Common Ground
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:1-4
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male more female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
INSIGHT
In a speech to students at St. Louis University in 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King made an alarming appeal to his audience.
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools,” he said.
For us, unity is easier to conjure up in a daydream than to make happen in front of us. In today’s scripture, John uses his firsthand experience as an apostle of Jesus to offer people an incredible, palpable form of unity. It was critical then, in the closer decades following the death and resurrection of Christ, yet terribly important now.
Today we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy. So much of that is centered on his ability to unify people for a common purpose. To move toward and achieve those purposes, he knew that nonviolence was one tool people needed, but he knew love was necessary no matter what. In a 1967 speech entitled “Where Do We Go From Here,” he reminded those listening of that kind of love. “I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love,” he said. “I’m talking about a strong, demanding love.”
John made it immediately clear in his epistle that the Word of life, the everlasting life accessible through Jesus Christ, is backed by authentic love. Jesus literally spoke to, walked alongside and cared for John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He wanted those around him to know the Savior is more than a spiritual figurehead because His love was demonstrated. It is more than an ideal; it is real, it is available, and it is redeeming.
Because of this truth, we have koinonia, or fellowship with God and through that, fellowship with other people. What a joy to be had! Those who believe in the redeeming grace of Jesus can’t help but worship and run and tell of it. It’s common ground worthy of celebration.
In this world, it often appears there are big ideas you can hop on that offer good vibrations or even serious prosperity. If vast numbers of us could just line up on the right social issue, or buy into that winning character trait, we could all enjoy some great things. Right? Well, there might indeed be some harmony to make things a bit more comfortable. At the end of the day however, the worldly followings we want to gain fellowship in will more likely be polarizing. Why? Because they rest on legalism. We have to build on something greater.
Dr. King also mentioned in that same speech that he was well-read on the world’s best political theorists, but their concepts were not what drove him. He said, “The kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism, but in a higher synthesis.”
We cannot expect real change unless we change the way we see and think about things. The Word of life promises real blessings from the unity we have in Christ. Through Christ, God invites us into a powerful, one-of-a-kind fellowship. There’s no common ground more joyous.
REFLECTION
Koinonia is the fellowship we have available with each other through communion with God. This is a beautiful concept, but what will it take for you to truly experience it?
Why are God’s demonstrations of loving you relevant to others?
PRAYER
Father God, You have shown me a love that is unwavering, deliberate, and real. You have loved me in spite of my deep flaws. It is on Your unconditional love I can always lean. Thank you for opening Your arms to offer me an everlasting relationship with You through Christ Jesus. Thank you also for those believers You have placed all around me to remind me of Your greatness and Your grace. Prepare in me this week a change in heart that will cause me to be driven to do things for more than myself, and share in the joy of living in Your grace. Amen.
Port City writer Adam King wrote today’s devotional.
