Today’s Bible readings are 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17, Psalm 27:1-6, Proverbs 20:20-21
1 Corinthians 1:10-12
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority
of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be
no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought
and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe’s household have
told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some
of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow
Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
In church, there are so many preferences that can cause
divisions. Some people like the music loud, others don’t. Some people like it
cool, others like it hot. Some like hymns some like choruses. Some people like traditional
worship songs, while others like contemporary. Some want a super spiritual
experience, others what it to be ordinary & predictable. Some people want
things to be proper & dignified, while others want it to be off the hook.
None of these things are right or wrong. In fact, each one
has its place. These are all what I call “issues of preference”. They really
are just a matter of what a person prefers. Yet, we let these things become so central
that they end up being a dividing force. This should NEVER be the case.
Paul is addressing this with the church in Corinth. They
were having division over which person they got saved under. Some thought that
being under Paul’s ministry was the best. Others thought that being under
Apollos’s ministry was best. They allowed these TRIVIAL things to divide them.
It was probably much like things in church today:
1. Factions
2. Cliques
3. One ministry against another
4. People staying on their side of the church
5. Relationships never being built
6. Critical judging of others
7. Outbursts of anger
These are all workings of the flesh. These are what happen
when we allow divisions to occur in the body. It results in the enemy having
access, which leads to us acting like devils instead of saints.
There is an alternative to this way of living. It is what
Paul was trying to express to this church. He was reminding them that there is
something much more glorious to be fight for than many of the petty things they
were fighting for. Even though they felt very strongly about their preference
issues, Paul was pointing out that there is something of greater worth.
What is the alternative to divisions? What is the more
glorious thing to fight for? What is it that is of greater worth than having
your preferences? IT IS CALLED UNITY!!!!
1. Unity is what makes great Holy Ghost power available.
2. Unity is what sets us apart from the world.
3. Unity is what keeps the enemy out.
4. Unity is what helps us achieve our goals.
5. Unity is what gives us vision.
6. Unity is what empowers us to do the impossible.
7. Unity is what enables us to accomplish more.
There is no
doubt that we all have many differences in preferences. If we were to sit
around focus on them it would do to us what it did to them—divide us. The thing
that God wants us to do is put aside our preferences & start focusing on
the things that we all have in common
1. A deep love for Jesus.
2. A burden to reach the lost.
3. A desire to see the kingdom expand.
4. A love for people.
5. A hope of Jesus’ return.
6. A promise of eternity.
At the end
of the day what we have to remember is that each of our divined purposes
revolves around the same theme—Reaching souls for Jesus. That is why we are
here. If we allow preferences to divide us we are LESS EFFECTIVE in the work
that we were created to do. Let’s not make that mistake. Let’s fight for
unity!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment