One Another

Vision for 2020

As we approach the end of the year, I thought it would be wise to introduce the theme for 2020. Granted, I plan on going into deeper detail during our annual congregational meeting, but I wanted to provide the trailer today. 2020 is the Year of One Another, where somebody can love anybody and anybody can love somebody. Regardless of our reason for being here today there is a “one another” priority in our lives. Considering our mission, these words Go, Grow and Gain. The bible tells us to Go and make disciples, but the bible also tells us that they will know that we are disciples of Jesus by our love for one another. Grow, or maturity, we have to grow in Christ, we have to mature in our journey it’s a part of the process and finally Gain. Ask yourself the question, what do I gain by becoming a Christian? As we grow, not only do we gain an understanding but we gain the ability to not only grow individually but collectively.

In the New Testament there are 59 scriptures that deal with “one another” in some capacity. Forgive one another, love one another, do not seek revenge on one another, build one another up and many more teachings by Jesus and his disciples that stress the importance that the church is only as strong as how much we love and care for one another.

What A One Another Spirit Is Not:

If a relationship is oppressive and confining it’s not a relationship built on the love of God.

This chapter in Galatians sets the stage. Paul encourages the family at the Galatian church that there is liberty in Christ that has made us free.

There was dissension over circumcision, granted today this issue of circumcision is not a physical issue amongst our church. Nonetheless there are people who will try to bind things on you that Jesus never instituted in His church.

Liberty in verse 1 means personal freedom from servitude, confinement or oppression. The freedom from sin, the racial barriers of the salvation.

“if you become circumcises, Christ will profit you nothing”.

“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcised is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters”

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

Christ justifies me, not a physical act. It’s about my spirit, not the limits I willing to go psychically for the acceptance of other human beings.

What justifies us isn’t circumcision nor uncircumcision. what avails us is faith working through love.

You might not like something, but do not bind it on someone else as law because you do not like it. Do not attach me to your restriction because you can’t handle my liberty.

My freedom in Christ cost Jesus his life, I stand free I no longer have to be bound to the yoke of the law.

Our loving one another, our growth in Christ Jesus begins with the heart not the boxes of duties we check. I can attend worship, bible class, ministry events and still have a hateful heart.

8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Be careful who you listen to, some folks will have you doing things in the name of Jesus that they can’t even accomplish themselves.

This is where the one another spirit works both ways. Just like we shouldn’t bind things on people that Jesus didn’t, we also shouldn’t look at people crazy because they do not do the things like I do.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh.

Freedom brings about a responsibility to serve and be considerate of one another. I should be cognizant of the fact that everything I might be able to handle my brother or sister may not. The ability or inability to handle something does not dictate your greatness as a Christian but it allows us to grow and be of the same mind, that I’m not going to something that causes you to stumble, nor would you do the same to me.

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

Through Love

This consideration comes from the spirit of love. This love is not a brotherly love or an intimate love it is a sacrificial love as understood by God’s moral character; the sense of sacrificing on my own behalf to ensure the well being of my brother or sister. An unconditional love is the love God desires that we should have for one another.

Love is the fulfillment of the law.

God sent Jesus because of love.

Jesus died on the cross in fulfillment of the law because of love.

Jesus was willing to forgive even from the position of crucifixion because of love.

Being considerate of one another begins and ends with our willingness to love one another.

If I can’t love you, I can’t serve you. If I can’t serve you, I probably do not love you. I consider you as I consider myself. I do not mind being subjected to my brother or my sister if it means Christ is glorified.

All of the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love you neighbor as yourself.

The external parts of Christianity aren’t the hard part. I stick my chest out when I tell someone where I go to church. I sing, praise, and pray with confidence. I observe the special days, I attend the events. Nonetheless all of that is futile if I can’t treat you right in the parking lot.

This was the issue with the Galatian congregation, there were taught to accept the external features of the law, the problem is many of us can put on a good act, but our heart is the determining factor of how God sees us.

How Do We Align Ourselves

How we treat each other will manifest itself in the growth of the church. If we treat each other poorly, eventually we will have no one left.

Regardless of the person if I can love my neighbor as myself i’m strengthening my soul, and I’m adding to the peace and unity of the church.

Instead of love, if we fall victim to devouring one another and backbiting each other eventually that culture will consume us. We will be filled with demolition men and women instead of people who want to build each other up.

We are commanded to love one another, we should take pleasure in being able to love each other with the love of Jesus.

We want to be careful, if people are being treated the same way in the church as they are in the world, they have no purpose of coming. Each bite we take our of each other, the closer we are to devouring each other until we have nothing left.

Conclusion

How can I love the person next to me? How can I uplift the person next to me? How can I love the people like I love myself? Or maybe you’ve been a part of the biting and the devouring, Sometimes we have to use our tragedy as a spring board to refuse to make anyone feel like people have made us feel. Church hurt, loss of friendship and dissensions can be rectified if we take this spirit of one another and begin to love one another as we see in the text, we set the stage for God to provide increase.