9 April 2013 - order of cooperation

9 April 2013 - order of cooperation

With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

Much like our beloved new Pope Francis a key part of what makes their witness effective is that their lives are totally given over to Jesus.  There is no false dichotomy between spiritual and material.  Jesus is LORD of all aspects of their lives.


The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.

They are united in their hearts and minds by the belief of who Jesus is and what he is doing.  This unity that comes from faith is what allows the unity even of possessions.  We no longer have to claw for our own piece of the pie.  Competition for the temporary becomes collaboration ordered toward the eternal.  If we want to be credible witnesses  it is essential that we have this unity that comes from faith in a way that transforms every aspect of our lives.


If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

Pope Francis tells us "about earthly things" and it is allowing an otherwise hostile culture to pay attention to him.  The community of believers in Acts shows us the same thing.  But this unity comes only from faith.  It is, as it were, top down.  We can't build up to this unity by doing good deeds.  This will in fact eventually prove to be a path of selfishness that has no power to testify to the risen LORD.

It can only begin with the revelation of who Jesus is.


so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

And with our recognition that he is LORD.

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Everything will be marked by the tyranny of the passing and the temporary unless the principle of a life which cannot die takes hold of us as well.  Our life without Jesus is winding down.  It is gradually being reduced to dust.

“‘You must be born from above.’



Even those of us who have been baptized still have a choice.  We can let this risen life manifest in us or we can spend our time building castles on the sand.  Let us fix our eyes on the things of heaven.  Let us build on what lasts.  This will be the testimony that the world needs.  This will be the testimony that the world can hear.


And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.