A Corner On The Market
We were doing a program at a church that was located on the NW corner of an intersection. We had parked just around the corner but everyone else parked in a parking lot on one of the other corners. Before the program started I was talking with the pastor and he told me the story about the corner location.
It seems like the founding Fathers of this small town had some foresight and wanted to insure that the residents of their town had some religious values and teaching. They had set this intersection with it�s four corners to be used for churches. At this time, there were churches on three of the corners. The fourth corner was used by all three churches for parking. However, if someone ever wants to build another church, the fourth corner would be available to them.
At first thought you might think this was a wonderful idea. However, letââ?¬â?¢s see if maybe we can sneak a peek at how God might be looking at this. First of all, all three of these churches were ââ?¬Å?Christianââ?¬Â churches. There wasnââ?¬â?¢t a Jewish temple, a Muslim mosque or a Morman church. They were all main line Christian denominations. It might be safe to say that they all believed and worshiped the same God?
They all believe in Jesus Christ as God�s own Son. That He died on a cross for our sins. That He was buried and rose again on the third day. They all believe that the Bible is God�s Word and they all believe that reaching the World for Christ would be a good idea.
There are some differences. They all baptize but not all the same way. They all have music but not all the same style. They all have Bibles but not the same translation. They all have Bible school for their kids and may even use the same material but don�t have it the same week. They all park in the same parking lot next to each other but go to different buildings to worship and fellowship.
We have four kids. I just canââ?¬â?¢t imagine what it would be like as a parent to have all four kids living so close to each other on four corners and not being willing to get together. I canââ?¬â?¢t help but think that God must feel a bit hurt to see His children, who all love Him, not loving each other enough to come together as one body for worship. Each of His kids seem to think that their way is right,Ã? the other”s way isÃ? wrong to the point that they can”t come together for a couple of hours a week to worship their only Father.
Wow, that sounds like Iââ?¬â?¢m really for ecumenical. If you really know me, you would know better than that. However, I do believe that on the major points there are more churches that believe the same things than those who donââ?¬â?¢t. There are points that we may differ on but in the big picture, these are relatively minor. But you say, ââ?¬Å?These things arenââ?¬â?¢t minor, they are MAJOR differences.ââ?¬Â Yes, they are major differences but they are minor as to what is required to be part of Godââ?¬â?¢s family.
The day really will come when all of those who believe in Christ as their Savior will be together in Heaven. There are going to be a lot of surprised people there when they look around and see a ton of others there that they knew believed different than they did. Some of us may even find people that we parked next to in the same parking lot as we each went to our separate churches. Is God proud of His kids or is He a bit disgusted and disappointed in the way they act?
ââ?¬Å?To dwell above with those we love, oh twill be such glory. To live below with saints we know, now thatââ?¬â?¢s another story.ââ?¬Â
ââ?¬Å?By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
ââ?¬Å?Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.ââ?¬Â 1 Peter 1:22