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.
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
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
you