Family Unity

Introduction (Tell them what you are going to say)

4 Sinai Churches

Egalitarian vs Complementarian

Secessionist versus Continuationist

Politics

Central Message

Division within the church is not of God. A divided church is an ineffective church, therefore; we must stand against those who try to divide us.

Transition Statement

Why is all of this important , it is important because division causes weakness , and in unity there is strength . Jesus illustrates this.

Body

Division causes weakness, In Unity there is Strength

Mark 3:24–26 NIV

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.

Jesus is establishing that if the servants of Satan were divided then they would not be a threat to us.

If the church is divided then it cannot stand against Satan.

Jesus' highlighting that it is impossible to effectively function if there is division

Differences come about because of Misunderstanding , misrepresentation, disagreement Misunderstandings are unintentional, misrepresentations are intentional.

Question

We are going to have differences , and some of those differences are going to be deep rooted differences how do we find unity in the face of these major differences ?

Reasons for division of the Mount Sinai churches

Answer /Application

Dealing with Misunderstanding , misrepresentation, disagreement.

Listen, seek to understand, be willing to learn

Misrepresentation (Let the person define themselves )

James 1:19 NIV

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Transition Statement

Listen, seek to understand, be willing to learn, be willing to, agree to disagree but most importantly make sure that you are not misrepresenting your brothers and sisters and make sure that you do not misrepresent the work of the Holy Spirit . Jesus speaks to the importance of not misrepresenting the work of the Holy Spirit

Do not misrepresent God’s work

Mark 3:28–29 NIV

28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

Address the worry that this text causes

Explain why this statement is located here.

To blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to intentionally misrepresent the workings of the Holy Spirit as demonic

Transition Statement

It’s important for us to understand that even if we are doing everything right . If we are acting in the way that God would have us to act that people well sometimes not understand what we are doing , sometimes those people will be among the people closest to us . In our text when Jesus family comes to get him because they think that he is losing his mind , they are doing that because they care for him , but they don’t understand the importance of what he is doing . When Jesus finds this out he gives us an even more important definition of what family is , and who our family is .

What is family, who is family

Mark 3:31–35 NIV

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus redefines the family not by blood but by those who do God's will. Jesus models a new community bound by allegiance to God's mission over earthly ties.

Application

This is a charge to all believers to forge unity based on shared faith and obedience.

Transition Statement

The people of God , the family of God we are his ambassadors , we represent his Kingdom and in order for that Kingdom to thrive there must be unity .

Application and Conclusion

Division within the church is not of God. A divided church is an ineffective church, therefore; we must stand against those who try to divide us. Listen, seek to understand, be willing to learn, be willing to, agree to disagree. Make sure that you are not misrepresenting your brothers and sisters Make sure that we are not misrepresenting the work of the Holy Spirit and calling that which is good evil, and that which is evil good . We have all been blessed with blood relations , mother and father, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, but we have also been blessed with our family in Christ , a family which is brought together by the shared unity of purpose that has been given to us by God . Family that is brought together through Jesus. As a part of the family of God we are blood relations. We share in our acceptance of the gift of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for the remission of our sins and in that there is unity.