1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,400 Thank you worship. Team for leading Us in those 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,300 very fitting songs. Last Sunday. 3 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:12,900 Pastor Joe started us off on a, the first term of a six-part 4 00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:15,400 series title. I will be. 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:20,200 I am a church member. And it's basically a very tiny 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,200 little booklets, this booklet. And it's but an hour's worth of 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,100 reading or so, give or take. And but the outline of that Book 8 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:32,100 of Jonah, I read the book and we feel so strongly about these 9 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:35,400 principles and this outline, we decided, you know, what? 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,300 We believe we should adopt this for our next sermon series. 11 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:40,800 Not the route preaching. This book we're giving an 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:42,300 outline. You have those outlines in your 13 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:46,800 seats there, but to just follow this and explore through the 14 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,800 lens of scripture. What is a church member and what 15 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,200 does that mean? For us as we call ourselves, 16 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:58,000 Christians. Tom Rainer, explores through the 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:58,900 lens of scripture. What? 18 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:02,400 God, not just once, but demands and expects of us. 19 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:05,300 You see people often know, they're not right with God in 20 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:07,100 this world. They know, they need to repent. 21 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:09,300 They know, they need to get ready for eternity. 22 00:01:10,100 --> 00:01:11,600 They need to heed the message to the pain. 23 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,800 Okay. You know what, I'm going to do 24 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,100 that, I'm going to get baptized enjoying the church and then 25 00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:21,400 after that's done, you know. Okay got that done. 26 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,700 That's out of the way. Now I can go on with life. 27 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:29,200 That's not true. That is only the starting point. 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,500 That's the launch point when we become members of Christ's body 29 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:37,100 as Believers. There's way more than just, I 30 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:38,800 got my name in a church register. 31 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,400 Okay, now I'm a member we as Believers belong, first and 32 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,800 foremost to the body of Christ. We belong to him, so remembers 33 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,800 of that body, but it's far more intricate. 34 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,100 We also belong to each other. We call that membership. 35 00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:54,400 We become accountable to each other. 36 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,600 We hold each other. Other accountable, we even 37 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,300 confront one another. We encourage one another, we 38 00:01:59,300 --> 00:02:02,800 pull for each other, we have each other's back last Sunday. 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,500 Pastor, Joe preached on the topic of a functioning church 40 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:09,600 member. Imagine a non-functioning church 41 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:14,700 member Just as Anna sports team, there are a non-functioning 42 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:17,300 member sometimes. Sometimes a person joins a team, 43 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:19,900 whether it's volleyball. Baseball hockey, soccer, you 44 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:22,900 name it, but they don't show up for practice. 45 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,500 They don't even attend nevermind play. 46 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,600 And when the team loses, oh, well, It's interesting how 47 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,300 people view membership, what their thoughts are on it for a 48 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:37,300 lot of people and Joe touching this last Sunday, I'm just kind 49 00:02:37,300 --> 00:02:40,400 of repeating some of the stuff. It's like a benefit membership 50 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,900 is a benefit? As in, here's what the church 51 00:02:42,900 --> 00:02:49,000 will do for me once I join and some of that is true, there is a 52 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,100 benefit to being a member because let's say there's a 53 00:02:52,100 --> 00:02:53,800 there's a there's a loss in the family. 54 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,200 There's maybe there's a there's lots of income people rally 55 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,700 around people who Fall short or there's somebody sick, somebody 56 00:03:01,700 --> 00:03:05,000 passes away. There's there's value in being 57 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,400 members, but there's accountability and 58 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,800 responsibility that goes with it years ago. 59 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,000 I was a pastor's lunch meeting, and it was an interesting 60 00:03:13,700 --> 00:03:15,600 meeting in the fact that we got on the topic. 61 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,500 I don't know how he got on it, but was a topic on membership 62 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:20,600 and we were pastors from different denominations. 63 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,900 And so on this one, Pastor commented on how at one time in 64 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:26,200 his life he was an associate pastor of the church that he 65 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,500 attended that he was pastoring and he was in the unenviable 66 00:03:30,500 --> 00:03:34,700 task of following up on church members, who were no longer 67 00:03:34,700 --> 00:03:36,900 attending and hadn't attended for a long time. 68 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:40,600 And so they told him the leadership told him to, you need 69 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,700 to write letters and contact. These people and see if they 70 00:03:42,708 --> 00:03:46,200 still want to remain members. And this Pastors in this group 71 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,000 of us passed its sharing. And not always remember what he 72 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,500 said to us. Other pastors that he says, I 73 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:55,900 never received so much hate mail, my life verbatim, that's 74 00:03:55,900 --> 00:04:00,500 exactly what he said. He said some of these people in 75 00:04:00,508 --> 00:04:02,800 the one for his one particular member had not been in the 76 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,800 church for more than 20 years and the response. 77 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,100 This member said, how dare you question my membership? 78 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:14,300 For all intents and purposes. This person was a complete 79 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:18,300 stranger but yep, Once Upon a Time many decades ago I was 80 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:23,600 baptized here so I'm a member Joe ended his sermon last Sunday 81 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,100 by mentioned the term Rainer mentions that generally 82 00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:27,700 speaking. This is not across the board and 83 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:29,700 I want to say, we may be the exception, I hope so. 84 00:04:30,100 --> 00:04:33,700 Not one third of members in the church are biblical members the 85 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:36,300 rest. Maybe Benchwarmers may be 86 00:04:36,300 --> 00:04:38,200 functioning may be partially, who knows? 87 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:44,200 But the point is we should be biblical functioning members. 88 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,100 This morning, want to continue this series and sermon number 89 00:04:48,100 --> 00:04:52,000 two, I'm a church member, but I want to ask us this morning 90 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,800 before we dig in how functioning. 91 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,700 Am I, how functioning are you? And I will concede and say there 92 00:04:59,700 --> 00:05:02,500 are people who are not members are far more dedicated and 93 00:05:02,500 --> 00:05:06,200 involved than some, who are members and, for various 94 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,000 reasons, they cannot or have not taken member, I acknowledge 95 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,000 that, but by and large, we have to belong. 96 00:05:13,900 --> 00:05:16,200 How are things going? How is it working out? 97 00:05:18,300 --> 00:05:25,700 This morning's title is I will be a unifying church member I 98 00:05:25,700 --> 00:05:28,200 will be a unifying church member. 99 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,000 The whole concept of being a member of the body of Christ is 100 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:40,600 deeply rooted in this concept of unity and so we want to expand 101 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,400 on that this morning. Explore it. 102 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:44,700 What is it that keeps Unity alive? 103 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:45,800 What is it? That keeps Unity? 104 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,000 Strong and healthy? Jesus has a word for it. 105 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Will start digging into these PowerPoint. 106 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,100 Slides, first one is John 13:35. Jesus Says, by this, all people 107 00:05:56,100 --> 00:05:57,700 will know that you're my disciples. 108 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:03,400 If you have love for one another to keywords if love Love builds. 109 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:08,700 Unity love sustains unity in the body of Jesus Christ in the 110 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:11,700 church. Love and unity are a must. 111 00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:15,000 They cannot be optional. Tom Reina writes these words. 112 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:19,900 He says, when you become a Christian, God expects you to be 113 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:22,400 a part of his church. But when you become a part of 114 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,600 his church, he wants you to be a unifying presence there that 115 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,900 state that a bit more strongly, he demands that you become a 116 00:06:30,900 --> 00:06:35,800 unifying. There for a church to be United, 117 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,400 members, must be United and we must understand what that is. 118 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,500 So that's the first point we must understand Unity. 119 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,400 What is Unity? I'd like to go back to the 120 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:49,300 analogy of sports to illustrate this. 121 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:52,200 A little bit. Sports teams are made up of 122 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,200 individual players with each player having their individual 123 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,200 strengths abilities and skills sets and so on. 124 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,800 So they're placed strategically to different positions. 125 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,100 In the team. How to play for instance, 126 00:07:04,100 --> 00:07:06,900 baseball, not everybody is a picture. 127 00:07:07,700 --> 00:07:11,000 Not everybody is a good catcher or the same catcher. 128 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,600 We have different teams or on a hockey. 129 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,500 Some certain people play one position. 130 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:16,600 Certain people play another position but all play 131 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,400 strategically. So the team can play well and 132 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,200 hope to win. It's a team effort. 133 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,400 Sometimes, unfortunately, when a team has done well and they've 134 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,800 won a game, all the attention goes to the one particular 135 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,900 player that's a for hockey instance. 136 00:07:32,900 --> 00:07:36,000 One particular player, sure that the next outstanding player 137 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:39,800 plays exceptionally well, but what, if he was the only one on 138 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,400 the hockey team? What if she was the only one 139 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:47,200 playing, there would be no game. And that's what can happen, 140 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,400 sometimes. We must keep this principle of 141 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,100 unity and togetherness and consideration, not just in 142 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:58,500 sports, but even in the church, The more unify, the team is the 143 00:07:58,500 --> 00:07:59,900 better. They can play in the better, 144 00:07:59,900 --> 00:08:03,100 their chances. But as I said sometimes the 145 00:08:03,100 --> 00:08:06,300 Temptation is to just focus on one individual, it's a team 146 00:08:06,300 --> 00:08:09,900 effort, the team gets the credit, there's no room for self 147 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:16,200 focus in unity, not in sports, not in work, not in marriage, 148 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,900 and not in church years ago. I was part of a men's breakfast, 149 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:21,900 one time and the Men's breakfast. 150 00:08:21,900 --> 00:08:24,400 I don't remember who the speaker was, but there was a young man 151 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,200 younger than I. And he was the son of a pastor 152 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,200 and his Pastor was a good pastor, I say, and And he was a 153 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,299 good guy and he and I got to talking and I said to him. 154 00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:41,400 So what do you want in life? What do you hope to? 155 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:44,200 Where do you hope to do? And he says, oh, I says I'd like 156 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,400 to be a speaker speak in front of thousands of people. and I 157 00:08:48,408 --> 00:08:52,800 thought, Okay, is that really your goal is? 158 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,200 What's the what's the, what's the driving force? 159 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:57,700 And I didn't. It was a lot of guys around. 160 00:08:57,700 --> 00:09:00,600 I didn't want to start probing and picking on him but I thought 161 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,600 to myself, okay. Is he willing to walk the path 162 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,300 of the cross that gets him to a point where he will be 163 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:09,300 influencing a lot of people or is he just expecting to be 164 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,200 jumped from here to there? I don't know. 165 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,000 And I'm not saying this to be hard on him, but obviously, and 166 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,600 from what I could see, he did not have experience, he was 167 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,900 naive and it would just be Great to speak in front of thousands 168 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:25,600 of people that's shallow because then the focus would be on him. 169 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,500 To be recognized, notice mentioned, you know, that's not 170 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:34,600 what we should be after. So, we must evaluate our own 171 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,300 motives our own lives. Our own Focus. 172 00:09:37,700 --> 00:09:40,300 Where is it? I think this passage that they 173 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,100 worshiped even read just before one of the song between one of 174 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:47,000 the songs and Philippians chapter 2 is a powerful passage. 175 00:09:47,700 --> 00:09:52,400 We can be very self-focused and that destroys Unity to be 176 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:56,700 ignited church. We must be other focused self 177 00:09:56,700 --> 00:10:00,900 oaken's weakens team effort weakens any Organization, no 178 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:03,400 matter where it's not just church, but Everywhere. 179 00:10:04,700 --> 00:10:09,300 You see if there's Unity, there's Common Ground, sameness 180 00:10:09,300 --> 00:10:11,800 of purpose, sameness of Direction. 181 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:16,100 Unity means were one last week in and I were not here by the 182 00:10:16,100 --> 00:10:17,400 way. So the reason I know about last 183 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,400 Sunday sermon cuz I watched it last Sunday and I were not here. 184 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,500 We're at a marriage Retreat. And the theme was Oneness unity 185 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:26,400 and marriage is extremely important. 186 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,700 It doesn't matter in what dynamic we find ourselves is 187 00:10:30,700 --> 00:10:34,700 whether it's church or work with, but Unity is a important, 188 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:39,400 especially in marriage. One of the biggest principles in 189 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,100 life, is this concept? If we're going to do anything 190 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:43,700 together, no matter where we're at. 191 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:45,700 But especially also in church, things like marriage work, 192 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:49,500 wherever Unity is always a very core Central pillar. 193 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:51,800 It has to be that has to be Oneness. 194 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:55,800 Last Sunday, pastor, Joe talked about the parts of the body. 195 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,600 He used the distraction of Corinthians where Paul talks 196 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,300 about the body, body parts function in Harmony and unity. 197 00:11:03,100 --> 00:11:06,100 If one part stops working. The other part suffers the whole 198 00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:09,300 body suffers and may even die. If the lungs say, we're not 199 00:11:09,300 --> 00:11:12,100 going to breathe anymore. Well, how's that going to work? 200 00:11:13,300 --> 00:11:16,100 You see sometimes Church to start in a community. 201 00:11:16,300 --> 00:11:18,400 There's a lot of energy. There's love. 202 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,500 There's Goodwill together in this, enjoy as the church grows 203 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:25,100 and starts to expand. This is one is starts to be 204 00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,200 contagious. The church grows people love 205 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,100 each other. Sinners come to repentance to 206 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:31,500 get. Baptized joined the church and 207 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:33,700 it spreads. And the community becomes a 208 00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:36,400 healthy well-balanced functioning community. 209 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:38,800 That's beautiful. When that happens. 210 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,000 Let me repeat what I said earlier for the body of Christ 211 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,200 to function in this world, Unity is not optional. 212 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,300 It is an absolute must and it doesn't happen by accident by 213 00:11:52,300 --> 00:11:58,000 chance we must work at it. So we can ask ourselves. 214 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,300 Do we maintain Unity? The opposite is disunity of 215 00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:07,600 divisiveness. You see divisiveness contention 216 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,700 nobody needs training in that, that happens all by itself. 217 00:12:11,700 --> 00:12:14,300 Just watched little kids play. They never took a course in 218 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:17,000 fighting and arguing and bickering and complaining and 219 00:12:17,300 --> 00:12:19,400 when they never take courses in there but they just do it 220 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,700 naturally. Even I don't do it naturally, 221 00:12:23,700 --> 00:12:25,700 oh, but I would never be divisive. 222 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:27,100 Let's ask ourselves this question. 223 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:30,400 How would life be in whatever you're in whether it's church or 224 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,900 marriage or work? How would life be if everybody 225 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:35,600 did as you do? Everybody would speak as you 226 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,300 speak, everybody was ready and willing as you are. 227 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,300 How would things be then? There. 228 00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:44,500 Yes, there are people in churches, even in churches for 229 00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:47,000 selfish gain, at the expense of others, the Bible warns us 230 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,500 against that, but Paul is a very positive writer. 231 00:12:50,500 --> 00:12:53,400 He says, in 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 11, he writes these words. 232 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:57,400 Therefore encourage one and other, there's that Unity 233 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,200 principle and build one. Another up again, the unity 234 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,100 principle just as you are doing, you're doing it, great. 235 00:13:03,100 --> 00:13:07,600 But keep going, keep going. This is a reminder for us how we 236 00:13:07,608 --> 00:13:10,200 are to work towards unity and keep the unity. 237 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:13,000 This idea Of building. One, another up is huge. 238 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,300 It's a very serious thing. Unity is maintained when we 239 00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:20,000 build up the other building up the other. 240 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,700 Let's let's think about that building up the other. 241 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:29,100 When unit is present, there's loyalty, there's a desire for 242 00:13:29,100 --> 00:13:32,000 togetherness. And we don't do things 243 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,000 selfishly. As a church. 244 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,800 We say we have the message of Hope for this world. 245 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,700 We say we bring the message of love but let's go back again. 246 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:43,300 John 13, verse 35. I'm going to repeat this verse 247 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,400 by this. All people will know that you 248 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:51,900 are my disciples. If you have love for one another 249 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,600 If this truth is kept in principle and lived out in our 250 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,200 hearts and minds and our lives will be honest with each other 251 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:04,900 will want, what's best for the other will speak truth, even if 252 00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:08,000 it means sometimes confronting we will suffer with. 253 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,800 And for one another, we will not act deceitfully or evil towards 254 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,500 another. We will love one another. 255 00:14:17,100 --> 00:14:20,600 We will do our best to add to the unity to maintain the unity 256 00:14:21,100 --> 00:14:23,900 Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15 to 16. 257 00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:26,700 These words he writes for this reason because I've heard of 258 00:14:26,700 --> 00:14:30,000 your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints. 259 00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:32,500 I do not cease to give, thanks for you. 260 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:36,400 Remembering you in my prayers, he had started that church was 261 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,600 doing well. He was encouraged. 262 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:41,300 These people were faithful, loving, one, another. 263 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,700 Let's look a bit later on in the passage and 4:1. 23. 264 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:48,400 Paul writes I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you 265 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,200 to walk in a manner. Worthy of the calling you have 266 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:54,200 been called to which you've been called with all humility and 267 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,800 gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love 268 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:03,900 eager to maintain the unity in the spirit in the bond of Peace. 269 00:15:03,900 --> 00:15:09,100 This church at Ephesus was doing what churches should be doing. 270 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:12,900 See the bottom line is the fruits of the spirit that Paul 271 00:15:12,900 --> 00:15:14,400 mentions here. They're at their best. 272 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:18,500 Asked and bring their greatest blessings when they grow in an 273 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,200 environment of unity and Oneness. 274 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,400 In this is what we call to be an influencer of unity in the 275 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,500 church. We're to be such members in the 276 00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:31,700 church that people just know, we have the best interest for the 277 00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:34,400 church and for one another we give our best. 278 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:41,300 Yeah, but it takes work. In a sermon like this, we could 279 00:15:41,300 --> 00:15:43,300 speak of so many things that are so important. 280 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:47,300 But due to time restraints, we just narrowed it down to a few 281 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:49,700 narrow line, will not look at all that we could look at but 282 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,900 Tom Rainer puts it this way. He says, the next slide here, 283 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:55,700 you have a responsibility as a church member your to be a 284 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:58,200 source of unity. You're never to be a divisive 285 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,600 force. You to love your fellow church 286 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,100 members unconditionally while the same time. 287 00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:05,400 Well, that doesn't mean your agree with everyone all the 288 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:06,600 time. It does mean you're willing to 289 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,900 sacrifice your own preferences to keep unity in your Church 290 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,300 Paul wrote to the Colossians, tell him how to live out the 291 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:14,400 fruits of the spirit, and 3:12 and onward. 292 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,000 Let's read that as well. Colossians, 3:14 above all these 293 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,900 things put on love, which binds everything together in. 294 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:23,100 Perfect Harmony, love is what binds. 295 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:27,400 It's the bonding agent. In a way, I would just love to 296 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,900 end the sermon here have prayer and go home would be great, but 297 00:16:30,900 --> 00:16:32,600 it wouldn't be fair, wouldn't be right. 298 00:16:32,700 --> 00:16:35,800 There's much more to be said in much that we can't cover in just 299 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,600 30 to 40 minutes. That has to do with what not to 300 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,900 do, what to avoid again, this could be very long, but one of 301 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:49,900 the greatest things that distances people, that destroys 302 00:16:49,900 --> 00:16:55,500 relationships, that separates is when through our use of words, 303 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,300 we create divisiveness. That's the next point. 304 00:16:58,300 --> 00:17:04,900 We must stay away from Gossip and - talk As much as I've just 305 00:17:04,900 --> 00:17:08,000 like, to avoid this part of this room, we can't, we have to deal 306 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,599 with it. Leviticus chapter 19, verse 16, 307 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,800 Moses wrote you shall not go around as a slander among your 308 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,599 people. You shall not stand up against 309 00:17:16,599 --> 00:17:19,500 the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord. 310 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:22,599 God had very clear warnings about how the people of Israel 311 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:24,700 were to treat one another in the community, especially in their 312 00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:27,700 words not going around. Slandering one another. 313 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,600 It's toxic. What is Gossip? 314 00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:33,600 Actually. It's sharing stories and 315 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,700 information. Nation about another person in 316 00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:37,700 order to tarnish their reputation. 317 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:39,400 It's like this. Hey, I don't like that guy. 318 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:41,000 I'm going to tell you something. Hope you don't like him either. 319 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:46,800 It's the opposite of Redemptive, it's the opposite of good. 320 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,700 Will I know this gets tricky because there's there are times 321 00:17:49,700 --> 00:17:50,900 we'll talk about in a second here. 322 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,100 There's times when we need to oppose any to warn others about 323 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:57,900 false prophets and so on, we need to sometimes say things, I 324 00:17:57,900 --> 00:17:59,800 read a quote, this last week, it goes like this. 325 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,500 The church always reads, collectively, what individuals. 326 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:09,500 So personally I think that fits here, when I act divisive it 327 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:14,000 toward another, it's contagious. How we talk about them, how I 328 00:18:14,008 --> 00:18:17,100 talk about another, how you talk about another, we either tear 329 00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:21,100 down or build up and when we do it affects the whole body. 330 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,100 These are not empty words, words carry weight. 331 00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:27,700 In fact Paul writes about this in Romans chapter 1 verse 29. 332 00:18:27,700 --> 00:18:31,000 Paul writes these words he says and he's talking about the 333 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,700 ungodly World in which we find ourselves and so on. 334 00:18:33,700 --> 00:18:36,900 And he says, they're filled with all manner of unrighteousness, 335 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:39,500 evil covetousness is malice, they're full of Envy, murder 336 00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:42,300 Strife, deceit, maliciousness their gossips, slanderers haters 337 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,100 Haters of God insolent, hottie, boastful, inventors of evil 338 00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:47,200 disobedient to parents, foolish. Faith was heartless. 339 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,000 Ruthless at the end of verse 29. He says he uses the word 340 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,400 gossips. This all comes from the same tap 341 00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:01,900 from the same bucket. And it much of it comes from the 342 00:19:01,900 --> 00:19:04,300 tongue time, rain or rights again. 343 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:07,200 He says, few things can destroy the unity of the church like 344 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,200 gossip a unified churches. Powerful gossip, tears, apart 345 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,700 that. Unity and renders our church 346 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,300 powerless. It's like separating the bonds 347 00:19:17,300 --> 00:19:20,600 that hold it together, the Apostle James and his letter had 348 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,100 something to say about the use of the tongue. 349 00:19:22,100 --> 00:19:26,000 He says James 3 Verse 6 and the tongue is a fire. 350 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,400 Our world of unrighteousness, the tongue is set among our 351 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,000 members thinning. The whole body setting on fire 352 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:35,200 the entire course of life and set on fire by hell. 353 00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:40,700 I know this sounds depressing, I'm aware of that, but it's 354 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:43,300 necessary that we look at this and evaluate ourselves that stay 355 00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:47,100 away from this and take inventory and see where we're at 356 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:50,200 in our walk with Jesus and see if we have some work to do here. 357 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:53,100 At this point, some might be wondering what this, this 358 00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:56,100 doesn't mean that I cannot should not ever say anything. 359 00:19:56,900 --> 00:20:00,000 No, it's not what it means, but here's what it does mean. 360 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,800 Our words should never bring dishonor to God. 361 00:20:02,900 --> 00:20:06,200 It should always be something. God would want to hear it. 362 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,900 Should never be false. Don't spread false stuff. 363 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,000 It should never be laced with hatred or malice towards someone 364 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,700 else. It should always be for the 365 00:20:17,708 --> 00:20:21,300 intent of building up and protecting the body. 366 00:20:23,100 --> 00:20:25,600 Our first and foremost, focus is Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ and 367 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,600 then our neighbors and everything should work around 368 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,300 that work with that somebody at this point may be wondering. 369 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:34,400 Okay, what about Sin? Should we expose that are just 370 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:36,800 just just don't talk about it, just leave it. 371 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:39,600 Somebody's the false prophet done, just don't talk about it. 372 00:20:40,500 --> 00:20:42,800 Somebody's going around and causing lots of Destruction. 373 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,600 I just don't talk about it. Is that what this means? 374 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,900 No, this is not what that means. So that's Point number 3, we 375 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:53,000 must defend Unity We must defend Unity. 376 00:20:56,100 --> 00:21:00,000 It doesn't mean just shut up. If there's a false prophet, like 377 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:02,900 Matthew writes, the wolf in sheep's clothing or we talked 378 00:21:02,900 --> 00:21:06,200 about several Sundays ago and the letter of Jude false 379 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,800 prophets were were spreading false stuff or as Jesus writes 380 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,100 in Matthew chapter 18. If somebody sins against you, 381 00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:15,900 you gotta deal with it. You confront that person, tell 382 00:21:15,900 --> 00:21:17,500 him this is sin. What you're doing? 383 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:19,900 If the person listens and repents great, if not take 384 00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:22,400 another one, repeat the process. If they don't, if they listen 385 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:27,100 great, if not take the go to bring a ring, Bringing for the 386 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:29,400 church. If you lessons, then consider 387 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,200 him an unbeliever. There are times when we have to 388 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:36,000 for the sake of the protection of the church confronts. 389 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,600 In these talks about that, this all and is included in this 390 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,000 whole concept of unity and they're actually stories and 391 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,400 scripture. Believe it or not, we're this 392 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,200 actually happened that we can draw attention from To defend 393 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,700 the unity of the church takes sometimes doing difficult tasks. 394 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:56,900 Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy. 395 00:21:56,900 --> 00:21:59,700 Second, Timothy chapter 4. He's writing Timothy a letter. 396 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:03,100 He says this Alexander, the coppersmith, did me great harm, 397 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,200 the Lord will repay him according to his deeds, beware 398 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:09,600 of him for he strongly opposed, our message, ouch Paul. 399 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:11,500 What are you doing? How's that going to help 400 00:22:11,500 --> 00:22:13,500 Alexander the coppersmith? Is he going to be drawn in by 401 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:16,300 that? What's Paul doing? 402 00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:20,700 No, aleksandr was a man who was dangerous. 403 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:24,600 He was dangerous to the church. He was, he was destructive. 404 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,300 And so, Paul is saying to Timothy the pastor of emphasis 405 00:22:27,300 --> 00:22:30,000 is Young pastors be careful. Timothy this man is dangerous, 406 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:34,000 Not only was it right for Paul to warn Timothy, because if he 407 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,500 didn't, this man could have an influence that would destroy the 408 00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:39,100 church to keep silent. Would have been wrong at that 409 00:22:39,100 --> 00:22:42,600 point, there was nothing hateful from Paul towards Alexander 410 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,600 know, Paul wanted Timothy to be aware to protect the church from 411 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,200 the influence of This man, the Apostle John did something 412 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,000 similar to John chapter 1 verse 9 to 10. 413 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,300 He says, this first John 1 verse 9. 414 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,900 I have written something to the church, but diotrephes who likes 415 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:00,600 to put himself, first? Does not acknowledge our 416 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,500 Authority. So, if I come out of bring up 417 00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:05,500 what he's doing talking, Wicked nonsense against us and not 418 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:08,000 content with that, he refused to welcome, the brothers and also 419 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,700 stops those who want to, who want to and puts them out of the 420 00:23:10,708 --> 00:23:13,300 church. Diotrephes is not a good guy. 421 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:15,800 You got to be careful. He says to the church. 422 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:20,000 What's going on here? Unity was at risk of being 423 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,100 compromised, for the sake, of some selfish individual, who 424 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:28,100 wanted to push his own way. Calling out evil is not sin but 425 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:32,900 we must be careful how we do it. If there are people who appear 426 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:34,500 to be followers of Jesus but are opposing. 427 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:38,000 The gospel are destroying the church that can't be tolerated. 428 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:47,100 as I was getting ready for the sermon and event came to my 429 00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:52,600 mind, that happened to me many years ago, was my first real job 430 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,200 as a truck driver. I was hauling gravel for my boss 431 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,100 and he was a pastor who was actually my pastor When they 432 00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:02,600 told me says that we got this contract, we're going to be 433 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,600 hauling gravel for so-and-so and he mentioned who it was and I 434 00:24:06,608 --> 00:24:11,200 thought, oh, not them. Because these guys had a 435 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:17,200 terrible reputation they were known as Crooks dishonest. 436 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:23,100 Lying would steal from people. My boss had no idea who these 437 00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:25,800 guys were. What would I do? 438 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,200 I didn't want my boss to get ripped off. 439 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,700 So I just said to my heard some bad things about these guys. 440 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:33,200 They're not trustworthy. You have to be careful. 441 00:24:33,700 --> 00:24:35,200 My boss did not want to hear that. 442 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,700 I didn't blame him. It sounded like I was gossiping 443 00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:40,700 about these guys and Edward. It appeared that way too. 444 00:24:40,700 --> 00:24:47,400 I wasn't surprised. but I wanted him to avoid this Pitfall of 445 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,500 losing money on this deal, he's responded to me very gently, 446 00:24:51,500 --> 00:24:55,200 nicely saying, well, perhaps, if changed my now, That was where I 447 00:24:55,208 --> 00:24:56,800 left it. I was good with it. 448 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,200 And for a few days, I hauled load after load of gravel for 449 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,300 these guys, and I thought, if my boss gets ripped off, at least 450 00:25:02,300 --> 00:25:05,800 I've tried after several days of hauling gravel for these guys, 451 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,000 one morning, with boss comes out of the house, was it as I 452 00:25:08,008 --> 00:25:10,700 arrived for work. And he slowly and hesitantly 453 00:25:10,700 --> 00:25:15,400 said to me, says, now I know what you were trying to tell me 454 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:20,800 the other day he was in for it now they were starting to deal 455 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:21,900 with him. The way they did with a lot of 456 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:26,400 other people, I was gonna get ripped off Off getting taken 457 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:31,300 precaution. And I had problems had I done 458 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:35,800 wrong by warning him. No, I had enough information 459 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:38,700 about what the reputation of these guys were that, I needed 460 00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:41,400 to warn him so he would not become victim number, who knows 461 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:48,900 how many That was a very small minor thing, that's just some 462 00:25:48,900 --> 00:25:52,400 money and maybe a business deal. But one of the greatest 463 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:56,600 weaknesses of the church is it silence on sin? 464 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,100 That's one of the greatest weaknesses of the church. 465 00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:02,000 Just be quiet. Don't talk about it. 466 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,100 Just don't say anything. It's not your skin off, but it's 467 00:26:05,100 --> 00:26:10,400 not it's going off your back. There are people as we talked 468 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,200 about when we went through Jude, who literally joined the church 469 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,200 was selfish motives. Paul knew that and talked about 470 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:16,900 Alexander, I don't know, Alexander was a member of the 471 00:26:16,908 --> 00:26:18,900 church, just the guy in the community trying to destroy the 472 00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:21,900 church or diotrephes. There are these people. 473 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,900 So to deal with this concept of unity is very very delicate, 474 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:30,800 it's very very sensitive and it behooves us to be in prayer and 475 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,400 Devotion to God to make sure that our hearts are right with 476 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,000 God. And what we want is to honor God 477 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,400 The rest of the church and make sure that it stays pure. 478 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,100 If we see the body of Christ under threat at risk of people 479 00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:50,100 who want to destroy it, we have to voice Our concern. 480 00:26:50,700 --> 00:26:53,400 There's a quote that's usually a credit to Dietrich Bonhoeffer 481 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,800 and some say that he didn't make the quote, but regardless the 482 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,100 quote is this and I don't know who wrote it silence. 483 00:26:59,100 --> 00:27:01,200 And the face of evil itself is evil. 484 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,400 God will not hold us Guiltless, not to speak, is to speak, not 485 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,400 to act is to act. What this comes down to. 486 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,700 We must have unity in the church and live such lives that our 487 00:27:14,700 --> 00:27:17,500 lives speak for themselves? Can we be members like that? 488 00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:22,200 Can we be members are so focused on the unit and health of the 489 00:27:22,208 --> 00:27:24,700 church that it supersedes everything. 490 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:28,800 What I mean with that is I'm more concerned that Jesus will 491 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,400 be honored. His body will be blessed. 492 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,800 Then that what people think about me to defend the unity of 493 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,900 the church? I must put myself last and 494 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:38,500 others first. As Paul doubt, Paul writes in 495 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:41,400 Philippians chapter 2, verse 1 to 11, we heard that before the 496 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,900 came up here. It means that I'm only concerned 497 00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:47,100 that Jesus honored, his church is blessed. 498 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:49,300 His name is glorified, that's my desire. 499 00:27:50,700 --> 00:27:51,900 That leads us to point number four. 500 00:27:51,900 --> 00:27:55,900 In our sermon is we must forgive each other. 501 00:27:57,500 --> 00:28:01,000 How does forgiveness play a part in being a unifying member of 502 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,800 the church, Tom rain, and his book mentions, how one time 503 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,700 early in his life, he joined a small men's group who met 504 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:10,300 regularly despres and Holub how much of a blessing. 505 00:28:10,300 --> 00:28:12,900 It was to him. It wasn't one of those meetings 506 00:28:12,900 --> 00:28:15,600 at one point. He came to an awareness of sin 507 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,500 in his heart that was blocking him from praying. 508 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,000 He was harboring unforgiveness to a teacher who in school had 509 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,900 abused him. It was blocking him. 510 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,800 He was struggling to forgive this teacher and he mentioned 511 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:31,400 that in this prayer group. This what happened? 512 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,400 I was abused and I can't pray and can't forgive and so on. 513 00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:36,800 And with the help of these guys who is able to break free from 514 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:38,300 the bondage, he was able to Pray Again. 515 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:44,200 You see, oftentimes what blocks our relationship with God is not 516 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,900 even what we did. It's what the other guy did. 517 00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:51,900 And our response to it. No. 518 00:28:51,900 --> 00:28:54,500 The other guy can't keep me away from Christ, but doing something 519 00:28:54,500 --> 00:28:57,500 bad to me and me responding with evil, or with bitterness, or 520 00:28:57,500 --> 00:28:59,600 resentment will keep me away from him. 521 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,400 You see, friends as hard as this sounds healing and unity will 522 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,400 not start with your neighbor. It starts with you and me. 523 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,100 I know it sounds hard, but you have no idea. 524 00:29:09,100 --> 00:29:11,700 Pastor what happened to me and what songs did to me and what I 525 00:29:11,708 --> 00:29:15,200 experienced you're right, I don't But if we're going to look 526 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,300 for peace for healing for Unity, it won't happen by me fixing my 527 00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:21,400 neighbor. Or my family member or that 528 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,800 parishioner or that Pastor, that staff member know that doesn't 529 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:26,800 work. It'll happen by me. 530 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,600 Coming to Christ receiving forgiveness. 531 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,600 In togetherness, with other people who can help me and move 532 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,900 on forgive that sin. Matthew 6:14. 533 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:39,900 Matthew writes for if you forgive others, their 534 00:29:39,900 --> 00:29:42,800 trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you, but if 535 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,600 you do not forgive others, their trespasses neither will your 536 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,500 father. Forgive your trespasses, the 537 00:29:49,500 --> 00:29:52,000 prison of unforgiveness does not hold your adversary, it holds 538 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,600 you. It holds me holds us, Tom rain 539 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:57,900 or rights again on this matter, he says, unit in the church will 540 00:29:57,900 --> 00:29:59,600 not happen. If members have unforgiving 541 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:02,400 hearts, too many times members of anger and hurt because of 542 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,100 something another member has said, or done. 543 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,000 Some members are angry and hurt at the pastor and staff because 544 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,800 of something he should, they said, or did or failed to do? 545 00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:14,800 Nobody gets a past here. Nobody makes the grade, 546 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:19,300 everybody needs Grace, maybe we need to ask ourselves this 547 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:21,800 morning. Who do I need to forgive, who do 548 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,800 I need to go to, until look, listen, what happened between us 549 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,600 was wrong. I'm sorry what I did or I'm, 550 00:30:28,500 --> 00:30:31,700 I've accepted what you did, I forgive you, by the way. 551 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:33,200 I just want to say something here. 552 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,600 This can get very delicate especially if it's sexual abused 553 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:39,900 or marital infidelity and all those kinds of things. 554 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:44,000 I recommend don't go It Alone, talk to a trusted friend. 555 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,700 Especially young people to adults, whatever the case may 556 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:51,200 be. This is very delicate. 557 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,000 Don't just generally not a good idea to go It Alone. 558 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,800 There's so much here we could talk about our time is too short 559 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,100 to do that, but the bottom line still is forgiveness must take 560 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:03,700 place. Paul writes to the Colossians. 561 00:31:03,700 --> 00:31:07,400 He says put on then as God's chosen ones holy and beloved 562 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,200 compassionate, Hearts. Kindness, humility. 563 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,400 Meekness and patience bearing with one another. 564 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,500 And if one has a complaint against another forgiving each 565 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:14,900 other as the Lord has forgiven you. 566 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:21,100 So you also must forgive. We need to be in a place where 567 00:31:21,100 --> 00:31:23,200 we're not ashamed or embarrassed anymore. 568 00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:27,300 Jesus isn't if Jesus loved you and me enough to die for us, 569 00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:30,700 then we should with joy Embrace this opportunity to become 570 00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:34,000 members of his church and to be members of his church to be 571 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:39,600 unifying members of this church. When Pastor speaking on the 572 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,100 topic of marriage. One day, he says it's a race to 573 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:45,000 the Cross. See, who gets there first. 574 00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:48,800 It doesn't mean we all like the same kinds of food. 575 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:50,500 We all like the same temperature, setting, Joe and I 576 00:31:50,508 --> 00:31:53,400 talked we talked about could be called The War of the the fans 577 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,500 or the war of the thermostat. Maybe, you know, doesn't mean we 578 00:31:56,500 --> 00:31:59,000 all like the same things. It means we've all pull for each 579 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,700 other, that's what it means. What kind of church is lem. 580 00:32:02,700 --> 00:32:06,400 See, are we a unified church? If you remember? 581 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:08,400 Are you a unified member? And if you're not a member 582 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,300 you're attending your this is your home church. 583 00:32:10,300 --> 00:32:12,700 Are you unifier? A unifying presence here? 584 00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:17,000 Let's look at this. This is four points in a row. 585 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,300 We must understand Unity. We must stay away from gossiping 586 00:32:20,300 --> 00:32:22,500 - talk. We must defend Unity. 587 00:32:22,500 --> 00:32:28,400 We must forgive each other. By ourselves were weak fragile. 588 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:29,800 I brought an object lesson this morning. 589 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,600 I want to use here this morning to illustrate this a little bit. 590 00:32:32,900 --> 00:32:34,900 My wife has a bunch of shish kabob sticks, and so I thought 591 00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:37,400 I'd bring some of the church to show what happens when they're 592 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,900 not together. See this stick by itself is very 593 00:32:40,900 --> 00:32:45,000 weak. Splinters like that has no 594 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,000 Unity. Well there's nobody to be United 595 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,500 with but this stack, I don't know. 596 00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:52,100 If I could actually break it. They're all together. 597 00:32:52,300 --> 00:32:55,300 They're bound together. They belong there, United. 598 00:32:55,900 --> 00:32:58,200 That's what happens individually by ourselves. 599 00:32:58,700 --> 00:33:01,700 This is what happens together. This is what can be. 600 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:07,000 Let me ask ourselves this morning, Are we invited? 601 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:13,000 Are you a unifying member? Are you Faithfully serving 602 00:33:13,100 --> 00:33:16,700 contributing energy time and resources to bring things 603 00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:20,500 together to pull together or off somewhere else. 604 00:33:20,500 --> 00:33:22,300 Doing my thing. I'm a member but hey, I don't 605 00:33:22,300 --> 00:33:25,200 know what goes on. I'm not plugged in, I don't 606 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,900 really care either. There's all kinds of members, 607 00:33:29,700 --> 00:33:32,700 our job, as followers of Jesus Christ is to work together. 608 00:33:32,700 --> 00:33:38,000 Collectively functioning as biblical members unified in our 609 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,800 faith, in our Direction, in our purpose, Oneness in Christ. 610 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:50,300 And when attacks come we're strong, we don't get broke easy. 611 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:56,400 May God give us wisdom Insight strength as we serve him as 612 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,000 members of his body. That's pray. 613 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,100 Thank you Lord for this opportunity to be together. 614 00:34:02,900 --> 00:34:06,700 This is only a very short little service when we think of what is 615 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:08,699 still to come. When you take your church home 616 00:34:09,699 --> 00:34:12,600 from now till then as a very brief time, give us what we 617 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,000 need. Lord to be a body that others 618 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,000 want to join and become a part of help us together to be a 619 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,900 tight-knit and bonded group of Believers where we live together 620 00:34:20,300 --> 00:34:22,199 work together. Serve together. 621 00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:24,500 Love each other in love and in unity. 622 00:34:24,699 --> 00:34:26,500 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 623 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:23,900 Serve together. Love each other in love and in 624 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:25,699 unity. In Jesus name we pray. 625 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:26,500 Amen.