Why Getting Along is So Important












On Sunday we looked at the scars Paul bore for the sake of the Gospel (Acts 14).  We also discussed the possibility that the 'scars' we bear for the sake of the Gospel are the preferences we sacrifice for the sake others in the church; i.e. what we give up for the sake of others in the family.  Why should we prefer the needs of others over our own?  Why is it so important that we get along?  Because the truth of the Gospel we profess to believe depends on it.  "[The unity of the body] is loadbearing," say N.T. Wright, "If this gives way, everything comes crashing down."

 The church is one body; united by one God, through his one Son, filled with the same (His) Spirit.  Church unity is really important.

 Getting along with others in not important because it is convenient, but because the Gospel you profess to believe depends on it.

 The picture above is helpful.  It is from N.T. Wright's book Paul and the Faithfulness of God.  Sometimes you come across someone who says what you are trying to say better than you can.  The best thing to do in that situation is quote them and give them the credit.

 Do you belong to the family of God (i.e. the church)?  Are you straining every nerve maintain the unity of the body?  Are you seeking to have the mind of Christ?  Are you on the path of giving up your status and rights for the sake of others?

 If you are, you're on the right path.  They are the scars you bear to show that you belong (Gal. 6:17).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Discipleship Pastor

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. Titus 1:5-8 So you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. Aaron then shall present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering fr
Read more

Gospel Living

Image
But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent... Acts 6:1 This morning Matt preached a message titled "Gospel Living."  He shared from Acts 6 where, as Matt said, "A Gospel issue develops."  The background in Acts 6 is that there are two groups of widows and one group feels like they are being overlooked.  Well, this is an affront to the Gospel and the Apostles immediately put together a plan to make sure no one is overlooked.  (It is worth noting what they don't do:  they don't take sides.) Now, I don't sense any type of rumblings of discontent, but, as Matt rightly pointed out, a Gospel issue has developed.  (Really, when is there not a "Gospel issue" in our life?  That's kind of the point.  The Kingdom of God creates constant tension in our life.  It constantly forces us to rethink things.)  We are faced with selling our building which presents a nice variety of Gospel issues.  When will it sell?  Wh
Read more

Sorrow will Flee Away

Image
Isaiah 35:1-10 - Isaiah's Vision of the Blossoming Desert It will blossom profusely... The first two weeks of Advent we walk through the wilderness.  We mourn and confess our sins and the systemic sin of the world in which we live in.  It is a step into darkness; the dark ways of this world and the darkness of our very souls.  As we walk through the wilderness of our sin the proper response is lament and contemplation.  We lament the evil depths humanity (including me) is capable of wallowing in.  We contemplate - we recognize that something is not right here and hope to God there’s a better way. It’s not hard to feel like God has left us while we walk through the wilderness.  It is easy to feel like He’s distant, like He doesn’t care, or like He doesn’t hear our prayers.  But even in the wilderness, flowers bloom.  The crocus is a small flower that thrives in the dry, gray wilderness.  It blooms late in the season.  After all the other flowers have had their turn, it blo
Read more