Members One of Another
Notes
Transcript
Series introduction
It has now been 13 months since our world and more specifically our church life, was interrupted, being put on hold. There was a lot of anxiety and negativity surrounding the shutdown and lockouts. But I have tried from the beginning to find the positives. One such positive is the realization that we have been given a time or redirection, redefinition and revitalization. You see with any organization and or process there is the danger over the long haul to become complacent, comfortable. To the point that our comfort zone is not anything like our original objective. We are not necessarily doing anything wrong partly because we are no longer doing thing on purpose, but by rote behavior. Which is unhealthy.
So it is good that we have time to reassess, reorganize and retool. Our purpose does not change but perhaps the manner in which we accomplish that purpose does. That is where we are today. We are at that critical moment where we decide if we will return to the ABC of our recent past or will we become a new, refreshed and purposeful ABC. I agree with Dr. Getz’s premise that these “One Another” admonishments are key to our success, our health as a church.
As we launch our new series I would like to pose several questions for you to think about and periodically ask yourself over the next several weeks as we look into God’s Word together.
What is a healthy church? What makes a church an active, progressing witness to the world?
What does God expect of all believers?
I believe the answers to these questions and several more concerning God’s plan and purpose of the church could serve to help us revive spiritually stronger and healthier from this COVID season. Having studied at DTS I was familiar with Dr. Gene Getz, even reading several of his books. One in particular, Building Up One Another, later became part of a series by the title we are using “One Another.”
As I have been praying and thinking about the revival of the church from our COVID pandemic status, I was motivated by the Holy Spirit to reread the series and God used the basis of this series to prompt our current series.
I will use some of Dr. Getz’s initial exegesis in my study. For I believe that as key to the health of the church as the word ἀλλήλων (allḗlōn; genetive case) or, “of one another,” was to the first and 20th century church it still continues to be critical to the church’s health in the 21st century. Truth does not change, only our illustrations and application of the truth may differ.
The Greek word ἀλλήλων (genitive plural case adjective) of ἄλλοs, can be translated, “of one another” “Another, numerically but of the same kind in contrast to héteros (2087), another qualitatively, other, different one. [Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.]
ἀλλήλων is translated as “one another,” 58 times in the NT outside of the 4 Gospel accounts. Studying all of these “one another” admonishments together, we uncover 22 noteworthy actions to be taken by believers in the church toward one another. These actions are those which are key to the building up of the church, Christ’s body. The actions will help us form the topics that we will review together as we move to reviving ABC.
We will begin our investigation with the phrase found in Romans 12:5
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
What should stand out first is the Paul’s metaphor where Paul identifies believers as the body (soma) of Christ. Paul uses this word some 30 times in his letter to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Ephesians and the Colossians. Half the time he is making reference to the human anatomy and the other half he uses it to refer to the church as the body of Christ.
Paul’s letter to the carnal, immature and divided church in Corinth represents his most significant use of this analogy. In great detail he demonstrates the comparison of the physical body and all its parts to the spiritual soma of Christ and all the different parts that make up the Church.
The metaphor simply states that in our physical body there are many parts with different functions
Paul’s application
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
Which brings us to
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
There are three truths we need to note in the phrase, “individually members one of another.”
the body does not function effectively when its parts are isolated from one another. We cannot say “I do not need you.” We all need each other if we are to be the church. We are dependent upon one another and and our efforts must be coordinated in order for the church to be effective.
No member is more important than another. In Romans 12:3 Paul tells believers that they should not think more highly of themselves than you ought. Because someone may have more responsibility than someone else does not make them better, or more important than the one with less responsibility. In
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
Unity
10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Having established that we are members one of another Paul goes on to present two one another exhortations in chapter 12 of Romans. The first is found in verse 10a…
Be devoted to one another
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
Be Devoted , philostorgos, Loving with that natural affection that characterizes members of the same family; devoted; tender affections (Rom. 12:10). [Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.]
In brotherly love, Philadelphia, is a reference to family relationships. Adelphos, brotherly is used 220 times in the NT in reference to the christian family, and the context of the church it is a reference to fellow believers or family of God. This metaphor adds the idea of warmth, tenderness, concern and loyalty.
The injunctions in this section to deep, unaffected and practical love are particularly reminiscent of the Sermon on the Mount. Mutual love, sympathy and honour within the brotherhood of believers are to be expected. [Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 6, p. 227). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.]
What makes this reality difficult is that many children grow up without an understanding of acceptance, unconditional love or security. Therefore they do not know how to trust others and have grown up developing lifestyle habits that are anything but christian. And when they come to Christ these attitudes and actions are not instantly changed to reflect their new found faith. they have no idea what it means to be devoted, showing tender natural affection, being a sincere brother or sister in God’s family.
But that can be overcome, because God put the church together in such a way as to provide a safe learning environment where individuals can heal emotionally and spiritually. Many of us today are learning through the church how to love and care for others in Christ Jesus. That is why it is so critical that our church functions as God’s family. What a tragedy it would be if the church did not function as a family, not showing warmth, not demonstrating care, not committed to devotion toward its members, in brotherly love. Where would healing take place?
The showing of love and affection as brother and sisters will not happen just because a group of people become followers of Christ. For this injunction to become a reality within a local church we must...
1) ...be serious about the Bible’s teaching on brotherly love. Key passages for your own study would include 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10; 1 Peter 1:22-23; 3:8,9; Hebrews 13:1-3
2)…assess our own attitudes and and actions toward other members of your church, “Christian family.” Are you devoted to them, do you take time to rejoice and mourn with them or is your personal life completely disconnected from the local body? If you are disconnected why?
- Fear of rejection?
- Have you had a
bad family
background?
- Are you angry,
resentful, bitter?
- Spend most of
your time thinking
about yourself?
3) If any of these difficulties describe your situation I encourage you to seek help from a mature trustworthy member of the body.
Next Paul admonishes the believers to
Give Preference to One Another
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
Dr Getz shared an illustration of honoring others above ourselves in his book, Building Up One Another. He spoke of a talented young pianist he called Brent. You see Brent was asked to accompany a well known soloist who came to his church. While rehearsing the first song, Brent displayed his great skill and talent, running his fingers up and down the key board in Liberace style. At the end of the first verse the soloist stopped and said, “You know Brent, I really make a wonderful accompanist for you.”
The light went on in Brent’s head and he realized that as an accompanist his job was to support the soloist, not over shadow them. It was his responsibility to do everything he could to make the soloist look and sound good.
This is what Paul is teaching us, the church, here in Romans 12:10b. Your job and my job is to make our brother and sisters look and sound good.
Jesus set the example for us in
12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
Please do not get distracted with whether foot washing is to be an ordinance of the church or not. That is not the point. Jesus I believe is simply demonstrating for his disciples how to honor others above yourself.
We see this same concept taught by Paul to the church in Philippi. In Philippians 2:5-8 we read
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Paul tells us our attitude is to be like that of Christ Jesus.
Jesus demonstrated for us humility, sacrifice, obedience and unselfishness. And the result of his love and submission brought salvation to all mankind and exaltation to His name. The same exaltation He promised his disciples if they would honor others above themselves.
How are you and I doing? Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves:
When do you recall that you intentionally honored someone above yourself?
Yesterday? Last week? Last month?
How did you express sincere appreciation for that person
Conclusion:
You and I have the privilege to be part of something bigger than the sum of our individual selves. Something purposed, designed and established by the great “I Am.” Yahweh himself set the plan in motion that included the church as a witness to His salvation and coming kingdom. He designed the relationships and put in place the principles to guide those familial relationships. The Church was not man’s idea though he has tried to take control and redesign its purpose and function.
We must never forget that we are interdependent, relying upon one another by divine design. We do not perform well in isolation.
Also no one part of the body is more important than any of the other parts. We need each other to fulfill our responsibilities.
Unity is expected and should be protected.
As members of ABC do you see those around you as family?Are you loving your brothers and sisters as if they are members of your heavenly family? Do you treat them at least as equals with your natural family?
Or are you disconnected though given the title of member? Are your connections outside the body stronger? Do you need help learning to love others within the family, Body of Christ.
Do you do all you can to honor, making your brothers and sisters look and sound good? Do you honor them by holding them accountable for their thoughts, words and actions. Do you put their needs above your own? Does humility, self sacrifice and submission describe your relationships?
Or do you complain about your family? DO you seek your own comfort, desires and wishes above others? Do you seek to make your self known and in the spotlight?
As we revive our church in what I believe is a post pandemic world, let us be members of one another, loving with a brotherly love and honoring others above ourselves.