Dissolving Church Division

I. Introduction

A. Skipping stones at Forester Park - Ripple Effect

B. Evidence of disharmony within the church

Issue of coronavirus

Racism (Black lives Matter, social injustice)

Election year and politics (cancel culture)

Family strife

Theological tension

C. If these issues are not handled with truth and grace, the church we will be falling by the way side along with our problems. Results of a divided church are lack of unity, steering in different directions and ineffective discipleship.

“Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.” - Sallust

D. Question: What needs to be done to restore harmony to the church?

II. Paul writes to a divided church

A. First, the Corinthians had written to Paul and had asked his advice on a number of problems which were perplexing them. These problems included the Christian view of marriage, the practice of eating meat sacrificed to idols, the manner in which women should dress for public worship, the proper observance of the Lord’s Supper, the relative value of spiritual gifts, and the resurrection of the dead. The other circumstance was the news which Paul received of irregularities within the life of the church. Factions had sprung up and a case of incest was being condoned.

B. Reading of 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

III. Paul confronts the Corinth’s division

A. Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, reported by a friend named Chloe. The church is divided in whom to follow.

B. Our issue arises when we take a stand and follow an certain individual or entity i.e. Whitmer, Trump, CDC, Constitution.

C. Realize we are all on the same team, working towards the same goal. “That you be untied in the same mind and the same judgement.”

Reconnect the church physically, spiritual and digitally

The body of Christ will have different opinions we are too then James 1:19, “Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

IV. Work towards restoration for Jesus

A. Why does the church bother to come together? It’s remembering our need of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1:13) He is the glue that holds us together in this fracking world. Christ is calling us to a wholistic life within the church for our own benefit and the world.

The world cannot come to Jesus if we are not abiding in him. The church is the embodied presence of Christ upon the earth.

B. John 17:20-21 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

We gather together in God by being one in mind and spirit by living in fellowship.

Destroying the works of the devil through living as one body and focusing on God’s gospel.

V. Family in the body

A. Paul’s last argument on why we are live in harmony is because we’re family. There will be times of arguments and fights, but families are to always come back together, especially the family of God.

B. The New Testament explains how we are family members through Jesus adopting us into the kingdoms and then we inherit siblings and our new heavenly Father.

C. Families are focused on the essentials and for us that is spreading the gospel.

VI. Answering the question

A. When the church reconnects to the gospel, the only thing left standing is harmony.

Remembering our goal, who we follow and who’s family I’m apart of will help us to get back to the essentials.

When we live with eternity in mind, we will overcome all division and will keep standing together.