The Church United

Introduction - Are we talking about the church?

Two groups meet in the same space every Sunday.

They are dressed differently

They chant the words of their group

They sing different songs

They have their favorite personalities

They look to the professionals and maybe dabble in the even themselves

The flashier the event, the better

The more entertaining, the better

The other group is obviously wrong and it is said so with passion

Am I speaking of an American sporting event or the church?

“It is the baneful influ­ence of this secular wisdom on members in the church rather than some overarching theologi­cal misconception that lies behind most of the problems that Paul addresses in the letter.”

Yet it is the most important aspect of our theology that stands in contrast and as cure for the problems at Corinth

“1 Corinthians is the doctrine of the cross in its social application.”

— G. G. Findlay

(Scripture in Context)

1 Corinthians 1:10–17 (ESV)

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

(What was going on?)

The church at Corinth was divided.

Church at Corinth was “geographically in Greece but culturally in Rome.”

146 BC Corinth was sacked by the Romans. Remained desolate and largely uninhabited for 102 years.

44 BC - Julius Caesar established Corinth as a Roman colony

Many former slaves left Rome and settled in Corinth.

Because it had been mostly uninhabited, there was not aristocracy to contend with and these former slaves could now make a name for themselves.

One could gain wealth and climb the social ladder. The trade routes and ports allowed the city to gain wealth quickly; however, not everyone was rich and the gap between the haves and have nots grew.

Gaining and maintaining status and wealth were of utmost importance.

We wouldn’t know anything about that

What are some things around which we take sides.

Notre Dame or Michigan State? Or Purdue?

Tomato or tomato?

? What are some funny ones?

Vaccine or no vaccine?

Democrat or Republican?

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

(What was going on?)

Chloe’s people

quarreling

Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Christ

I love how some tried to trump everyone — I follow Christ!

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

(What was going on?)

Christ divided?

Paul crucified?

Baptism

New Testament 1:10–17—Christ Not Divided

In some Greek mystery cults an initiate would reportedly call the one who had introduced him to the cult “father.”

Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV)

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Baptism is important thing but it does not save.

These are three rhetorical questions:

Christ is not divided so how can his people be?

Neither Paul nor any of the church’s leaders were crucified for their sins so why would they exalt one above another?

They were each baptised into the name of Jesus, so why does it matter whose hands dipped them under?

Through these rhetorical questions Paul is trying to make one important point:

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

(What was going on?)

Paul sent to deliver the massage - not with flash but in power.

(Bridging the Gap)

(Bringing It Home)

God has one diverse Church.

The issue was not doctrinal - There are times to divide over doctrine

God didn’t offer us a smorgasbord, he sent us a Savior.

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

God, himself, is unity with diversity.

Worship together

Live together

Work together

Focus on the Message more than methods or men.

Rarely does division within a church center on doctrine or theology. Instead, the cracks of churches are usually formed around people and preferences.

Test: What makes you choose this church over another?

“What you win them with is what you win them to.”

— Anonymous

We divide over what we find important. Which means if the church divides over preferences (or if someone divides from the church over preferences) then preferences were the most important thing about church.

What are some cliques WE are in danger of?

Generational differences

Cultural differences

Musical preferences

Style difference

Personality preference

Programming or procedural differences

Hear me: It is our purpose to walk together to take the next step to be faithful and fully devoted to Christ, our neighbors, and the nations.

We do not have perfect men and we may not always choose the best methods but as long as we stay true to the message I appeal for you to be unified with us.

The culture around us gives us enough examples of divisions, factions, and cliques. What the culture around us needs is a living picture of unity among diversity.

This will become even more important as we walk into a post-Christian society.

We will need to patch the cracks of unity as we draw the lines of orthodoxy.

It is the message that brings us, binds us, and sends us.

Brings us

Paul’s appeal is in the “name (singular) of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Binds us

We are brothers and sisters - like it or not (often said in our house!).

Sends us

We have a common purpose.

ILLUST - “Band of Brothers” otherwise enemies became friends when faced with a common enemy

Remember, unity begins with yoU.

Do your part to be a part.

10 I appeal to you, brothers,

You can’t be unified to the church if you are not a part of the church.

If God has you here, consider consistency and maybe membership.

Consistency

It has less to do with your physical attendance than it does your heart’s attention.

What has your attention?

The Church is filled with people who will never miss a game but think nothing of missing time with God (not that church is the only time / place to meet with God but rarely are those same people meeting with God elsewhere)

It’s not about legalism

ILLUST - “Uggh, my sports team EXPECTS me to be at every game, but I only go because I am afraid people won’t see me as a true fan if I don’t go. I’d much rather stay home.” Said no sports fan ever.

Unity begins with YOU, but how?

Paul doesn’t call for unity by siding with one group or the other.

Notice how Paul appeals he doesn’t appease.

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree,

I appeal to you . . . that all of you agree,

Simple enough, no? Just agree!

and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

I think a better translation of judgment would be “purpose.”

In other words, be unified by having the mind of Christ for the purpose of Christ.

Mind - unity is decisional.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 2:1–8 (ESV)

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Begins with a choice to be humble, not considering your view / preference better than another or believing you are more deserving than another.

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Purpose of Christ

How much of the preferences of the church are really just distractions from our purpose?

Look at our purpose and overlook some preferences.

A divided church is a misguided church

A divided church is an immature church

A divided church is an ineffective church

A divided church is a silenced church

How can the church speak about racial reconciliation when we can’t reconcile with each other?

How can the church speak about peace with God if it is at war with man?

A divided church is not different than our divided world.

Patch the cracks.

Is there someone with whom you need to reconcile?

Do you need to speak differently about him / her?

Do you need to watch what you post on social media in order to promote unity and not division — even if you believe you are right?

ILLUST - welding cracks. Requires cleaning. Creates heat. The two sides share something that brings them together. They become one. Can end up stronger than other parts.

The more cracks we have the less effective we will be. The more unified we are, the more unstoppable we are.

Pray John 17