Living for Others

Posted on 21 Feb 2021, Pastor: Rev. Derek Geldart
Unity

If we are to fulfill Christ’s command to let our light shine and invite the fearful, wayward, self-absorbed, lost into a sanctuary that emulates and points to God’s love, then we simply must take the necessary steps to judge ourselves and be distinct from the world but at the same time be humble enough to forbear in love those who are still bound by the shackles of sin or are just starting to invite the Spirit to remove them! To appease the fears of seekers that they might find either judgment or lukewarmness once they open the doors of the church great care must be taken to ensure that acceptance is not based on combative mastery or social popularity but on faith in a risen Savior! It is not easy to maintain this kind of unity and peace amongst the body whose members are made up of so many sinners, but it is achievable. Due to evidence of personal conflicts and quarrelsome selfish ambition, Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church of Philippi encouraging them “to draw rather clear social, ethical, and theological boundaries around his communities, lest the community not last or, worse, be absorbed into some sort of syncretistic amalgam of Christian and non-Christian beliefs and practices.” The following sermon is going to review the sources, the scope and solution to maintaining unity within the church so that its members continuously emulate their love for God and one another!