I Will Be a Unifying Church Member

Introduction and Review

Make sure everyone has their book and a pen/pencil.

Remember, the goals of this study are:

to critically examine what it means to be a church member from God’s point of view

to discuss and generate ideas that will help us become more involved in the church ministry

to find and discuss obstacles of effective church membership

Last week we talked about the differences between secular membership and and church membership.

Secular Membership is focused on:

amenities

rights

perks

the benefit of the member

entitlements because members pay dues

Church

function and roles

responsibilities and duties

the whole (body) and individual parts

all parts functioning together in a healthy manner

to carry out the mission of the church

In the world, how do you remain a member in good standing of a secular organization? Pay Dues

How do you remain a biblical member of the church? Give abundantly (first of ourselves, like the church of Macedonia did before they gave money to support Paul’s ministry; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7)) and serve without hesitation - no strings attached, for the purpose of God’s glory.

BRIEFLY - for those that were not able to be here last week, is there anything you would like to point out that stood out to you from chapter 1, I Will Be a Functioning Member? Or any questions that you had?

Chapter 2

Who read the chapter this week?

Before we get into the discussion of the chapter, let’s open up with a discussion question.

What do you believe are the main reasons why people in church don’t always get along?

If you were to summarize the main theme of this chapter in one word, which word would you choose? Unity

I Will Be a Unifying Church Member

We’ll do things a little differently than we did last week. I want to go ahead an ask if there was anything that really stood out to you in this chapter, regardless of what section it was in. We will wait to get to the questions at the end of the chapter until the end, but anything else is fair game right now.

P. 21-22

God’s desire is for Christians to get along. (p21) John 13:35

John 13:35 KJV 1900

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

The world will know if we are Christians or not by the way we...act toward one another. (p.21)

The chapter talks about two unity-killers, two things that will destroy unity in a church. Can anyone tell me what they are?

We find the first one on page 22 - Gossip.

Why is gossip a unity killer? Because the foundation of unity is love (as described in the Bible), and gossip directly goes against everything that is love.

That Thing Called Unity

P.22-24

Notes? Comments? Questions?

Unity is vital to the good health of a church. We all must contribute to the unity in our church (p.22)

You are to be a source of unity, never a divisive force. (p23)

Unity does not mean constant agreement (p.23). It means we are willing to sacrifice our own preferences to keep unity in the church (p.24).

Colossians 3:14 KJV 1900

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

It is a choice. “Put it on.” I have to be intentional about it. It doesn’t just happen. Loving unity doesn’t just happen; you have to be intentional about it, and sometimes you have to fight for it.

God demands that we become a unifying presence in our church (previous section). Over and over again, Paul writes to the churches:

It’s all over 1 Corinthians.

Philippians 1:27 “...that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Ephesians 4:3 “3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Galatians 3:28 “...ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Peter writes concerning unity as well:

1 Peter 3:8 “8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”

John writes about the unity that love brings in his first two epistles, and then in 3 John, he writes about a man that is not loving and does not have a care for unity within the church. Diotrephes loves himself above all others and has no unity with John or care about the church, he just likes to be the top dog.

Jesus spoke of our unity as a church coming from our abiding in Him. Our closeness to Jesus allows us to be close to others.

Gossip and Other Negative Talk

p.24-26

Notes? Comments? Questions?

Gossip is bad. Few things can destroy the church’s unity like gossip. (p.25)

What is Gossip?

The Hebrew word translated “gossip” in the Old Testament is defined as “one who reveals secrets, one who goes about as a talebearer or scandal-monger.” A gossiper is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it. Gossip is distinguished from sharing information in two ways: 1. Intent. Gossipers often have the goal of building themselves up by making others look bad and exalting themselves as some kind of repositories of knowledge. 2. The type of information shared. Gossipers speak of the faults and failings of others, or reveal potentially embarrassing or shameful details regarding the lives of others without their knowledge or approval. Even if they mean no harm, it is still gossip.

gotquestions.org

The negative power of the tongue - James (p.25)

* sections on p26

Forgiveness and Unity

p.26-29

The second unity killer is unforgiveness.

Notes? Comments? Questions?

We have dealt in depth about forgiveness here throughout the Sermon on the Mount and various other sermons.

I was fascinated by the author’s story of how unforgiveness toward someone that had hurt him deeply back in his high school years had affected his ability to be unified with others in prayer as an adult until he made the choice to forgive. (p27-28)

p.28 Matthew 6:14-15

Matthew 6:14–15 KJV 1900

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Unity in the church won’t happen if members have an unforgiving heart. (p.28)

Colossians 3:12–13 KJV 1900

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

“Put on,” there it is again. It is a choice.

We are all imperfect, we are all hypocrites. p 28

Churches are torn apart when members refuse to forgive.

The Second Pledge

Notes? Comments? Questions?

my underlines

Read pledge, invite all to sign it.

Questions for Study

Before we get into the questions, are there any other comments?

What did Paul mean when he said in Colossians 3:14 that love is the perfect bond of unity? What doest that mean for our church today?

What is the best path to take if someone brings gossip to you or in church? What does the Bible say about gossip?

Proverbs 18:21 “21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Proverbs 16:28 “28 A froward man soweth strife: And a whisperer separateth chief friends.” A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. ESV?

How is forgiveness related to unity in the local church? What does the Bible say about forgiving one another?

Look at Matthew 6:14-15.

Matthew 6:14–15 KJV 1900

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Look at Matthew 6:14-15. Relate those words to being a church member. What does it mean if one church member does not forgive another?

What does 1 Corinthians 13 mean for church members today?

1 Corinthians 13 KJV 1900

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Any questions or additional comments?

Homework

Read Chapter 3 - I Will Not Let My Church Be about My Preferences and Desires (p.33-40)

Read and sign pledge on p.41

Read Philippians 2:5-11

Answer questions on p.41-42

See you next week!

Men, please help with setting up chairs and tables in gym.