"Christians"

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" ~ 1 Corinthians 12:26

Paul's words about the body of Christ being one body made up of many parts or members are a sight for sore eyes these days. We live in a divided nation, made up of divided families, with every divisive thing, from sports teams to political views to personal traditions, being magnified because of our obsession with social media and desperate need for attention. It is in this culture that followers of Jesus must stand out as those who overlook differences and live in the unity we have under Christ, who is the head of the body. In the first century, this meant that Jews and Gentiles accepted one another in the church and recognized that their specific customs and preferences had to be submitted to God. Today, it means that any differences which exist amongst believers must be treated with grace and accepted as part of His body. Politics, musical preferences, liturgical traditions, and denominational doctrines must all be surrendered in favor of the unity we find in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This week at Friendship, we'll look at where and why the disciples were first called "Christians" in Acts 11, and then discuss what that meant for their conduct and their relationships with one another. Join us for this unifying message in a time of great division!