Stronger Together: Care for One Another

Care for one Another

The Bible lists 59 “One Another” statements,

showing how God expects us to behave toward other believers.

In fact, it’s impossible to live this out unless we are in community with Christians.

In a culture filled with vitriol and anger, Christ-followers are to live and love like Jesus.

The Kingdom Way is to Love God and Love People, So they can Love God and Love people.

that’s what we are all about!

As we rebuild this church after the devastaing lockdowns, Its important to me that we take the opportunity to do it right.

Not to just rush in and pick up where we left off 2 1/2 years ago, but instead to evalute each initiative to ensure they line up with our goal.

On Friday night we did that.

I want to thank everyone who got involved. Pastor Stan and the kitchen team

Matthew setup, Ann & Ernie who decorated, and the number of people who cleaned up and got this place ready for today

But also everyone who invited someone to attend.

Over 1/2 the people there were visitors. thats wonderful and amazing

Church ministry is always multi-dimensional.

We must strive to keep our four focus areas in equilibrium in order to remain healthy –

we’re called to make disciples, who make disciples by gathering, growing, giving and going with the gospel, all for the glory of God.

to make disciples we have to build relationships,

and to build lasting relationship we need to learn and practice the one anothers of Scripture,

Today were going to continue with that.

specifically the call to “Care for One Another”

Let’s pray

according to the Ocford diction

Care means: the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.

Interestingly, in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians,

Paul makes over 30 references to the local church functioning like the human body.

Just as our complex and intricate bodies need care and attention,

so too, the church can only be healthy and experience growth when everything is in balance and properly exercised.

Now leading to this passage The apostle Paul goes in a massive teaching on Spiritual gifts

What I find interesting is that some people see these things as 2 seperate topics.

often over or underestimating the spiritual gift portion

but its clear from this passage that Spiritual gifts are the method by which Paul saw the Body caring for Pne another.

So let’s get into it....

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 NASB95

12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

allow me to repeat vs 25

1 Corinthians 12:25 NASB95

25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

There has been much opportunity for division over the last few years.

we all have experienced that.

Paul connects overcoming division by caring for one another.

Now the world does understand this principle,

Caring for another is still a virtue.

I can’t say the same about some of our federal leaders,

Now I know some of you don’t like when I bring up political matters.

but when the church ignores these things the just grow in darkness.

You may remember in 2017 the liberal government brought in the Euthanasia law. Medical Aid in dying (MAiD)

Well, when it was introduced it was only accessible by those who were terminally ill.

In 2022 the liberals are wanting to amend the act to make it available to basically anyone who wants it.

Mentally ill, terminally ill, depressed, having a bad day it doesn’t matter now

You just have to find a doctor willing to kill you.

And they’re around

One vancouver doctor has murdered over 400 people since 2017

https://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2022/12/vancouver-doctor-has-killed-more-than.html

To give you a comparison. If you add togther the 10 most prolific serial killers in Canadian history they don’t even come close to this 1 doctor.

In 2021 3.3% of all death in Canada were MAiD

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/more-than-10-000-canadians-received-a-medically-assisted-death-in-2021-report-1.6025922

I understand they think they are caring for people when they help them to die,

but they are’t.

But we can’t simply put the blame on them.

The universal church has to take an honest look at ourselves and ask are we actually caring for people.

are we there to meet their needs to the best of our ability?

This is to serve as a reminder to Care for one Another.

So How do we do that ?

Well the Apostle Paul gives us some insights into how to make this work.

1) Value diversity

1 Corinthians 12:14 NASB95

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

this is a common theme among politicians

diversity is important and promoted .

but diversity without Unity is a big mess

If unity is emphasized at the expense of diversity, we have uniformity. Everyone is the same.....That is not good.

If diversity is emphasized at the expense of unity, we have anarchy. Everyone doing their own thing .......That is not good either.

We need to celebrate unity without demanding uniformity. Unity and diversity. Diversity in unity.

eg hockey team

many differnt positions, but all working towards the same goal.

whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free,

God dreams of a church where black and white, Hispanic and Asian, rich and poor, farmer and businessperson, couple and single, married and divorced, widow and widower, cop and convict, student and senior citizen, reformed prostitute and rambunctious preteen, former addict and faithful attender, lifelong saint and new believer can all join hands and celebrate our designed diversity within unfettered unity.

2) Each person is indispensable

1 Corinthians 12:15–16 NASB95

15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

God has placed you to live out your purpose in this place for His pleasure.

3) Each person is divinely designed and perfectly placed in the body.

1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB95

18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

4) No one is superior, but everyone is essential.

1 Corinthians 12:19–21 NASB95

19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

5) Each person is interconnected, not independent.

1 Corinthians 12:24 NASB95

24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

Paul gives us these 5 points to focus us on how to care for one another.

You won’t care for something if you don’t feel it has value.

But if you value something you will care for it!

Same is true of our relationship.

If you value the relationship you will go out of you way to care for it.

This welding together of lives within the body of Christ provides two challenges:

1. Promote unity while protecting diversity.

According to the front half of verse 25, God does this so:

“That there may be no division in the body…”

The phrase “no division” means, “no dissension, faction, schism, or tear.”

2. Practice mutual care. Listen to the last part of verse 25: “…But that the members may have the same care for one another.”

The phrase “same care” means, “to be anxious about.”

That means we should have concern about the welfare of others.

Acts 4:32–35 NASB95

32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

Am I saying we should all this today.

Sell our homes and give the money away?

No this passage is telling us what this local church in Jerusalaem did.

its interesting to note that a few chapters later

Acts 8:1 NASB95

1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Whats the point of a house if you get chaced out of it?

I believe God saw this peril was coming and prepared the people in advance for it.

Just thinking. if they never sold their homes, and the persecution came, they’s have nothing,

but selling their homes prior to the persecution and giving it to the church, meant the church then had the means to help them flee

The point is this, are you willing to put yourself out there to care for others..

admitted Caring for others is hard, it cost you alot

time, energy, resources,

often you may not see any rewards for a long time, sometimes never

But we care for others because Jesus cares for us!

1 Peter 5:7 NASB95

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

1 John 4:9–10 NASB95

9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

As Christmas approaches, and we celebrate the coming of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ

born in a humble manger.

He himself needed to be cared for by Mary & Joseph

and the wisemen who travelled from afar bringing gifts that were symbolic in nature, but also would fund their escape and exile into Egypt

they cared for Jesus

Now obviously noone has the means to care for everyone,

I believe the method is clear

we have to be open to listening to Holy Spirit when He leads us to care for other.

When you see a need ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you if you are the one called to meet that need. If yes then how?