BBD 07.23.14 Absurdity in the Church (Classic)

#1 · July 23, 2014, 10:04 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on July 23, 2014, 10:04 pm
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

If for
some reason you do not receive your email version of the devotional please
check the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net for the “Devotional of the Day” and read the devotional
there.

The Burning
Bush Devotional

Classic
from 2007

07.23.14

Absurdity
in the Church

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand
fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the
same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women
who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. - Philippians 4:1-3 NKJV.

There was a routine appendix operation underway in
Belgrade. Everything appeared to be fine; however, that was before the
operation took a turn for the worst. No, the patient did not suddenly have some
unforeseen complication. No, the surgeon did not make an unfortunate mistake in
the surgery itself. No, the anesthesiologist did not administer the wrong
medication. So, what happened? Dr. Spasoie Radulovic was performing the
operation when there was a disruption. The anesthesiologist explains, “At one moment Dr. Dragan Vukanic pulled the ear of the operating doctor,
slapped him in the face and walked out.” Dr. Radulovic who was performing the operation, abruptly
followed the other doctor outside and the fight was on. Reportedly, the doctors
involved suffered bruises, loose teeth, split lips, and a fractured finger.
Thankfully, the assistant doctor for the surgery was able to complete the operation.

Can you imagine if you were a family member of the person
having the surgery and saw your doctor leave the operating room and become
involved in a fight? It is almost unthinkable for a situation like the one
described to have actually happened. I have never heard of something like that
happening! Surgeries are difficult enough without having to fight with another
surgeon during the operation. Even in a war zone where there are distractions
from incoming fire, and multiple traumatic wounded soldiers there is not the
added stress of having to fight fellow doctors. Normally, the focus is on the
injured, the hurting, and the one who needs medical attention and not on
individual personalities of medical personnel.

The apostle Paul gives us a hint of a situation in the
church that is just as absurd as what happened in Belgrade. Paul says, “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the
Lord.” Apparently, there was a serious disagreement
between the two so much so that their names remain forever in the Scriptures.
These were not new Christians or immature Christians. No, Euodia, and Syntyche
had “labored with” Paul “in the
Gospel.” These were not just any Christians, but
serious Christians who had once labored mightily for the cause of Christ. What
a tragedy! You can sense the pain of Paul as he says these words because
such a thing ought not to be.

For those involved in a breach in the unity of the
church, it means they are out of fellowship not only with others in the body of
Christ, but with the Lord Himself. With the eternal destinies of so many at
risk, it is even worse than a surgeon walking out in the middle of surgery
to have a fistfight. If you are involved in such a situation, I implore you
just as the apostle Paul implored Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord.”
Reconciliation between those involved in a breach in the fellowship could
result in others being convicted of their need to turn back to the Lord as
well. The end result could be a revival that begins in your church and spreads
from church to church impacting the entire world.

Copyright © 2007-2014. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

www.theburningbush.net

www.theburningbush.org

The .org
Burning Bush website

is being updated.

The Burning Bush websites have
received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating 15 years online since
January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been
spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000 subscribers across the
world.

You can leave comments/feedback
about the devotionals at www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on
theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of all of the pages.

Prayer Warriors Wanted! Please join the
Burning Bush Prayer Group. The group began in 1998. Send prayer requests and
receive prayer requests. To join send an
email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
You can make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com View LinkedIn
profile with endorsements at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of
prayer - please pray for me.).

If you enjoy the devotional
please recommend it to your friends. They may subscribe by sending a blank
email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/DevotionalArchive.html.

Devotion vs Devotional: We do our
devotions, we read devotionals.

You can unsubscribe to the
burningbushdevo devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html
text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is only being sent now
in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
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--

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Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

If for
some reason you do not receive your email version of the devotional please
check the Burning Bush website at http://www.theburningbush.net for the “Devotional of the Day” and read the devotional
there.

The Burning
Bush Devotional

Classic
from 2007

07.23.14

Absurdity
in the Church

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand
fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the
same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women
who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. - Philippians 4:1-3 NKJV.

There was a routine appendix operation underway in
Belgrade. Everything appeared to be fine; however, that was before the
operation took a turn for the worst. No, the patient did not suddenly have some
unforeseen complication. No, the surgeon did not make an unfortunate mistake in
the surgery itself. No, the anesthesiologist did not administer the wrong
medication. So, what happened? Dr. Spasoie Radulovic was performing the
operation when there was a disruption. The anesthesiologist explains, “At one moment Dr. Dragan Vukanic pulled the ear of the operating doctor,
slapped him in the face and walked out.” Dr. Radulovic who was performing the operation, abruptly
followed the other doctor outside and the fight was on. Reportedly, the doctors
involved suffered bruises, loose teeth, split lips, and a fractured finger.
Thankfully, the assistant doctor for the surgery was able to complete the operation.

Can you imagine if you were a family member of the person
having the surgery and saw your doctor leave the operating room and become
involved in a fight? It is almost unthinkable for a situation like the one
described to have actually happened. I have never heard of something like that
happening! Surgeries are difficult enough without having to fight with another
surgeon during the operation. Even in a war zone where there are distractions
from incoming fire, and multiple traumatic wounded soldiers there is not the
added stress of having to fight fellow doctors. Normally, the focus is on the
injured, the hurting, and the one who needs medical attention and not on
individual personalities of medical personnel.

The apostle Paul gives us a hint of a situation in the
church that is just as absurd as what happened in Belgrade. Paul says, “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the
Lord.” Apparently, there was a serious disagreement
between the two so much so that their names remain forever in the Scriptures.
These were not new Christians or immature Christians. No, Euodia, and Syntyche
had “labored with” Paul “in the
Gospel.” These were not just any Christians, but
serious Christians who had once labored mightily for the cause of Christ. What
a tragedy! You can sense the pain of Paul as he says these words because
such a thing ought not to be.

For those involved in a breach in the unity of the
church, it means they are out of fellowship not only with others in the body of
Christ, but with the Lord Himself. With the eternal destinies of so many at
risk, it is even worse than a surgeon walking out in the middle of surgery
to have a fistfight. If you are involved in such a situation, I implore you
just as the apostle Paul implored Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord.”
Reconciliation between those involved in a breach in the fellowship could
result in others being convicted of their need to turn back to the Lord as
well. The end result could be a revival that begins in your church and spreads
from church to church impacting the entire world.

Copyright © 2007-2014. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

http://www.theburningbush.net

http://www.theburningbush.org

The .org
Burning Bush website

is being updated.

The Burning Bush websites have
received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating 15 years online since
January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been
spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000 subscribers across the
world.

You can leave comments/feedback
about the devotionals at http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on
theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of all of the pages.

Prayer Warriors Wanted! Please join the
Burning Bush Prayer Group. The group began in 1998. Send prayer requests and
receive prayer requests. To join send an
email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
You can make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com View LinkedIn
profile with endorsements at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of
prayer - please pray for me.).

If you enjoy the devotional
please recommend it to your friends. They may subscribe by sending a blank
email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/DevotionalArchive.html.

Devotion vs Devotional: We do our
devotions, we read devotionals.

You can unsubscribe to the
burningbushdevo devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html
text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is only being sent now
in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org
and then respond to the confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and
paste the link.

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org