How to Have a Healthy Church
Galatians 6:1-2, John 13:34-35
SCRIPTURE READING: Philippians 2:1-4
INTRODUCTION:
Today is Pentecost Sunday. On this Sunday, forty days after Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter preached the first Gospel Sermon. On that day, over 5,000 people accepted Jesus as the Messiah. As soon as those people were baptized, hundreds of home congregations sprang up across the area --- and the Church was born.
This is the same way Churches are born today. When we send missionaries to un-reached parts of the world, their goal is to plant churches. A lot of you support the work of Indian Village Evangelism. That is their method. As soon as a few people accept the Lord, they start a church in that village. From that point on, the Village Church is the hub of evangelism in that area.
When evangelistic organizations --- like the Billy Graham crusades --- come to an area, they work hard to get the new converts connected to churches. Why? Because involvement in a local congregation is the main predictor of whether a person will keep living the Christian life after the Crusade leaves town.
You see, a healthy church is the best way to spread the Gospel. In fact, it is God’s plan that the Great Commission to Go into all the world and preach the Gospel will be fulfilled through the Church. The early Church relied upon two important means of evangelizing an unbelieving world: Kerygma and Koinonia. Now if you’re saying, “What are you talking about? That’s Greek to me,” you’re right.
· The Greek word, Kerygma – means proclamation or preaching.
· The term, Koinonia – describes fellowship. Literally it refers to sharing in or participating in something together.
The combination of Kerygma and Koinonia made the witness of the early Christians powerful and effective. In other words, people were convinced of the truth in the preaching because of the way the Christians showed love to one another.
The TEXT _______________________________ read today describes Christian Koinonia: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship (Koinonia) with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2
I think our congregation does a pretty good job of practicing Koinonia. But this is such an important issue, that we should always be looking for ways to do better.
In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another.” Those three words sum up the law of Christ. “Love one another!”
And how do we fulfill this law? Look in Galatians 6:2. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Quite simply, we fulfill the law of Christ when we bear each other’s burdens.
1. Bear Burdens
The command to bear each other’s burdens reminds me of the “buddy system” we used back at the Church Camp I went to --- way back when I was a little tyke. (Yes, there were Church Camps back in that day…) Our daily recreation was to swim in the lake at Round Lake Christian Assembly in Ohio. Now, these were the “good old days” when kids got to swim in a “real” lake --- not a man-made pond or swimming pool --- so this lake had some very deep places.
That’s why they were very strict about the two-man “buddy system”. Whenever the lifeguard blew his whistle, we had to immediately grab our buddy by the hand and then hold up our arms to show that we were together. If any one was not within easy reach of his buddy, they both had to get out for the rest of the afternoon.
Koinonia in the church is a lot like the “buddy system” we had at Round Lake. Christian fellowship means spending a lot of time together --- and doing it on purpose. It requires more than a casual “How’s it going?” in the foyer after church. We need to stick close together on a regular basis.
If we are practicing the “buddy system” in our church, we will laugh together, cry together, work together and play together. Because of that we will be able to struggle together when the waters get rough. We can pull each other up if we get in above our heads. And we can call for help if someone starts going under.
Scripture describes the church as:
· a building made of living stones
· a family,
· a bride.
· and as a body.
Since we are like a body, we have to function together. We support each other --- and we feel for each other. After all, if one part of your body gets hurt, your whole body will stop and take notice.
I can still remember the night that I french-fried my fingers. It was way back in High School when I was working at Burger Chef. I slipped on some grease. My hands flailed out for something to hold on to, and my right hand went into the fryer. It took several years before that scar went away completely, but I still remember that first night. Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep. My body bore the burden of the pain along with my fingers.
That’s the way it is in the church. When one member suffers, we all share the pain. But if we are going to be able to BEAR each other’s BURDENS, we have to be real with each other. James 5:16 says, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
2. Confess Faults
Let’s face it; most of us go to a lot of trouble to HIDE our faults. We don’t want to put our weaknesses on display at work or school. And when we come to Church, we want to maintain that same façade. We need to remember that the purpose of the Church is to give us a place where we can be real. How can we help each other if no one admits they have a need?
It reminds me of the man who went to the Emergency Room with an injured arm. He asked the receptionist if his insurance would cover the services, and she assured him, “Oh don’t worry about that. The doctor is very understanding. If your insurance won’t cover the surgery, he’ll just touch up the x-rays.”
Too many of us would rather “touch up the x-rays” instead of admitting our problems. God intends for church to be the place where people can admit their weaknesses and find compassion and help.
Of course, you don’t want to confess sins to just anyone. That’s why it’s so important to build some close relationships within the church. The Pueblo Groups, Sunday School classes, Youth and Children’s Groups, and other ministries in our Congregation are designed to meet this need.
When people meet together regularly, they can form close ties. As you come to know and trust each other, you can let down the barriers and admit failings and struggles.
In a healthy church, Christians will CONFESS FAULTS to each other and BEAR each others BURDENS.
But there are also situations where Galatians 6:1 comes into play: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.
3. Restore Gently
This doesn’t come naturally. In fact, it goes against our “mind-your-own-business” culture. If we catch someone sinning, our first instinct is to look the other way. But scripture is clear. We are not called to “mind our own business” in the church.
James 5:19-20 says, Brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Jesus taught this kind of GENTLE RESTORATION. And as usual, he taught with more than words. He taught with action. At the Last Supper --- the night that Jesus was betrayed --- he took on the position of a servant and washed the feet of the Disciples. Then he told them, Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:14-15
You might ask, why did Christ wash the Disciples’ feet? The answer is simple. They had dirty feet. Christ washed their feet to make them clean.
Spiritual foot washing has the same purpose: to wash off the dirt and make a person clean again. But if this “foot-washing” is to be GENTLE, we have to be aware of the temperature of the water.
· If we have that superior, holier-than-thou attitude, it’s like plopping down a basin of icy cold water and saying, “Here, stick your nasty, stinky feet in there!”
· If we are angry and condemning it’s like offering to scald their feet in a pot of boiling water.
The only way the person with dirty feet is going to appreciate our efforts is if we use the warm water of love and truth. Ephesians 4:15 says: Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
· Truth without Love is like icy or boiling water.
· Love without Truth is like refusing to wash their feet at all.
Either is harmful. If anyone is caught in sin, we have the responsibility to approach them with TRUTH and LOVE. The Goal is always Restoration --- so that we can once again enjoy Koinonia within the church.
CONCLUSION:
On Pentecost Sunday we remember the day the church came into existence. An early secular historian observed this new Christian community and exclaimed, “Behold how these Christians love one another.”
This proved the truth of Christ’s words when he said, " By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
When people come into our congregation here at Castle Hills Christian Church, do they see evidence that we love one another? The answer depends on you.
Are you willing to get to know the people in your church family? Will you be commit to attend a Pueblo Group, a Sunday School class, or another small group within the congregation? Will you take time to talk with and work with and study with and pray with other Christians?
If you do that, you can enjoy Koinonia --- true fellowship in the Spirit.
You can help make this a church where we
· Bear each other’s Burdens
· Confess our faults honestly
· And Restore each other Gently
This is what makes a healthy church. And this is the kind of distinctive, loving fellowship that will draw people to Jesus Christ.
