Build One Another Up
Humble, loving, unity is better than arrogant, hateful, discord
“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?”
John Wesley
"Detail Of Corner Masonry, Sacsayhuaman" by TyB is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
We are still in the “Hidden Holiness” series. Yesterday’s sermon title was “1, 3, 5, 7.” This apparently is a count for cheerleaders when they execute their routines. Pastor Lee has some experience with cheer squads and competitive cheerleading.
We watched a video of a cheer squad at the top competition for the year. It was in a small stadium surrounding a stage. Music was pumping with a distinct beat, and lights flashed as a large group of young men and women went through their routine. Then, suddenly, the music stopped, but the choreographed routine continued.
Almost instantly, the crowd began chanting, “1, 3, 5, 7” as the squad continued their complicated maneuvers. The chanting was very loud and continued smoothly for the entire routine. The cheer squad never stopped, though some of them might have been a little off.
Pastor Lee explained the musical beat is vital to the squad performing the routine. They move, flip, toss, and catch according to that beat. Then she tied it into the sermon; so what do we do when the music vanishes?
The audience in the cheer video picked up the most important aspect of the music for the performers, the beat. This was a competition. Only a small fraction of the crowd was there to support that one squad, yet everyone was clapping and chanting out the beat for them to continue as best they could. Even the teams and supporters there to compete against that squad chanted out the time. Why?
At this point, pastor Lee read the scripture for the sermon. It comes from Ephesians 4:1-16. Let’s look at that now.
1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.”
9(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:1–16 (NASB95) Psalm 68:18
Those counting in the cheer video included those in competition with the squad on stage. But we are not in competition with one another in Christ Jesus. Though our gifts might differ, as mentioned in verse 11, we are not in competition. We are in support of each other. Like the audience, if the music stops for one of us, we should begin chanting the beat to help them move through their routine because they are moving in the work of the Master like we are.
In a competition to see who is the best at something, one person wins that competition. They typically get an award or trophy. In sports, if the opponent’s best players are injured and on the sidelines, commentators speculate the winner wouldn’t have won had those players been able to perform. You don’t get to say you are the best unless you outperform your opponent’s best. I don’t want to win in a competition because the other guy couldn’t do his or her best. I want them to leave it all on the field or mat. That way, I know I took all they had to offer and exceeded what they could do.
In the church, we are not in competition with one another. We are there to build each other up. We are there to help each other slog through the tough times. We are there to make sure our brothers and sisters in Christ mature and grow in the faith. This is summed up in verse 15 of the sermon’s passage.
15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
Ephesians 4:15 (NASB95)
That building-up begins in truth. That truth comes from scripture out of the Bible. We speak that truth, not swinging it like a club to beat someone down but like a warm blanket to enfold someone who is cold. We wrap people in the truth so that they can pull it close about them and feel safe and secure in it. That means it is done out of love because we do not want to see people head down a false path. Why?
30“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
Matthew 12:30 (NASB95)
Normally, I don’t like to quote a single verse. However, I have done so here because I don’t want to post the entire chapter. Feel free to read all of Mathew 12 for the context of Jesus’ words because those are Red Letter words. Jesus Himself said we are either with Him or against Him. There is no middle ground. Any path that is not the path of Jesus does not lead to the Father and is a false path to be avoided.
In her message, Pastor Lee took issue with the word “worthy” in verse 1. She suggested it is more in line with your “identity” and tied it into how you live. I disagree. Let’s look at the Greek word behind “worthy” here, and its root.
Axios
Greek Word: ἀξίως
Transliteration: axiōs
Phonetic Pronunciation: ax-ee’-oce
Root: from <G514>
Cross Reference:
Part of Speech: adv
Vine’s Words: Worthy, Worthily
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
worthy 3
as becometh 2
after a godly sort + <G2316> 1
[Total Count: 6]
adverb from <G514> (axios); appropriately:- as becometh, after a godly sort, worthily (-thy).
James Strong, “Ἀξίως,” Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (WORDsearch, 2020).
Now the root of Axios (which is spelled the same in English but not Greek.)
Axios
Greek Word: ἄξιος
Transliteration: axios
Phonetic Pronunciation: ax’-ee-os
Root: probably from <G71>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 1:379,63
Part of Speech: adj
Vine’s Words: Meet (Adjective and Verb), Worthy, Worthily
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
worthy 35
meet 4
due reward 1
unworthy + <G3756> 1
[Total Count: 41]
probably from <G71> (ago); deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise):- due reward, meet, [un-] worthy.
James Strong, “Ἄξιος,” Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (WORDsearch, 2020).
Paul’s point to his reader or listener is that we should strive to reach the standard set by our Lord and Master, Jesus. We should work to be as close to His example as we can. We should try to make our lives match His, make the choices He would make, and say the things He would say so that, as the root word of Axios suggests, we are “deserving” or “suitable” to be counted among Jesus’ followers.
Pastor Lee used her interpretation of Axios with “identity” to state that our identity as a church has a threefold nature: humble, loving, and unified. She prepared to break those down but diverged briefly from the first aspect to the third. Unity is not currently in great supply in the United Methodist Church though a form of that word is in the denomination’s name. We are being split on matters of doctrine. She proclaimed flatly that what she was about to state was nothing sanctioned or, as the pastor but her personal opinion.
I, for one, think it was good for her to do that from the pulpit. I won’t rehash her words here. I will state my opinion. If the reader was present for Pastor Lee’s sermon and you have questions, I implore you to take those questions up with her or do your own research on the issues dividing the Methodist church right now.
I am not going to air my explanation or differences here. I had a lengthy explanation, but that’s not the purpose of this writing space. It is out there for you to find if you wish to form your own opinion.
Humble, loving, and unity are the three aspects of our identity, according to Pastor Lee in Sunday’s sermon. She started with humble.
Humility doesn’t seek the spotlight. Humility doesn’t put one set of gifts in competition with another. Humility sees those gifts as complimentary, not competitive. The body needs feet to walk, but it also needs hands to pick things up, and eyes to see. These are not in competition with each other but bring the body fitly together as a whole.
Love builds one another up. Love uses the truth. Love is not a respecter of persons. It cares for all brothers and sisters in Christ equally.
These two aspects come together in unity. We are not the body of Christ unless we are unified in purpose, belief, and worship of God. That was Pastor Lee’s complaint that the current schism/disagreement removes that unity. She is right. It is also unavoidable, but again, I will not derail this writing with that topic (again.)
Pastor Lee closed with a quote from John Wesley. I opened this week’s writing with a partial quote. Here is the full quote:
“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.”
John Wesley
Her closing statement revolved around building one another up. We should be united in purpose to bring people to Christ. Here’s my best paraphrase, as my notes were slow.
“That we might be humble, loving, and united under one God, one Lord, one Christ, now and forever.”
My closing is this. If we can agree that we are all sinful, fallen human beings who make bad decisions from time to time (Romans 3:10), and that because of that, we all need a savior who is Jesus Christ, that He died for all our sins, He is the one path to God the Father who brought Christ back, and that Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father judging the quick and the dead; we can part in peace. I won’t put a stumbling block before you to preach the gospel as God leads you, and you show me that same respect.
However, if, as some in UM leadership have done, you cannot agree to leave me unhindered to spread the gospel message as the Holy Spirit leads me, then we find ourselves in opposition to one another. If we are in opposition, the gloves are off because, as scripture points out, and as Jesus said, we are either with God or against Him, and I do not see myself as against God. I’ll let the reader draw their own conclusions from there. God bless you, and Godspeed.