Bumps, Scruffs, and Church Fisticuffs part 3

Intro:

Got this from a Blog by Thomas S. Rainer,

Argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor’s beard (I think I saw a verse in Scripture that indicated it is to be no more than 1.5 inches longer than the pastor’s beard.).

Fight over whether or not to build a children’s playground or to use the land for a cemetery

(I’m dying to know the resolution of this one.).

A deacon accusing another deacon of sending an anonymous letter, and deciding to settle the matter in the parking lot (The church could have sold tickets to this event and raised a lot of money.).

A church argument and vote to decide if a clock in the worship center should be removed (I think this one is a timely argument.).

A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers (This one is an official cabinet meeting of the church leadership.).

A petition to have all church staff clean shaven (No church planters are allowed.).

A dispute over whether the worship leader should have his shoes on during the service (I vote for shoes, shirts, and pants.).

A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10. Someone finally gave a dime to settle the issue (I have to admit this issue is ten times more important than the church missing a penny.).

A dispute in the church because the Lord’s Supper had cran/grape juice instead of grape juice (Of course it should be grape juice. It’s right there in Hezekiah 4:11.).

Business meeting arguments about whether the church should purchase a weed eater or not. It took two business meetings to resolve (Wow. This fight was really whacky.).

Arguments over what type of green beans the church should serve (I could have resolved this conflict quickly: none.).

Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee. In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand. In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend. Members left the church in the latter example (Perhaps they started a new church: The Right Blend Fellowship.).

Major conflict when the youth borrowed a crockpot that had not been used for years (I bet it was a bunch of crocky old adults.).

An argument on whether the church should allow deviled eggs at the church meal (Only if it’s balanced with angel food cake for dessert).

An argument over who has the authority to buy postage stamps for the church (The members were licking their wounds over this issue.).

A church member was chastised because she brought vanilla syrup to the coffee server. It looked too much like liquor. (Beth Moore confessed she was the culprit who brought the syrup. Don’t you know, Beth, we Baptists cannot have vanilla syrup at anytime? Chocolate is fine though.).

Some church members left the church because one church member hid the vacuum cleaner from them. It resulted in a major fight and split (Thus the Second Electrolux Church was born.).

An argument over whether to have gluten-free communion bread or not (I thought gluteny was a sin.).

A dispute over whether the church should allow people to wear black t-shirts, since black is the color of the devil (Are you sure he’s not red? That’s what I’ve heard.)

An argument over whether the fake, dusty plants should be removed from the podium (Just give them a little water. They should be fine.).

Early Church arguments

Law and Gentiles

Food - type and Sacrificial

Circumcision - to be or not to be

leadership - I follow Paul, I follow Apollos

worship - how?

Jew and Gentile. - favoritism, them verse us, Law verses grace

Read Galatians 2: 11-21

Body

Groups (Jewish believers and Gentile Believers)

We are defined by groups (clubs, activities, foodies, etc)

Fear of one group

We often find ourselves more worried about our reputation then our representation “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”- 2 Corinthians 5:20

See we care about what others think about us. We want to be like and we want to be apart of the crowd. A lot of times we are willing to compromise ourselves just to fit in.

We we are focused on our reputation it forces to compromise our representation. When we focus on our representation then God takes care of our reputation!!! The heart of our reputation....What people will see is not you, but rather Jesus. Which is our goal as Christians, is it not?

Social Clicks - Not inherently evil!!!!

Click Toxicity

When we are worried about our reputation more than our representation, this is when we become hypocrites.

verse 14 - You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

Paul calls out Peter’s hypocrisy…you have been living like a gentile...

Law verse Faith

works of the law? -

His point was that no human deeds, however well motivated and sincerely performed, can ever achieve the kind of standing before God that results in the verdict of justification.

Timothy George, Galatians, vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 194.

Works of the law no one will be justified/righteous.

Justification means believers are reckoned( Declaration that somebody is in the right)as righteous through the death of Jesus Christ

Faith in Christ

Faith is the response of the reality of the realization of who Jesus is. It is here that human responsibility and divine sovereignty intermingle.

Closing

Law to forgiveness