It’s the last of my weekend trips for a while. Father, I would ask that you would give me the strength – physically and mentally – to see this day to its completion. Keep us safe through our journey home. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17 (<<click here to read the passage)
Honestly, if the Apostle Paul saw where the church is today, he would be appalled! (No pun intended!) At the point when this passage was written (a short 20 years or so after Jesus’ time here on earth), there were already divisions in the church. He exclaimed in verse 12,

Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” NLT

Today, it would be impossible to calculate the number of denominations, not to mention the vast number of non-denominational churches throughout the world.
In verse 10 Paul states,

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

Where we started compared with where we are today, it sounds more like dissonance and less like harmony. We speak of striving for ecumenical unity, i.e. unity among the world’s Christian Churches, but that really seems to be a stretch. I grew up and have been ordained in one denomination. I worked at another one during college, and have served in a third one for the last 20+ years. Yes, the core of them all is pretty much the same, and yes, people like Billy Graham in past years did a wonderful job of bringing brothers and sisters in Christ together, but behind closed doors (with closed minds…) we still think that we are more right than others and that “they” are definitely more wrong.
There’s an old joke about new residents of Heaven coming upon a high and wide brick wall. When St. Peter is questioned about it, he explains, “Oh, the (insert denomination) are there. They think they’re the only ones here!” It may bring a smile to our faces but there is nothing true about it.
There’s an old African-American Spiritual that rings so true. It is entitled, “In That Great Getting’ Up Mornin’”. Here are a few of the lyrics as sung by the great Mahalia Jackson.

They be comin’ from every nation
(Fare ye well, fare ye well)…

On their way to the great carnation
(Fare ye well, fare ye well)…

Dressed in a robe so white as snow
(Fare ye well, fare ye well)…

Singin’, “Oh, I been redeemed”
(Fare ye well, fare ye well)…

In that great gettin’ up mornin’
(Fare ye well, fare ye well)

Harmony is called for – this is by no means the only passage of Scripture that speaks of harmony! – and harmony there will be! In that great getting’ up mornin’ Jesus will unify us all and dissonance will cease to exist! Amen!

Sept 23rd, 2023, Sat, 4:41 pm