It feels weird not going to church. Even before going into
ministry, Since becoming a Christian, I don’t like missing church. It never feels
right. When I would miss I felt lost, I felt off. Yet today without having
church services we can still have church. I am spending my morning reading my
Bible. My family and I will do communion. Hailee and I will watch a service
online. We can still do church, it won’t be the same as being around my loving
church family though.
There is the phrase in Christian circles Iron sharpens iron.
This is a great line for the church. Using one person to sharp another, we make
one another better. Next weekend there is a great conference in this area for
men, and this is the title for it: Iron Sharpens Iron. Such a great idea and
men from our area will celebrate and grow together in faith. Sometimes this is
done gently. Sometimes it involves tough love. The worst is when it’s used to
make a sharp object to put into someone’s back. Christians can be quick to
change face, that same iron sharpens iron can be brutal.
Hello, my name is Joel and I sin. I am not perfect, very far
from it at times. Life has been painful at times, some my own doing and some
outside my control. Some of the most painful has been from my own flesh and
blood. From the people I wouldn’t expect it from, my brothers and sisters in
Christ. I once took a class from Jim Estep about change and conflict management
in the church. He opened the class with a line similar but not exact to: “We
are all Christians we all love Jesus and therefore there is no conflict in the
church. Class dismissed.” Everyone in this seminary class laughed, because we
all knew it was the furthest from the truth. Fighting is the opposite of what
Christians are called to be.
Galatians 6:1-5…
Brothers and sisters,
if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that
person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each
other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone
thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one
should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,
without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their
own load.”
Restoring a car takes special tools, you wouldn’t just take
a sledgehammer to restore it, likewise with restoring a person. Restoration
does not mean forgive and forget. Restoration is using precise tools to fix the
problem. Restoration can be gentle. It makes me think of how Andy fixed Woody’s
arm in the first Toy Story. He didn’t
go to town on Woody with duct tape, he was careful precise and that’s what we
need to do with our fellow believers.
The restoration needs to be comprehensive. It can’t be done
by someone with limited knowledge of faith and understanding. The word restore
in verse one had two meanings. 1. It meant for setting broken bones. 2. For mending
fishing nets. Restoration happens by Christians who are mature in faith and
knowledgeable that no one is perfect and can fall into sin. Nobody needs to
carry their own burdens, we all have troubles but being a Christian is taking
and helping someone going through a rough time. We can help others through the
tough times but we also need to reflect and see if we are in the wrong with our
own life. If we don’t look at ourselves how do we expect to help others? We
need to help others out and sometimes the best help is by helping ourselves.
When Christians can restore one another it can make a world
of difference. When we can have a moment of self-reflection and start walking
towards the path God intends us to walk, we can change our life and the life of
people around us. Iron sharpens iron can be good or bad depending on how you
use it. How can you sharpen iron today? Who can you restore today?
Have a great day.
