"Kia hari tahi me te hunga hari, kia tangi tahi me te hunga tangi".
"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn".
—Romans 12:15
In Romans 12:1 Paul urges us: “...brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”.
Paul then reminds us in verse 15 to: “ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn”.
Through God’s mercy in Jesus you’ve become brothers and sisters—together. Offer your bodies as living sacrifices together, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship—together.
Therefore, rejoice together with those who rejoice; and mourn together with those who mourn.
The death and resurrection of Jesus changes everything.
It changes who we are. We are now brothers and sisters.
It changes what we do with our bodies, living 24/7 as holy sacrifices to a holy God.
God’s resurrection of Jesus brings us into a new family with a new focus—not on ourselves but on him and each other. Neither of these things diminishes the presence of celebration or grief in the church family.
What God’s resurrection of Jesus does is invite us into celebration—oriented to God’s grace and hope. Our greatest delights are gifts of grace. Our greatest griefs are not the end of the story.
God’s grace and hope invite us, as a church family, to share more deeply in family members' celebrations and griefs.
To rejoice with those who rejoice; and mourn and with those who mourn.
