In my home, I have multiple coffee machines and several ways to make coffee:
A Keurig coffee maker
A Jura Espresso machine [grinds beans or accepts ground coffee] with a steam nozzle
A Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Espresso machine
A Nespresso machine
An IKEA stove top espresso maker
A coffee bean grinder
And a jar of Nescafe Classico instant coffee from Mexico
Funny thing, 99.9% of the time, when I am home, I only drink espresso from the Nespresso machine [I know, this makes no sense, but if you know me well, it makes all sorts of sense].
Now when I’m out, and if I order coffee, I always order the same type of coffee: a doppio, double cupped, in a short cup, ristretto pull, with two inches of hot water. I drink it without sugar or creamer because I don’t drink candy bars, but I’m not judging people who drink their coffee different from the way I like coffee. Well, maybe a little.
Brothers, sisters, we are one big kooky family of God.
There are as many ways to enjoy coffee as there are people: drip, espressos, americanos, frappuccinos coffee with chocolate, with Nutella, cold brews, pour overs, with different spices, with cow's milk, with almond milk, with cashew milk, or no milk at all… the list goes on and on. All of you know this,
But it’s all coffee.
In the end, it’s all coffee.
And this is true of the followers of Jesus as well.
Whether we call ourselves, Orthodox [Eastern or Oriental], Protestant [last count over 35,000 denominations including mainline denominations, non-denominational, and home churches] or Catholic, it’s Christianity isn’t it?
We are united by our belief in the literal resurrected Christ; we take the Bible seriously, and accept all of the basic tenets of the faith. Sometimes emphasizing one point of teaching over another. Brothers, sisters, we are one big kooky family of God.
So let’s focus on what binds us, and unites us instead of the type of coffee we prefer.