Keeping it on Jesus

I’m looking forward to a second run with my huddle group in the new year.  It looks like us six guys will be meeting again for a weekly breakfast and discussing C.S. Lewis’s classic, “Mere Christianity.”  Having read it over 25 years ago, it was interesting to peruse it again recently.  Alot had slipped from my memory of it.

Standing out, in his opening comments, was his intent to stay far away from ‘all that divides’ the body of Christ.  Catholic to Pentecostal, the man was determined to deal with the essentials and let the rest be addressed in someone else’s forum.  As well, as with any book, the author’s context is central.  With a World War raging, I find it interesting that he was writing to unite, not divide.  He was determined to keep it on Jesus.  Just on Jesus.

Recently, in sharing communion with our church I made mention of that fact.  No matter the Christian ‘faction’ we belong to and adamantly subscribe to its particular doctrinal stance, the receiving of the elements brings us back to what unites all who share faith in Christ.  Oh yes, the application of that moment has staunchly divided church from church throughout this age; but that lone moment when Jesus lifted the bread and the cup, instituted what remains the perfect place of ‘return’ for all who believe.  In obedience to His command, we all return to glory in  His cross, expressing faith in His substitionary work for our sins.  How uniting it is.  All over the world.  All who believe in Him unto salvation.

Moments ago, I spent a wonderful hour with my daughter on some doctrinal/theological questions.  The particular subject is a passion of mine, and how fun to share with her on that level!   Yet, what a reminder of all that divides this great ‘Vine’ with its many ‘branches’.

This time of year, those who believe in Jesus have plenty to unite over.  His light needs to shine purely as ever into the darkness.  The Word becoming flesh, is another of those central of all Christian truths.  Really, those opening fourteen verses of John’s gospel should be the message of all the various branches of our faith.  If only we could keep it on Jesus.  Just on Jesus.