Real Church
Philippians 2:1-4
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible says this, “The Philippian church was a strong church—a very strong church. When a church is strong, it is always full of vision and planning, and it is always working out a strategy to carry forth the gospel. A strong church launches ministry after ministry and program after program. It is never still and never complacent—neither the minds of the people nor the hands of the people. Because of this, there is always the danger of differences of opinion: differences in vision, desires, concern, emphasis, and interest. There are always different ideas as to which ministry or project should be undertaken and supported.
The point is this: the more strength and activity a church has, the more attention it must give to unity. Why? Because a strong church has more minds and bodies working, and where more people are working more differences are bound to arise. Consequently, the members must give more attention to unity.”
The Apostle Paul knew what made this church and every church Real and relevant to the world around them. Unity in a family and in a church family is essential for their vitality and focus. Without Unity the church is phony.
In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus’ last prayer before His betrayal and death prayed this for His church in John 17:21-22, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:” (NIV)
If the church that claims to know one God, and have one faith and proclaim one way through Christ can’t be one then that church is saying something they don’t live.
When we look across just our SBC we see churches that have forgotten what Real church is. Over 70% of our SB churches have either plateaued or in decline. A new statistic out has suggested that only 11% of SB churches are healthy and growing.
I’m excited about that for one reason. According to their data of new members and Baptisms we are part of the healthy and growing 11%. So in preaching this today let me say that people want a Real church. They want a church that isn’t phony. They want a church that really lives out what they say they believe on Sunday.
So if Unity is what makes a church real how is they measured? How can we know the evidence of Unity in the church? 3 Ways..let’s look at them together.
I. They Love Christ (v.1)
The Apostle John wrote in I John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.” (KJV)
I read of a house fire in the Middle East where a man ran back into his burning house to get his valuables, but he didn’t make it out. He was found in the ashes clutching an ivory idol. The headlines read, "Man dies trying to save his god." Two thousand years ago on a hill called Calvary, the Son of God hung bleeding and dying for a lost world. If there had been a Jerusalem Post back then, the headlines might have read, "God dies trying to save his man." How can we fail to live for such a God who gave his everything for us that we might have everything in him?
Paul writes that this love for Christ is revealed in two traits:
A. The Trait of Consolation (v.1a)
If you and I are really enjoying and sensing the love of Christ in our lives then we will show consolation. 3 phases of consolation: That word means
1.encourage.
"Encouragement is food for the heart, and every heart is a hungry heart." Pat Morley
This word means an agreeable spirit a Christian who seeks to be pleasant and offers up words that refresh a thirsty soul. But notice the phrase:
2. Comfort of love—It means anything that would separate themselves from each other that would harm the body, i.e. Pride.
Someone said, “Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the one who has it”
“I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.” D.L. Moody
3. Fellowship—joint participation This is the word where we get extending the right hand of fellowship. It means welcoming one into the body of Christ. and working together for the good of the body.
"Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays." Andrew Murray
B. The Trait of Compassion (v.1b) The word “mercy,” means compassion. “Affection” describes the level of compassion. Affection means from the bowels or intestines. It speaks of a compassion that hurts when another hurts a deep feeling of love and concern for one another.
Frederick Buechner said, “Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.” Frederick Buechner, "Wishful Thinking." Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1973.
When we love Christ we love as He loves us and we care with the same intensity He cares for others.
II. They Love Each Other (v.2)
A minister was speaking to a Sunday school class about the things money can’t buy. “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he told them. Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1000 not to love your mother and father?” Stunned silence ensued. Finally a small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
The truth of the matter is many times we love when others respond rightly towards us. We put strings attached to the intensity of our feeling of love. However, in v.1 and v.2 The Bible uses the kind of love we are to have for Christ and for one another; “agape.” It means an unconditional love and it is only possible to love this way as a spirit filled Christian. It’s demonstrative in 2 practical ways:
A. Have the Same Views (v.2a)
Likeminded—agree together cherish the same views, or side with one another.
Opinions get cast aside and the Christian stands on what the Bible says to stand on. Ashleigh Brilliant said, “My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right.” ~ Ashleigh Brilliant
We live in a day when God’s people need to be united on God’s principles. It doesn’t matter if they call us fanatics or not:
I heard a story about a visitor to a mental hospital for the criminally insane. The visitor was shocked to see that only 3 guards were supervising more than 100 dangerous inmates. He asked the guide, “Don’t you fear these people will plot an escape and overpower the guards?” “Don’t worry about that,” The guard assured him. “Lunatics never unite.”
We need to be likeminded sharing the same views.
B. Have the Same Virtues (v.2b)
Accord—same feelings about matters of life A Christian should be a person of virtue of the highest character completely dependable in every way. Author and Christian leadership expert John Maxwell said, “I commit myself to being a person of character. Truth, reliability, honesty and confidentiality will be the pillars of my life.
I will treat others as I expect to be treated and I will live according to the highest standards of integrity amid all of life’s circumstances.” John Maxwell
Our virtues stem from a heavenly perspective not a worldly perspective. Pastor, author and man of God William Barclay said it this way, "Everything in this world has two aspects - how it looks at the moment, and how it will look in the time to come. The easy way may look inviting at the moment, and the hard way daunting. The only way to get our values right is to see, not the beginning, but the end of the way, to see things, not in light of time, but in the light of eternity." William Barclay
III. They Love Others (v.3-4)
"What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork." Pearl Bailey (1918-90)
Notice the wording here in v.3-4
Selfish ambition =electioneering, partisan politics, quarrelsome or unruly spirit. Those of you who have been in churches for awhile you have probably seen as I have people who politic to get people on their side to get their way.
The next two phrases speak to our attitude Lowliness of mind=spirit of humility Esteem=to lead or go before, to place above. Literally means to place another member in a higher regard than we do ourselves.
We are starting a new worship service on Sunday morning immediately following this service. We’re meeting in the student building and the service is designed to reach the un-churched 20 somethings. We are targeting the people who would never walk in a church building. Bro. Joey will lead our praise band and I will preach.
There are 4,500 20 somethings in a 10 mile radius around this church. All of our churches combined aren’t reaching 5% of our college age. You might be thinking we do we need to be the ones to do it? Because God put the college right across the street and if we can’t go across the street for others we will be disobeying God.
The good news for you is that I have to be done every Sunday in this service @ 11:15.
Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life says, “Life is all about love! Because God is love, the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love. It is in loving that we are most like him, so love is the foundation of every command he has given us; ‘the whole Law can be summed up in this one command; ‘Love others as you love yourself” (123).
Conclusion: I was sharing with some folks this week about what I see my future to be. I said, I know I’m where God wants me and I’ve never been happier about what the future holds. I love this church, I love this area, and I love you all. I’m glad we are a church who:
Loves Christ, The trait of consolation and compassion is evident here.
We Love Each Other, we hold the same views about the Bible and about Christ’s church and the same virtues of character and integrity.
We Love Others, I’ve heard it time and time again in the community your church is such a friendly church. May we continue to have our focus outward to reach the unlovable and lost. Jesus went to the sinners to bring them into His family.
During his reign, King Frederick William III of Prussia found himself in trouble. Wars had been costly, and in trying to build the nation, he was seriously short of finances. He couldn’t disappoint his people, and to capitulate to the enemy was unthinkable. After careful reflection, he decided to ask the women of Prussia to bring their jewelry of gold and silver to be melted down for their country. For each ornament received, he determined to exchange a decoration of bronze or iron as a symbol of his gratitude. Each decoration would be inscribed, “I gave gold for iron, 18l3.” The response was overwhelming. Even more important, these women prized their gifts from the king more highly than their former jewelry. The reason, of course, is clear. The decorations were proof that they had sacrificed for their king. Indeed, it became unfashionable to wear jewelry, and thus was established the Order of the Iron Cross. Members wore no ornaments except a cross of iron for all to see.
Most people join a church they can relate to the Pastor. That makes relate to the church. But that’s not what makes the church real. What makes the church real to the community is you. All of you who give, work, serve, pray and sacrifice with an attitude of buying gold for iron. You make this church real by helping people come to the order of the Cross.
PRAY
