Living Like a Church Family (Part 1)

If you were asked to describe the church

and base it on what you know the New Testament says about the church,

how the New Testament pictures the church,

how would you describe it?

What kind of picture, image would you use to describe the church?

Tell me something.

It's people.

The church is people.

That's a good main point to start with.

What are we in the New Testament?

Huh?

Unified, all right.

The church is people.

The church is to be unified.

And two of the main ways that the New Testament describes the unity of God's people,

the New Testament describes the church as the family of God and the body of Christ.

I want you to think with me about what these pictures are about.

The New Testament pictures the body, the church is the body of Christ in several places.

In Ephesians, Paul talks about some of this, but primarily in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.

In fact, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul sort of paints a picture for us to think of the individual members of the church

as body parts, parts of the body.

For an example, he illustrates this by showing how our eyes, our ears, our hands,

they're different parts of the body, do different things.

But each is vitally important, and they all work together to accomplish important functions of the body.

So, the idea of the church being the body of Christ means we need to learn to value each other

and our differences, our gifts, our talents, our abilities.

And we need to learn to work together in unity as one body.

We're different.

We bring different things to the table.

But we work together as one body.

We work together in a healthy way.

Now, the idea of the church being the family of God may be the most familiar.

In John's Gospel, he tells us that all who believe in Jesus become children of God.

In fact, John, in his Gospel and in his letters, he likes to talk about Christians,

members of the church, being children of God.

Jesus taught us to address God as our Father.

We know the Lord's Prayer.

Well, that's Jesus' way of teaching us.

We need to think of God as, we're Christians now, as our Father.

Then the New Testament repeatedly calls members of the church brothers and sisters.

So, the idea of the church being the family of God means we need to learn to love one another

like a spiritual family and live together in unity so that we'll be a healthy family.

Now, I want to pause right here and say, as we go through this, we're going to apply it mainly to the church.

The idea we're the family of God.

We talk about being a family as Pickens First Baptist Church.

That's what the passage is going to direct us to.

But where you can, I want you to apply this to your home, your family.

We're going to learn some things that will help us to have closer families, more loving families in the right kind of way.

And recognize that everybody in the family is different.

We have different ways we look at different things, but we come together in oneness and unity as a family.

Now, I want you to answer two questions just to yourself honestly.

Do you appreciate the gifts, talents, and abilities of the members of this church?

And especially those whose gifts, talents, and abilities are different from yours.

And do you work together with members of this church who are different from you?

Do you work together in some kind of ministry of our church?

And together, we actually accomplish what God wants us to do.

Think about that.

Do you do that?

And then the second question is this.

Do you think of the members of this church as your close family members, spiritual family members?

As you just look around right here in this room right now, as you just look around and you see different members of this church,

do you think in terms of that's my sister, that's my brother in Christ.

We have this family relationship in the church.

Now, I believe that most American Christians like us think more in terms of our spiritual lives and everything about it in an individualistic kind of way.

Here's what I'm talking about.

When you think about your relationship with God, your spiritual life, don't you think more in terms of your relationship with God, your Heavenly Father,

your relationship with Jesus as your Savior and Lord,

and then far below that or even sort of separate from that,

you think about relationships with people in the church.

Now, certainly, the most important relationship is our relationship with God and the Lord Jesus.

I don't mean to imply that it's not.

But in the New Testament, in the church at Philippi that we're looking at right now,

they truly saw themselves as a spiritual family.

They were close.

They were like an island of a Christian family in an ocean of pagans and unbelievers

that you read about in Acts 16.

The unbelievers in Philippi, they violently opposed Paul and his preaching.

They had a riot in the city.

They had him beaten and put in jail and eventually ran him out of town.

And so, as these Philippian Christians, as New Testament Christians,

most of them, as they thought about who they were spiritually,

certainly they thought about their relationship with God, their relationship with Jesus,

but at the same time, they thought about their relationships with one another.

It just all went together.

They weren't just individual Christians.

They were members of God's family.

They were members of the body of Christ.

I want us just for a minute here to use the picture of being the family of God

to make the point I'm talking about that we don't really, as American Christians,

think of it like people in other parts of the world,

especially New Testament Christians.

Most of us in this room, we have at least some meaningful relationships with Christians in this church.

You have people in your life right here.

They're a part of your life.

You pray for them, especially about things that you know,

their situation, they need prayer.

You're there to help them.

You'll help to meet a need that you know that they have.

But do you really think of them like your brothers, your sisters?

There's that kind of bond, that kind of closeness.

Now, I say all of this to say,

today's passage of Scripture finds Paul calling the members of the Philippian church

to a depth of Christian unity that is far deeper than what most of us have ever experienced for sure

and maybe even much deeper than we can even understand.

Read with me if you would.

Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

We're going through the book of Philippians now.

We'll finish chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

So, if there is any encouragement in Christ,

any comfort from love,

any participation in the Spirit,

any affection and sympathy,

complete my joy by being of the same mind,

having the same love,

being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,

but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests,

but also to the interests of others.

We're going to look at this in two parts,

verses 1 and 2 today,

verses 3 and 4 next week.

But before we actually get into this study,

I want us to pray and ask God to do two things.

Let's ask God to help us to understand

the depth of true Christian unity like a family.

Number two,

let's ask God to help us to desire

and then develop this kind of unity,

oneness, family atmosphere here in this church.

Let's pray together.

Dear God,

we are thankful that

as we look at this passage,

we're not looking at it as a

corrective to

great division in our church.

We thank you, Father,

for the way you have blessed us

to avoid

a lot of conflict and controversy

over many, many years.

But Lord,

help us to see

as we look at this passage

that Christian unity,

fellowship,

oneness

is an important part of

living life in this world.

Help us,

first of all,

to understand

that being Christians

joined together in Christ,

joined together in this

church family,

we should be developing

close,

family-like relationships.

Father,

give us that kind of desire.

Help us to understand it.

Help us to desire it.

Help us to put forth the effort

to enjoy it.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Paul is calling us here

to a deeper and stronger level

of Christian oneness,

unity.

Let's look at it.

Number one,

to experience true Christian unity,

we must build upon

some common Christian experiences.

Look at what he says

in verse one.

So if there is any encouragement

in Christ,

any comfort from His love,

any participation in the Spirit,

any affection and sympathy,

then He wants you to be united.

Now the word so there,

he begins so,

could be translated therefore.

That's how the NIV translates it.

Paul's building on

what he's just said

in chapter one,

verses 27 through 30

that we looked at last week.

I want you to notice

two verses

or chapter,

verse 27,

part of verse 28.

Look at this.

Only let your manner of life

be worthy of the gospel

so that whether I come

and see you or am absent,

I may hear of you

that you are standing firm

in one spirit

with one mind,

striving side by side

for the faith of the gospel

and not frightened

in anything

by your opponents.

What we saw last week

was Paul's call

to the church.

You've got to be united.

You've really got to draw together

to stand together

against all these people

everywhere you look

who oppose you,

who oppose everything

you stand for.

Christian unity is important.

The unity of the church

is important

as we face

a hostile world.

But what he's talking about now

is he dealt with that

and now he's looking

inside the church

and he's thinking

this is a good church.

This church is overall

pretty together.

They're the most supportive

of Paul.

He is the most positive

in this letter

than any church

he writes to.

It's a good situation.

It's not just,

you know,

about to split

like the church

at Corinth

that you read about

in 1 and 2 Corinthians.

But he knows

there are some issues.

And so he's writing this

to strengthen their unity

in spite of the,

you know,

the underlying problems.

For example,

he's going to address

later in the letter

in chapter 4

a problem that he knows

exists between two women.

Look at this,

chapter 4 verse 2.

I entreat,

I urge,

or plead with Euodia

and I entreat Syntyche

to agree in the Lord.

Now I want you to think,

Paul writes this letter

to the church

with the eye to understanding

it's going to be read

to the whole congregation.

And as this letter is read,

think about it.

It's like he says to,

in front of the whole church,

it'd be like me

saying to the whole church,

I plead with Elaine

and I plead with Lisa.

Get along.

Work out your problems.

This is not good.

That's awful, isn't it?

That's awful to have

your name called

because you're causing

division in the church.

But he did it

because that's how concerned

he was that this church

that was on solid ground

stay that way.

As Barney Fife would say,

he's nipping it in the bud.

He's not going to let it

get out of hand

that it could.

So he begins

calling them

to this deeper level

of unity

by reminding them

of some of the things

they have in common.

That's what verse 1

is all about.

The word if here

at the beginning

does not mean

there's a question.

It's sort of like

a rhetorical kind of question.

It could be translated

since these things are true

or because these things are true.

I want you to look

real quick in verse 1

at some of the things

that we all have in common

if we're Christians.

Here's the idea.

Every one of us

in this room

who are Christians

and members of this church

we share some of the

same spiritual experiences

in our relationship

with God.

He's going to call out

or bring to light

four of them.

I'm going to use

the phrases that he uses.

Encouragement in Christ.

We all have experienced

encouragement.

It can be translated

comfort

as a result

of our relationship

with the Lord.

You being a Christian

you having a relationship

with the Lord

talking to him in prayer

just sensing his spirit

within you

you know what it's like

to have the assurance

that maybe

that you're forgiven

that you're right with God

you're a child of God.

If you die

you'll go to heaven.

We all

if we're Christians

we have that.

Number two

any comfort from love.

Now the first thing

Paul said

is the encouragement

in Christ.

The third thing

he says is

is fellowship

in the spirit.

This may be a reference

to the love of God

and he's trying

to get us to think

in terms of how

each member of the Trinity

the Father, Son

and Holy Spirit

help us

in our lives.

But either way

as Christians

we all have experienced

comfort

knowing that God

loves us.

Or if he's talking

about the love

within the church

even

we've experienced

that from other people

if we're members

of the church

and involved

in any way.

So all of us

there are times

in our lives

when we have experienced

God doing

some things in us

just to assure us

of his love

and that nothing

can take us away

from him.

Third

any participation

in the spirit.

He's describing

how

he's describing

a Christian fellowship

as a result

of the Holy Spirit

working in us

when he saved us.

When we were born again

the spirit of God

brought about

brings about

a new nature

in us

and we

are brothers

and sisters

in Christ

whether we realize

it or not

and he helps us

to have a special

kind of fellowship

if we'll develop it.

We have this

common experience.

there's something

within us

that causes us

to desire

to have fellowship

with other Christians.

If you have that desire

I want you to understand

as a Christian

other people

in this room

do too.

Some more than others

it's a common experience.

Number four

any affection

and sympathy

or compassion.

As people

who've been changed

by God

we have

within us

heartfelt

tenderness

and compassion

for

some people

at some times.

A person

who is just

cold hearted

hard hearted

all the time

nothing softens them.

They never have

any compassion

any sympathy

for anybody.

They can't be a Christian

in whom the spirit

of God lives.

Every one of us

in this room

there are certain

situations

that people are

involved in

and it just

gets to us.

we sympathize

we empathize

with them.

It breaks

our heart

for them.

We show

affection

or compassion

in certain ways

being there

helping them

something like that.

The point

Paul is making

here is

every member

of the church

every Christian

has these

kinds

of common

experiences.

I want you

to sort of

look around here

it's easier

to do

with these

chairs.

Everybody

in this room

who are

Christians

despite

their

differences

they have

these kind

of things

in common.

They've

experienced

what you've

experienced

in their

relationship

with God

His love

His grace

they understand

have a desire

for a Christian

fellowship

we already

have this

in common.

Now

in verse 2

let's start

working on

what strengthens

our unity.

By the way

thinking about

your home

you and

your spouse

you and

your children

you and

your parents

hey

even your

brothers and

sisters

you've got

a lot

in common

under that

house.

You're very

different

you're at

different stages

in life

but I want

you to think

right now

there is

much that

you share

in common

with your

family members

that you

need to

focus more

on

rather than

just the

differences

that you

see

and maybe

experience.

Number 2

to experience

true Christian

unity

we must

develop a

common

Christian

mindset.

Look at

verse 2

he says

complete my

joy by

being of

the same

mind

having the

same

love

being in

full

accord

and of

one

mind.

I want

you to know

how Paul

makes this

appeal

make my

joy

complete.

He has a

great relationship

with these

people.

It's like

he's saying

we've got a

great relationship

it started

off well

we've

continued

well

you have

supported

me

I pray

for you

all the

time

we're

close

make my

joy

complete

by listening

and doing

what we're

talking about

and then

let's

look at

it.

We need

to have

the same

mind

or be

like

minded.

If we're

going to

experience

real unity

in our

church

be a

real

Christian

family

we're

talking

about

we've

got to

have the

same

mind

or be

like

minded.

basically

the same

person

you were

before

you

became

a

Christian

in

terms

of

your

personality

who

you

are

your

Myers

Briggs

temperament

you've

taken

any

of

those

kind

of

tests

that's

who you

are

who God

made

you

you still

have the

same

talents

and abilities

that you

had

and when you

became a

Christian

the Lord

gave you

some

spiritual

gifts

and so

as you

look around

there's a

lot of

differences

in this

room

by God's

design

and we

don't have

to cease

being who

we are

to be

this

Christian

family

just like

in your

home

you're

different

man

husband

wife

child

children

y'all are

different

you know

as parents

a lot of

times it

takes a

while to

figure it

out

we aren't

going to

change our

children's

basic

nature

if your

child came

into this

world as a

strong

willed

I know

what I

want

I'm going

to do

what I

want

they're

never

going to

be the

little

mild

meek

and

passive

life's

okay

kind of

person

that's not

who they

are

that's not

how they're

made

now

they've

got to

get that

strong

will

under

control

you've

got to

manage

it

you've

got to

put it

in the

right

direction

you've

got to

teach

them

to learn

to

obey

be under

authority

you don't

just accept

them just

as they

are

but you

accept

them

as God

made

them

and that's

how we

have to

accept

one

another

no matter

what

Brian's

going to

be

Brian

I'm

going to

be

me

Colton

is

going to

be

Colton

and that's

okay

that's

who you

are

but we

are called

to work

together

in unity

and oneness

like a

good

strong

healthy

family

now

we also

do this

what I'm

talking about

here is

not really

unique

to the

church

the close

family

relationship

should be

there but

they're in

other places

this is

basketball season

we'll use

basketball as

an example

basketball

teams

made up

of guys

and women

different

heights

different

bills

different

skills

you don't

want them

all to be

the same

if I'm

going to

put together

a basketball

team

I want

to have

one guy

who's

seven foot

two if

I can

but I

want some

guys

I don't

care how

tall or

short they

are to be

able to

dribble the

ball

they got

to be

able to

take

control

bring the

ball down

the court

pass it

off

I need

some people

who can

shoot

but when

they come

together on

that court

they got to

function together

as one

one unit

one team

one body

one family

we understand

that

it's the same

way where

you work

most

businesses

people who

go there

every day

very different

in every way

have different

job responsibilities

but if the

company is

going to

function

as the

owner

intends

everybody's

got to

come together

and work

together as

one

to accomplish

the common

purpose

make money

or whatever

the business

is going to

do

in the

church

we need

to have

the same

mindset

that we've

come together

for a purpose

we're going to

look at it

in a moment

we've come

together not

to be

individuals

we don't

exist in

this church

for me to

be some

kind of

speaking star

or Brian

or singers

to be some

kind of

singing stars

or anything

like that

we come

together to

accomplish the

purpose God

has given us

that we'll

look at in a

moment

we've got to

have the

same mindset

that's going

to happen

in your home

you've got to

have the same

mindset here

we're going

to be a

family

no one

person is

going to

call the

shots

or be

the star

we're going

to be

one family

number two

we need

to have

the same

love

love is

the unifying

force in

all of life

it's what

God uses

to draw

people

together

it's what

unites a

man and

woman together

in a healthy

marriage

certainly

there's

commitment

I understand

that aspect

there's got

to be love

for it to be

a meaningful

commitment

love is what

unites

parents and

children

even

siblings

now

when we

think about

this kind

of love

that unites

in our

homes

at church

we need to

make sure we

understand

it's a certain

kind of love

that Paul

describes in

1 Corinthians 13

I want you to

look at it

with me

as we look

at this

I want you

to think

about you

there are

times when

the lack

of love

and unity

in the

home

or in

the church

I'm a

part of

the problem

because I'm

impatient

because I'm

not kind

because I

don't exercise

any self

control

as we go

through that

look

or think

about you

please do

not punch

your spouse

child

or parent

and I

read something

here a while

back

makes me

say this

I don't

know

anybody

in our

church

that is

this way

I don't

really know

anybody

personally

but I

read

that there

are some

men

who think

they're

spiritual

giants

go to

church

every Sunday

and what

they will

do is

they'll

take what

we're going

to see

there on

1 Corinthians

13

and they'll

go home

and cram

it down

their wife's

throat

that's not

being a

spiritual

leader

that's being

just a

point blank

jerk

and that's

going to

alienate

your wife

or your

children

if you

go home

and cram

this down

their

throat

you think

about you

I'm thinking

about me

and if your

spouse or

children or

parents

they're far

from this

pray for

them

ask God

if they're

in this

room right

now

ask God

convict

them of

their

lack of

patience

or whatever

you can't

be the

Holy Spirit

you can't

be God

let them

be convicted

taught by

God

and you

just focus

on you

right now

here's the

kind of love

that will

unite a

church

a home

many groups

love is

patient

and kind

love is

not envy

or boast

it is not

arrogant

or rude

it does

not insist

on its

own way

it is not

irritable

or resentful

it does

not rejoice

at wrongdoing

but rejoices

with the truth

love bears

all things

believes all

things

hopes all

things

endures all

things

love never

fails

this is the

kind of love

we need to

develop

and demonstrate

in everything

that we do

here in

this church

and everything

you do

there at

your home

if you want

us to have

a united

family like

church

if you want

your home

to be a

true

united

loving

family

we also

see in

this passage

number three

we need to

be in

full accord

and of

one mind

new american

standard

translates this

united in

spirit

intent

on

one

purpose

the idea

here is to

be of

one soul

some commentators

describe this

as christians

being soul

brothers and

soul

sisters

just

having the

same passion

you might

think

the same

drive

same

motivation

now as i

said earlier

this does not

mean that we

are united and

passionate about

all the same

things

you know when i

use the

example

a while ago

about sports

teams

basketball

teams

some of

you

that's

something

that interests

you

sports

some of

you probably

rolled your

eyes

you don't

care a

thing in

the world

about sports

there's nothing

wrong with that

i mean you're a little

odd if you don't care

anything about sports

but in the big picture

things there's really

nothing wrong with it

so i love the music we do

but i don't think about

planning it and rehearsing

it and i don't think

about all the stuff's got

to be done when we move

from over here from the

sanctuary over here

that's not my thing

you don't know it but

you're thankful that's not

my thing

they don't even try

we don't all have to be

gung-ho about every single

thing the church is doing

but we've got to be

gung-ho about us as

Pickens First Baptist

fulfilling the purpose

that god has given us in

his word we put it

together like this a long

time ago

our purpose is

look at it

Pickens First Baptist

Church is this to be a

worshiping evangelizing

learning and loving

family of faith to the

glory of god we exist to

be a well

church

we also said when we

developed this how we go

about this through the

power of the holy spirit

and prayer we will seek to

accomplish our purpose

through a vital worship

encounter with the living

god evangelistic outreach

to the unsaved learning

experience with the word of

god and loving involvement

with both our family of

faith and the world

our purpose is based on the

way that Luke in Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 summarized how

the early church was

functioning what they were

doing shortly after the day

of Pentecost and god had

just brought them all

together it was all new

this is what they were

doing

the key for a church to

experience unity year in and

year out through good times

and hard times including a

pandemic is for us to number

one love one another with a

self-giving love like we saw

in first Corinthians 13 that's

got to be our foundation we're

going to love one another the

self-giving kind of love but

number two we've got to always

stay focused on our purpose and

work together with our talents

our abilities our gifts our money

everything to accomplish this

purpose and if you think about you

know some people have the idea the

church ought to do this ought to do

that if it doesn't fit in with

worshiping evangelizing learning

that's discipleship studying the

Bible teaching the Bible and loving

Christian fellowship meeting needs in

Jesus's name we might call that some

people call that benevolence but it's

not just providing what people need

is provide what people need in the

name of Jesus with a gospel witness

that's what we're about we're not

some kind of religious social club or

anything like that we are a church with

this purpose now if everyone will be

focused on this goal and working to

this end in love we will stay united

it's like Rick Warren said I've got to

put this in my notes so I'm just going

to read it to you he says if everyone

is paddling the boat toward the

destination they won't be able to rock

it in a lot of churches there's a lot of

a lot of churches the trouble is there's

people who do nothing but rock the boat

they don't paddle they don't serve they

don't use their gifts time gifts and

abilities and so forth they don't use

it to be involved in ministry they're

not helping the church to achieve its

purpose they just rock the boat if we'll

love one another use the gifts God's

given us the talents and the abilities in

some aspect of ministry for the purpose of

worship evangelizing learning and loving

we won't rock the boat in fact the boat

won't get rocked so let me just wind this

up by asking are you contributing to the

unity of the church and I might want to

ask I need to also emphasize are you

contributing to the unity of your home

are you making our church more like a

family by your loving involvement

service relating to people are you making

your family a more loving place place where

everybody wants to be where everybody can just

be at relaxed and at ease and know this is

home are you contributing to that that kind of

unity in your home let me ask you this if

that's what we want here at home ask God to

help you to love your brothers and sisters in

Christ here at our church and ask God to help

you to truly love your spouse your children your

parents your brother your sister it's not always

easy to love in fact a lot of times it's hard to

love some people are very hard to live to love

some people just seem like they don't want to let

they don't want you to love them that's what we're

called to do here in the church and in our homes

especially and then are you asking God to help you stay

focused on our purpose here at church and asking him to

help you to stay involved or show you how to get involved

maybe in moving our church in the direction we need to go to

fulfill our purpose let's pray together dear God help us now to

see what we need to do to contribute to the unity and

harmony and family-like atmosphere of our church and what we

need to do contribute to this family healthy atmosphere at home

father show us do we need to get more involved in people's lives show

more interest develop deeper relationships

show us father if we need to show the people in our homes that

they're first in their life before the people at work or the people

at school dear God we pray that you will help us to truly

understand and desire to have Christian family unity oneness here in

this church help us to have that to desire that and help us all put do what

we need to do to develop that and achieve your purpose and Lord I do pray that

you'll help people in this room who you need some work to be done in their home life

maybe in their lives maybe in their lives maybe in their lives their lives their lives their lives

their presence their actions create within all of us right now dear God we pray a heartfelt desire

to be a part of a God honoring home with our family members a God honoring church family

with our brothers and sisters in our brothers and sisters in Christ here

show us how we should respond let's just all pray and ask God to make it clear and let's just obey him

respond in the way that he wants us to this morning let's just bow our heads close our eyes

there's music that'll be played for us just to have some thinking time make good use of it

so

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