Rom 15-The Joy and Glory of Unity

| The Joy and Glory of Unity! Romans 15:1-7

August 24, 2008 (New International Version) 1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.  PRAY Scripture Memory: Let us aim for harmony in the church & try to build each other up. – Romans 14:19 (NLT) Intro:Cheryl and I went to a marriage weekend about 20 years ago – We are always moving towards either oneness, or isolation… Stephen Covey: “7 Habits of Highly Successful People”Seven Habits of a Healthy Church:Habit # 1: Practicing Forbearance, Self-lessness & Mutual Acceptance (vv. 1 & 7)1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.Bastazo - signifies “to support as a burden.” (Vines)To bear with someone: to share their burdenWebster’s: a refraining from the enforcement of something that is due, to control oneself when provoked, to put up with something trying or painful…Phil. 2:3-5Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than your-selves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ JesusA friend shared how they were really struggling with something someone said…“If you haven’t been offended my sin yet, it is only because you haven’t been around me enough.”If we could only see how MUCH we want others to bear with us!!!“Hurt people hurt people” – the sore leg in the aisle…Security is a key component in our ability to enjoy any situation – the difference between riding a roller coaster and being in a car that has lost its breaks…When we feel accepted by others, secure in their good will towards us, this is a key component in our feelings of security, or lack thereof – an insecure person always struggles…The difference between family and friends, between roommates and a married couple…Question for application: Am I truly able to love those around me, despite their shortcomings and rough edges, because I am growing in my appreciation of the grace that is mine in Christ? Habit # 2: Mutual Edification (v. 2)Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.Edification, Encouragementoikodomeo (οἰκοδομέω), lit., “to build a house” To build (up from the foundation), to restore by building, to rebuild, repair. To promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness. (Strong’s)Ephesians 4:29 (NCV) – When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement… It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.” Donald Bubna"There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come through encouragement from someone else. I don’t care how great, how famous or how successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause." George M. Adams "One compliment can keep me going for a whole month." Mark TwainFlatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. William Arthur WardA big reason why I am a pastor today…Question for application: Do I make it a point to find ways to verbally affirm and encourage those around me? Would others see me as an encourager, as a discourager, or as irrelevant? Habit # 3: Following Christ’s example (v. 3)For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”This is a repeating theme in Scripture. No need to elaborate much…WWJD – WWCDA key: if we want to follow Christ’s example, we need to be growing in our understanding of Scripture…Question for application: Am I growing in my knowledge of Jesus through regular time in His Word? Habit # 4: Encouraging each other with Scripture (v. 4)For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.Not only do we need to be in Scripture in order to grow in our knowledge of Jesus…Time in the Scriptures accomplishes many things:☞     Growing in our knowledge of God☞     Encouraging us in our faith☞     Strengthening our endurance☞     Giving us renewed hopeHowever, this is not meant to be for me, myself, and I. Scripture is always more meaningful when we give it away.The teacher always learns more than the student…Question for application: Do I make it a habit to share with others what I am learning in my study of Scripture? Habit # 5: Keeping biblical hope always before us (being positive) (v. 4)For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.Our hope lies, not in the man we put on the moon, but in the Man we put on the cross. Don BashamOptimism and Pessimism… “If you never expect things to turn out well, then you are never disappointed.” – What do you think? |   | The difference between biblical hope and worldly hope:biblical hope: A confident expectation of a future event, based upon a fully reliable promiseworldly hope: Wishful thinkingThe key: Knowing the Promise... and the Promiser…Hebrews 11: By faith…Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God. Jim Elliot?Question for application: Am I at peace with the future, not because I know what will happen, but because I know the One who does? Habit # 6: Nurturing a spirit of unity (vv. 5f)5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.John 17:20-2320 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.Ephesians 4:3-63 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. One of Aesop’s fables tells of four oxen who were such great friends that they always kept together when feeding. A lion watched them for many days with longing eyes, but never being able to find one apart from the rest, was afraid to attack them. Whenever he came near they turned their tails to one another so that whichever way he approached them he was met by horns. At length he succeeded in awakening jealousy among them, which grew into a mutual aversion, and they strayed a considerable distance from each other. The lion then fell upon them singly and killed them all.The moral is, “United we stand, divided we fall.” A great church is somewhat like a great orchestra. The members will not only make the right moves, but will make them together. They must learn to decide upon a task and execute it with perfect harmony. A musician who always wants to play his favorite piece (which may be exceptionally beautiful) and refuses to play—or else plays very halfheartedly or slowly—when another composition is chosen, not only will not help the cause but will be a detriment to the whole orchestra and may destroy its appeal. And a church member who is out of step with others, and who approaches his tasks carelessly or reluctantly, may generate more sour music than the sweet notes all the rest can draw out.The story is told of a horse-pull in Canada. One horse pulled 9,000 pounds, another 8,000. Together you would expect them to pull 18,000 pounds. Not so! When teamed together, they pulled 30,000 pounds.The principle is called synergism. By definition, the simultaneous action of separate agents working together has a greater total effect than the sum of their individual efforts. More can be done in a team effort than can be accomplished solo. In order for the principle of synergism to work like it should, there has to be teamwork.Question for application: What am I doing to promote and encourage a greater spirit of unity at Hope Church? Habit # 7: Praising God in a spirit of unity (vv. 6-7)6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.The goal: To offer a concert of praise to our glorious Lord and Savior☞    with one heart1 heart: 1 goal, 1 purpose, 1 passion, 1 love… ☞    with one mouth In agreement, in what we hold forth, in our worship and praise ☞    by our love for one another Our most compelling witness… Our great need…Question for application: Am I conscious of the shared love for our Lord that overflows in our worship and in our love for each other? Summary / Review: The Goal & Blessing of Oneness (Unity): ☞    Mutual Edification (v. 2) ☞    Endurance, Encouragement and Hope (vv. 4-5) ☞    The joy of corporate worship (v. 6) …so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ☞    Mutual Love and Acceptance (v. 7)Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Mutual Acceptance blesses God. It blesses others and it blesses us! ☞    That God would be glorified in us (v. 6) A Truth to Remember: All of us who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are parts of the same body. As such, we all stand or fall together.A Challenge to Consider: What can you do in the days and weeks to come to strengthen the body of Christ by building a greater bond of unity?One thing I heard this morning was… |