Church is united in the Gospel

1 Cor. 1:10-13, 17-21; John 17:20-23

Split into groups of 3-4 this morning.

In your groups I want you to come up with a list of as many things that you can think of that bring people together and unite them.

For example… A specific video game, a sports team… etc… Things that bring people together due to a common interest.

But these things can be very important or significant or not important, it’s up to you. But come up with the list.

After 2 minutes. Compare lists and put them in order of least important to most important.

Where would you rank being part of a church?

TRANSITION:

The church needs to be united.

However, we must be united on what matters most.

For example.

How do you connect two pieces of wood together?

You can nail it, screw it, or glue it with wood glue.

You wouldn’t hold two pieces of wood together with duct tape… that’s not a good adhesive permanently.

Now with two pieces of metal, you wouldn’t use wood glue, you’d use a weld or perhaps nuts and bolts.

Spiritually, what unites us as Christians is Jesus.

The gospel is Jesus died on the cross according to the scriptures, he was buried, and rose again on the third day.

Not all churches believe the gospel… and that’s scary.

We must be careful not to unite with those churches.

But! for those that do believe in the gospel, it doesn’t matter if they have 50 members or 500 members, this unites us!

When we get distracted from the gospel and focus on agendas, programs, and preferences, that fractures churches.

Let’s read our text for this morning and then discuss the church united in the gospel.

1 Cor. 1:10-13 “10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe’s people, that there is rivalry among you. 12 What I am saying is this: One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name?”

1 Cor 1:17-21 “17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect. 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent. 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached.”

John 17:20-23 “20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.”

Paul starts these verses by referencing the church of Corinth as “Brothers and sisters”

In other words, Paul says, ok Fam… we are all family here… can we act like it?

Now, I grew up in a home with 2 older brothers and no sisters.

My house was competitive.

But in a family, it’s the love within the home that transcends the competitive attitudes.

Paul grounds the conversation by saying, Brothers and sisters,

“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...”

Hey Fam, because of Jesus and all of our commitment to him… let’s have a conversation.

How would Christians viewing each other as family improve our unity?

Unity has to do with the same purpose, not sameness.

unity doesn’t mean everyone is identical.

Unity is everyone using their gifts in pursuit of the same goal and purpose.

Like an orchestra. Beautiful music is formed not from everyone playing the same thing!

If the brass section, strings, and wood instruments all played the same thing, then it would sound like a mess!

It’s because they all play different notes that work together and create harmonies that the song works!

The instruments are unified, not in playing the same thing, but in creating a song. (same purpose)

In the same way, Christians and churches need to use our gifts and talents right where God has put us in order to share the gospel with others.

We have different methods and perspectives and skills, but the goal is the same.

THE GOSPEL!

Paul goes on to talk about how there have been rivalries in the Corinthian Church.

Some follow one preacher (Apollos) some follow another (Peter) and some follow Paul.

Paul says Stop!

If we are all following Christ, we’ve got to be united.

It’s not about rivalries

It’s not about personal preferences

It’s about Jesus.

Years ago (and still today in small part) there were churches that split over musical preference.

Some thought it was evil for instruments like drums and electric guitars to be played in church.

As a drummer, this always made me feel awkward.

Truly, I know God gave me a gift of drumming and I want to use it to glorify him. That’s it.

Sometimes people in church overlook those who are trying to use their gifts and talents to serve Jesus. And the reason they are overlooked is because the method of sharing the gospel doesn’t match up to their preferences.

That should never be the case.

We are called within the church to put down our preferences and pick up our crosses.

Here’s the hard part.

The gospel unites Christians and the church, but the gospel doesn’t unite people.

Jesus didn’t die for us to improve ourselves, believe in ourselves, live our best lives now, or to support our political convictions.

He didn’t die to make bad people good.

Jesus died to make dead people alive.

The cross satisfies our desire to be loved unconditionally.

Jesus heals the broken.

cleans the dirty sinner.

and demonstrates that the kingdoms of this world are nothing compared to the power of God.

That is what the gospel displays.

That’s why Paul wrote in vs. 18, “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing...”

To those who are living for their kingdom on earth, the cross sounds foolish.

Its delaying gratification now for eternal glory.

So here is what the gospel calls us to ask ourselves.

Am i willing to stand up for things that aren’t popular?

Is my lifestyle magnifying the message of the cross?

The truth is, if we are standing on the truth of the gospel, that’s not going to be a popular thing.

As unifying as the gospel should be, it won’t always feel unifying.

The gospel confronts sin and reminds people someone paid for your sin!

However, not everybody wants to hear that!

We sin because we like sin!

So to the sinner, the gospel can be offensive.

Until you realize you need saving, you won’t care much for the Savior.

So the gospel can be offensive, though we should never try to make it more offensive.

But by sharing the gospel, we need to realize we are standing up for something that isn’t popular in our culture.

Secondly, is my lifestyle magnifying the message of the cross?

The first two kings in the OT were Saul and then David.

Saul lost the kingship because he sinned and refused to humble himself when confronted with his sin.

David also sinned. Horribly so. He had a man murdered and then stole the mans wife.

Yet Scripture says David is a man after God’s own heart.

How can that be?

David humbled himself, admitted his faults, and always turned back to God.

Your not a hypocrite as a Christian because you sin.

Your a hypocrite if you sin and don’t think you need a savior.

But the good news is, the Savior is always ready to Save.

That’s the good news of the gospel.

So how can we apply this today?

APPLICATION:

Church competitions…

Churches should be unified in the gospel.

It doesn’t matter if its The Mill, Roebuck Baptist, or BBC.

All of us are seeking to share the gospel.

Some churches have more people, some have less.

But what matters isn’t the programs, or number of people in attendance, but rather that we are sharing the gospel.

We shouldn’t get angry that this church has more people than we do.

On the contrary, we should always celebrate the gospel advancing!

period.

Personally, we also can’t get competitive and think that ______ guy or girl is a better Christian than you are.

Everyone has struggles.

Satan wants to put that lie of rivalry in your head to make you think you aren’t as good of a Christian as they are.

But this isnt true.

SO again as yourself.

Are you willing to stand for Jesus even when it isn’t popular to do so?

Is my lifestyle about giving God the glory?

It’s all about Jesus guys.

Let Jesus unify everything you do!

Remember sometimes Jesus is offensive to people and it’s ok to walk away when he is!

But don’t be afraid to stand for Him at the same time.

Be united in Christ!