1 Corinthians 1:10-18 (NRSV)
Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 10Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. Verse 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. Verse 12What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Verse 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
Verse 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, Verse 15so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. Verse 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
Verse 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. Verse 18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Devotion
Remember the good old days? That time when there was no division among people of faith? That time when they all cooperated in ministry and shared all the same theological ideas? Me neither. The reason Paul talks over and over again about the danger of division is not because the disciples were all united, but precisely because the opposite was true. They had forgotten their unity in Christ.
The now-and-not-yet in-breaking of God’s kingdom means that the walls of hostility have been and are being torn down by Christ who is our peace. We are invited not to look back to a mythical past that is devoid of division, but to look forward to a mystical future that is full of unity. God calls us into a family where we are not the same, but in Christ we are one. When we awaken to this reality we begin to see that the good old days are yet to come. "We must learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools" (Martin Luther King, Jr.).
Prayer
God of many languages, speak love to us. God of many nations, welcome strangers among us. God of many expressions, sing joy through us. You are one. We are many. Humble us. Hold us. Save us. Send us. Amen.