by Naomi Moon

Building One Another Up

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 English Standard Version

What does the word “church” make you think of? Maybe it is the style of music, or an amazing building with beautiful architecture and art. Maybe it is your local congregation that you gather with, sharing fellowship and community with the people who live around you and love Jesus. 

In this letter Paul writes to the church of Thessalonians who are also believers, members in the community of the one Lord, Jesus Christ. Paul often uses metaphors to explain what he means by church, with one of the most common ones being that we are all a member of the body of Christ. Some may be like a hand, some may be like a foot, but none is more important than the other. We are all under one head, Jesus. The main role of the church is to build one another up, like he references here in 1 Thessalonians. We are to spread the Good News of Jesus to those who don’t know him, but the church itself, the people of God, are called to build one another up in love, and point one another to the cross.

How are we to do that today? In your local congregation, you have many opportunities to be the body of Christ, in loving and serving your neighbor and caring for those in your midst. Because we know we are all redeemed by the work of Christ, we can share his love to those around us in everything we do.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado