Observation: The Church in Corinth is divided. Already. Like I said a few days ago, it didn't take long. Already there's the "Paul faction", the "Cephas (Peter) faction, the "Apollo's faction" and the "Christ faction" (Oh gee thanks guys, as if everybody but your faction is caught up in the drama of factionalism, but you belong only to Christ, so your faction is above the fray, which is why you're the best. This must be the "non-denominational" church of Paul's day.) Division is destroying their ability to pursue their mission.
Application: At the end of a very intense week, I find myself valuing all the more the unity we have in Christ, whether we acknowledge it or even like it or not. Whether or not we treat each other that way, we are sisters and brothers. Whether or not we remember it, we only have one Gospel, and only one Savior, and his power comes not from gathering the strongest faction and grabbing power through brute force, but by being crucified. By letting go of earthly power.
Whether or not we spend today working on it, we will only ever have one mission: to proclaim Christ crucified. Christ who does not abandon us when we're hurting, or hurting each other. And let me tell you: that mission is plenty hard enough with all of us on the same page. We are preaching foolishness in the eyes of most of the world, but if we aren't united it'll just look like an out and out lie. Life itself is way too hard to do, even together, united as one. Why would we venture forth divided?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, we know we're united in Baptism. Give us chances to live into that. Make us one in ways the world can see. Amen.
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