Grin and Bear It

Questions and Notes

How does this fit the mission to Love God, Love People, Make Disciples?

We do the work of grace “bearing with” in order to be a unified and mature people growing “THE BODY”

How does this move the vision to be woven up, in, and out?

By internalizing God’s story of unity, we can live in unity that changes the story for our community

What Values Statement did I plant in the message?

Who will be transformed by this message? How?

What am I asking them to do?

SHAPE

Notes:

worthy of the calling? what is that calling?

Do what the last sermon said, which leads us to “bear with one another in love” what does that mean?

We make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit to be ONE body in One Spirit,

Communion

The new disc golf course is open. I haven’t had much time or energy, but squeezed in a round with a few guys here including Eric.

One of the great things about golf in any form is the chance to talk as you go. And as the group was talking, commenting on each other’s throws…complimenting the good ones…offering comic commentary on the bad, Eric was a stream of song references.

Disc goes into the tall grass…Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey...

Wind grabs a disc…sailing…takes me away

As one of us does what golfers…and bowlers do and tries to make the disc move the other way as it’s going the wrong way...”baby come back”

His soundtrack like nature was commented on and his response was, “Everything is a song.”

One of the most powerful wonders of the human mind is in connection. A certain smell brings up a memory, one story triggers the remembering of another one.

It’s this cross-referencing ability God gave us that allows for us to write, invent, solve problems, and remember.

So Jesus on the night he was betrayed creates a bundle of connections.

The smell of the passover lamb, the taste of bitter herbs, the memories of all the passover celebrations of their youth, All things tied to the biblical narrative of the Exodus and God’s faithfulness to redeem his people from slavery.

Then he creates a new tie.

two cups, one piece of bread.

And that new tie we still use to remind us, to create new connections that keep our hearts in line with his.

a tie that leads us to regular reflection of our sin and the price paid

a tie that pushes us back to repentance and recognition of the power of the body of Christ in fellowship

The first cup is one we don’t drink, but should remember.

Luke 22:15-18 “Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.””

This cup we don’t drink, comes with a promise. Jesus will enjoy this one with us when the kingdom comes. There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain or sorrow, only joy, and in that place our intimacy and joy in the triune God will overflow. One of my favorite lines of the old hymn, it is well.

Oh Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,

There is our hope. But the reason for our hope comes in two more connections

Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.””

Lord, thank you for your willingness to give your body…for us. As Abraham was wiling to give Isaac to you, you gave your son that we might have life.

Will you take the bread with me?

Then a second cup is poured

Luke 22:20 “In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Lord, your blood was not taken from you. your life was not taken, but poured out. You gave of yourself, emptied yourself that we might be brought into your family, that we might be a part of bringing your kingdom to bear in this world.

Will you drink the cup with me?

Everything is a song. Everything is a connection opportunity, a chance to refocus and remind ourselves of who we belong to and what he did to gain us.

Lord, you are great and might, merciful and gracious beyond measure. Thank you for these reminders, thank you for remembering us, when we are neglectful of you. draw us deeper this day into the mystery of your story. Amen.

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Sermon

Oops: This is a why sermon. We’ve covered lots, let make certain we know why

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why”

This is a why sermon more than a what sermon.

It is important for us to have a unified understanding of what the implications of the gospel are for us, what God’s word is inviting and commanding us to be.

In this series we have come to understand at a deeper level:

That we are to build one another up

That we are to sing praise for the help of one another

That we are to take a interest in one another and their needs

That we are to be devoted to one another

That we are to create harmony with one another,

That we are to teach one another

And that we are to carry one another’s burden

We’re a little over halfway through this series. And already this has been hard. Challenging us to do as Jesus called his disciples to when he told them that his followers must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him.

And I know for myself, I look at this list and the things to come, and contemplate the difficulty and challenge of really living this way. The way Genesis 1 and 2 described, the way God pointed to in the ten commandments, the way Jesus lived and called his followers to live.

As citizens of HIS kingdom. Living his way

But I look at what that entails and it feels like an insurmountable challenge.

How can I really live this way?

This is where the why becomes so important.

Why do parents give up sleep, time, money, their own priorities for their children? Is it because they are mandated by a law? No, why?

Why do people create or serve non-profits to care for the needs of the homeless?

the right why will lead us to do things that are counter-intuitive and against our basic desires.

The right why, if we hold it deeply can make any mountain moveable.

And our why for the one another’s, our why for the mission of Jesus is essential. If we are trying to serve, reach the lost, give, forgive, have interest and all the other one anothers because the bible said so, then it is willpower and grit.

And in the valleys of life, sometimes that’s what we have to lean on. But we can’t live a sustained loving life in the way of Jesus unless our why is driving us.

Ugh: 4:1-3 - this is the call, but why?

In Ephesians 4, Paul gives the church there a one another that is a sort of summary of where we have been and where we are going. Read along with me, verses 1-3

Ephesians 4:1-3 “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Paul is urging them to walk in a way that is worthy of the calling into the family of God. They have shared in that same supper we shared this morning. They have been invited into the family and life of God’s church. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and Paul is saying, now that you know who you are and what you were made for…live like it.

And then he describes it:

Humility, boy that comes up a lot in this series

gentleness

Patient

Bearing with one another in love

Making EVERY EFFORT to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Our one another for today is right there. Bearing with one another in love.

Which means working for the unity of the church through humbling ourselves, practicing gentleness and patience.

Good summary of where we have been.

If we are going to advance the kingdom out there, Which we are commanded to do, we have to live out the implications of the kingdom in here.

WORKING for unity by bearing with one another and all the mess we bring into each other’s life.

And we do. The closest of friends and family can be difficult to love consistently because of the mess they bring into our lives (and the mess we bring to theirs) and the church, is called by God to represent his perfect kingdom where EVERYONE BEARS WITH EVERYONE…in love.

That’s a lot of effort required. We are going to need a big WHY for that What.

Paul gives them reminders of their why.

Aha!: 4:4-6 - We are one BODY, with one SPIRT, one HOPE, one LORD, one FAITH, one BAPTISM, one GOD AND FATHER of all...

The Why for the What

Why do we bear with one anther in love? All in verses 4-6.

Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

Let’s dig here.

We Are ONE Body With ONE Spirit

Ephesians 4:4a “There is one body and one Spirit...”

Some worms, if cut in two…can become two worms.

One, gross. Two, we ought to pray that no research lab every decides to expirement with those…that’s the beginning of a great science fiction thriller.

But third and actually important: That only works in worms. If a part of your body was removed, there won’t be two of you. If my left leg would have fallen off after moving rocks yesterday, a new Shaun would not have sprouted. Unless I’m actaully leg Shaun and the real one is still in bed icing his back…you’ll never know...

One Spirit. Your spirit can’t be divided. Neither can the Holy Spirit. Big enough to be in and empower all of us, but unified.

Not divided into my purpose and your purpose, but whole in the purposes of God.

1 Corinthians 12:12-16 “For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. Indeed, the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body.”

That is a powerful part of the why. Not that we should be one, but we ARE.

If we are going to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is as we step unified into the purposes and plans of God.

And to the degree we are unified, we are effective.

And if we are ONE body…then it is our natural reflex to care for the rest. Every part giving of itself for the purpose of the whole.

To the degree we see ourselves as a part of the body of Christ, we will have strength to bear with one another in love.

But more than being a part of one body...

We Are Called To ONE Hope

Ephesians 4:4b “...just as you were called to one hope at your calling—”

When we moved into our new home, we were gifted a used Traeger. One of the greatest and most maddening things about a smoker, is the smell that you get a few hours in on a brisket.

The best is getting it going, and then running an errand so you come back to the house with a clean olfactory palate, and the fragrance captures your senses.

And every person in the house shares a common hope and desire. That in a matter of time we will share in the feast.

You and I, no matter how different, no matter what lies between us, what we would want to hold against each other, share in a common hope. That in a matter of time, we will share in the feast.

Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”

The promise that came with the communion cup we don’t drink. That in the end, we will be with Jesus.

I’m so thankful for my brothers and sisters in the Battle Ground pastors group. We meet every week, and it would be really easy for our theological and preference distinctions to push us away from one another, but over and above it all we share one hope.

And that hope overcomes everything else. And while we may never be a part of the same local church, or hold the same thoughts on matters of doctrine we hold to be sure, we all hold that hope. And that hope is so big, so vital, that we can’t help but be unified in it, even when by other measure we should be split.

How much more those of us in the same local body, here in this space, should we be unified in that hope.

Today, if you have surrendered to Jesus, you are invited to the marriage feast of the lamb of God, Jesus. And at the end of this age, we will be his fully and completely.

I want you to know this morning, if you have not given your life to Christ, if you have never put your faith in the gift of his sacrifice for your justification, you are invited.

John 3:16 says “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

There is the only qualifier for life eternal today and forever is to believe IN the son who died and rose so you might be a child of God.

Following the service, we have prayer teams up front who would love to tell you more and pray with you. The invitation is open.

But you should know it isn’t simply a matter of mental assent to an idea of God and Jesus. It is surrender.

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Believe in the resurrection, and confess him Lord.

And that is the next part of our WHY

you see...

We Surrendered to ONE Lord in ONE Baptism

Ephesians 4:5 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,”

One of my favorite moments in scripture to recall when I wonder at the different circumstances we deal with is at the end of John, after Jesus’ ressurection. He has just called Peter to serve him once again, and then he gives him a picture of how hard it will be.

John 21:18-19 ““Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.””

Peter was committed, he had denied Jesus and Jesus had forgiven and commissioned him. But…oof

next verse:

John 21:20-21 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

This is a reference to John himself. Peter is wondering, are we all in the same boat here? Is it only me who has to deal with this?

John 21:22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

In other words, hey Pete, you follow me because of who I am.

And I am Lord. My purposes for you and for John will be different. Your call isn’t to figure out John. It’s to follow me.

When we are baptized, we are using a physical symbol of burial and resurrection to identify with Jesus and say as Paul did, I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

And this is a key part of the WHY for us.

I’m responsible for how I follow Jesus and respond to his call.

If I accept that he is LORD, then I will follow.

If you accept that he is LORD, then you will follow.

But what Jesus calls someone else to do…won’t be what he’s calling you to do.

And that’s ok. There are many things that EVERYONE in the body is called to. Like bearing with one another in love. No one has the spiritual gift of being a jerk.

Going back to the verse we just read in 1 corinthians, we don’t expect the hand and the eye to accomplish the same things or contribute the same…but they share the same value and importance.

Sometimes those contributions will feel in opposition. In a minute, I’m going to read from a little farther down when Paul talks about the importance of church leadership in all this. He mentions different roles and in that is the prophets and the shepherds.

Over simplistic, but at some level, Prophets are called to create discomfort, shepherds are called to offer comfort.

Think those two could ever get annoyed? Could ever feel like they work at cross-purposes?

But God knows we need both! And the same is true of so many other areas.

Personalities, passions, callings, giftings,

Those can divide us, or we can recognize that ONE LORD leads them all and so instead of worrying, we can rejoice that God knows what he’s doing and then follow him ourselves.

And the most important part of our why we bear with one another in love:

We Are Loved by ONE God and Father

Ephesians 4:6 “one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

We have one God and Father who is above all, through all, in all.

I will never cease reminding us that the God of the Old Testament is the God we see realized in Jesus.

It’s not angry God, who has a son who is the loving God. Jesus didn’t come along to persuade God the Father to be loving.

From day one, the God above, through, and in all loved. That is the defining characteristic of God.

1 John 4:7-8 “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

And go back to Exodus and we read:

Exodus 34:6-7 “The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.”

Do you realize that even God’s justice and wrath, not ignoring those, is born from love? Wrath is not a synonym of hate. Real wrath only comes from deep love.

You’ve heard the expression “mama bear”. You mess with the kids…look out.

God’s love is greater than a mother for her child. And it is perfect love, with no self interest mingled in.

We have surrendered to the God who loves perfectly and is calling us to a kingdom where love is the rule. Where following in the path of Jesus, where we are willing to lose our lives to gain his. Where the least is the greatest, the last first, and the weakest the honored. That is the kingdom. The kingdom of a God and father who loves and is calling us to love as he does.

So here is our why. (show outline again)

One body, one hope, one lord, one God and Father

This should move us to bear with one another in love.

so where does that take us?

Whee! - 4:7-13 This is why we have leaders to equip (SHAPE)

Paul explains that this is why God gave the church leaders. In verses 7-10 he explains God’s giftings for the good of the whole church and then in verse 11 begins with how he’s gifted church leadership and WHY

Ephesians 4:11-13 “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”

The point of this message isn’t to define those roles. But in light of our why and the call to love one another as we pursue God’s mission, we recognize the importance of what church leadership is called to do.

And the answer is: equip the saints for the work of ministry. Ministry is a word that simply means service.

I mentioned the SHAPE course we are offering, and if you haven’t done it, I recommend it. This is one of the ways we are working to get better as leaders in our calling. To help you identify how God has called you and then equip you to learn, grow, and step into serving one another

We’ll have registration open for the course open soon. For today, you can indicate interest on a connection card and we’ll make sure we get you signed up.

It’s when we serve one another that we live out that call to bear with one another best. Giving and receiving what each other have to offer in care and building up.

Let me have the worship and prayer teams up

What changes? 4:14-16 THE MISSION GETS DONE!

This is the end of Paul’s argument on this call.

When we bear with one another in love, when the leaders lead the body into service, the result is this:

Ephesians 4:14-16 “Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.”

Mature followers of Jesus who can stand against the lies of the enemy, who can speak truth in love, who are all growing in the life and headship of Jesus, who can then fit us together so every part of us can grow and accomplish what we were designed to do as members of the body and as a whole body!

And we know his greatest call for us is love. To love God, the first and greatest commandment, to love people made in his image, and to GO invite others to become disciples of Jesus, made whole by the transformation he brings.

So I leave you with this challenge this week.

Look for places where you are disconnected from the body.

relational breaks

unforgiveness

disintrest

enter your reasons for disconnection here.

And repent. Repent of the sin of not making every effort to pursue the unity of the body of Christ. And in that repentance take a first step.

Seek forgiveness

choose to engage in community (life group, potluck?)

Find your place to serve if you’re not already.

And let that lead you to love those outside the body who need to hear about the love of God in Jesus.

Pray.