Let’s look at that verse 10 again: (read)
I). I love the Bible!
A). It is THE ultimate – THE perfection – THE book of God’s will for our lives.
• Live in harmony with one another…
• Let there be no divisions in the church…
B). Be of one mind – united in thought and purpose!
• Is Paul for real!!! Better yet – is GOD for real!!!
• This is how he starts out in the very first chapter to the church in Corinth - the first 9 verses are just Paul’s greeting to the church.
II). There’s a problem threatening the church in Corinth – and Paul says the problem is ‘you all aren’t in agreement’ – You’re not living in harmony with one another.
A). But aren’t differences inevitable when dealing with a variety of people?
• I mean – we are people who made differently – who have different histories – and who have different experiences in our lives.
• That in itself causes disagreements!
• So, where is the line? How do we know when we have drifted away from what is acceptable to God?
B). Well, let’s back up a little bit: In the first part of v.10 Paul says, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,…”
• Ah, Paul considers us as family.
• That’s a good thing – but some of the biggest differences I have had have been with family!
• As you know – I had three sisters growing up – and believe me – we were far from the perfect family (but we were a ‘normal’ family – depending on your definition of the word ‘normal’).
• I don’t know – do the words ‘normal’ and ‘family’ really go together???
C). But as the church – we aren’t connected by human flesh & blood.
• We are connected by the life, witness, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
• Ok, so maybe there is a blood connection after all!
D). So, even in a time of conflict – as the church in Corinth found itself in- there’s needs to be a sense of connection – of family – and that we ‘be of one mind.’
• So, logic tells us that our primary effort as the church is to build up the Kingdom of God.
• Or – as Commander Spock said to his friend, Admiral Kirk in Star Trek - The Wrath of Kahn" (c) 1982
• "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few - or the one."
III). So, what does it mean to live in harmony with one another?
A). Does it mean that we surrender Truth?
• Truth with a capital ‘T’ – meaning the Truth – God’s Truth – what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the way, the Truth, and the life…”)
• Absolutely not!
B). Does it mean that surrender righteousness?
• Do we give up being in right standing with God in order to live in harmony with one another?
• Absolutely not!
C). In 1st Peter 1:13-15 The Holy Spirit calls us to holy and righteous living.
• 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
IV). I was reading some notes on our Scripture this morning from 1st Corinthians from our United Methodist Discipleship Ministries page online. What I found (I guess I would say) is interesting.
A). Here’s some of the questions we are asked to consider:
• Does it mean that we have to agree on every single point of doctrine and ethics?
• Does it mean that we have to read the scriptures in exactly the same way every time?
• Does it mean that there is absolutely no room for differences or nuance?
• That you have to apply the word to your life in exactly the same way that I apply the word in mine?
B). And as I read these questions (and yes – they are just questions for our consideration here) I see the differing answers to be one of the biggest problems within the United Methodist Church as a whole right now.
• Too many of our denominational leaders say that we do not have to agree on doctrine and ethics today.
• And while we do gain more knowledge almost every time we read the Scriptures – the bottom line is that God’s Word does not change – God’s ‘do this’ still means we need to do it – and God’s ‘don’t do that’ means don’t do it.
• But, contrary to what the world thinks – the Bible is so much more than just a bunch of ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ – it is the Book of Life, joy, peace, comfort, and salvation!
• And if God’s Word says it – that it the way we should apply it to our lives – all of us.
So, do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few – or the one?
• Maybe in our logic, but not in our eternity.
• Jesus is the ONE – and what Jesus says goes!
Let’s go down to the end of 1st Corinthians 1 – this is the Holy Spirit’s lesson on harmony through the Apostle Paul;
• 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
Somewhere along the line in Church history we cast off the doctrine of holiness – we now act as if it is outdated – or at best we think that holiness is something that characterizes only a small part of our lives.
• We act today as if holiness is an important part of our lives.
• And that truly is a problem – we have traded holiness for things like inclusiveness and ‘doing no harm.’
Yet holiness is the very life of God in us.
• Holiness is not just for ‘advanced’ Christians – it is there at the beginning of our walk with the Lord – and it should be at the center of God’s call on all our lives.
Am I speaking to you as some wonderful, completely holy person without spot or blemish – absolutely not – I’m far from where I need to be in holiness.
• Does that mean that I am to just give up in even trying to live a righteous, holy, Bible and Christ based life? Absolutely not!
• Rather I am to turn away from that which would lead me out of my right relationship with God – even at the risk of upsetting those around me and not being in harmony with others.
Here's the key: Living in harmony does not lead to holiness – living in holiness leads to harmony.
• Somewhere along the line we got is all backward.
