Episode 19: Acts 4:32-35

Translation: New Revised Standard, Updated (NRSVue)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
How do you see unity around you?

Additional texts:
Psalm 133
1 John 1:1--2:2
John 20:19-31

Transcript

00:01.70
nathanpile
Welcome back to tend a bible podcast. Ah this week. We're going to look at acts the fourth chapter ah verses 32 through 35 so the acts of the apostles is the full. Um. Full title of the the book. The book's name so acts 4 32 to 35. We're going to be reading from the translation. The new revised standard updated edition. So the new by standard version updated edition but you can follow along in whatever. Um, bible. You have close by or you can follow along on biblegateway.com the 3 questions this week what word phrase or image strikes you in this passage toward what is god calling you in this text and how do you. See unity around you mm.

01:03.67
Kevin Shock
That's a it's gonna be a difficult question to answer. Um, anyway, yeah yeah I hope so ah well before I even get into the disclaimer Nathan.

01:07.65
nathanpile
Ah, it might not be some people might have some great stories of unity. But yeah.

01:20.30
Kevin Shock
Ah, one thing I could not say last week that I will say this week. Ah, Alleluja Christ has risen I just wanted to get that right out there. Ah.

01:29.20
nathanpile
Hallelujah crisis is he has risen indeed allah. Um, so do you want to talk a little bit about why why? that is um, a thing 2 minutes you got 2 minutes

01:32.25
Kevin Shock
Ally Lu okay um

01:39.78
Kevin Shock
Yeah, briefly. Um, just um, it's a yeah, it's a long tradition in the in the Christian church that um during the season of lent because it had traditionally been a season of um repentance. Um. Self-examination. You know being I'm choking here but being mopi and you know thinking about all of the all of the sinful horrible things we do, um it I mean no it it? Okay, okay.

02:06.49
nathanpile
Um I think lent as mopi is a accurate description of from my from a child my childhood and young adulthood I would say we were really good about being mopi during len.

02:16.26
Kevin Shock
Yeah, but anyway that we we um we refrain from using the praise word Ali luja and now that um and we reserve that you know we take a ah 40 day break from using that word and then so that on easter morning we can say that word. That much louder and and more emphatically so anyway. Um this is a disclaimer about who we are. We are men married to women in financially stable households white in our late 40 s college and seminary educated we work in the lutheran church and were born and raised in Western Pennsylvania all this affects how we read scripture and discuss it. But none of this makes us better able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. We believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with god and one another. So we want to know what you hear and think from your life experience and perspective. So this is a reading from as Nathan said the acts of the apostles I sometimes like to call it the acts of the holy spirit as made known through the apostles. Um, but anyway acts.

03:21.13
nathanpile
Right? And I and I was gonna say I argue sometimes that it's the acts of God through the apostles. Yeah I agree. Yeah.

03:27.95
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, um, right? Everyone does something here because the holy spirit pushes them to do it so acts. Chapter 4 verses 32 through 35 now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions. But everything they owned was held in common with great power. The apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all there was not a needy person among them for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Laid it at the apostle's feet and it was distributed to each as any had need if you are meeting with a group I encourage you we encourage you to pause the podcast and ah engage the text and answer the questions on your own. Ah, but Nathan since you and I are together. Ah, what? Ah oops I almost gave the second question First what word phrase or image strikes you in this text.

04:32.80
nathanpile
Um, the apostles gave Testimony um, and um and I think that probably popped into my head because one of the things where I'm working on right now is getting ready for summer and Summer camp season.

04:35.62
Kevin Shock
The.

04:50.40
nathanpile
Um, and one of the things I've encountered here the last couple of weeks in my preparation is that idea of storytelling and and um, not that storytelling is new to me. But how how might we be better storytellers at camp. Um, as we tell god's story in the midst of our week of camp. Um, but also how do we help our our um young adult staff. Be better storytellers and then so here then I hit this word of Testimony. Um, and it's that idea of apostles. Um with great power. The apostles gave their testimony. Um, and so this idea of the apostles being storytellers or sharing the story that they've experienced what they have witnessed. Um you know and think of testimony today. Oftentimes we think about going to court. Um.

05:28.91
Kevin Shock
Um.

05:46.96
nathanpile
Is a place where we hear about Testimony Sometimes not some and in some traditions of the Church. We talk about testimonies at church. Not so often in ah in a lutheran Christian space is that something that we do, but it's that same idea being able to witness to. What God has done in our lives I think is an important part of what um what we at least in our tradition our lutheran Christian tradition I think it's one of the pieces that we could reclaim in some ways um of being able to kind of connect. Um, as you and I you know have done this podcast and have tried to kind of make clear with our disclaimer every time we that we read it is that that it's us together the interpreting scripture the community together. Everybody kind of providing their.

06:30.30
Kevin Shock
Um.

06:41.90
nathanpile
Their input about how they hear scripture and and and experience it. Um, in the midst of their life. It's a powerful thing and I think it's something that we as as god's people today as as this new um, this new church is forming as the paradigm shifts. As it does every 500 years a part of it I think in some ways is being able to for us to claim that same power that the apostles have as they gave Testimony as they gave witness as they told their story and so how do we? Um, how do we tell that story today. Um, of of god in the world and so um, so when you are reading it. That's again I think I have some ah I'm already sensitive to that to that word testimony so when you said it it kind of popped back into my head because I've been.

07:20.95
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

07:36.64
nathanpile
Wrestling with it here the last couple of weeks as we're doing our preparation.

07:42.40
Kevin Shock
And good. Yeah, same same phrase same phrase. Ah with great power. The apostles gave their testimony. Um I And the thing that I'm thinking of the spin that I kind of my brain kind of put on it.

07:44.73
nathanpile
No, how about you my friend.

08:01.31
Kevin Shock
Is that um you know that like there's not a lot. There's not a lot of the story. There's still figuring out the story at this point. Ah Jesus at this point has not been resurrected for very long and and and already um I mean it's already been. You know.

08:18.68
Kevin Shock
We we believe that forty days after the ah is it 40 or 50 now. No oh it's forty days forty days after yeah, yeah, forty days after Jesus was raised from the dead then he ascended again to the father and then.

08:26.97
nathanpile
it's it's forty it's 40 yeah

08:34.90
Kevin Shock
Fifty days ten days after that was when the holy spirit descended on the apostles on the day of pentecost. Um, that's where the 50 was in my head. But anyway they're you know they're still like sharing the story with each other. They don't they all don't know a whole lot about it and um, ah.

08:52.27
Kevin Shock
But so the thing I'm thinking about is what we what we see around that that testimony giving their testimony phrase is that there are ways that the community is now living into the resurrection life of Jesus um, that you know people are being transformed. The whole community is being transformed.

09:11.84
Kevin Shock
And and it was just like we were talking about in our last episode that there are a variety of ways to share good news and maybe you don't have to use the same exact script every time you share good news I think it's the same when it comes to testimony. You know it's.

09:29.43
Kevin Shock
They might be pointing to things that are happening in the community and saying look this is evidence that Jesus was raised from the dead. Um, and it might not. You know it might not just be about the empty tomb. It might be about all of the all the amazing things that are happening. Ah. The new life that is being breathed into the the group of those who believed the community of believers. Um, and I think that you know in some ways pointing to those stories and connecting those stories to Jesus is a way of giving testimony. I mean it's an effective way of giving Testimony I think um, you know it's it's kind of a way of saying you know, look look what Jesus is doing in our life and our life together. Yeah and and and this is Jesus is doing. Yeah.

10:20.95
nathanpile
Well and and there's well and there's different different people remember different parts of the of even the same experiences or moments with Jesus and so again, there's that richness of um.

10:28.50
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

10:36.61
nathanpile
Yeah, as it as they tell the story someone else say oh yeah and then this ah this happened and person would be like I don't remember that happening and her person's like well it did I was there as you know we were there we we saw and so we're getting there. They even amongst themselves as ah thepostle the apostles and the other believers who are gathered because this isn't just. 12 people. Um that have gathered there's there's there's a much more a much more so bigger sense of of community than that um already at this point. But yes, yeah, yeah.

10:57.54
Kevin Shock
Um.

11:05.88
Kevin Shock
Well at this point at this point there are thousands. Yeah, ah.

11:10.78
nathanpile
So but being able to kind of tear tell that they're telling that story. They're and so they're building that that ah that excitement of telling the story of of sharing their witness keeps building because others are others are adding to it. Others are are sharing their perspective and what that looks like. So. Yeah.

11:30.60
Kevin Shock
Yeah, great. Let's look at it again.

11:33.42
nathanpile
All right? We'll let's do it a second time here now. The whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions. But everything they owned was held in common with great power. The apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all there was not a needy person among them for as many as owned lands or houses sold them. And brought the proceeds of what was sold they laid it at the apostle's feet and it was distributed to each as any had need Kevin Toward what is god calling you in this text.

12:28.84
Kevin Shock
Um, I'm I'm trying to parse this down into one one usable sentence. Ah I think it I think God is calling me to um, see the see the the common humanity that we share. And to see the ah the belovedness of God in the lives of all people. Um, the reason I say that is because you know we we live in a much more. Fractured world than what is existing in this in this reading and you know there's a sense here that um, everyone people are people are sharing all of these things in common. You know, selling their private possessions and and. And allowing the proceeds to be distributed to people who have need um because of what it says in verse 32 that they were of one heart and soul and so there's a part of me that Thinks. Um I Ah I might be better at sharing my own things.

13:39.45
Kevin Shock
With people who are in need If only I'm able to recognize the the humanity that that we share and recognize that God loves them just as much at least just as much as God loves me um, and and recognizing that in in sharing those things with them.

13:51.12
nathanpile
Um.

13:59.70
Kevin Shock
I can share more of who I am with them as well. That's um I mean sharing sharing is a huge That's the that's the thrust of this whole short section of acts is it's It's all about sharing and ah yeah, and and sharing enabled by.

14:11.67
nathanpile
No.

14:18.55
Kevin Shock
The unity that comes from the holy spirit and the new life in Jesus now what about you Nathan.

14:27.48
nathanpile
Well and there it well. Ah I'm I'm of the I'm I'm right with you I think here the so some of you know this because you've participated but. The season of lent. Um, we looked at a book called Manna and mercy um, and and it talks about some common themes that are shared across all of scripture. So. There's some pretty big brush strokes that need to be. You know, accomplished to be able to cover all of scripture. Um. But 1 of the pieces that Daniel earlander does in manna in mercy is um, talks about that living as a community that shares as as Kevin has kind of used that word share I would build off of that and so this idea of ah, um, kind of throughout. Um, his book. He talks about being ah um, a manna community a community of of and so this goes back to um to that exodus experience and them wandering around the wilderness and god provides.

15:37.87
nathanpile
Ah, manna for the community and so there's this constantly he kind of pulls those threads those themes through this large um stretch of scripture from exodus through Jesus's life um and and so there's this piece of How do we live as man a people. How do we live so that each other has has food has dignity has a place to lay their head has water has you know how do? How do we live as that type of a society. As opposed to a society that um, that is that is wildly. It's all about me. Um, and and so here we get this flavor again of this theme.

16:23.21
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

16:33.72
nathanpile
Um, of of how god has woven it into god's ways that living as man a people means and living together living. Um so that so that there is um, again this idea of 1 heart one soul. Um, that we are the body of Christ. You know that's an an image of the new testament that we talk about um and I was just thinking the other day. Um, how? Um how as I've gotten older that that phrase of the body of Christ. Has meant more to me now than it did when I was younger in that that that's what we're called to be a part of and though there's there's lots of Paul uses that language quite a bit in Paul's writings that werere all part of the body or that were that that were each a part of the body. But the older I get the more I see the unity that we're sought to live into because of that and maybe I didn't see it as often. Maybe when I was younger like it was a nice idea that well we're the body of Christ. Yeah sure we're the body of Christ. Yeah, okay, but.

17:47.68
nathanpile
That That's really meant to to pull us together. Um in how we live our lives together of of how we how we share. Um, what's needed for life and how do we and how do we. As we continue to move forward. How do we as God's people live live in common live with that piece of of providing for one another so that we all all all know that we're loved all know that um you know. This is something that God says. But how do we live that as community in such a way that everyone feels It is is kind of the Goal. So.

18:41.31
nathanpile
So that would be the the piece for me is where I'm you know I feel called um to to how do we? How do we do that together.

18:52.58
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a gosh that's a that's a difficult that's a difficult question to answer. It's a difficult problem to solve in in our society the way that it's set up currently and and I mean you know it probably is a difficult thing to do. Back in in this age too. You know when when the apostles were active and the people were gathering together. Um, ah.

19:19.75
nathanpile
Well because I do think that there's obviously it you know it. It doesn't say that that there's a change in acts later on like oh we went back to our old ways. Yeah, there's not a chapter that that that that there's a right reading of that.

19:33.80
Kevin Shock
Ah, oh.

19:36.29
nathanpile
But obviously at some point in time we human beings went back to living as human beings. Um, um, that absolutely.

19:44.50
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I mean there there are glimpses of it in in the book of acts. Yeah yeah, um when when people decide that they're not going to share their the entirety of their possessions. Ah.

20:01.14
nathanpile
Right? save? Yeah yeah, Paul has writings of of of those details too. So it's not like ah like that that it in 19 you know.

20:01.16
Kevin Shock
And reserve from some for themselves. Um, yeah, but.

20:08.10
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, do.

20:18.69
nathanpile
Pick your year 1940 that all of a sudden. The the thing that started in in acts of right and in the acts of the apostles. Um, thinks kind of finally felt no, it was again I think that we live against a strong pool.

20:22.23
Kevin Shock
Things got bad again.

20:37.87
nathanpile
In our culture right now of of robust individualism and um and that is and and here this fourth chapter of acts that is not um.

20:56.45
nathanpile
It's not the way that the the apostles are and and those who are gathered the many who believe in this space and place who are gathered in this space and place That's not how they're living right now they're living they're they're attempting to live into. Um.

21:06.82
Kevin Shock
Right? Yeah yeah.

21:14.55
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

21:14.88
nathanpile
The ways of God so.

21:21.72
Kevin Shock
Okay, well um, look looking at it a third time. Okay, from acts chapter 4 now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions.

21:24.85
nathanpile
Yeah, let's do it a third time.

21:39.56
Kevin Shock
But everything they owned was held in common with great power. The apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all there was not a needy person among them for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Laid it at the apostle's feet and it was distributed to each as any had need Nathan how do you see unity around you I'm glad you're answering this question first.

22:09.11
nathanpile
Oh yeah, well and it's funny that this is the question this morning I was reading um ah a blog from Mockingbird. Have you ever encountered Mockingbird. It's an it's an interesting. Um, it's an interesting website and I wouldn't say news source but ah, it would be a thought resource. Maybe I might say I think.

22:25.26
Kevin Shock
Now I haven't It's not familiar to me.

22:44.96
nathanpile
And so it it is connected Christian somehow I'd have to go back and it's been a while since I remember their origin stories. Um, but anyway the the article I was reading about.

23:01.39
nathanpile
Was talking about how our world because we're living in this shifting of culture shifting of time. Um, that the the values and virtues that we've had in other cultures right? now are not a part of of. Of our life and our world. Um, because everything's in upheaval you know so the trust in organizations and in institutions like everybody's questioning that so who who do you trust? Um, you know, even as individuals we distrust one another if we look at our political setting and culture. Um, so there's though that having the similar you know when you think about unity one of the pieces I think that unites us is that we we believe the same things we trust the same things certain values are the things that we hold onto right now. All of our all of life is kind of saying everything's up for up for grabs and probably the the things that are um that are the most powerful is about personal safety and happiness. Also personal. So so the things that seem like the there are the biggest values of today's culture that's driving culture is about me. Um, you know am I safe am I happy now I think those are good things to ask.

24:38.00
nathanpile
But the point of the article or the writing because I hate to really call it an article. It was more again. It was more of a blog. It was kind of a couple of things put together. But the point of it was kind of saying like if if the point is me. There's not real unity in it then. Like because it's only about me. So if it's about Safety. It's about happiness then it's really only about me and so for me to to seek unity with somebody else their center has to be me. Ah.

25:14.40
Kevin Shock
Oh how? yeah.

25:16.16
nathanpile
Ah, which was an interesting like it was ah it was an interesting um course it kind of left me thinking. So Then how do we? How do we reform? How do we find unity again together. Um in that midst and so. Um, course it didn't answer that it was that was not why it was being written. It was being written to kind of point out that that this is this is the way. Um, our culture is right Now. Um, and and I think it's probably part of the the shifting.

25:37.94
Kevin Shock
Yeah, oh.

25:53.88
nathanpile
That we together as community have to come back together and say these are the things that we really value and it's just that we're not in that time yet, We're not yet in that space and place ready to start to say this is what I value now there might be some of us that are ready to go there.

26:12.50
nathanpile
We're tired of living anxious disjointed unconnected lives. Um, but I'm not positive. We're there yet completely. So this idea of of unity your question. Um, you know I would say that I I think we're a little bit more fractured.

26:32.40
nathanpile
Then we want to be and and oftentimes if I find unity. It's probably wrapped up in fear. So we've holed up together out of fear.

26:43.78
Kevin Shock
Oh yeah.

26:49.20
nathanpile
Ah, more So than that we've come to ah ah a common agreement about values and beliefs. Um, and so that's not a good place to be either. Um, and so again, there's a part of all of this for me of.

26:56.63
Kevin Shock
Um.

27:05.16
nathanpile
Like it's just going to take time for us to be able to um to seek that out. Ah and and and I I think as we but like are we reflective? Are we thinking that way. Um like I don't intentionally take. Ah, half an hour in journal or write about what does it mean to be unified with others like it's not something like I can feel I feel disjointed. But for whatever reason I haven't sat down and said I'm going to.

27:44.26
nathanpile
Deeply reflect and think about what does unity look like and how can I be a part of that yet Maybe because it's not bad enough yet I don't know but your question of unity kind of makes me feel like.

28:00.70
nathanpile
Yeah, if I if I were answering this I would say that we're that I struggle to say that I where I see unity. You know I see unity in in smaller groups then I do bigger groups unity and in people that can say I agree.

28:15.62
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah.

28:19.79
nathanpile
With where I'm at um, as opposed to larger larger entity. You know when we talk about organizations institutions um clubs. You know those kinds of things when I think about bigger numbers of people. We don't seem to be we don't seem to be there you know even when we talk about like again politics if we're talking about republicans and Democrats well we talk about the real liberal Democrats and the more conservative like even the Democrats are divided up into groups and the republicans are divided up into groups.

28:52.46
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right right? yeah.

28:59.20
nathanpile
So We we seem to be in smaller groups still as opposed to larger unity and maybe we have to fracture a little bit more to wrestle with how do we really have unity because I think part of the struggle is you know that we've said. You know all people are equal and yet many people in our culture and our society don't feel equal and so they always still feel on the outside. So. There's not unity in that and so maybe part of our time.

29:25.78
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right.

29:36.10
nathanpile
Right now is is to wrestle with the the our division and our divides and our judgment of each other so that we can begin to then put the pieces back together I don't know.

29:53.60
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah, yeah, there were a couple of things that you said that? um, that really kind of ranked ring true for me as well and one is I Do think that it's easier to see unity in smaller groups than it is to see it. Over Society as a whole um and the other thing that you talked about is that um well you mentioned you mentioned that a lot of times or there have been times that we've experienced being unified in Fear. Ah.

30:26.90
Kevin Shock
Rather than unified in shared values and that that was what that was what spoke to me um that that really unity. Um I think unity I don't know I don't know if requires is the right word but in my mind shared values is always a part of what. What brings about unity. Um that that we're all in well I think you even use this word. We're all in agreement about what's important and and here in acts. Another place we see it is Paul's letter to the philippians in the kind of the end of the first chapter into the second chapter. Um, where people are looking after the needs of others so that you know as you were talking about that that um.

31:18.91
Kevin Shock
That rampant individualism doesn't exist because I mean ideally doesn't exist because everyone is looking out for everyone else's Needs. So No one has to worry about their own safety or their own happiness because other people in the group. Are providing that safety and happiness for them and um and which is ah which is a a hard model to sustain I guess I would say because we can be such individualistic people ah selfish people at worst but also um I think.

31:54.67
Kevin Shock
You know fear makes us self-referential as well that when we have a worry then we start to think about ourselves first rather than someone else. Um, which again I think is natural. But. Not helpful whenever we're strapping toward unity. Ah so yeah, so the shared values I mean here in in acts I don't know exactly what that value would be but but it could be simply the value of of recognizing and centering. Ah, new life in Jesus? um, and and so then having that trust in the resurrection and new life. Ah frees the people up to share all of these other things that normally they would cling to for their own safety and happiness. Um. You know, selling their possessions selling their lands their their homes. Ah so that they all so that everyone in the group could have exactly what they need to live and and the the ideal here and the way it plays out at least for this short moment of time in the book according to the book of acts. Is that um that even the people who are selling and giving up the possessions that they have those people are still having their needs. Met yeah, it's that there are they giving things up. Absolutely.

33:20.69
nathanpile
Yeah.

33:27.77
Kevin Shock
But they're no worse off than anyone else in the community because everyone is having their needs met Um, it does require that. Ah, and again I think you know was was it. It was this episode that you talked about Manna and mercy. Um, you know? ah.

33:42.73
nathanpile
Yeah.

33:46.86
Kevin Shock
Dan Erlander would say that this this is a manna moment this is because um, everyone is everyone is only focused on what on on just what they need to live and anything they have in excess they're giving to other people so that those people have just what they need to live as well.

34:05.10
Kevin Shock
Um, so all that to say I haven't really answered the question yet. Ah I think um and I talk I probably already talked about this in the podcast but I talk about it a lot so it wouldn't surprise me if if you all who are listening have heard it before um.

34:23.13
Kevin Shock
1 place that I see unity a lot is the animal shelter where I ah volunteer and and again it's not ideal because it's human beings and they all have differences of opinion about specific things. Um, but for the most part the the staff there has really worked to engender ah a. Culture where certain values are uplifted and um and there's ah, there's a pretty solid sense of what the mission of the organization is so that people have that mission in common. Ah, you know like. Ah, everyone there is to see is is interested and invested in seeing that dogs and cats get into homes where they can be cared for and and until they get to that place. We all as a group are caring for them together. In in that place or or in foster homes. so um so yeah like I said there are differences of opinion. But ah the thing that I find about the animal shelter and again it's not always the case. Um my my spouse who works there would tell you that it's definitely not always the.

35:36.77
Kevin Shock
It's because she she's one. She's just one of the people who has to deal with differences of opinion sometimes and and mediating between people. Um, but ah, even the thing that I notice is even when there is a difference of opinion. It seems to be. Again, in most cases put out in the open communicated clearly and then working toward a resolution um like pretty quickly because because if we're focused on. If we're focused on those things then it takes away from the mission of the organization. Ah, you know it like if if we're if we're worried about and this is a putting a bad spin on it. But I think sometimes you have to put the spin on it if we're worried about getting our own Way. Um. Then the animals suffer in in some regard and um and no one wants that to happen so there are sometimes where we we just move on with it like we like we recognize what the difference is.

36:50.20
Kevin Shock
And we either come to agreement on it or or come to agreement that um ah, arguing over this thing is not as important as we think it is in the moment and so we go back to the work that we're doing um the thing that the thing that um, both amuses me and bothers me is that um.

37:09.70
Kevin Shock
This kind of communication seems to happen in a much more efficient and effective way at the animal shelter than it does in the church and and I think part of.

37:17.73
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah, well I because I was as as you were describing it I thought is it because of they have a ah shared love of the dogs and the cats the pets then then it and and so then what does it.

37:26.24
Kevin Shock
Sure it is yeah.

37:33.49
nathanpile
What does it say about us as human beings. You know we don't seem to have enough love for 1 another? yeah you know.

37:41.64
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right? Yeah right, right? and and and especially when you consider that you know Jesus names the important commandments as being loving god and loving our neighbor. Um, that's that's in a lot of ways our our mission statement as as christian people. As followers of Jesus and and frankly I mean I I don't know if this is true or not but this is the way I see it that anytime we're having arguments about petty things or or maybe not so petty things. In the church we are in some ways expressing this issue is more important to us than how we love one. Another.

38:30.27
Kevin Shock
And and I don't think that means I don't think unity means that there's not difference of opinion I I think that I think unity means that we know a way and have a way to work.

38:36.38
nathanpile
Yeah.

38:47.50
Kevin Shock
Beyond difference of opinion. Um, and Unity doesn't mean that there aren't arguments disagreements but Unity does shape how we communicate with one another in the midst of those things.

39:02.92
Kevin Shock
And how we stick by 1 another and how we continue to love one another in the midst of differences and disagreements.

39:16.42
Kevin Shock
And yeah I mean what you say Plainly is true that people love the animals but for them that's their mission. Their mission is they're there to love the animals and in the church we're here to love God and and each other and our neighbor.

39:24.74
nathanpile
Yeah.

39:32.76
nathanpile
Um, right and I think we probably can love God It's the loving each other that probably gets in our way a little bit more.

39:35.50
Kevin Shock
Um, so you know.

39:45.24
Kevin Shock
Ah, yeah, absolutely And and I don't want to throw a wrench in the works. But I question if if we're not good at loving each other. How much do we actually love God So that's that's another That's a discussion for another episode but ah yeah, yeah.

39:52.91
nathanpile
Well there.

40:00.77
nathanpile
Yeah, absolutely.

40:02.96
Kevin Shock
I mean it calls it into question does it? not? Yeah yeah, yeah, Well anyway I mean that's where I see unity around me and I and I pray that I see it more in the church too. Yeah I do see it in pockets of the Church. At times in the church. Yeah yeah.

40:22.24
nathanpile
Sure Sure Yeah, my mind was a long kind of I that I wasn't kind of communicating places where I see unity for the church. Um, ah. Again I would say I see it in smaller groups than I do in bigger groups but it but from but I there's a part for me that it feels a little um.

40:56.35
nathanpile
There's so much going On. There's so much division going on in in our world right now. Um that I'm not I'm not sure you know as a leader in the church. There are times that I even question how might I help. Lead others. Um and it it. It feels a lot like you're making your best guess. Ah, you know the day that you're there. You're making the best decision you can make um of of how how do I try to live In. Um, or towards unity with others um recognizing that in my own selfishness at times is going to get in the way. Um, still, but but that that we're that we're striving for that and and and and again ah part of this.

41:49.47
nathanpile
To me feels like this is a part of this bigger thing of of the shifting phases of things and so it's harder to kind of say you know years ago when I read the book about postmodernism and and it said um like.

42:08.60
nathanpile
You're not like as we live through this. There's going to be a loss of what truth is and at the time when I read it I was like that's absurd but boy and in 2024 there everything kind of feels like it's ah all truth.

42:13.51
Kevin Shock
And.

42:27.39
nathanpile
That was truth twenty years ago now feels like is up in the air because I read that book when I was in seminary. So it's now you know now it's up was twenty years ago not quite 19 But um, but so that's a part of this character part of what we're living through.

42:29.64
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yep.

42:45.35
nathanpile
Is that there's a loss of some of that shared value truth certainty um and we'll come out of that and have it again will come out of this transitioning of the shifting. Um, and we'll have it again, but it will.

43:05.68
nathanpile
You know it won't be perfect. It'll be human and so it'll still need to happen again. 500 years down their line again. Kind of a thing but so well let's see ah additional texts for.

43:24.64
nathanpile
Um, for your readings here. Ah psalm 34 how good and pleasant. It is to live together in unity. That's a great psalm one 33 and so if you've not read it before I encourage you yeah encourage you to um.

43:35.98
Kevin Shock
Yeah, short.

43:44.64
nathanpile
To look that one up first John one. Ah, first. So first John chapter 1 verse 1 through chapter 2 verse 2 and it's walking in the light. So some of that johaine language around. Walking and living in the light and then another John text to John 20 verses 19 through 31 and and this is what we consider to be the doubting Thomas beholding the wounds of of the risen Christ um. Is typically the passage that we hear um here the Sunday after the resurrection. So so those are additional text that you could um ah read continue to kind of chew on and.

44:41.87
nathanpile
And ah, think about if there are things that bubble up for you please again, share those with us at tend to bible podcast at gmail.com or on social media. Ah continue to share. Um, if you see one of our posts on Facebook. Feel free to share those with people that you think might be interested in in listening along in this journey on the podcast and and feel free to share reflections with Kevin and I as always we hope to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you and peace. Well I said both of them dinner now just cut Kevin out completely here at the end of this one so grace to you there. We go.

45:22.10
Kevin Shock
And peace.

45:32.48
Kevin Shock
Ah, and piece.