Untitled Sermon (3)
TALK No. 11 : UNITY AMONG BRETHREN
BECOMING ONE
Jesus’ great desire for his disciples was that they would become one. He wanted them unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love. Unity between believers is not often mentioned as the catalyst for someone becoming a Christian.
However, Christian unity does provide an environment for the gospel message to make its clearest impact, and lack of unity among Christians frequently drives people away. Are you helping to unify the body of Christ, the church? You can pray for other Christians, avoid gossip, build others up, work together in humility, give your time and money, exalt Christ, and refuse to get sidetracked by arguing over divisive matters.
5:9. James called for the believers to stop groaning lest they be judged, because Jesus the Judge is standing at the door! In view of the hope of Christ’s soon return, believers should cease the petty conflicts to which James alluded in chapter 4. As children in a school classroom look out for their teacher’s soon return, God’s children should be on guard for Christ’s return. In so doing, good behavior and mutual harmony are essential.
5:9 Do not grumble against one another. These believers, facing persecution from the outside and problems on the inside, may naturally find themselves grumbling and criticizing one another. James doesn’t want them to be filled with resentment and bitterness toward each other—that would only destroy the unity they so desperately need. Refraining from grumbling is part of what it means to be patient (5:7).
James combines the highest standard of expected behavior with a true understanding of how people often behave. Each time he focuses on a significant pattern of behavior, he almost immediately turns to a human reaction that will undermine the process if it is not confronted. In a similar passage (4:11), James follows his appeal about the importance of submitting to God with a warning about brothers slandering one another. Here he turns from the importance of patience to the danger of grumbling. Is it not profoundly human to avoid facing a weakness in ourselves by pointing to the same weakness in others? In this case, people who are struggling with their lack of patience can always find an example or two of someone who is even less patient than they are! But blaming others instead of facing our sins leaves us open to the judgment of God.
Paul simply told the Corinthian believers to stop arguing. Paul had heard about these arguments through some members in the church (1:11). The arguments were between factions or divisions that had developed in the church itself, with various believers aligning themselves behind various teachers (1:12–13). Thus, Paul here was pleading with the believers to let there be real harmony and for them to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. To be perfectly united does not mean that Paul required everyone to be exactly the same. Instead, he wanted them to set aside their arguments and focus on what truly mattered—Jesus Christ as Lord and their mission to take the light of the gospel into a dark world. The internal divisions would only cause strife and hinder the gospel, as well as make the church look ridiculous to those outside
Members in the Philippian church were causing discord by their attitudes or actions. They desired recognition or distinction, not from pure motives, but merely from selfish ambition (see also 1:17). They were creating factions based on personal prestige, drawing away members and creating parties. Their conceit, that is, their excessively favorable opinion of themselves or their abilities, caused them to place themselves above others. They were conceited about their own opinions, without reason or basis. When a group of such people gets together, looking down on everyone else for one reason or another, factions form and divisions occur. The result is an absence of any encouragement, comfort, fellowship in the Spirit, or tenderness and compassion (2:1). Those kind of people cannot work with others in the church in like-mindedness and love (2:2). When people are conceited and selfishly ambitious, they ruin a church’s unity. We should not tolerate arrogant leaders who are willing to split a church into factions in order to gain power and followers.
LASTING IMPRESSIONS
Many people—even Christians—live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. But self-centered living, selfish ambition, or conceit brings discord. Paul therefore stressed spiritual unity, asking the Philippians to love one another and to be one in spirit and purpose. When we work together, caring for the problems of others as if they were our problems, we demonstrate Christ’s example of putting others first, and we experience unity. Don’t be so concerned about making a good impression or meeting your own needs that you strain relationships in God’s family. Let the Spirit of God work through you to attract others to himself.
Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is no greed.
St. Francis of Assisi
While selfish ambition and conceit can ruin unity, genuine humility can build it. Being humble involves having a true perspective about ourselves in relation to God (see Romans 12:3), which in turn gives us a correct perspective on our relationships with others. Being humble does not mean that we should put ourselves down, tell everyone how bad we are at everything, and refuse to acknowledge any good in ourselves. Instead, humility is a healthy respect for who God is, and then a healthy respect for ourselves because of what God did on our behalf. We are sinners, saved only by God’s grace, but we are saved and therefore have great worth in God’s kingdom. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy.
Regarding others as better than ourselves means that we are aware of our own failings and are thus willing to accept failings in others without looking down on them. It means that we can look for and point out the good in others, rather than just looking for and pointing out our own good qualities. It also means that we consider others’ interests as more important than our own. This selfless attitude links us with Christ, who was a true example of humility. It is the very opposite of conceit and selfish ambition, and it allows believers to work together, to have tenderness and compassion, and to have the attitude and love of Christ Jesus himself.
BE WILLING TO ASSOCIATE
Many people use their contacts and relationships for selfish ambition. They select those people who will help them climb the social ladder. Christ demonstrated and taught that we should treat all people with respect—those of a different race, the handicapped, the poor, young and old, male and female. We must never consider others as being beneath ourselves. Are we able to do humble tasks with others? Do we welcome conversation with unattractive, nonprestigious people? Are we willing to befriend newcomers and entry-level people? Or do we relate only to those who will help us get ahead?
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and
• may please him in every way
• bearing fruit in every good work
• growing in the knowledge of God
• being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might
• so that you may have great endurance and patience
• and joyfully giving thanks to the Father
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:10–12).