Restoration Series: What Will Your Verse Be? | March 13, 2023

 The powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. —Walt Whitman

One of my favorite movies from the 80s is Dead Poets Society. Teacher Robin Williams tells his class that while they are here on earth, they have a voice. He quotes poet Walt Whitman saying they each may contribute a verse, and he then asks them, “What will your verse be?”

What a powerful question!

When I reflect on Pastor Aaron’s message yesterday about relationships, I’m reminded of the unity we are called to as a church who represents Christ to the world. The beauty of the church is that each of us plays a part in the body of Christ. We each have a unique role. We each may contribute a verse. Here’s how the Apostle Paul explains the unity of the church: 

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Notice 5 things:

1. Paul urges us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
2. We are to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
3. Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
4. He gave leaders to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ so we are united in faith and knowledge.
5. So grow up! Because once we are all playing our part, the body grows in love.

Each of us has been given a unique combination of spiritual gifts, and when we use them in the body of Christ, everyone benefits. Do you know what your gifts are? Are you using them? When we use our gifts, we contribute to the wholeness of the body, and we help each other be everything God designed us to be.

If you aren’t sure what your gifts are or how to use them, God has given us leaders at Southeast to equip us and help us use our gifts and lives. When we play our part in God’s kingdom, we move toward wholeness, individually and in our relationships.  

The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?  

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