Disunity
Notes
Transcript
Story - of conflict and disunity; devoted followers of Jesus; in his presence; distracted
Story - of conflict and disunity; devoted followers of Jesus; in his presence; distracted
you would think that walking with Jesus you would be a little more focused
walking with Jesus; loving Jesus; dedicated lives to Jesus: individually; self righteousness; power hungry; jealousy; quarrelsome; disunity;
Example of conflict - brother /letter; funeral / relatives haven’t spoken in years;
Example of conflict - brother /letter; funeral / relatives haven’t spoken in years;
conflict at its worst, allowed to continue: church split
(exciting church plant, leadership passionate about discipleship, not just church; to 60/40 split; slow death); inevitable? loyal to a leader; turned off by unhealthy conflict;
good leaving v. bad leaving
Transition into sermon:
Transition into sermon:
A common prayer: be unified; what does unity look like to you? (getting along; agreement; easier to define in the negative (no nasty arguing; no controversy)
what happens when there is unhealthy conflict;
A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
problem: not just individual actions, how it affects the community;
Challenge: will this church be torn apart by controversy? it’s up to us; how we respond to it; you will have confilct - will it poison your soul? up to you
Challenge: will this church be torn apart by controversy? it’s up to us; how we respond to it; you will have confilct - will it poison your soul? up to you
take our cues from society? let politics determine how we treat each other?
2 questions we must ask right now: 1) What do I think or What does God Care About?; 2) Build up or tear down?
2 questions we must ask right now: 1) What do I think or What does God Care About?; 2) Build up or tear down?
What do I think or What does God care about?
What do I think or What does God care about?
James - 1:19 one of the hardest commandments: Quick to listen, slow to speak. Listening should be our first reaction, NOT
God care about? (not our opinion - God on my side?)
God cares about your pain, not your opinion
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
What makes God angry? What does God hate? Injustice.
What does God love? Mercy. Loving people by God’s standards, not ours.
What does God want? Relationship
Want unity?
Care about what God cares about!!! God may not share our concerns.
Build up or tear down?
Build up or tear down?
what are we accomplishing with our words; winning the argument or winning the person?
God has one rule of our speech: build up? benefit?
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Summary: God desires nothing less than unity for His church.
Summary: God desires nothing less than unity for His church.
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
Toxic conflict. Leads to the opposite of the Gospel.