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People who know me know that I'm a Smallville addict. I have all three seasons on DVD and I watch an episode every night.
As I watch the series, I notice several things, but one has been standing out lately. I've taken note that Smallville has
a cast.
We all know that our shows contain a list of actors and actresses that play each of the major characters. And an episode
might have guest stars that are showing up during the opening credits. The combination of people on the series bring together
a mix of personalities.
But think about this with someone like Clark Kent. Wouldn't you think that someone like Clark Kent would be able to handle
things all by himself? Here is someone who could cross the whole town in less than a minute, who's bulletproof, and who can
see through walls.
But yet, Clark Kent does not fight alone. In fact, on season 3 for instance, there are seven other cast members. One of
them is the main villain for him now, and another would be Lex Luthor, who is slowly turning to the dark side. But the other
five each play a part in his life.
Where would Clark be without Lana, the love he seeks from the one who cares for him and even when they're not dating is
a good friend? What about Pete Ross who, though sometimes only gets a couple of lines an episode, is the only person outside
his family who knows his secret, and who he can confide in? What about Chloe? She's working at the school newspaper figuring
out what's going on, and letting him know, not realizing inadvertently, only he can stop it. Lastly, what about his parents
who have been his guiding light and made him the hero he is today?
Well, this is certainly an interesting look at Clark Kent, but again, my readers know I have more in mind than my favorite
superhero series. From the point of analogy, if someone like Clark Kent cannot save the world without the help of those around
him, what chance do you or I have?
In recent Bible studies at my church, a topic has come up more often on what to do about the church today. Part of the
problem is that the average churchgoer expects the pastor to do it all for him or her. The parishioner expects that the pastor
will give the truth, do the witnessing, and do the evangelizing, and they'll do their part by giving their tithes and showing
up at church.
That's nonsense. That's like saying because you attend a sporting event and pay for concessions that your team will win.
Now, you could motivate your team, just like high attendance in a church can motivate a pastor, but you're not going to help
the cause in the long run. Of course, we do have this collectiveness, in with even sports that when the local team wins,
you hear all the fans saying "We won."
That might work for sports, but it won't cut it in the church. Your pastor, my pastor, and myself as being one in ministry,
are imperfect people. We cannot possibly do it all. Where I work, one of my bosses is one of the nicest ladies I know and
she runs herself to death because she thinks that she has to do it all.
There was a time when I signed onto my internet chat program and saw a friend of mine on there speaking. Just listening
to his voice I could tell that he was feeling sick. He said that he had strep throat, so I sent him a private message and
told him to get some sleep. He said "Truth must be defended." Now don't get me wrong. I do believe that, but as
I told him, he's not the only defender. There was myself and several others that could defend when he wasn't there. Thankfully,
he did take my advice.
Being in apologetics, I notice that I don't know everything, but I know what I know well. Recently I was also debating
a JW in a chat group with two other friends of mine. One of them is a specialist on the Trinity all the way in England. Another
one is a master at the Greek language in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, I'm in Tennessee being the philosopher of the group.
Have you ever pondered such a thing? Thousands of miles separate three people but all of them were working for the common
goal. Thousands of miles separate us from other members of the body of Christ worldwide and in some cases, each other. Still,
we're all on the same team.
Not only do we have to meet to deal with the enemy but we have to meet to help one another. Have you ever considered how
many times the Bible has, what I call the "One another" commands?
Lev. 19:11 'Do not steal. " 'Do not lie. " 'Do not deceive one another.
Malachi 2:10
Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith
with one another?
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all
men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be
conceited.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled
the law.
Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle
in your brother's way.
Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 15:14
I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct
one another
1 Cor. 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there
may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one
another in love.
Galatians 6:1-2
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also
may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 5:19
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
1 Thess. 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (Usually the only one of these passages people know right off.)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and
all the more as you see the Day approaching.
James 4:11
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges
it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another
deeply, from the heart.
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 4:9
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [ Prov. 3:34]
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
purifies us from all [ Or every] sin.
1 John 3:11
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:23
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:11-12
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
2 John 1:5
And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one
another.
Something I often tell people is, that the Bible has little concept of individualism. In the Bible, the community is all-essential.
Acts pictures the church as a community, and our Lord had a group of disciples, not just one. If you want to see if Paul really
did believe in a team, read the end of his epistles. They often contain greetings to friends. One of the most interesting
ones is the Roman church where Paul had several friends while he had not yet been there.
This concept of teamwork is all throughout our culture. Before writing today, I finished a game of Final Fantasy on the
new Gameboy version I bought recently, where a team of four saves the world from evil. A friend of mine and I are playing
through Champions of Norrath now. He's using a character type in his own game and I'm using a diffferent one, out of a possible
five, and I've assured him on enemies he had a hard time with originally, "We're a team now and we'll do this together."
Let's picture the church that way. Let's picture them as a team. What if the church met and built each other up and studied
and trained together? What if the church learned how to fight off its opponents by refuting ideas that go against Scripture?
What if we each followed what has been called the Platinum rule of Philippians 2 where we esteem others as better than ourselves?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help
him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands
is not quickly broken.
This is probably the best passage on not fighting it alone, in Scripture. I leave it as my closing passage, and with my
closing remarks. It's time for the church to start working together against the tide of evil that is coming against us. In
the words of Peter Parker's Aunt May:
"You're not Superman you know."
In Christ,
Nick
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