The Family Feud
Philippians 2:1-11
Richard Dawson used to be the host of the popular game show ¡V Family Feud where two families faced off in competition against one another. Today too often we see family feuds and they¡¦re not part of a game show in fact they are no game at all ¡V they are part of the church. The Bible makes it clear that we are family ¡V brothers and sisters of one Father. Not born naturally into His family but adopted and presented as joint heirs with Christ. So if we are part of God¡¦s family in this wonderful and precious way ¡V why do we get into so many tussles and scrapes with each other. Should¡¦t that be reserved for those who are not a part of the body of Christ?
Well let me share with you first of all why so many feuds develop.
ƒá Different Personalities ¡V Extrovert, Introvert, shy, outgoing, loud, reserved, aggressive, passive, high strung and laid back. Our personalities make us who we are to a great extent. The truth is ¡V and I¡¦m sure none of you will believe this ¡V I¡¦m and extrovert ¡V a little loud, definitely Type A, and pretty driven for what I believe in. While those qualities work well to allow me to do what I do ¡V sometimes they work against me. Sometimes I am perceived as intimidating or overbearing ¡V I don¡¦t think I am but others see me this way. The truth is that our personalities are out there ¡V and they are not compatible with everyone else¡¦s personalities. Sometimes we are going to just get on each others nerves. We are very different people.
ƒá Different Preferences ¡V Some like classical music ¡V others like country ¡V still other rock and roll ¡V Some like it loud ¡V others like it soft. Some like worship to be long and extended ¡V others short and to the point. Some prefer the great hymns of the faith ¡V others the intimacy of praise chorus¡¦. Some like long sermons other would rather I shut up. We all like very different things.
ƒá Different Backgrounds ¡V You know when you have done as much premarital counseling as I have you begin to understand the idea of baggage. Baggage is that emotional stuff that we all carry around with us (assumptions about life and people, hurts, sensitivities, etc) that affects how we view life and people. Some people have been abused in life and are suspicious of everyone and everything always on guard. Others have been sheltered and tend to face life with an undaunted optimism. Some see the glass half empty others see it half full. We view life in very different ways.
ƒá Different Sensitivities ¡V Have you got a pet peeve? Something that just absolutely twists your gibbets? Guess what we all do. Unfortunately I have more than I should. One persons curious habit is another persons pet peeve. We all have very different triggers.
ƒá Different Lifestyles ¡V Some are in the middle of raising their families ¡V others in the beginnings of retirement. Some are in the midst of raising teenagers others in the twilight years. But each stage of life has its own demands on time, energy, attention, finances, and attitudes. This leaves us with very different demands.
It was because of these very things that Rev. EV Hill said ¡§Make no mistake wherever two or more are gathered together ¡V there the mess is!¡¨ With all these differences how in the world are we supposed to keep a family together? How are we supposed to work together, play together, and change the world together when we are always getting on each others nerves so bad?
Well on the family feud they surveyed 100 people and put there top 4 answers on the board. This morning I want to tell you I took a survey of one ¡V and I want to put His top 4 answers on the board.
1) Be of the same mind ¡V Paul said to the church at Philippi ¡V ¡§If there is any encouragment in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind.¡¨ Being of one mind indicates not a uniformity of idea¡¦s but a uniformity of thinking. What I mean by that is ¡V Paul doesn¡¦t call us to all think alike or think the same things that would be impossible ¡V what he calls us to do is think from the same motivation. The honor and glory of the Christ that we serve. Being of the same mind doesn¡¦t mean we will never disagree or that we will never think differently. In fact it gives us the freedom to disagree. It mean that when we are unified in our desires and our motivation we are able to disagree to a proper end or purpose. Many perspectives gives us a fuller picture of the whole. If what we desire is the same ¡V our hearts are the same ¡V we will share idea¡¦s freely and support the consensus that brings us to a mutually desired endpoint.
2) Maintain the Same Love ¡V Listen to what Paul says about the love that needs to be a part of the body of Christ.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Jesus said ¡§This is my command to you ¡V that you love each other just as I have loved you. That is the heart of God for His family. That we love each other. Love my friends covers a multitude of sins. The reality is that we say we love each other but we are far more acquaintances than we are family. God calls us to be family ¡V in more than just name ¡V you know as many scrapes as my sister and I have been in ¡V I still love her. That¡¦s family.
3) Be Unified in Spirit ¡V The word means ¡§co-souled¡¨. What it means is that we are joined by something stronger than our preferences, likes or dislikes, problems or issues. We are joined by our mutual submission to the Spirit of God. We serve one Master. In our own families we are joined by common history, blood lines, and familial connections. We are family because we were born from the same parents and raised together in one house. But in Christ we are family because ¡§there is one Spirit¡Kone Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.¡¨ What I am trying to tell you is that when you come to Christ you become part of the family. And you can choose your friends but your stuck with your relatives. God calls us to be unified in the Spirit ¡V to be co-souled ¡V that means to be joined with each other by something that goes far beyond common blood lines it goes to the very soul of who we are. If we are in Christ then we are joined with each other. Joined by one God who¡¦s One Spirit resides in us all.
4) Be Intent on One Purpose ¡V Family feuds within the church often occur because we have such different agenda¡¦s. What we want is different. Some want styles, some want space, some know what they want and want what they know. Jesus gives us a unifying theme ¡V one that puts all other agenda¡¦s under it¡¦s command. ¡§Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;¡¨ All other agenda¡¦s, all other purposes, all preferences, all desires, all idea¡¦s, all thinking, all things must come under this one great commission of Christ. When we are united under one banner ¡V intent on one purpose ¡V all our petty differences will fade into the background. When we are busy doing we will not have time to continue bickering. God has given us one purpose ¡V and we are all to be intent on it¡¦s accomplishment.
Feuds divide us ¡V Christ is the one who unifies. We are so very different ¡V how can we possibly be the same. We can when we are of the same mind, maintaining the same love, unified in Spirit, an intent on one purpose. I pray that we will find a day when family feuding has gone the way of the Hatfields and McCoys, and we are unified in Christ.
