The Parable of Henry

Last Sunday the focus of the service and the sermon was on the necessity of the Body of Christ  -- his physical body in our salvation and his corporate body (the church) in the outworking of that salvation.

We need the community of Christ's people surrounding us. We need the body of the church to enfold us.  We need the people of God if we are ever going to do the work of God.

In preaching class we are taught: "show, don't tell."  While I was busy "telling" last Sunday, God had a different plan in mind.  God was busy "showing."

Most readers of this blog, who are also members of our church, know the faithfulness of our brother, Henry, in worship.  Although he needs a ride every Sunday, he is always there.  Although he won't ask you about your week, he is careful to greet everyone in his own way.  When the songs are being sung, Henry has his hymnal open to the right page. He'll ask you for help if it isn't.  Same with his Bible,

Except last Sunday.  Last Sunday, Henry was out-of-sorts.  The usual helps of having someone help him with his hymnal and having someone to sit with him wouldn't calm his agitation.  Then we learned that Henry couldn't find his Bible. We asked everyone to look under their seats and around them, which they willingly did.  And I think Henry noticed that we wanted to help because, even though we didn't find it, he calmed down markedly.

So then I got up and did my 20 minute spiel about community and the church and the people of God doing the work of God.  I told you all about it.

Meanwhile, our sister Mary was scouring the church high and low for that Bible.  She told me she decided to "think like Henry" and see what she could do.  And, in that action, God showed.  Mary found the Bible, returned it to the owner and we saw -- rather than were told -- that God does the work of the Kingdom through all of us together.