May They Be One
Acts 11:1-18
Baptist Churches in America have divided and split off until there are hundreds of Baptist denominations. The Christian faith has some 33,830 denominations. That’s an awful lot of diversity! On the one hand, with that many approaches, there should be something for everyone. On the other hand, it’s possible the word denomination might actually break God’s heart. The
Latin origin of de- means “apart,” while nominare means “to name.”
Denomination literally means “to separate by naming.” As far as I can tell from the Scriptures, only one name should matter: Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In John 17:20 – 23, Jesus prayed an amazing prayer for his disciples. . . and for us: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Jesus said 4 times in 4 verses that he wanted his follows to be one.
As long as there have been imperfect people in imperfect churches there has been division. When a group of people could not get their own way they formed a new church or denomination. Thus we have something for everyone.
The New Testament makes it clear that God wants unity in our churches. If we are more concerned about the will of God and less about our own will then unity will flourish
There are two ways of being united -- one is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. What Christians need is to be united in brotherly love, and then they may expect to have power.
John 17:11 and now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Co 1:11 For some people from Chloe's family have told me quite plainly, my friends, that there are quarrels among you.
1Co 12:25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another.
1Co 12:26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.
1Co 12:27 All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part of it.
In Chapter 11 of the book of Acts there arose a problem with Christian Gentiles and the Christian Jews. The Christian Jews thought that the gospel was for them alone and dare not take it the Gentiles. Their Jewish background had taught them that all Gentiles were unclean. And if they came in contact with a Gentile that would render them unclean and would need to go through a cleansing ritual before they could go the worship.
Now the problem that came up in Acts 11:1 that the apostles and other believers had heard that the Gentiles had become Christians. They had received the word of God. This did not set well with some of the Christian Jews. Many held that if the Gentiles wanted to become Christians they must first become Jews through circumcision.
Now, Peter went to Jerusalem; those Jewish Christians begin to criticize him for allowing uncircumcised Gentiles to receive Christ. This was a big problem. They had not become Jews first. They confronted Peter asking why he went to the house of a Gentile.
I. Here is a case of conflict in that early church.
. A. The Jewish Christians begin to argue with Peter verse 11:3
1. Arguing will not solve the problem
Have you ever settled an issue by arguing about it? Have you ever settled an argument with your spouse by having the last word?
2. They dealt with the problem to the satisfaction of all concerned.
I am happy that we have had very few conflicts in this church but when they do happen
B. How are we going to deal with conflicts in the church?
1. Ignore it
2. Call each other names
3. Loose your temper
4. Leave the church
5. All childish ways
C. How Peter solved the problem. You solve conflicts by allowing God to have the last word.
1. He made clear what God was doing for the Gentiles Acts 11:4
2. He told them the whole story about the sheet that was let down from heaven
It was full of all kinds of animals both clean and unclean Acts 11:5
3. God told him to kill and eat Acts 11:7
4. He answered; no I have never eaten an unclean thing
5. Don’t call unclean what God has called clean.
In other words God has said that the Gentiles have as much right to the kingdom of God as you do.
6. Then the Spirit said that he was to go with three men that had just arrived from Caesarea.
Peter went with them to the home of Cornelius; there he was told how the Spirit had told them to go Joppa and find a man called Peter and he would tell them how to be saved. Then Peter said he began to speak to them and the Spirit of the Lord came upon them just like he came upon us. The same gift was given to them as was given to us
Peter said who was I to interfere with God?
Who are we to tell God whom to accept?
II. When God’s truth and actions are revealed the problem is solved.
Then God has also led people who are not Jewish to turn to him so that they can change the way they think and act and have eternal life."
This brought praise to the congregation.
A. Let God have the last word.
1. I am a firm believer that God speaks with one voice.
a. He does not tell one half of the church to build a building and the other not to build.
b. As God speaks to all of us he says the same thing.
2. The problem comes when we interpret what God says and add our own wishes to what we think he said.
III. We can keep conflicts from splitting the church if we will become intimate with God
A. This is an inward relationship with God so that we hear him speak
Are you finding yourself drifting in a spiritual ocean, wondering what God’s purpose for your life is?
Do you find yourself frustrated that everything you attempt to do for God appears to fail?
Take courage. Intimacy with God is the way to allow God to have the last word in your life.
And prayer is the avenue through which we will find God’s purpose
Practice the presence of God
IV. We can keep conflicts from splitting the church if we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.
Peter begins to tell them how the Holy Spirit began to speak to him about going with the men that came from Cornelius.
Then he tells what happened when he began to preach to them.
Our first responsibility is to receive Christ as our Savior. It is usually those who are pretend Christians that cause the conflict. Next we need to become intimate with Him, and then follow the lead of the Holy Spirit
