Fault Lines
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Video - San Andreas Official Movie Trailer #2
The United States has seen its fair share of earthquakes over the years. The earliest one recorded was in 1886 in Charleston, South Carolina. It was a magnitude 7.7 earthquake. 60 people lost their life from this earthquake.
The largest earthquake measured a magnitude 9.2 in Prince William Sound, AK. This happened on March 27, 1964. 139 people lost their lives. Tremors lasted for nearly five minutes, while aftershocks continued for three weeks.
The most devastating earthquake to hit the United States happened on April 18, 1906 in San Francisco, CA. The earthquake was a magnitude of 7.8, spanning nearly 300 miles along the state’s San Andreas fault. The quake lasted for nearly one minute and was felt as far south as Los Angeles and as inland as Nevada. There were approximately 700 deaths, but later estimates put the number of fatalities as high as 3,000. Fires brought on by the earthquake destroyed nearly 80% of the city and damage estimate in today’s dollars was about $400 billion.
In geological terms, a fault line is a fracture along which the crust has moved. Seismic waves are generated when the two sides of the fault rapidly slip past each other. For most earthquakes, the faults do not break the surface, so the faults can be “seen” only through analyzing the seismic waves. Fault lines are often invisible until the earthquake strikes, and everything falls apart. Fault lines can be hard to see, but they’re there and they’re dangerous.
So, maybe you are wondering, what does earthquakes and fault lines have to do with being a community of one? It has everything to do with becoming and staying a community of Jesus followers, living in our world as a community of one.
Fault lines happen because we are broken and imperfect people who do life with other broken and imperfect people.
Fault lines are the single biggest reason most churches and the Church in North America are failing to have the impact we are called to have. These fault lines are the single biggest reason the Church in America fails to live as a community of one.
One of the reasons the Church in America appears to be defeated is because we are divided. Write this down. Make to where you can see it often.
A Divided Church is a Defeated Church.
A Divided Church is a Defeated Church.
We must be very intentional about preventing future and healing current fault lines in our churches.
Paul started a church in a city called Ephesus. He dealt with some of these issues in this community. Ephesus was a community made up of both Jews and Gentiles. These two groups were natural enemies. Let’s take a look at what Paul told them in chapter 4 of Ephesians. I want to begin reading at verse 1.
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 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.
Live a Life Worthy of Your Calling
Live a Life Worthy of Your Calling
God has called each of us to salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross. We are called to a service of God. So, how can we live worthy of the calling?
If you were to look up the Greek word for “worthy” you would find that it refers to a balance, like on scales. So, we are to live “in balance” with their calling. How we act should match what we believe?
Do you believe that God can heal? Then act like it. Instead of walking around feeling sorry for yourself. Walk around believing that God has healed you. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t go to the doctor. If anything you should go to the doctor and confirm what you believe.
Do you believe that God wants you to prosper? Then act like it. Instead of talking about how broke you are, tell everyone how blessed you are.
Do you believe that God wants you to have the victory over everything? Then act like it. Get up and walk in victory. Quit walking around acting like you are defeated all the time.
Christ’s sacrifice should cause you to live for his glory in every area of your life.
Then Paul continues with four characteristics of a person who is “worthy of the calling”.
Be Completely Humble
Be Completely Humble
We should be completely humble before God and one another. We should find ways to serve one another. We need to make sure that we don’t put ourselves above anyone else.
Be Completely Gentle
Be Completely Gentle
Humility is an attitude, and gentleness is the action derived from it. Gentle people do not attempt to grab for positions of importance or assert authority over others. Gentle people accept God’s dealings with them without arguing or resisting. Gentle people are considerate of others. If everyone in a church had the characteristics of humility and gentleness, conflicts would disappear.
Be Patient
Be Patient
Patience conveys the quality of being able to handle one another’s faults and failures and refusing to avenge wrongs. No one is ever going to be perfect while we are here on this earth. We have to learn to be patient with one another. In order for you to show patience, it is going to require you to love each other.
Keep the Unity of the Spirit
Keep the Unity of the Spirit
This is not a matter of intellectual agreement on all issues. This is maintained by being loyal to the truth and moving in obedience to the leading of the Spirit. When the spirit moves you you listen to what He is saying. And you do what the Spirit tells you to do. All of this is out of Christ’s love for His people. We follow His leading.
These characteristics are revealed in us and makes us worthy of the calling that God has called us to.
When Paul concludes this portion of scripture he uses many “one” references.
One body
One spirit
One hope
One Lord
One faith
One baptism
One God
When you look at the number one in scriptures its meaning centers on the unity of God. The number one also represents the unity between God the Father and His son Jesus.
30 I and the Father are one.”
Jesus, by his singular sacrifice, has made possible the forgiveness of all our sins. He is the one Mediator and Shepherd in the life of the Christian.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
The Old and New Testaments have an incredible unity of one between them. More than a third of the New Testament is composed of Old Testament quotes. Many writings from the prophets and Psalms could not be understood without the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament.
Prophecies in places like Isaiah 53 would not be correctly understood as referring to the Messiah if the Gospels did not exist. Such examples are a unified nature of the scriptures and offer proof of its direct inspiration of God.
Jesus is called the firstborn of every creature.
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Jesus is also called the first of the firstfruits
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
There is unity in God the Father, Jesus His son and the Holy Spirit and therefore as believers we must walk in Unity in the faith with one another.
We can not let division in the house. A divided house will not stand. It will crumble every time. If we want to see God do some amazing things in this church through his people then we must be one united people moving forward in Christ Jesus.
So, how do you need to start building unity?
Develop the habit of considering others needs ahead of your own wants and needs. Ask the question, “what do they need?”
Do you need to go to someone and seek/offer forgiveness? Where do you need to get over yourself and work to bring reconciliation?
Are you in tune with the Holy Spirit? Are you pursuing love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?
Then ask yourself this question on a corporate level, amongst the fellowship.
Are you working to build unity here at church? Are you praying and seeking to be in tune with the Holy Spirit?
So, make a commitment to the local fellowship. Be devoted to the church, to community, and to Christ. That is how we become a community of one, united in Christ.
For the next few moments I want us to spend some time praying for one another. Turn to the person on either side of you, if you have to walk to someone do so, but I want all of us praying for one another. Ask each other what needs they may have and then let’s pray.