Source Of Unity.
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Handout
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Likeminded (Phil. 2:1-4)
Likeminded (Phil. 2:1-4)
Unity in the church.
Phil. 1:
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
The “if” clauses, being translations of first-class conditions in Greek, speak of certainties. So in this passage “if” may be translated “since.” Paul wrote here about realities, not questionable things. Paul appealed on the basis of (a) encouragement from being united with Christ … (b) comfort from His love … (c) fellowship with the Spirit … (d) tenderness and compassion.
Consolation = encouragement is a related word to the “comforter” in
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Another way of translating “fellowship of the Spirit,” is “fellowship with the Spirit.”
“Fellowship with the Spirit” is a result of the Spirit’s permanent indwelling ministry (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19). This may refer, however, to fellowship that comes from the Holy Spirit, just as encouragement comes from Christ and comfort comes from love.
Paul is speaking here of how our relationship with Christ will fuel our relationships in the Church. When the Church is filled with Christ centered people, the Church will love and care for one another as Christ does.
A church is a local body of saved and baptized believers. The church, however does not stop there, we are also a unified body of believers with the same heart, same mind. Therefore a church is a unified local body of believers with one heart, one mind and one baptism ().
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
B. What unity is not:
B. What unity is not:
1. Proclaiming a man as perfect and following him no matter what.
2. Everyone making the same mistake, together.
3. Everyone looking the same.
Can a Church be unified without growing Christians being close to Christ?
C. What is Unity: (Phil. 2:2)
What is Unity?
1. Having the same love.
2. Being of one accord (vision).
3. Being of one mind (direction).
The church is to be a group of people who work together with common goals and a common purpose (, ).
endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph. 4:13 We are not supposed to be against each other or out there as a lone wolf ().
We are not supposed to be against each other or out there as a lone wolf ().
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Lead by the gift of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8)
Lead by the gift of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8)
Should the people of the ministry have the same mind of Christ, subservient to the Father’s will, then the Church will have unity.
The view of the church is to be less about us and more about the beauty of Christ. He has given himself for us!
What produces that desire in the ministry of the Church people?
How can we see what it takes to acquire this ministry mindset throughout all that we do?
A. Led by the example, who is our Savior. ()
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
B. God Himself became a man ()
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
1. Something over which we ought to be praising the Lord.
2. Jesus Christ coming in flesh, for the Christian, this should be the Hallmark of his life!
C. He became obedient to the death of the Cross for us ()
8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein: which are offered by the law;
9 then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:1-
Live to Worship (Phil. 2:9-11) SINGLE FOCUS (ONE LENS)
Live to Worship (Phil. 2:9-11) SINGLE FOCUS (ONE LENS)
A. As a response God gives us a clue as to what we are to do with this knowledge:
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil. 2:9
B. We are built to praise the Lord in all we do. Even in our salvation, God sought to bring glory to himself (, ).
6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved:
14 which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
In regard to life of worship I read something by retired Pastor, Howard Wilburn on Christmas Eve. "It’s Christmas Eve, keep me focused, Lord. May I not make the same mistake, even for a moment, as those on earth 2000 years ago – He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him (Jn 1:11). I remember John Peterson’s words in Night of Miracles: 'No room, only a manager of hay, no room, he is a stranger today, no room, here in his world turned away no room. Angels, in heaven up yonder watch with amazement and wonder to see the Son of the Highest treated so.' Without Holy Spirit intervention, I will surely (at least momentarily) follow the in same spiritual error."
--Howard Wilburn
C. Since this passage begins with one overarching theme, that should not be ignored, we must process Christ's gift of love and necessity of praise through one lens: Unity! Process of unity is bound up in our worship of the Savior. The focus of worship drives us out of our individual, self seeking, goals and into a unified existence with God's people.
Our life of praise to the Lord brings an unrivaled focus and purpose which ultimately leads to a unified body of believers. This passage cannot and should not be viewed outside of the amazing truth, that church unity is inextricably linked to praise.
Our life of praise to the Lord brings an unrivaled focus and purpose which ultimately leads to a unified body of believers. This passage cannot and should not be viewed outside of the amazing truth, that church unity is inextricably linked to praise.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Are you a part of a unified church?
Are you a part of the unity?
Look at your life, do you have the same mind as Christ? Perhaps today you say, I don't know if I have a relationship with Christ. We would love to help you with that.
Ladies and gentlemen, our church has a job to do. We need to be headed the same direction, without all the drama. That only comes, when you and I get our focus off of us and onto praising the Lord. He is worthy of our worship, worthy of our praise. Are you living that way? Our spiritual health as a ministry is dependent upon you having a spirit of praise.