Dear Friends in Jesus –
"A story is told about a wealthy early colonial Virginian who asked his Anglican rector if it was possible to find salvation outside of the Church of England. The rector wrestled with the question, because he knew it was within the realm of possibility that those who were not Anglican might go to heaven, but he did not want his socially elite parishioner to be socializing with Christian riffraff of all sorts. So after pondering the question deeply, the rector replied. ‘Sir the possibility about which you inquire exists, but no gentleman would avail himself of it.'"
– Walter Russell Read, God and Gold
Corinth was a city at the crossroads. It was quite literally a crossroad for travelers, for commerce, for ideas. It had been destroyed by Rome in 146 BC and rebuilt by Julius Caesar about a hundred years later. It had no "old money". It had a bunch of strivers - folks who would glom onto others for status: “I was baptized by Apollo!” “Well I was baptized by Cephas!”
In Verse 11, Paul appeals to believers to be united in Christ, speaking the same thing and having no divisions or factions. Being perfectly aligned in mind and judgment, emphasizing harmony and a single purpose within the church.
What about for us? We who struggle and strive. We who look for the advantage or the ‘in’?
Paul reminds them – and us – that we proclaim the one who endured public, shameful crucifixion, loving us to death. What greater love? What other status do we need, desire or deserve? No need to answer.
Let’s gather this coming Sunday aligned in mind and judgment to acknowledge and live into our single purpose – heralds and harbingers of the love of Jesus.
What we get to do!
In anticipation,
