Anthony Schindler

Acts 16:24 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them... Prayer and worship are not out of the ordinary.  Prayer and worship in prison are.  From prison, feet chained to the floor, Paul and Silas worship God.  That is extraordinary; and for those with ears to hear, incredibly subversive. I'm not quick to "guilt" you into coming to church, but sometimes the text reminds me that my situation, although hard in my experience of it, may not actually be as bad as it appears.  If Paul and Silas still worship God when they have every reason to curse God, then maybe I can worship this Sunday even if I don't feel like it. I want to encourage you to come to church this Sunday and worship - regardless of how you feel.  Maybe even in spite of how you feel.  If you don't feel like it, then, in my opinion, that's the best time to worship.  Anyo...

On  Sunday we looked at the scars Paul bore for the sake of the Gospel (Acts 14).  We also discussed the possibility that the 'scars' we bear for the sake of the Gospel are the preferences we sacrifice for the sake others in the church; i.e. what we give up for the sake of others in the family.  Why should we prefer the needs of others over our own?  Why is it so important that we get along?  Because the truth of the Gospel we profess to believe depends on it.  "[The unity of the body] is loadbearing," say N.T. Wright, "If this gives way, everything comes crashing down." The church is one body; united by one God, through his one Son, filled with the same (His) Spirit.  Church unity is really important. Getting along with others in not important because it is convenient, but because the Gospel you profess to believe depends on it. The picture above is helpful.  It is from N.T. Wright's book Paul and the Faithfulness of God .  ...