically or emotionally.
Some of us will look back on our childhood and realize that our parents did the best they could based on what they had and what they had been given by their family. Others detest that idea simply because their parents didn’t do the best they could. For some, their parents did the worst they could. That’s a very painful thing.
People tend to let us down. Most people have been disappointed by the prospects of love in some way. Even a glimpse at perfect love brings about feelings of disappointment and discouragement. Unconditional love seems unattainable.
Yet, Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another. Not just when they felt like it as in the case of eros. Eros is passionate or sensual love. While the New Testament writers don’t use this word, the idea is a love for the worthy. It’s a love with a desire to possess. We can find the idea of eros in the book of Proverbs: as something that “is never satisfied” (Proverbs 30:16) and “let's enjoy ourselves with love!” (Proverbs 7:18).
Another Greek expression of love is philos or brother love, thus Philadelphia is the “City of Brotherly Love.” The disciples were indeed brothers. This type of love seems to fit. But, you can also “philos” wisdom (sophia) and end up in philosophy. It’s a liking kind of love.
Jesus instructs His disciples to “love one another [unconditionally].” This is Agape, unconditional love.
Agape love has no if/then statements. If you do _____, then I will love you. Agape love says, “I will love you always and no matter what.” No conditions. No expectations. No limits.
Agape love is not a human invention. Unconditional love is supernatural. Jesus told the disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The disciples could give unconditional love, because they had received this love from God Himself.
The proof of unconditional love is “by this all men will know that you are my disciples.” Caution: Potential Legalism Alert. Don’t take this as “If you want to be Jesus’ disciple then you must put up with everybody else’s, uh, stuff, accept them as they are, and just love them anyway. If you don’t, you’re out of the club.”
Love doesn’t mean that we put up with everyone’s bad behavior. Sometimes the loving thing is to sit down with someone and say, “I noticed _______ the other day, this seemed out of character for you, what’s going on? I love you too much to just let this go.” That’s not an easy conversation to have. Often we avoid such conversations because we “don’t want to hurt their feelings.” The reality is that we don’t want to be uncomfortable. Interpretation: We love ourselves more than we love the other person.
How does God love us? Think about how patient God is with us. Think about how God is always there for us. Think about God’s grace and how He forgives. Think about how God understands and cares.
Now, how do we allow God’s love to course through our veins? How do we offer unconditional love to others? Knowing that we might be hurt, we might be rejected, and we might be taken advantage of, how can we love the others around us always, forever and no matter what?
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://galatians419.blogspot.com/
We are beginning a new study of the "One Anothers" of Scripture starting on Thursday, August 5, 2010. These are instructions given by Jesus and the Apostles about how believers are to treat each other. I hope that the devotional series this month will challenge and motivate you as it is me.
Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Colossians 4:15-18
Paul singles out two people who will be reading the letter: Nympha and Archippus. The church at Laodicea met at Nympha, which would mean that she had considerable means and influence in the town. Paul’s greeting to her was appropriate, since his next instruction was that the letter would be read to the Laodicean church that met in Nympha’s house.
Archippus is a relative and possibly the son of Philemon and Apphia (Philemon 1-3). A church also met in their home. Paul’s instruction to Archippus is to complete the work God gave him. Archippus might have been an officer or leader in the church.
Nympha had a home and had influence. Archippus had a role and a work. What do you have? What has God given you that you can use to help others?
Yesterday, I stopped by Jared Emerson’s studio at Art Crossing. I marvel at how Jared can paint and draw. My pencil doesn’t do what his pencil does. So, Jared says to me, “I don’t know how you write.” We all have different gifts.
How has God gifted you? Do you have an ability that God can use? Do you own something that God can use? Pray about how you can serve in our community. Pray about opening up your home for six weeks this Fall to host a small group.
What has God put in your hand? How does He want you to use it?
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://galatians419.blogspot.com/
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Colossians 4:10-14
Paul lists quite a cast of characters here in his closing to this letter to the Colossian church. Paul’s ministry was always a team effort. While Paul is the most mentioned in the spread of the Gospel to Asia and Europe, he had many partners along the way. Paul couldn’t do it alone.
Aristarchus met Paul in Ephesus. As a result, Aristarchus and Gaius were arrested (Acts 19:28-30). He became Paul’s traveling companion from Troas to Jerusalem and then Jerusalem to Rome. He shared Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Aristarchus was truly a ministry partner to the end.
Mark, also known as John Mark, was not always on the best of terms with Paul. In fact, in Acts 15:36-40, we see that Paul chose not to travel with Mark because Mark had abandoned them on a previous journey. In this letter, however, it appears that Paul and Mark had reconciled, and that Mark was back on the team.
Jesus called Justus, his Greek name, looked after Paul during his first imprisonment. We really don’t know much else about him.
Epaphras was actually the founder of the Colossian church. He had traveled to Rome to give Paul a report of the work in Colossae. But, during the visit, Epaphras was arrested and found himself imprisoned with Paul.
So, imagine this: our founding pastor, Perry Duggar, goes on a trip and then doesn’t ever return. We find out later that he’s in prison. The church would be in distress. Perry would be in distress. This was the situation that Epaphrus found himself in.
The Colossian church had to depend on mature believers to guide it along. Epaphrus’ constant role was to wrestle in prayer for them. Yet, look at how the Colossian church prospered. Paul began his letter by saying, “We always thank God…when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints” (Colossians 1:3-4). Christ, indeed, does build His Church (Matthew 16:18).
Dr. Luke is the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. He joined Paul on his second missionary journey and accompanied Paul on the third journey as well.
Demas was in prison with Paul, but Demas’ story does not have a happy ending. According to 2 Timothy 4:10, “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.” There is no record that Paul and Demas were ever reconciled.
It’s amazing to see all that Paul accomplished despite the fact that He was imprisoned. Some of us can barely function when we’re having a bad day, let alone finding ourselves behind bars. Yet, there is much hope in a passage like this.
Outcomes depend on God. It’s not all up to us. That certainly takes off a lot of pressure. Now, God expects us to be diligent and to work hard, but God is the one who produces the result
(1 Corinthians 3:6).
Through a very difficult period of Paul’s life, God provided faithful co-workers and friends to stand by him. They encouraged Paul. They helped to continue the work. They prayed.
God’s work will continue. If our attitude is right and our hearts are open, God will continue to use us despite our situation.
What do you feel like solely depends on you? What do you think would be greatly handicapped if you weren’t involved? How much do you find yourself depending on God? How much do you depend on yourself? Who do you need to accomplish what is in front of you?
To subscribe or leave a comment on the galatians419 devotional blog: http://galatians419.blogspot.com/
I love cars (and I didn’t say like). Over the years, I have owned the following vehicles: Porsche, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Mazda. In high school mine was the only Porsche in the parking lot. I loved that little Porsche. I could break the speed limit with elegance. There weren’t a lot of Porches in Topeka, Kansas in the early ‘80s. But, when another Porsche saw me, I got a little wave. I was in an elite club of Porsche owners. It felt good.
