Gospel Unity

Introduction:

A quick comment on leaving a church.

The vast majority of people leave churches for selfish reasons.

Which reveals something about the state of their walk with Christ.

They jump through hoop after hoop to justify their actions.

“I wasn’t getting anything out of it.”

What would you say to someone who said “I stopped talking to my parents and siblings because I just wasn’t getting anything out of it.” You would say, “wow, that is incredibly selfish.”

How many people have divorced because weren't they just wern’t getting what they wanted out of the marriage?

Most of the time when people are not getting anything from going to church it is not because there is nothing to get.

It is because you are so focused on yourself and what you want that you miss what God is offering.

Oriented Affections (v. 17)

Family Language

Orphaned

Torn Away

They were literally chased out of town at the threat of death.

It was painful and Paul is worried about those he left behind.

Separated

Literally - orphaned

Communicates the depth of feeling that Paul has in being forcefully separated from these brothers and sisters in Christ.

“for a short time” - in other words Paul is already thinking about returning.

“in person not in heart” - While I am not with you physically I am with you in heart.

Application:

Do you miss it when you are not here?

I hope this feels like home to you.

Brothers

Communicates the kind of love that Paul feels for them, it is brotherly.

It is both generic and specific.

Not just the males in the group. It functions much like the word “mankind”.

But it does refer specifically to those that are in the family.

Effort Language

Endeavored - earnest effort

Eagerly - intense longing

Desire

Application:

A lot of people try to be a part of a church family without putting in the work.

Family (of any kind) is work.

At bare minimum you have to show up, but you also have to get involved.

Goal Language

“so see you”

“face to face”

Application:

I am glad that we can livestream our services for shutins and for those times when we are sick.

But just as a reminder, watching online is a poor substitute for being here in person.

There is a reason that Paul was not satisfied with writing them letters.

The first compromise is always the hardest and it gets easier and easier after that.

Opposition (v. 18)

A Personal Touch

“I, Paul, again and again”

This was not to exclude Silas and Timothy, but just confirms that Paul wasn’t hiding behind the plural.

A Satanic Roadblock

Paul wrote this from Corinth and this is what he was dealing with there.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

There are few things that Satan hates more than when the body of Christ works together in unity for the Glory of God.

I do not know to what degree Satan is personally aware of what goes on at Portersville Bible Church, but I can guarantee that when our focus is glorifying God by serving others there will be opposition.

Application:

How are we going to deal with opposition?

Personally, I would rather deal with external opposition than opposition from within.

Paul spends an incredible amount of time in his epistles warning against false teachers and divisive church members.

I truly believe that the greatest defense against opposition, external and internal, is to stay united and focused on the truth.

If I visit another church when I am on vacation there is a lot I can forgive in terms of philosophy of ministry if the preaching is expositional and the teaching is thoroughly biblical.

Objective Achieved (v. 19,20)

Question: What is our hope, joy, glory and boast before Jesus at His coming? Answer: YOU

We would totally expect Paul to say “Jesus”.

How do we connect finding hour hope, joy, and glory in Jesus with finding it in each other?

Romans 5:1–2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” - This establishes that our joy, hope and glory is in God.

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.”

Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Ephesians 5:25–27 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Find joy, hope and glory in what Jesus finds joy, hope and glory in.

We find hope, joy and glory in each other because each person who knows Jesus is a testimony of Jesus. So Paul even says that he boasts in them.

Boasting for Paul

Neutral term

It all depends on what you are boasting in.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Galatians 6:14 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Boast = to declare and rejoice in

When Jesus comes back I am going to look around and see you there!

Paul’s boasting in them is boasting in Jesus.

He is boasting in what Jesus has done for them.

Application:

I boast in you guys.

People are constantly asking me, “How are things going at your church.” So I take the opportunity to tell people how God is working in our church, and that conversation always circles around the people in our church.

Just a quick and final reminder, what from this life are you taking to heaven with you?