Honor One Another

 Paul Writing to Christians in Rome two thousand Years and to All Christians throughout the ages, He instructs us to "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; hold to that which is good. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;" Romans:12:9-10

 Honor toward one another is part of the Christian life, we are told to Honor One Another.

Highly Valued 

The Greek word that Paul uses here is "tee-may" which means to attribute great value toward something  or someone, to consider it precious, to reckon as having great worth. Realizing that a high price has been paid for it. This is how Paul instructed Christians to see one another. Christians should  esteem and approach one another and deal with one another with this view in mind that others are highly valued.We are to honor one another.

A Great Price

Again, Paul is inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak of this great price that we have been bought with.

"What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1Corinthians:6:19-20

 Luke the author of the book of Acts tells us that the great price that is paid for us is the very life of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.He has given the highest that could be given for us, shedding His own blood that is pouring out His life for each of us.

"Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over those which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood."Acts:20:28

 The Great God in the person of His Son went to the cross and died for us and bought us. The cross shows us all just how far God would go to have us, to give us eternal life, He has gone to the point of death for us.

How Do We See One Another?

When we look at other Christians, or anyone for that matter, how do we view them? How do we see one another? Do we, by virtue of the value that God places upon humanity, see them as the object of God's love? Do we "honor" them as Paul instructs? Do we see them as persons worthy of honor? Persons worthy of the price that they have been bought with?

Love into Honor

When our Lord Jesus came, he knew full well that none of us merited His death, yet e still loved and honored us in spite of our flawed natures.He loved and honored us with His death even when we still where in ignorance or indifference to what has been given for us, while we still lived out of that proper practical relationship that God has for us.  His eternal love for us circumvented our dis-honorable state and bestowed upon us the greatest honor that could be given,  His very Son's life. He,  that One Who alone is worthy of all honor , honors us and dies for us. This is a great honor God has shown to us all.

Do we look at others this way? Do we see one anther as the recipients of this great honor? We all are and have been given the highest honor possible that can be conveyed, we have been given the life of the Son of God.Forgiveness and calling  through the blood of Jesus. We could nor earn it nor deserve it. Our's by Grace alone through Christ alone.

He Dwells in Us.

Jesus giving the Apostles a view of what is accomplished by His death and coming of the Holy Spirit

" My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and dwell with him" John:14:23c

Do we view others as the dwelling place of the Great God? Do we see others as bearing the presence of our Lord through the Holy Spirit and His glorified resurrected humanity? We are in Union with Him.

God dwells in us, that speaks to us that when we dis-honor one another we are dis-honoring our Lord as well, this should awaken us to honor others , especially  fellow Christians. 

All A Part

Paul tells us again that God has made each of us a part of one another as one body, therefore if one is shown honor all are shown honor and , if we show dis-honor to one, then all are dis-honored.

 "For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

But now has God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.No, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 

For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked.That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular".1Corinthians:12:12-27

 Our Lord does not want us to see one other as separate persons from ourselves in the way we generally think of it.  He wants us to think of one another in the way He thinks of the Father and the Holy Spirit and Himself, We see this in John's Gospel.

 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me" .John:17:20-21

We all belong to Him and to one another.

Dis-Honor Among Christians

"if one is shown honor all are shown honor and , if we show dis-honor to one  then all are dis-honored."

It is unfortunate to my grief , that over the years  as I have visited many churches representing many church cultures and traditions I have witness Christians dis-honor one another, not accidentally but deliberately. I have witnessed incidents of posturing, politicking and  attempts to force personal agendas, and even slanderous attacks against laity and clergy alike.  

This should not be in the Church which is body of Christ of which we all are apart. How we treat one others shows us how we would treat our Lord Jesus.

 Some have gone as far within churches ,to attempt to undermined their pastors and or other church leaders and caused division in the church, just so they can get their way.  I can speak out of experience.

Paul in Romans tells us the cause of division in the church, it is when someone is not getting what they want so they cause division. If we see this within our respective congregations we need to recognize  what lies behind it, such a person  wants something and can not legitimately have it. Most of those who cause division do so under the pretense of just wanting truth or to right a wrong, these are phantom issues smoke- screens to hide their true intent,  but in truth it is always about power and position. I have never once seen it different.

 "Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own desires; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the  simple." Romans:16:17-18

 I ask all of you, in what ever fellowship that God has placed you  , to honor your pastors and church leaders, it is difficult enough to stand in the place of a minister and bear the burdens and to enter so deeply into the grief of  so many of those,  whom,  our Lord has placed us,  let alone  without the distractions of dis-honor . I call on all who read these words to stand with the leadership of you fellowship and one another.

When we reject those whom the our Lord has placed over the church then we are in truth rejecting our Lord.This is a serious problem to face. If you have a difficulty with the leadership(s) of your particular fellowship go to them privately and in faith and the spirit of the peace of God, and in an attitude of honor, speak to them regarding your issue and if  the issue does not resolve the way you want it to understand that your church leader(s) are, as we all are, limited and face many things; and even if you do not understand their view  you will find that the majority of them are acting out of the best good for all . Be patient and have faith , if you are right God will, in His time, make it clear. When we are dis-honoring others we are dis-honoring our very selves.

" He that hears you hears Me; and he that rejects you rejects me; and he that rejects Me rejects Him that sent me" Luke:10:16

Our Lord calls on all Christians to honor  all others, but especially other Christians.

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves" Philippians:2:3

How we honor others test whether we truly believe this or not   and regardless of if we grasp it or not we are dis-honoring the great God. Show your honor toward the great God by Showing it to one another.Amen

 Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pennsylvania. http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com

Breaking Bread

Eating is and has been a part of our lives, eating in fact keeps us alive and without it our lives would have little duration. It sustains us. Times of Fellowship and eating have been through out history as "Breaking Bread", we have Communion.

From the beginning God has used food and it’s sharing as a way to bring Him and us together, throughout the Holy Scriptures we see eating and the sharing of a meal,  from Genesis to Revelation, eating as occupying a prominent place. It builds and binds relationships with God and one another.

In Genesis: 3, if our first parents had eaten from the Tree of Life, their relationship with God would have been taken to a deeper level that would have carried them into eternity.

Genesis: 14:18-20- we can read of Abraham and Melchizedek  eating together after the battle of the five Kings and  after this sharing Melchizedek pronounces Abraham to be blessed.

On The Mountain Top

 God after leading the Children of Israel out of captivity and having established the Covenant between Israel and Himself, descends to the summit of Mount Sinai and invited Moses and the seventy  elders of Israel to ascend the mountain and dine with the very creator. Mountains in Scripture are places where humanity meets their God. This is that there is no higher place than meeting the Lord God. It is the summit of our lives.

“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And on the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”Exodus: 24:9-11

Here upon the mountain of the  Covenant, they see the Lord God,  in this gathering and He fellowship and shares a meal with them, humanity and Creator have come together.

Feast Days

Even the Old Covenant Holy Days found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy and as part of Israel’s relationship with God were called Feast Days, times of God and His people to be together, times of sharing and fellowship bringing Israel and their God ever closer.

Jesus Breaks Bread

As we read the Gospel accounts we see that Jesus did not avoid social gatherings, times to eat and fellowship , of "breaking bread". Jesus did not avoid gathering with those who need him most even His first record miracle was at a wedding feast.

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine”, John: 2:1-3a

We often find our Lord in the Gospel "breaking bread" others.  Again He is there with those who need Him most building relationships with them. Jesus gathered with them often enough that the religious leaders tried to use it as fuel for accusation against Him.

 “The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and you say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners” ! Luke: 7:34

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” .'Matthew: 11:19

The Church Breaks Bread

From the inception of the Church Christians have continued to “break bread”, that is fellowship to have “communion” and eat together, we see early Christians gather not only for worship but fellowship.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” Acts: 2:42,

 

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, (46)

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.”Acts: 20:7

“Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left”. (11)

They understood the unique bond that is found in Jesus and they wanted to be immersed within this fellowship, They understood that what was occurring was not just a “social” gathering but rather they were a part of what Jesus, what God,  has always done He brings us to gather and we encounter Him.

Jesus is every bit in the midst of fellowship as He is in our worship, even in the "breaking of bread" that is, our gathering together He is there and as e come together as Christians Jesus is there , we are like the disciples at Emmaus , we recognize Him in the “breaking of bread” He there with us.

The whole message of the Gospel is  so  any and all who hear can enter this fellowship with the Lord God.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” 1John:1:1-4

The early Christian understood that they were, as they gathered   , were just as the Moses and the elders of Israel were upon the Mountain, meeting their God. Jesus is there “breaking bread” with us we see Him and come to know Him to have Communion with Him. The term "breaking bread"  became a synonym for the sacrament of Communion which reflects this relationship with our God through Jesus Christ.

Breaking Bread For Ever

All this “breaking of bread” only looks ahead to what will be eternally true as we gather at that great Wedding Feast with our Lord Jesus and all  believers throughout the generations .

“Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”Revelation: 19:6-9

 We will be “breaking bread” for ever with our Lord He will be there and we with Him in eternal fellowship and communion  that is beyond description , we see will  Him as He is and know Him, we will “break bread” Forever…Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pennsylvania. http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin, Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com

Be Reconciled

"In the Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth" Genesis:1:1, this account of creation is not just a history of God bringing the materiel universe into being, but is something even more, it is a statement of intent that God had in creation, that of Haven and Earth coming together , having a relationship. The two were always intended to be united. When we read the Holy Bible through Who Jesus Christ is, then it takes on even greater meaning.

"But the Earth was (or as some believe became),  without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep" (2)

God is stating that He has a relationship intention between Himself and the creation of which He is the progenitor of , God spoke and it came into being, this also reflects that His purpose will ultimately be brought to pass.

In His Image

"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them".(26-27)

God creates humanity , our first parents Adam and Eve to have relationship with Himself  , He vests in humanity attributes of Himself to make this relationship possible. 

We see however that this relationship  is damaged by Adam and Eve's choices eating the from the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" they do so after entertaining  the the Serpents suggestions that this was good for them, that they "will be like God, knowing God from Evil" (5b)

The results is a negative transformation of their state of being , they now have a "fallen nature" which encumbers their relationship with the God Who created them. This "fallen nature"  manifest in their hiding from God when He calls out to them.

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." Genesis3:8

God addresses the action with them and the truth comes out that the Serpent spoke and they listened, God removes them from the garden and to live with the result of the choice, but not before revealing that He has provisions to bring a reconciliation, that is an atonement to the condition and bring He and humanity back into relationship.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel"Genesis:3:15

 The Need to be Reconciled

This condition, this need for reconciliation, will not only effect humanities relationship with God but with one another.The need for reconciliation is present from the strain  we see between Cain and Able   that resulted in Able's death at the hands of his brother Cain. The deterioration of society leading to God's intervention and the sending of the Great Flood.

This need surfaces  repeatedly in human history we see it acted out at the Tower of Babel and the scattering of the Nations. 

All the problem inflected upon humanity arise out of the need to be reconciled back to a proper practical relationship with the Great God, that is set "at one' "atonement". When we are first reconciled to God then we can be reconciled to one another.

For All Nations

God moves in and among human history to being about that reconciliation we see it in the call and life of the Patriarch Abram, renamed Abraham.

"Now the LORD had said to Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you:And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed" Genesis:12:1-3

This blessing that emerges into human history, through Abraham's decedents which is the Nation of Israel , is, we see not for them alone but it is a blessing for "all the families of the Earth". 

  "And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice" Genesis:22:18

 This blessing, which is the means by which humanity is brought reconciled and back into the intended relationship that God has always purposed for us. This blessing we are told by the Apostle Paul is the man Jesus Christ God's uniquely born Son.

 "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ"Galatians:3:16

Jesus has come to reconcile humanity back to God, to be the Savior of all peoples if they will freely receive it. Acts 17:26 tell us that all nations are made from "one blood" a blood which Jesus shares with each of us through the incarnation.  He shares our lives so we can share His. Jesus has, as he said in John:12:32, drawn all men (humanity) to Himself in the lifting up of crucifixion, not just Israel but all. Sharing our humanity to the point of death that we might live eternally with God.Heaven and Earth together.

This God Who created all things and created humanity in "His image and likeness"  now we see in Jesus Christ we see that God takes up and shares  our humanity.

The early Church theologian Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 AD),  wrote regarding Jesus' incarnation  "that which is not assumed is not redeemed"


"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John:1:14

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil"--Hebrews:2:14

Jesus has assumed up the whole of our humanity, He is one of us yet without sin, even facing temptation Jesus never gave into it. He did what we could not.

Message of Reconciliation

This is the message of the Gospel, that in Christ there is reconciliation that is experienced when we come to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. The early church was motivated to tell any and all about this reconciliation accomplished in our Lord Jesus Christ.

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" 2Croithians:5:14-21

Lives Which Reflect Reconciliation

When we come to see the work of Jesus upon the cross and the power of His resurrection , our lives reflect what is true in Jesus, we live reconciled lives, our behavior is transformed , it shows that we are living our of that reconciliation, that "atoned" state. We are in relationship with God, just as our first parents' lives reflected that "fallen" condition that they entered when choosing the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This reconciled life will  be demonstrated not just in our relationship with God but with those around us. We begin to see others as our Lord sees them as the objects of His love for whom He died. Differences are minimized we can have unity in Jesus.

 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many"1Corinthians:12:12

This reconciliation bring all together when we see that in Jesus we are one.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians:3:28

We are all in Jesus made "at-one", we have atonement with God and one another, we are reconciled in Christ Jesus. The Relationship that is  hinted at, at the very creation  of Heaven and Earth together is accomplished in our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Therefore we implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."2Corinthians:5:20  Amen.

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pennsylvania. http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin, Pennsylvania. and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com