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The Kiss of Connecting (Part I)

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Romans 16:16 (KJV)
  1. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

The Kiss of Connecting - Part I
"The Church as a Body"

Romans 16:16

At the close of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome he gives greeting to 26 people by name, and then exhorts the Christians at Rome to "greet one another with a holy kiss." This is the first of five times a similar injunction is given by Paul (I Corinthians 16:20; II Corinthians 13:12; I Thessalonians 5:26; I Peter 5:14). Though greeting one another with a kiss was a cultural way of meeting in Paul's day. Paul gives new meaning to how a Christian should greet another Christian commanding a "holy (special, set apart) kiss." What is important in this commandment is not the method of the greeting, but the meaning behind the greeting.

Churches need to remember that methodology changes, but what we value never changes. A "holy" kiss means we value people in our church. (1). It could be a "holy" handshake, (2). it could be a "holy" hug, (3). or it could be a "holy" kiss. There should be something special about your relationship with other believers and the way you value and cherish them. Do you value the people seated around you? I want to show you three things about the people of this church: you should value them, you can value them, and you will value them.

  1. You should value the people of Emmanuel.
    Turn to Romans 12:4-5.
    1. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office;
    2. So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
    In this text we, the people of Emmanuel, are seen as a body. Paul uses this expression over 30 times in the New Testament. What does this mean?
    * No individual member of Emmanuel can function effectively by himself.
    Do we want our church to impact our community? Do we want people in this city to know that there are people at Emmanuel who care about them -- their souls, their welfare, their families. Then we must function as a body. For us to make an impact, we have to realize that Christ has put us together and our purpose is intertwined. You need each other. We can't minister to others unless we minister to each other.
  1. You can value the people of Emmanuel.
    Turn to I Corinthians 12:14-22; 25-27.
    1. For the body is not one member, but many.
    2. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
    3. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
    4. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
    5. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
    6. And if they were all one member, where were the body?
    7. But now are they many members, yet but one body.
    8. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
    9. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.

    - - - - - - - - - -
    1. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
    2. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
    3. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
    In this passage Paul talks about the church and how each and every member in the church is as important as any other member.
    * No individual member of Emmanuel should feel he is more important than another.
    When you realize that every person within the body of Emmanuel has a specific purpose, and thought you may not understand that purpose, you regard that member as a valuable part of the body, then you can value and cherish each person here.
  1. You will value the people of Emmanuel.
    Turn to Ephesians 4:3.
    1. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
    Paul is again speaking of the church as a body. He urges us all "to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." I believe when you see the importance of your duty to one another, you will do all you can to take care of those people around you. We envision a day when:
    * Every member of Emmanuel will work hard to function together as a body.
    This may mean that we have to change the way we do "church." It may mean that you have to get out of your comfort zone. But we all must. Our church is a body!


    Questions? Comments?
    Pastor Wade