Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare
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Key verse: 1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.”
The First Letter of Peter was written not to a particular church but to a group of churches around the end of the first century. Therefore, it addresses more general concerns and more easily applies to churches everywhere. At the end of the first century, the Roman government was not actively persecuting Christians, yet. However, because of cultural practices and norms, Christians experienced alienation from the surrounding society and were ostracized for their faith. The author, then, encouraged these early Christians to remain strong throughout their trials, reminding them that they were “resident aliens” whose citizenship was in heaven. He urged them to live a holy life which would witness to their unbelieving neighbors.
The letter offers much advice on how to live this holy life. Using the imagery of baptism, it reminds us to live out our baptismal vows in our daily lives, both as individuals and as a community. Because of the alienation Christians experience from society, the community serves as a lifeline for those living a new life in Christ. The author does not call us to escape from society into a Christian enclave, but rather sees the community as the place where we gather strength to live out our baptism. He describes the community as comprised of living stones being built into a spiritual house with Christ as the cornerstone. As these living stones, we share a common identity as a “royal priesthood” responsible for the well-being of this living organism, the church, sharing in worship, in ministry and in spreading the good news.
Our passage today comes from a section in the letter defining how we are to live together as Christians. The author encourages us to be of one mind, which doesn’t mean always agreeing totally with everyone else, but refers instead to unity. We might describe it as the difference between people who disagree and attempt to sabotage the work of the whole and people who could be called the “loyal opposition.” When we decide to be part of the loyal opposition, we claim that we desire what is best for the body more than our own selfish desire to be right. We remain committed to the community and to working together to live in peace, realizing with humility that we may not be right. The passage also calls us to sympathize with each other which involves not just understanding another’s pain, but taking it on and feeling it ourselves. Because we can sympathize, we respond by treating each other gently, with tenderness and respect. As we practice these behaviors, we not only witness to a harsh world, but we also grow stronger in love, becoming more able to love even our enemies instead of retaliating. We learn to bless the world with our love and kindness, pointing to a God whose love is beyond compare.
While all of this may sound overwhelming for us as individuals, living in community makes possible this kind of love. God has blessed us as partners in ministry, not only with each other, but also partners with God! Let this thought sink in for a minute: you are God’s partner, together with the community at Skyline, to live as Christ’s body in this world. At Skyline, we celebrate this partnership as among our core values. “P-Partners in Ministry: We celebrate the Holy Spirit in our midst by recognizing, developing, and employing spiritual gifts, which all work together to build up the community. (See 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.) We accept and respect one another, being open to the differences among us, and resolving conflict face-to-face with honesty, forgiveness, and grace. (See Matthew 18:15-20.) ‘There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.’ (1 Corinthians 12:6-7, NLT.)” To truly live out that kind of partnership, we need the love and respect for one another that our passage in 1 Peter conveys. Questions for Reflection 1-In what ways do you feel like a “resident alien” in society, a bit out of sync with cultural norms? How does partnership in the community of Skyline alleviate that feeling for you?
2-In what ways are you a “living stone” of Skyline community? How do you participate in worship, in fellowship, in ministry within the congregation, in service outside the congregation, and in spreading the good news? Is there an area among these where you would like to become more involved? How might you take the first step to do that?
3-What does it mean to you that you are a partner at Skyline? How have you seen the tenderhearted love and respect offered to you? How have you offered it to others? How have you experienced and practiced the humility of desiring relationships over being right?
4-How did the Holy Spirit speak to you in worship today? What are you being called to do or how are you being called to live differently as a result?
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