Why are we here? Why are each one of us here
assembled in this building tonight?
And I asked us this to hopefully give us pause because certainly,
there are many right answers. You know, we're here because
Christ died for us and he instituted his church that we
can read about Matthew 16 and 18.
We're here because we're members of that church and that we want
to continued steadfastly in doctor and just as we see in
Acts chapter 2, we're also here because God has commanded very
expressways that we are to worship him which we can read
about in verses such as Corinthians chapter 11.
But well, does some of the things that we didn't look at in
that list? You know, there's lots of people
throughout this world today who are assembled in churches,
similar to ours. But there for there for entirely
different reasons, unlike those men and women, we're not here
because of what the church physically offers us.
We're not here because this building has, you know, a great
band behind me. We're not here because we have a
great day care program, because we have a giant gymnasium back
behind us, and on a more personal.
So now, getting back to our actual topic, we're not here
because we necessarily like the other members of this building
now certainly, we hope that's the case.
And that's something we want to grow and Foster, but I think as
we can see our work, here is the church.
It's not at all contingent upon our personal feelings.
It doesn't matter if we love the person sitting next to us or in
front of us, and it doesn't matter if there's a person
across the aisle, that we may not be able to stand be around.
We still have the same obligation to that person,
regardless of our feelings because they're a fellow member
of the, body of Christ. But what exactly is our
responsibility to one another? What does the Bible have to say
about those relationships and fortunately, for us gods, made
it pretty simple. The phrase one another, that
we've mentioned as it pertains to our relationships with those
around us. And Christ, it's used almost 100
times throughout the New Testament.
And obviously, we're not going to go through every one of those
settings tonight, but I think there's a couple overall
overarching themes that we can apply in our relationships with
one another. If we want the church to be what
it needs to be. And before I even list those
three categories, I do want to interject our relationships with
our fellow Christians are never going to be what they need to be
unless our Should ship with God as correct, first of all.
But be that as it may, I think the easiest place to start like
I said is with three overall categories.
The first and second are pretty simple, what not to do, what to
do for our brothers and sisters and the third is more of, how
can we help each other get to heaven what spiritual
responsibilities do? I have to my brothers and
sisters in Christ but let's start with the first.
Like I said, it's probably the simplest.
I mean, I'll all it is really is avoiding certain In things.
But it's still very, very important.
We can't expect any of our relationships to be what they
ought to be tonight by divine intervention or some form of
magic. It's going to take work, it's
going to take effort. Look at Galatians, five and
twenty six and we'll start here. Let us not become conceited.
Provoking one, another envying, one.
Another. Now, if you were to go back and
read the first few sections of this chapter, you'll see the
Paul's really been discussing the fruits of the spirit.
He's been discussing what it means to walk in the spirit, how
our Christian lives are supposed to be spent the way God wants
them to be spent. So really, as a base Foundation
of everything we discussed today.
It's our hearts, everything starts here, Proverbs 23, and
verse 7. As a man thinks in his heart, so
is he And our hearts need to view fellow Christians the same
way Christ does read Ephesians 5 and 25.
Husbands love your wives. Even as Christ also loved the
church and gave himself for her Christ, gave himself for his
Organization for his church. He gave everything.
He had to sanctify and to establish it.
So who do we think we are to treat its members with contempt
with disrespect? And Romans, 5:8 says, not only
did Christ do this, but he did it for us while we were still
Sinners, he died for those who hated him.
So our attitude towards our brothers and sisters, it
honestly should be irrelevant to anything.
They say anything they think or even anything that they do.
It doesn't matter who they are, it doesn't matter what their
attitude is towards us. We still are commanded to
practice that same love toward them that Christ has for us.
And thinking for me, you know, maybe it'd be easier to have
this attitude if I stopped and actually thought about who those
members are. If I stop thinking of them in
negative ways, but in still, maybe instead may be remembered
that they are fellow Christians that their souls, their people
who are trying, just the way I am.
And there's someone that Christ died for just as he did me.
I'm not anything special. I'm not better than they are.
We're not better than each other.
We're just different And we need God's love and grace just as
much as the person sitting next to us.
No exceptions. So again, do we think of other
people as souls or people that Christ died for?
And I want to interject that this lesson really isn't for you
all tonight. It's another refresher for
myself because these are the kinds of things that it's it's
difficult for me. I like to check a box and be
done with it, but it's hard to view people the way Christ does.
Now, of course, it matters of error, we don't accept people as
they are, we don't brush sin under the rug but we still have
an obligation to always, always always speak.
The truth in love Ephesians 4 and 15 and if we can't address
are in love, then I want to submit to you that you might
want to get someone else to address that are Or you sin as
well and you may run the risk of doing more damage than good to
the Lord's body pushing people away, rather than bringing them
back to Christ. So, back to Galatians, 5 and 26,
don't provoke one, another meaning, don't look for ways to
stir up anger. Don't look for ways to point out
negative emotions and our fellow Christians and Paul addresses
where, so many of those things started with Envy.
Maybe we feel that there's someone who were jealous of,
maybe they're getting more attention than we think they
ought to get. Or maybe we want, whatever it is
that we perceive they have, we have to squelch that emotion
right away, because if we don't, it's going to continue to build
until the next few verses that we talked about.
We'll see. It has no place in our
relationships. We don't envy one another.
But instead we Rejoice with one, another Romans 12, and 15
Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, we
need to be so connected to our fellow brothers and sisters.
That when one thing happens to them, we feel that emotion ride
along with them. You know, do you ever think of
us as a body, the Bible describes it that way multiple
multiple times. So when you go in the gym or
maybe out in the yard, whatever it is, you're doing, if you go
to lift a heavy weight with your left hand, if it's too much for
that left hand to handle what happens.
Well, immediately I'm going to bring my right hand in to try
and help support that weight. My right hand doesn't sit back
and think. Wow, I'm so glad I'm not the
left hand right now. There's no way I could handle
that. No, it's an immediate response
and in fact not only is my other hand going to come into play.
I'm probably going to start straightening and bending my
entire Body to support that weight and help that left hand
out. That should be the same that we
do for our fellow members in the body of Christ and it's a
reflex. It's not something that we need
to be thinking about and wondering.
OK, do I do this? Do I not?
It needs to be instantaneous if we're going to be as connected
as Christ commands us to be First Corinthians 12, 26, and
27. And if one member suffers all
the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored all the
members Rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ
and members individually. So, now is the time for us to
start reaching out. And if you are the person who
maybe you're the left-hand, who's hurting, don't think that
you can't also be reaching out to other members who might also
be hurting ever been working out in the yard and you cut both of
your hands. Well if you do, I'm still going
to be needing. Both my hands to bandage.
The other one. Ever tried to put a bandaid on
with the same hand doesn't work. Same thing goes for the body of
Christ, doesn't matter who's hurting or doesn't matter.
If you're the one hurting, you can still reach out, you can
still have an impact on your fellow members in Christ.
But again, what are we doing for one another?
It's up to us to answer that question.
I'm moving back to Galatians back up.
A few verses, to verse 15 of that.
Fifth chapter that we were already reading in the Apostle
Paul says, but if you bite and devour one, another beware lest
you be consumed by one. Another remember I mentioned
there was a bigger consequence. Well, this is where Paul starts
to get into it. It starts in our heart but it's
going to very quickly manifest itself in each one of our
actions. So Paul tells the Brethren here
and us, keep your actions in check.
Pay attention, if you're going to be envious of one another,
the natural response is going to be bitterness.
And that manifests itself in several ways biting or stinging,
is this Greek word can also report refer to basically any
sharp and deliberate pain. We go about inflicting on our
brothers and sisters. And we might feel totally
justified and what we're doing they may very well have
something that needs correction and something that needs to be
addressed. But regardless of the reason
again we're only authorized to speak to one another in love.
We may be direct, we may admonish.
When fact, we're commanded to a montage and rebuke but only out
of love, never with the intent to harm or to lash out.
Now, the next thing Paul mentions here is devouring
eating each other alive is what the connotation is.
So the bite and sting might start small but before long it's
going to escalate and it seems to me that Paul is really
addressing both our words and our Deeds here by saying word
and deed by saying B and devoured, both our speech, and
our actions have to be aligned and have to be Godly towards our
fellow Christians or what. So what if they aren't Paul,
what's the big deal? You know, we're all going to
show up here building once a Regardless, what's the big deal?
Well, Paul answers that too, he says, beware lest you be
consumed by one another As cliche as this may sound,
there's no winner when it comes to bitterness and slandering.
There truly are only two losers in that fight and both will end
up being destroyed by it. And what's more, so is God's
body. So it's God's house that were
commanded to build up. So we need to always keep our
hearts in our actions in check and is Ephesians 4:31 commands
us. Let all bitterness and wrath and
anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with
all. Malice.
Now, there are other excellent verses that we could go to.
That gives us plenty of don'ts. Such as Romans, 14 and 13, do
not judge one, another, don't put a stumbling block in one
another's, way, or maybe John 6, + 43, don't Grumble against one
another, but I think the underlying principle we've
already touched on in these things.
And I think there's summed up by the themes that we've already
read from Galatians. So I want us to move on to the
vowel shallots and this is where things really get convicting at
least for me because like I said, it's really easy for me to
Check that box and think, you know, I haven't done that.
Haven't done that, haven't done that.
I'm pretty good with everybody. So I just kind of wash my hands
and that's all I need to do. Well, that's wrong.
We still have a great, great obligation.
You mean, even though we're in good, standings, with other
people, we still have more that needs to be done.
Yeah, that's exactly what this means.
And that's why I struggle with it because in addition to
checking a box, I also, I like my personal time.
I like to leave church at church think.
Okay, I've associated with the members now, it's time to go
back and do what I want to do. But that's not pleasing to God.
That's not what he's after in his body.
And think of the implications here, not only can we not treat
each other in certain ways, but we have certain ways that we
must treat. Arch, other treat each other
with skew. Meaning, we have actions that
have to be taken and we have to work.
We have to go out of our way to do some of these things.
We can't be passive in our relationships towards our
brethren. At least not if we expect the
church to be what it needs to be.
Why else would Paul liken it to a race in second?
Timothy 4 & 7. So what all does that entail?
What are all those actions that were talking about?
Well, first of all, I do find it interesting that while I was
putting this lesson together, it was a lot easier to find do's
and don'ts throughout the scripture for our relationships.
And I don't think that's any coincidence because if we're
busy doing the work of the Lord, doing what we need to be doing
for our brothers and sisters, we don't have to worry about the
don'ts. They're already taken care of.
Of. But be that as it may first off,
I want to notice a broad command that we have in the scriptures
Mark 9 + 50 salt is good but if the salt loses its flavor, how
will you season? It have salt in yourselves and
have peace with one another. There's that word again, one
another God has always intended as people to be a peaceful
people, but this is especially true in the church.
We can't expect to accomplish God's will tonight if we're
constantly fighting or aren't at peace in our own congregation
Jesus himself said that A House Divided is not going to stand in
Matthew chapter, asking me, Matthew chapter 12 and also
think back to versus such as Matthew 5.
And 9 blessed are the peace makers takes work takes effort
or how about James 3 and 18. Now, the fruit of righteousness,
is sown in Peace by those who make peace again, making peace.
Actively sewing the fruits of righteousness.
That's our responsibility But how do we go about doing this?
How do we achieve that peace that God is intended for all of
us to have? Well not surprising.
Yet again, it starts in our hearts John 13:34.
A new commandment. I give to you that you love one.
Another as I have loved you that you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are my disciples.
If you have love for one another, that's how we're even
identified as Christians by the world.
Is that blood brotherly love. So can we honestly say we're
loving one? Another, if we're practicing
some of those don'ts that we already talked about if we're
gossiping backbiting, treating each other negatively, perhaps
it would do all of us. Well, to remember that, every
time we do these things, we weaken the church.
And what's more than that, we're not even showing ourselves to be
Christians. We're not even demonstrating
ourselves to be the very people in the very things.
God put us on this Earth to be And how do we love as Christ?
Did giving every bit of himself for a world that absolutely
hated him? No.
Thought of anything in return. No thought for self at all.
That's our job, especially with members of the church.
And I really want all of us to consider this right now.
Remember how we're supposed to treat our fellow Christians
because we only get one shot at this down here?
That's it. And we may not get any kind of a
second chance. Once the damage is done now
certainly that love can take a lot of forms and the Bible gives
us a few. So I want us to look back and
look at what it means to love each other as Christ, did term
with me yet again, to Galatians the fifth chapter and I think
verse 33 verse 13 summarizes. The issue quite well For you
Brethren have been called. The Liberty.
Only do not use Liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another Now, the context here is pretty
interesting, Paul has just been discussing Christian Liberties.
In other words, these are things that these Christians may very
well have the right to do. They may very well have the
right to do the things that they want to do.
But so often we get wrapped up in.
Do I have the right to do something that we miss?
The bigger picture. Paul isn't addressing these
Liberties saying, okay, you have the right, you're good to go.
He's addressing these things saying.
Okay you have the right awesome. Give it up.
Let go of That thing, if it benefits, someone else in the
church. That's what Paul's getting at
give up what you may be allowed to do.
If it benefits another member of the body of Christ and no
person, better exemplified this than Christ himself.
Go back again to John the 13th chapter.
Now we already read a section of this but I want to read a few
more verses. So when he had washed their feet
taken his garments and sat down again, he said to them, do you
know what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord and
you say well for so I am if I then your lord and teacher have
washed your feet. You also ought to wash.
One another's feet for. I have given you an example that
you should do. As I have done to you, verses 12
through 15. Frank even talked about this
this morning and remember where we are also in Jesus life.
He's at the end of it, this is at the end of his ministry.
He's already done so much to serve them and what's more?
He's about to die for them. And not only that, but the
disciples have just been arguing and bickering among themselves
as to, which one's the greatest. So in my mind I can't help but
think Christ has got to be sitting back thinking seriously
guys. I'm the one who's about to die
for you so you guys need to hush.
I'm obviously the greatest, but he doesn't do that.
Instead he Stoops even lower and performs a slaves job for these
ungrateful disciples touching their dirty and disgusting feet.
He gives us this as an example and then what's more an explicit
command that we need to be doing these same kinds of things for
our fellow brothers and sisters. We have to find a way to put
those things into practice or how about Romans 12 and 10 be
devoted to one another in love and devotion.
That's a pretty strong. That's a pretty strong sentiment
willing to set everything else aside and then there's
Philippians 2 & 3. Let nothing be done through
selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind, And let
each esteem one. Another better than himself.
Think of each other as more important than you are.
Then the actions really follow naturally.
And the same chapter again says, this is what Christ did.
He didn't cling to equality with God, but instead he made himself
of no reputation and became a servant submitting himself to
God's will. And I think that humility is the
key here. That's really what it takes in
order for us to have the right attitude serving one another
Now, there's again, countless more versus we could discuss,
but I want us to move on and wrap up with our last section.
We know how to treat each other. We know how not to treat each
other, but there's one more incredibly important concept
tonight. If we want the church to be what
it needs to be, then we have spiritual obligations to one
another. We have to watch out for each
other's souls. And really, if you think about
it, this is the Capstone of our love for each other.
How better could we show love to our fellow brothers and making
sure that they're in good standing with God and we all get
to heaven. I want to start with Colossians
chapter 3 in verses 12 through 13.
Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved put on Tender
Mercies kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering bearing
with one another and forgiving one.
Another, if anyone has a complaint against one another
even as Christ forgave you. So you also must do Now, think
about what Paul is really saying here.
First of all, he reminds each of us who we are, the elect, he
says those chosen by God to come out of the world, to be
different from the world to do, his will to obey him and his
kingdom. So are we not to keep this in
mind when our with our interactions with our Brethren?
Remember who you're addressing with the phrase, one another, a
Christian and I remember who you are, you're a Christian Not only
are we the elect. But Paul also says that we're
beloved, we're Sanctified and loved by God.
And as such again, we've been given an important role to play
in. One another's lives, we can't
downplay that. Being merciful just as Christ
had mercy. Upon us, being kind to one
another being humble and meek, just, as Jesus was Meek every
action throughout Jesus entire life.
Even when he was upset, exhibited, perfect self-control
that's our responsibility to our fellow.
Christians and then the last few things once again stress the
terms one, another long-suffering and bearing with
one another be patient with your brothers and sisters, don't be
angry. Don't get frustrated with them.
But bear with them and I want to insert Galatians 6, and verse 2
right here at this point. Not only do we bear with our
Brethren but we bear for our Brethren bear.
One another's burdens that verse says, We help them with their
loads and we again, always do it out of love, not obligation, not
forcibly, but out of love. But above all these things put
on love which is the bond of perfection, Colossians 3 and 14.
That love is what's going to bind us together when hard times
come along, we can't lose that as the body of Christ, but
there's one last thing in verse 13 that gets touched on here.
And I think it would be a mistake not to dwell on it for
just a little bit forgiveness. And that's a hard concept, you
know. It's one thing to be patient
with someone, it's one thing to help them bear up their burdens.
It's one thing to be long-suffering with them, but
when you're the target of that person, that's a whole nother
ball game. But it is what we're commanded
even when we're the target, we forgive and we bear with one
another, and it doesn't matter what they've done and it doesn't
matter how many times they've done it, Matthew, 18, and 21.
Then Peter came and said to him. Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me? And I forgive him up to seven
times. Jesus said, to him, I do not say
up to you, seven times, but up, to Seventy Times Seven, as often
as we're in a situation that needs forgiveness.
We forgive it's that simple. But why pile?
Excuse me, Paul? Really drives it home, with this
next Point, even as Christ, forgave you again.
God, himself is our example, the night.
God himself, is who we hold ourselves up against a see if
we're meeting the criteria. And if you can count the amount
of times God has forgiven you tonight.
Maybe you've got a number that you can apply to your fellow
Christians, but I doubt any of us can count that high.
So what other spiritual obligations?
Do we have tonight flip over to 1st Thessalonians?
5 and 11. Therefore comfort each other and
edify, one another just as you are also doing well.
First of all he says Comfort, one another and again that plays
perfectly into what we've already been discussing.
It builds perfectly on the back of bearing burdens forgiving.
We can be there to lift our brothers and sisters when
they're down. And I think here, this may be an
odd example, but I think here of the Apostle Peter that even he
was able to lift up Jesus in a low point, Flip with me to John
chapter 6 and will read verse 66 through 69.
From that time many of his disciples went back and walked
with him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve,
do you also want to go away? Jesus is genuinely hurt here.
He knows the hearts of men and he's incredibly saddened by
their carnal mind set. You know, he's just performed a
pretty awesome Miracle. He's fed thousands of people,
but once it comes time for the spiritual food, once it comes
time for the hard lessons about obedience.
Those same people, hop off the bandwagon, they're nowhere to be
found. So Jesus and discouragement
turns to his disciples and says, you know, you guys going to
leave me. But look at Peter's response,
but Simon Peter answered him. Lord to whom, shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Also, we have come to believe and know that you are the
Christ, the son of the Living. God, he Comforts Jesus.
He lets him know that his preaching hasn't fallen on deaf
ears. His ministry isn't in vain, and
it's up for us to look for ways to emulate that when it comes to
our fellow brothers and sisters. But there's one last Point
inverse that verse in Thessalonians that we need to
address edification edifying. Strengthening one another in
Christ is one of the biggest roles we can play in each
other's lives and we have to be doing that.
As members of his body constantly feeding each other
constantly helping each other grow spiritually.
And you know I think about it's real easy to complain about
people who we think are weak in the faith.
I can't believe what so-and-so did.
Can't believe that they even call themselves a Christian.
I think even showing up to services.
But what are we doing about it? How are we going about edifying
that person? How are we going about
strengthening that person? And along the same thought,
Hebrews 10 and 24 says, we need to be stirring up one another to
love and good works. So let me ask us this after we
interact with our fellow Christians after we leave here.
Will we have felt edified? Will we have felt stirred on to
be even better Christians in this up and coming week, because
we should that's our goal with any interaction, we have with
our fellow brothers and sisters. That's our goal. and in order to
do some of these things, we also need to be willing to be
vulnerable with our brothers and sisters and I mean this in a
very specific way James 5 and 16 confess your trespasses one to
another and pray for one another that you may be healed the
effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much Are we
willing to admit our faults and our sins to our fellow
Christians because that's the only way we can truly help one
another if we know what they're up against.
If we know each other struggles, and that also means on the
receiving end that when someone is opening up to us, we can't
react harshly and judgmentally. We have to be willing to react
as Christ. Did not judging them but willing
to help them through these things.
We looked at this first a little bit but I'll actually read it in
its entirety, Romans 14 and 13, therefore, let us not judge one
another anymore, but rather resolve this not to put a
stumbling block or caused a fall in her brother's way.
And how about that second part in the verse in James, pray, for
one another, you know, that should be the simplest and
easiest thing, if nothing else that we're doing for our fellow
Christians constantly going before God on their behalf.
And what's more James tells us, it's effective, it's worthwhile,
it's powerful. Well again there's countless
more lessons that I think we could apply here to our study
like being hospitable to one another first, Peter 4 & 9 or
maybe speaking the truth in love to one another if he's ins for
25. But again, I think the few
things that we have touched on this evening, really Encompass
the glove, the broad majority of our responsibilities there,
really a good place to start when we're looking for how to
treat our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
You know, we have a huge blessing with a people sitting
around us tonight. We have a huge blessing and a
huge asset that God has given us.
So let us always strive to remember our spot
responsibilities toward one another, and not take those
things for granted. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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