Better Together

Intro

Bad News Bears, The Mighty Ducks, The Avengers, Moneyball, Coach Carter, Miracle, Lord of the Rings!, Oceans 11, A League of their Own, Remember the Titans, Apollo 13, School of Rock :), The Incredibles, Cool Runnings..... Our society, Our culture is enamored with the entertainment and the reality of Teamwork that shows a group of people coming together to accomplish something GREAT!

I would suggest, that this theme is more than just entertainment.... it is a reality that should exist in the local church.

Here at LCBC we VALUE..... being “Better Together”

This morning.... there is a three step process.... or in some way that we can check the box or manufacture this, instead we are going to look at Ephesians 4 and see how we can unpack a Biblical view of teamwork and unity for the sake of our church being “better Together”

3 Key Beliefs for being “Better Together”

The Holy Spirit Unifies

Ephesians 4:1–6 ESV

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 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.

Key Characteristics of a united Church -

Humility - a recognition of our absolute need for God in salvation, not concerned over power, prestige and position, and an ongoing obedience to God’s word

Romans 12:16 ESV

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

gentleness - Jesus models this for us - come to me for I am gentle and humble..... meekness not weakness....opposites.....anger, a desire for revenge, and self-aggrandizement...... WE HAVE POWER UNDER SELF-CONTROL TOWARDS OTHERS

patience - longsuffering - steadfast - fruit of the Spirit -

endurance and bearing with one another in love -

Eager to maintain unity - This word means harmony - on the piano......

Melody verses harmony it is Harmony not perfection -

Play piano and melody

What are you looking for in a church? It should be this factor..... that there is harmony in the church.... not perfection in it’s people..... but a desire to work together for the same mission..... and it is only done so by the Power of the SPIRIT!

The Key ingredient - The Holy Spirit

and the common Faith - 1 Hope, 1 Call, 1 Lord, 1 Faith, 1 Baptism, 1 God and Father!

Good examples of Unity in Bible

The Passover - initial and leaving Egypt

Jerichos walls fell down

Building of the tabernacle

Rebuilding of the Temple in Nehemiah

The disciples of Jesus - 12 men who changed the world because of Jesus

The Church praying over deacons, The Church sending out missionaries, The Church meeting the needs of the saints in Jerusalem, the Church being the CHURCH!

Bad examples -

Tower of Babel - They were seeking their own glory over bring glory to God

Moses - Judging the people by himself was overwhelmed....

Promised land first visit..... 2 spies trusted..... the remaining spies divided the trust of God and they did not enter the promised land

The Church in Corinth - Paul had to address divisions in their church

Divisions of Law verse Grace that Paul addressed to the church in Galatia

The Disciples Mark 9 - who is the greatest?

Everyone Plays a Part

Ephesians 4:7–12 ESV

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Grace was given to each one - Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 is charismata - or GRACE Gifts.....

Paul uses this language here and in 1 Corinthians 12..... to each one......

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY IN THE CHURCH

The spiritual gifts identified in Romans 12 are prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.

The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues.

The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

There are leadership or offices in the church..... but EVERYONE IS EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

My role as pastor is to teach and equip.... to lead and shepherd so that you may be equipped to do the work

There is a diversity of gifts working together...... You are a part of the team in Christ at LCBC!

You are a part of a body - 1 Cor 12:27

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Meaning If you are an eye.... you can’t be a foot

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Each part is working properly! = how nice is it when your actual body works properly! We grow!

God has wired me specifically to help people to take the next step in their journey with Jesus..... meaning that God has wired them with spiritual gifts to be used in the church.... and so there will be times I give you a nudge towards a ministry or opportunity to serve because it’s what God may be leading you into....

perfect example - We have a new intern! - Luke Phillips! - Here is a young man, just graduated high school, we have been prayerfully seeking a college or masters student to plug them in the life of the local church.... and here is an opportunity for our church to serve!

We Grow Together

Ephesians 4:13–16 ESV

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Maturity - Fullness of Christ - No longer Children in our doctrine - Grow up into Jesus

- The Human body - month by month we grow as babies....., elementary growing pains as your bones grow too fast.... puberty and middle school years..... by the end of highschool/college.... your body stagnates.... you have fully grown...but when we become adults we try to maintain our weight and strength......

We were once a church plant.... young as a church..... but how will we be as an adult church?

There were times in our history that we had this unity of the Spirit and we worked together......

- We have had exceptional music

- We have had faithful teachers of the Bible

- We have sent pastors out from us

- We have seen projects and buildings completed

and there would be times when we also didn’t have the unity of the Spirit and we worked individually.....

- We are not a perfect church..... I am not going to call out examples of this right now, but I want to be honest to anyone that would ask this morning..... we are not perfect!

But what is the result we are looking for over time, with the Spirit, and together.....

Builds itself up in love -

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We do Not only grow individually but together.....

No one is overlooked or neglected.... and no one is left behind..... we all grow together!

Straw poll this morning.....

do you want our church to grow?

It is the in the Unity of the Spirit

It is in everyone playing their part

It is in the viewpoint of God’s growth not numerical growth

Acts 11:19–20 ESV

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Acts 11:26 (ESV)

26 And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

MAY IT BE SAID OF US...... THAT LCBC is a church that is build together into Christ that when people see us and how we interact with each other and our community...... they see CHRIST! We are build into him!

Do we desire to be better together?

- Are we a unified church together by the power of the spirit?

- Do you see your part to play?

- Are we growing into Christlikeness? Are we building together in love!

Pray with hands held across the aisles!