Blog

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us”  (WATCH HERE)

---

John 15:1–8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 

 

A building can have beautiful bricks, carefully designed walls, and impressive details, but none of it matters if there is no solid foundation. In the same way, the church can have ministries, programs, activities, gifted people, and a strong sense of community, but everything depends on one essential reality:

We must remain connected to Christ.

Jesus gives us a powerful picture in John 15. He describes Himself as the vine and His followers as the branches. A branch does not produce fruit by working harder or trying to become more fruitful on its own. It produces fruit because it remains connected to the vine.

Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you” (John 15:4).

That is the foundation underneath everything we have talked about this week.

We guard unity because we belong to Christ.
We use our gifts because Christ has given them to us.
We build one another up because Christ is building His body through us.

Everything flows from Him.

Sometimes we can become so focused on doing things for Christ that we forget that the most important thing is simply remaining in Christ. We can become busy serving while becoming spiritually empty. We can work on the building while neglecting the foundation.

Jesus reminds us that “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Remaining in Christ means continuing to receive what He gives us. We return to His Word. We hear His promises. We remember our Baptism. We receive His forgiveness. We gather with His people around His Word and Sacrament. We stay connected to the One who gives us life.

And as we remain connected to Christ, something begins to grow.

Paul tells the Colossians to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” and then says, “over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12, 14).

Notice how much this sounds like the kind of life Paul described earlier in Ephesians 4.

Humility.
Gentleness.
Patience.
Love.
Unity.

These aren’t simply behaviors we force ourselves to produce. They are the fruit that grows as Christ works in us.

And a Christian doesn’t become more Christlike simply by trying harder to look like Christ. We remain connected to Christ, and He works through us.

So as this week comes to an end, return to the simplest and most important question:

Am I remaining in Christ?

Because when we are rooted in Christ, we can be built together.

Reflect

1. What are some things that can distract me from remaining connected to Christ? What could I do this week to make time for His Word, prayer, and the gifts He gives through worship and fellowship?
2. Which quality from Colossians 3:12–14, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, or love does Christ most need to grow in me right now? Who might experience His love through me as that quality grows?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the true vine, and I am one of Your branches. Thank You for giving me life through Your grace and for connecting me to You through Your Word and Sacraments. Forgive me for the times I try to live and serve in my own strength. Keep me rooted in You. Grow in me compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. Use the gifts You have given me to build up the people around me. Make our congregation a people who remain rooted in Christ and are willing to be built together for Your glory. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us”  (WATCH HERE)

---

Ephesians 4:14–16 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. 

Truth and love are sometimes treated as opposites. We hear people say, “I just want to speak the truth,” as though love isn’t part of the conversation. Others avoid difficult truths because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But Scripture refuses to separate the two.

Truth without love can become a weapon. Love without truth can become an indulgence.

God calls us to something better: truth spoken and lived in love.

Paul says that spiritual maturity means we are no longer like children who are “tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching” (Ephesians 4:14). Instead, we are to “speak the truth in love” and “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

Truth gives us something solid to stand on. God’s Word tells us what is true about God, about ourselves, about sin, and about salvation. It doesn’t simply tell us what we want to hear. Second Timothy reminds us that Scripture is useful for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Sometimes the truth hurts because it exposes something in us that needs to change.

But notice how God gives us that truth. He doesn’t expose our sin so that He can shame us. He exposes our sin so that He can lead us to our Savior.

God loves us enough to tell us the truth, and He tells us the truth because He loves us.

That becomes our model for our relationships with others.

Speaking truth in love doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. Sometimes love requires us to say something that is difficult to hear. But it also doesn’t mean using truth as a weapon to win an argument, prove we’re right, or make someone feel small.

Before we speak, we can ask:

Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it loving? Will this help build the other person up?

Sometimes truth needs to be spoken.

Sometimes love means listening.

Sometimes the most loving thing we can say is, “I’m sorry.”

Sometimes it is, “I forgive you.”

Sometimes it is, “Can I share something I’m concerned about?”

And sometimes it is simply, “I’m here for you.”

When truth and love come together, relationships become healthier and the church becomes stronger. We become less vulnerable to deception because we are grounded in God’s Word, and we become more united because we aren’t using truth to tear one another down.

Truth grounds us. Christ grows us. Love builds us.

Today, ask God to help you become someone who can be trusted with both truth and love.

Reflect

1. Is there a relationship in my life where I have avoided speaking a necessary truth, or where I have spoken truth without enough love? What might Christlike truth and love look like in that relationship?
2. When God’s Word corrects or challenges me, do I receive it as condemnation or as the loving voice of my Savior calling me back to Him?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the truth, and You have loved me enough to tell me the truth about my sin and my need for You. Thank You for giving me Your Word to guide, correct, teach, and strengthen me. Forgive me when I use truth to hurt others or hide behind love to avoid difficult truths. Give me wisdom to know when to speak, courage to speak what is right, and compassion to speak with love. Help me remain grounded in Your Word and grow to reflect Your love. Use my words to build others up and point them toward You. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us”  (WATCH HERE)

---

Romans 12:4–8 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 

 

Imagine a body where every part decided it wasn’t really needed. The eye says, “I don’t need the hand.” The ear says, “I’m not important.” The foot says, “Someone else can do my job.” Before long, the body wouldn’t function the way it was designed to function.

Paul uses this picture to describe the church. We are not a collection of independent Christians who happen to worship in the same place. We are the body of Christ, and every member has a place.

Romans 12 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Notice where those gifts come from: grace. God gives them. They aren’t trophies we earn or abilities we develop so that we can become more important than someone else. They are gifts entrusted to us so that we can serve others.

That means there is no room for comparison.

The person who teaches shouldn’t look down on the person who serves. The person who leads shouldn’t think the person who encourages is less important. The person who gives generously may never stand in front of the congregation. The person who quietly prays for others may never receive recognition. Yet each one is contributing something the body needs.

Paul says, “The body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:14).

Different gifts. Same purpose.

We can also fall into the opposite mistake. Sometimes we look at someone else’s gifts and think, I could never do that, so I must not have anything to offer. But God never intended you to be someone else. He didn’t give you someone else’s gifts because He has given you gifts of your own.

You don’t have to do everything. In fact, you can’t. No single person can carry the entire mission of the church. That’s why God gives gifts throughout the body.

Your gift may seem ordinary to you because it comes naturally. But what seems ordinary to you may be exactly what someone else needs.

An encouraging word can strengthen someone who is struggling. A meal can remind a family that they are not alone. A willingness to serve can make ministry possible. A generous gift can provide an opportunity. A listening ear can help someone see God’s grace in the middle of a difficult season.

A gift doesn’t have to be impressive to be important.

The question isn’t, “Do I have enough to offer?”

The question is, “What has God placed in my hands, and how can I use it for someone else?”

Christ has made you part of His body. He has given you a place. Nobody does everything…but, everybody does something!

Reflect

1. What gifts, abilities, experiences, or opportunities has God given me that could be used to serve and strengthen others?
2. Is there a gift or ability I have been keeping on the sidelines? What is one specific way I could put it to work this week?

Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for making me part of the body of Christ and for giving me gifts according to Your grace. Forgive me when I compare myself with others or convince myself that what I have to offer isn’t important. Help me recognize the gifts You have placed in my hands. Give me a willing heart to use them, not for recognition or praise, but to serve others and build up Your Church. Show me where You are calling me to do my part, and use even the smallest acts of service for Your purposes. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us”  (WATCH HERE)

---

Philippians 2:1–11 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

         6      Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

         7      but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

         8      And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— 

         even death on a cross! 

         9      Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 

         10      that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

         11      and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

 

Yesterday we were reminded that unity is a gift. Through Christ, God has brought us into one body, given us one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one hope. But if unity is the gift, what protects that gift? Paul points us to humility.

Humility is not weakness. It is not thinking less of yourself or pretending that you have nothing to offer. True humility is recognizing that life is not ultimately about getting my way, protecting my reputation, or making sure my preferences are honored. Humility is the deliberate and courageous choice to consider the needs of others because I know I belong to something bigger than myself.

Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3–4).

That is a challenging word. It is easy to value others when they agree with us, appreciate us, or treat us well. It is much harder when someone disappoints us, misunderstands us, or does something we would have done differently.

Then Paul gives us the ultimate example: Jesus.

Jesus had every right to glory. He is the Son of God. Yet He willingly humbled Himself, took on human flesh, entered our broken world, and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. He didn’t cling to His rights. He gave Himself for people who could offer Him nothing in return.

Jesus’ humility wasn’t weakness. It was love in action.

And that same humility changes the way we live with one another. Sometimes guarding unity means choosing to listen instead of defend ourselves. It may mean having the difficult conversation instead of allowing assumptions to grow. It may mean apologizing even when we think the other person should apologize first. It may mean giving up a preference because preserving the relationship matters more than getting our way.

Division often begins quietly. A hurt goes unspoken. A story gets repeated. An assumption replaces a conversation. A preference becomes a demand. Before long, pride has built a wall where Christ intended there to be a connection.

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t simply give us an example to imitate. He is our Savior. The One who humbled Himself for us has forgiven our pride and continues to shape us by His grace.

So today, ask not simply, “Who needs to be more humble?” Ask, “Where is Christ calling me to humble myself?”

Because pride fights over the pieces. Humility builds with the pieces.

Reflect: 

1. Where might pride, hurt, or a desire to have my own way be affecting one of my relationships? What would humility look like in that situation?
2. How does remembering the humility and sacrifice of Jesus change the way I respond when I feel overlooked, hurt, or frustrated by someone else?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself for me and gave Your life for my salvation. Forgive me for the times I have put my own interests, preferences, and pride ahead of others. Give me the humility to listen, the courage to seek peace, and the love to put others before myself. Help me guard the unity You have given Your people. When I am tempted to protect my rights, remind me of Your cross. Shape my heart to become more like Yours. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us”  (WATCH HERE)

---

Ephesians 4:1–6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 

Unity is not something we manufacture through clever programs, perfect agreement, or sheer willpower. Unity is a gift God has already given His people through Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that there is “one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.” Before Paul tells us what we should do, he reminds us of what God has already done.

Through Jesus, God has brought us into one family. We may have different personalities, preferences, backgrounds, ages, opinions, and abilities, but those differences do not change what we share in Christ. We have one Savior. We belong to one body. We have been joined to Christ through one baptism. We share one hope.

That changes the way we look at one another.

When we forget that unity is God’s gift, we can begin to treat people who disagree with us as problems rather than people Christ has placed alongside us. We can become more concerned about getting our way than building up the body. Personal preferences can slowly become personal battles.

That’s why Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Notice that he doesn’t say make unity. He says keep it. God has already given the gift; our calling is to guard it.

This applies far beyond the church. The same temptation can creep into our marriages, families, friendships, and workplaces. We can allow a disagreement, disappointment, or difference of opinion to become a dividing wall.

Jesus prayed for His followers, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). Christian unity is a powerful witness to the world because it shows what the Gospel does. Christ takes people who are different and brings them together around Himself.

So today, don’t begin by asking, “How can I get everyone to agree with me?” Begin by remembering, “What has Christ already given us?”

Then ask how you can protect that gift.

Perhaps it means listening before responding. Maybe it means letting go of a preference. Maybe it means seeking forgiveness or offering it. Maybe it means remembering that the person who frustrates you is also someone for whom Christ died.

Unity is not something we build. Unity is something Christ gives. And what Christ gives, we are called to guard.

Reflect: Is there a relationship in which my pride, preferences, or expectations may be creating division? What might it look like to guard the unity Christ has given? How would remembering that another Christian is part of the same body of Christ change the way I respond to them?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for making me part of Your body and for giving me brothers and sisters in Christ. Forgive me for the times my pride, preferences, or selfishness have created division. Give me a humble and patient heart. Help me recognize the unity You have already given us and faithfully guard it through forgiveness, patience, peace, and love. Keep our families and congregation centered on You, our one Lord and Savior. Amen.