'no Man Is An Island, Entire Of Itself' (John Donne)

[0:00] The 23rd of April. The poet John Dunn wrote, No man is an island entire of itself.

[0:11] In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 14 we read, For the body does not consist of one member but of many. We're all different. Some of us like to do things on our own, while others like to do things in a group.

[0:28] However, there is one thing we can't do on our own and that is to be a Christian. A Christian is not an island entire of itself. If that's our attitude then we won't survive as a Christian.

[0:42] The Apostle Paul spent a long time teaching us that the Christian is a member of a body, the church. A Christian is a member of a fellowship, the church. A Christian is a member of a family, the church.

[0:58] Just as our physical bodies are made up of several different limbs and they're all important, so each Christian is like a limb of the body, the church, and each is important.

[1:10] Fellowship is like the lifeblood of the church. As Christians, each one is united to Christ and together we share in a love for Christ and for one another.

[1:21] God gives different jobs to different people in the church so that it can function well, like a good body, and it functions well when we all work together in a mutual love for one another.

[1:34] Love is the hallmark of the Christian church. Perhaps the most familiar picture we have of the church is as the family of God. We know how sad it can be in a family if a son or daughter goes away and has nothing more to do with our family.

[1:52] It's a tragedy when that happens in the Christian family too. If it does happen, we must pray for that person's return. Love the family of God and thank him for your place in it as a believer in Jesus.

[2:08] And a prayer. Dear Lord, I thank you for the different people in my church. Help me to love them in Jesus' name. Amen.