Introduction
1. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you, the people of First Reformed Church, are really an odd or a strange group of people. Perhaps I feel I can say this because I won’t be here the next two Sundays. But its something that I want you to think about this morning. You are a odd or strange group of people.
2. Some of you are farmers, some are die-hard city folk. Some of you are so Dutch that your blood is orange. Others of you are wonder what the colour orange has to do with being blood. For you do not have an ounce of Dutch blood in your body and you may even be happy that you don’t. Some of you are well off - not a financial worry in the world. Others wonder how you will pay your bills next week. Some of you are very conservative while others may even be considered liberal. And I don’t mean politics although I could. If I’d suggest we talk about Premier Harris, we would have an argument that would soon be very heated. Some of us home school, some send their children to public school or Christian school. Some are very charismatic and would love to shout and dance to the Lord. Some of us would walk out if we started dancing. Some reject women in office, some of accept them. Some love to hold bazaars, some think they are wrong.
3. We are so different from one another, that some of us have little or nothing in common that would lead us to socialize or have anything to do with each other outside of the church.
4. And yet here we are. Why? Because the one thing we share is that we have a desire to worship God. And not only that, but God has put within you the desire or the leading to worship Him here with one another. We have something that is much stronger than the differences we have. We have faith in Jesus Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
5. But the differences we have often prevent us from fully living out what it means to be a fellowship of believers. And that has happened here in our church.
6. One of the corporate sins that FRC has committed is the sin of having factions. Of having divisions within the church. Of letting people know by words or actions that "they are not one of us." We have shown more concern for some than for others. There were times when non-Dutch spouses became part of the church by joining but for years did not feel like they really belonged. Times when the youth group was split between those from the city and those from the country.
7. And at times I feel there are factions today - depending on how we educate our children or how we live out our faith. These factions are serious, they are sinful. And we need to confess them and ask God’s forgiveness for them. I believe these factions are not as great or bad as they once were, but the past history of them still affects us today and as I said, some still exist.
8. Paul says factions are sin:
Gal 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
9. Rather than to have factions , God tells us that we are to accept one another/
Rom 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
10. And this does not mean to accept just some and not others but to accept all who are in this body of believers. What does it mean to accept each other? To put up with one another and keep our negative thoughts and feeling inside? It is much more difficult than that. Here is what it means to accept each other:
* to take to one’s self
* to take as one’s companion
* to take by the hand in order to lead aside
* to take or receive into one’s home, with the idea of kindness
* to receive or to grant someone access to your heart
* to take into friendship
11. We have some good biblical examples of what it means.
a. Acts 18:24-26 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
Instead of gossiping about Apollos’ fervour but lack of substance or depth, Priscilla and Acquilla opened their home to him and taught him. When have you done that for a new believer or someone new to our fellowship.
b. Acts 9:26 When (Paul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.
When is last time you took some one different by the hand and not only welcomed him, but brought him or her to others.
I am thankful that I can often do that, introduce someone to you and have you take him under his wing or into your home. When you invite a new person to your home. When you drove Bernice to church. When I spoke with Paul this week, (that man at the back whose head is a little shinier than mine), he mentioned how he had been at someone’s home. Paul is different than many of us and not just because he is not Dutch or is bald. But someone opened their home to him. Praise the Lord. He was accepted.
c. When Paul’s ship was shipwrecked and they washed ashore at Malta, the islanders accept them. Paul says Acts 28:2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness.
12. To accept someone is to show unusual kindness. And praise God that I see many of you doing that.
13. But I ask you, are there times in the past that you have not taken new people in your heart? Times you criticized other members, gossiped about them or rejected them because of their nationality or where they lived? Or just looked down on them or ignored them? Perhaps in church, perhaps at youth group?
14. If you did, if God convicts you of this I challenge you, I urge you to go to that person and ask him or her to forgive you.
15. By accepting one another or seeking forgiveness, you will not just effect healing that in some cases still needs to take place but the result will be a number of things. I hope these things I am going to mention will also convict and motivate you to get rid of factions which still linger.
16. First - accepting one another reflects a spirit of unity.
Rom 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
17. Unity despite our differences. A unity that does not major on the minors but majors on what is really important. Unity that acknowledges that we are at different places in our walk of faith. Unity that makes us sensitive to those whose faith is weaker. That stops us from doing things which we are allowed because it will hurt another. To understand what I mean read Romans 14 when you get home after church.
18. It means that we are united in Christ. That our faith in Him, our love for Him, our desire to worship Him is paramount in our lives. Last Sunday morning the choir sang as one. You as a congregation sang with one voice. There was power and praise and unity in your singing. The strong voices helped the weak and yet the weak, like mine, added to the praise. So we are to be unified together.
19. That which unites us is much greater than that which divides us. And if it is not, then we better re-examine our relationship with our Lord.
20. Second - our acception shows that we have a proper understanding of why Christ accepts us.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
To receive God really means that He has received or accepted us. That He has called us to Him. And He accepts us just as we are. By us coming to Him, into His open arms. He draws us to Him. When He does He does not make list of things we must first do. And we are to accept others as Christ accepts us. A God who says come to me you who are weary and I will give you rest.
21. I had a great privilege this week. To hear a man come to Christ and say "I need you Lord" "Help me Lord" over and over again. He knew He had sinned and He did not deserved Christ’s grace. But He came to Christ and was received.
22. To accept others means to accept them as they are. It means being aware that God led them to church and that He is drawing them to Him and is accepting them. We see that in our passage. The Jews had trouble accepting the Gentiles and the Gentiles had trouble accepting the Jews. But God was accepting them both.
23. That brings us to our third reason to accept others. It means we understand why we have been given faith and why we are here.
Rom 15:8-11 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples."
24. The Jews were to accept the Gentiles as they were (without first becoming Jews) because it was their calling. They had been chosen as God’s people to praise His name among the Gentiles so they to would put their trust in God. When people come into the church, whether through marriage, birth or visiting, God gives us to the opportunity to accept them and show His acceptance of them. Their faith may take time to develop and grow, but so has mine. Guide them along, take them home and love them and teach them.
25. Fourth- to accept each other is to love one another and is evidence that God dwells in us. That our faith is true faith.
1 John 3:10-11 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
26. Fifth - and most important of all, accepting one another reveals our unity and our unity glorifies God. When we accept one another we bring glory to God.
Rom 15:5-7 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
27. When we accept one another god is glorified. Is there anyone you have not accepted or am not accepting now? Confess this sin and seek forgiveness. Let us pray.
