Better Together

Greeting

Tremendous prayer meeting last night!

I look back at 2022, and I see such great strides we have made…

In all of these things, I want more.

And God is not done yet! “I will build MY church.”

There will be attacks… but we are the Church Triumphant!

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PRAY

Text

Acts 2:42–47 KJV 1900

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Sunday morning, Pastor preached to us a great word, that I soaked in. I hope we all did. He had no idea what I would be preaching today. But I felt led of the Lord in this months and months ago.

Designed to Be Together

Andy Griffith - “The Haunted House”

{SHOW PICTURE: Andy Griffith}

In The Haunted House episode, in the middle of a place that was very strange and unsettling, they moved TOGETHER through the building. They weren’t told to, it was natural.

My grandmother, who I miss, reached forward for someone when we were on a roller coaster. She got them by the hair! But she reached for anybody, anything, in a place of fear.

Togetherness

We are BETTER TOGETHER.

I could do my own thing, but God made me to be a part of the body of Christ!

The New Testament uses the phrase “one another” 58 times. The NEW Testament.

There is a reason for that.

God designed us to be connected, and life breaks down when we are not!

Different, But Still Together!

1 Corinthians 12:12–28 NKJV

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being 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 have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Enemies of the Body

Let me tell you what we are up against, if we are to be a unified body.

The American Giants

Busyness

Luke 10:38–42 NKJV

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Materialism

1 Timothy 6:7–8 NKJV

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Matthew 6:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mark 8:36 KJV 1900

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Isolation

1 Corinthians 12:14 KJV 1900

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

Proverbs 18:1 NKJV

1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.

Hebrews 10:25 NKJV

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Spirit of Offense

Ecclesiastes 7:21–22 ESV

21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

Proverbs 19:11 ESV

11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

James 1:19 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

Luke 7:23 ESV

23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Coming Against the Enemy

We want to slay these things!

This is how we can focus away from “me” and toward “being in Christ,” secure and rock solid.

Part of being “together” is submission, also!

True Fellowship

Moving beyond “surface” fellowship to “true” fellowship.

An Exhortation on Unity

What I’m about to read is Paul exhorting on unity. But the focus is turned on problems within the Church.

Philippians 2:1 KJV 1900

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

These are like little “if” clauses. And they are things assumed to be true.

So, the sense of the first clause is “If there are any grounds for exhortation because you are in Christ, as indeed there are.…” As Christians, they were in a vital union with Christ and this placed obvious obligations on them. They were responsible to heed the orders of Christ as issued by him either directly during his ministry or through his apostles.

Second, the comfort and encouragement provided by love should prompt the Philippians to join hands in common action. Their love for Christ and for their fellow believers (including Paul) ought to impel them to desist from divisiveness in any form.

Third, the fellowship produced by the Holy Spirit should stimulate the practical exercise of unity. They have been made one by the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12:13) and thus are partners with him and with each other. Recognition of this theological truth would find expression in their lives.

Fourth, the existence of tenderness and compassion among them would make the unity that was being called for the normal and expected thing.

Philippians 2:2 KJV 1900

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

The exhortation itself is first stated and then elaborated on. Paul exhorted the Philippians to make his joy full by minding the same thing. He was already experiencing joy because of his associations with this church (1:3, 4; 4:10), but one thing was yet needed to make his joy “complete” (plērōsate). They needed to be “like-minded” (literally, “mind the same thing”). Of course, this was not a command for unity at the expense of truth. It assumes that “the same thing” is also “the right thing.”

The enjoinder to maintain unity in their thought and action is elaborated on in four participial phrases. By complying with these instructions, the readers would create a climate where true unity would flourish.

So he tells them what they need...

Philippians 2:2–8 KJV 1900

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Conclusion

We are BETTER TOGETHER!

“I Need You To Survive”

Next Wednesday, no one will be at this location! We’ll all be in LifeGroups!