One
of the founders of the Church of the Nazarene was Dr. Phineas F. Bresee. He was committed to his church being a
people committed to a Christ-centered, Christ-driven, Christ-exalting presence
in the world. Bresee understood
this to mean that the Church would minister to whoever came across her
path. He said, ”Let the Church of the
Nazarene be true to its commission; not great and elegant buildings; but to
feed the hungry and clothe the naked and wipe away the tears of sorrowing, and
gather jewels for His diadem.”
The New Testament letter
of James tells us that we are not to be respecter of persons. The wealthy are not honored above the
poor, and the poor have as much right to the table of grace as everyone
else. In fact there is no
"everyone else" in the kingdom of God. All the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Each of us stands in need of God's
Amazing Grace, and each of us is called to live out our lives together in the
Mind and Spirit of Jesus.
Isn't it great to be a
follower of Jesus? John Oxenham
wrote, "In Christ there is no East or West, In Him no South or North; But
one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth." Richard Gillard wrote, "We are
pilgrims on a journey; we are brothers on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the
load."
Jesus said, "In
everything treat people the same way you want them to treat you" (Matt.
7:12). This is the way everyday
life in the church ought to be. To
the degree it isn't, we fall short.
To the degree it is, we live as a fragrant aroma of Christ in the World.
May God help us to take
what has been given us by His Amazing Grace and pass it on.
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