New Year, New Us?
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Romans 12:3-21
What are some of your New Year Resolutions?
Craziest one?
One of the things that the deacons set as a goal for this year as a church is for a focus on unity.
So, no time like the present on setting this goal as a church and preaching on it to begin the year!
So, this morning we have a ton of scripture to read! But it will be good, so hang in there!
I want to begin by giving a biblical foundation for unity of the body....
Let’s start with John’s words in:
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Does that refer to any of us in here this morning?
If we receive Him, Jesus, believe in His name, we have the right to become children of God!
And, as children of God, we recognize that we have the same Father!
And, not only do we have the same Father, we become a part of the Family of God.
It’s like the old hymn lyrics of the “Family of God”
“I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.
You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here,
It's because we're a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.”
Once we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior we receive the bonus of gaining an adopted family...
A whole host of brothers and sisters!
And, some of you are super thankful for that as you think about your family.....no names being named today!
Jesus establishes this thought in:
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
We, who do the will of God are brothers and sisters in the kingdom..
I’m somewhat of a weirdo, if you don’t already know that...
I used to really dislike calling someone a brother and sister that is not my brother or sister...
And then I moved to Arkansas.....everyone down there is referred to as a brother or a sister.
Living there quickly changed how I looked at calling others brother and sister....
So, what’s up brothers and sisters?
We have established biblically that we are all a part of the same family when we follow Jesus…let’s look at what this looked like for the early church..
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
So, we see in Acts two how after the day of pentecost came and 3000 people were saved that day that the early church were serious about this family thing...
They met daily in each other’s homes, shared a meal, prayed and sang songs together...
They also sold whatever abundance that they had to help each other out!
They had everything in common....
God blessed this as He added to them people that were saved...
Jumping forward to Acts 4...
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Again we see that their hearts were in same place to helping each other out...
I wonder if we are missing out on some blessings from God because of our busy culture?
We are so busy that we often don’t spend much time with one another...
Y’all have either lived it or shared the stories about how not that many years ago, people were often together most of the day on Sunday...
Sunday morning worship, then going to someone’s house for lunch and then back again for service in the evening....
And now, many won’t even make time to make it to church on Sunday morning.
Not to mention…or TO mention…all of the scheduled activities that take place on Sundays...
Baseball/softball tournaments, football games, wrestling tournaments…and the list goes on and on....
We live in a culture where it seems like we have to fill every waking minute with something to do...
I wonder what would happen if we came together as one family and enjoyed spending time with each other?
Now, I am not saying that we go back to the early church and spend every day together...
But, let’s just think about it for a minute...
What would it be like to share together, pray together, sing praises together and help each other out on a regular basis....
As I was laying in bed earlier this week, God brought this idea of church family to my mind...
I just felt an overwhelming conviction and hunger to be in community with other like-minded people...
I was thinking about Damar Hamlin, the football player that passed out on the football field last week...
The day that this happened I got on facebook and my newsfeed was just full of people sharing the news and their prayers...
Now, please, do not mistake what I am about to say here…I think it is great that so many people are praying for him!
I just thought that if he had not been a professional football player if he would have had the same outpouring of support...
Clearly, probably not as he is a professional player, and it happened during a game with millions of viewers, so of course there is a large number of people who know about it...
And again, nothing wrong with praying for him....
What God brought to my mind though was, do we have this same heart for those around us who are hurting?
Just some transparency here, God convicted me of really caring for and desperately praying for those in our church or those that I know, with the same outpouring that people were praying for this gentleman
And I think, you guys are my family! Many of you are my closest friends..
This goes beyond me being the pastor and you being the congregants....this is the Church!
And so, I want to read a lot of scripture now about what it means to be in the family of God...
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
So, this is my heart this morning…And my goal for this year…to be a unified family!
One that is here for each other!
Who loves each other!
Who wants the best for each other!
Worship Team