"Church - Can't We all Just Get Along" - Part II Church Division

I had to take a break from some of my daily duties and share a little revelation with you that I received from Mark Chapter 9 this morning.  At the end of the chapter God says something that has been on my heart for a while now.  You may have heard me on my radio show and previous blogs, talk about church division and how I believe it weakens us, distracts us and hinders us from spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I hear a number of things people suggest as reasons for church ineffectiveness, such as bad doctrine, or should I say what the individual believes to be bad doctrine.  I hear things like the church is weak because we preach too much about grace, we have this so called “prosperity gospel” we are not teaching enough about the consequences, what we wear and should not wear and so on.  I normally see these come from whatever background or religion you were raised in or currently study.  Growing up, I had the experience of being a part of a number of different religions (Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, COGIC just to name a few).  They all read the same bible, but based off what religion you were in, the focus is normally on one aspect of the bible more than the other.  Isn’t the WHOLE Bible true?  Is one part greater than the other?  Every time I read my bible I get something new from it; even when I go back and read a scripture I may have read hundreds of times before.  This leads me to this morning’s reading of Mark 9. 

A quick synopsis Jesus in the beginning of the chapter said he wanted to spend some time with his disciples – Shares with them again what would happen to him on the cross (they still didn’t understand or get the hint) – Then as they go along their way the disciples  begin to discuss who was greater amongst them – From there Jesus tries to address that with them in a number of different ways – John questions Jesus about the man that was already casting out demons in His name – Then using what I believe to be an analogy of a little children, explains what would happen if we make them stumble(I will elaborate on this point in future blog) – Finally we get to verse 50 where he says something that sticks out to me like a sore thumb.  He starts talking about “salt” and we must be like it.  We must have its qualities and live in peace with each other.  WOW - live in peace with each other.  Keep in mind he is talking to the disciples – if you are saved that is supposed to be you and me.   Now there are a lot of things in this chapter as the old saints would say “that will preach”.   So as you read it - let it, however I had to go study more about salt and how its qualities relate in bible.  Here is something I discovered on top of some of the things I shared in a previous blog (Flava Flav).  When God speaks of salt in scriptures it normally speaks to a covenant of peace.  In verse 50 he actually tells us this.  Now keep in mind a few verses up the disciples were just talking about who was greater.  I can imagine John feeling like he loved Jesus more because he hugged Jesus a lot and was more loving, while Peter thinks he loves Jesus more because he will cut an ear of for Jesus if need be (It is funny how as people we feel that everyone expresses things the way we do, and should if they don’t).  They were so consumed with trying to figure out who was greater, they couldn’t even focus on the main thing, which was Jesus, who had just told them that He would be betrayed, die, and be resurrected in three days.   No matter what the disciples did or how they did it, or what their strength or weakness was – did it even compare to what Jesus was about to do for us all.  They were missing the point all together and at that time preoccupied with competition and disunity.  I see this same spirit in “the church body” – this spirit of competition (my doctrine is better than yours) and disunity.  Church, are we missing the point?!   Are we more consumed with proving that our doctrine is more correct than the next that we forget to share Jesus?  Isn’t the point to let the world know what Jesus did for them on the cross over 2000 years ago.  If my brother or sister is proclaiming this and encouraging people to believe it, that is what makes them my brother or sister, regardless if they believe in everything I do, or if I believe in everything they do.  Imagine if we really started acting a one body under one head, capitalizing on each other’s strengths.   We have ONE HEAD CHURCH – that is JESUS!

More to come about this subject –

Morning Manna

J’agape ~ Jesus’s Unconditional Love

For more blogs and challenging and encouraging media visit www.jagape.com