we be brethren “so abram said to lot, ‘please let there be no strife between you and me, and...
TRANSCRIPT
WE BE BRETHREN
“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my
herdsmen and your herdsmen; for WE BE
BRETHREN.’”
Genesis 13:8
DUNKIRK, FRANCE 1940
Ephesians 2:11-22, Ephesians 3:6
“We Be Brethren”
Biblical perspectives on the lives of first- century Christians as displayed in
their obedience to the “one another” passages of the Bible…
“Greet One Another ” Romans 16:17
Romans 16:1-16
In the last verse of this section of Scripture is a
command we often ignore…
“Greet one another with a holy kiss”
Before we casually dismiss this passage, please note…
On five occasions, two Apostles gave as many as eight different local congregations this same
instruction.
I Corinthians 16:20
“All the brothers here send you greetings . Greet one another with a holy kiss”
II Corinthians 13:12
“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send their
greetings.”
I Thessalonians 5:26
“Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.”
I Peter 5:14
“Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are
in Christ.”
Romans 16:17
“Greet one another with a holy kiss, the churches of Christ
salute you.”
Why do we too often ignore this command?
NOTE: Verse 1Verse 2Verse 4Verse 5Verse 6Verse 7Verse 9
Verse 10Verse 12
The church at Rome had room for all kinds of
people because their focus was not on the differences that might divide them but rather their focus was on
the Christ that would unite them.
10 women...17 menMarried…single
Slaves…freeJews…Gentiles
Convicts…guardsSlaves…slave owners
Poor…Rich
How can a local church be so diverse and yet so
affectionate at the same time?
Because they are all one “in Christ”.
“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”.
Galatians 6
"How To Be A Hero"
"How To Be A Hero"
The “Parable of the Good Samaritan” describes a
man who, at great expense and peril to himself,
nevertheless did what he could to help a fellow-man
in great need.
Every day we are surrounded by folks who have been crushed by this world…
…we can ignore their pain and they might “die”.
Or..like the good Samaritan, we
can stick close, risk personal injury and perhaps save their
life.
Galatians 6:1-3
Paul wrote to the Galatians to address two problems...
Oppressive legalism of the Jews.Galatians 3:1-3
Hypercritical Judgmentalism. Galatians 5:13-15
To properly obey that command, we must ask two
questions...
Is it sin?
Am I the one to restore my brother?
How do I do that?
Make yourself availablePray for that one regularly
Meet with that one periodicallyBe willing to carry more should
he struggle again.
The New Testament church is to be a hospital for sinners and saints...
… it does not matter how doctrinally sound we are if
no one gets any help.
Christians must attempt to make our culture a dog
SAVE dog world.
“Accept one another just as Christ has accepted you”.
Romans 15:7
"Your Right to Give Up Your Rights"
"Your Right to Give Up Your Rights"
Can you think of anything uglier or more
contradictory than to have a bride engage in a
fistfight moments before she takes her vows?
There is this one thing...
The church is the bride of Christ...
… like the bride we just described, it often limps
along, bloodied and discolored because it too has
been fighting.
In order that we might all understand the great impact that accepting one another
has upon the work and life of a local congregation, I’d like us to examine two different New Testament churches…
The church in JerusalemActs 2-6
The church in RomeRomans 14-15
The church at Jerusalem…Acts 2:44-46
Acts 4:32
The result… Acts 2:47
The church at JerusalemBut a problem arose…a
problem more cultural than Scriptural.
Accepting one another in Jerusalem led to...
Acts 6:7
The church at JerusalemThe solution was to treat
everyone equally and thereby preserve the unity of
the local church.
The church at Rome
A very diverse congregation of all sorts of people…
…but diversity naturally creates tension.
The church at RomeTension came over matters of
personal choice and understanding. Romans 14:1-6
The church at Rome
Brethren in Rome began to see each other in
unfavorable ways…
The church at RomePaul told them to stop!
Romans 14:13,19
Paul told them how to stop. Romans 14:1; 15:1-7
The church at Rome
Paul told them that in accepting each other, the key to peace
and edification was to understand that we have the right to give up our rights.
Romans15: 2-3
Being perfectly joined together demands three things:
•If we do not have a “thus saith the Lord”… then we
need to keep quiet.•The greatest right we have is
to forego our rights.•The key to acceptance and unity is selfless discipleship.
“…Therefore encourage one another with these words”.
I Thessalonians 4:18
"Encouragement ... Everyone Needs It""Encouragement ... Everyone Needs It"
The church at Thessalonica:Jobless members
Power struggles
Some infighting
There were some false teachers.
Doubt of resurrection
But at some point, we all need to be encouraged
even as Paul and Timothy encouraged the brethren
in Thessalonica.
It is easier to destroy than it is to grow or to
build…
It is easier to destroy another Christian than it is
to build him up.
It is easier to be a church splitter, a home wrecker or a nay-sayer than it is
to be a peacemaker, healer, or optimist.
Encouragement:The word is found 109 times in
the New Testament.Ask
ComfortExhortSpurUrge
Encourage
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your
mouths, but only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29
Because of SatanBecause of trials and
sorrows
Why?Why?
Remind brethren of the promises of God.
Remind brethren to remain faithful.
How?How?
Never take the spiritual health of your brethren for
granted.
There are those here this morning that need to be
encouraged.
”…Forgive each other even as Christ has forgiven you”.
Colossians 3:14
"Getting Even Never
Ends up Even "
"Getting Even Never
Ends up Even "
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving
places on the earth.
Brethren avoid other brethren for something that happened
long ago.
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving
places on the earth.
They did not come to the wedding, so now we don’t
speak.
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving
places on the earth.
They didn’t visit you in the hospital, so now you attend
another Bible class.
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving
places on the earth.
They were too harsh on a doctrinal point and chased your nephew away, so now you are bitter toward them.
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving
places on the earth.
They disagreed with you publicly in a Bible class, so now you disrupt the class
with controversial questions.
Sometimes churches can be the most unforgiving places on the
earth.
But… if we are the real New Testament church, that cannot
be!
Colossians 3:12-14Ephesians 4:30-5:1
Two quick questions…How does God forgive?
How does God forgive us?
With impartiality Matthew 5:43-48
God pays the fine for the offender.Romans 5:7-8
How does God forgive us?
God is eager to grant forgiveness.
John 3:16
We must learn to forgive in that same way...
We must internally pay the fine for the offender.
We must be eager to forgive those who sin
against us.
Matthew 18:21-23
That means upon the 78th time I am offended by you
I can finally get even!
No… Jesus then tells this story.
Matthew 18:23-34
God can’t count to 78 because He doesn’t get past counting to one.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more.”Jeremiah 31:34
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your
sins”.
Matthew 6:14-15
”…Remember the Lord…and fight for your brethren”.
Nehemiah 4:14
"Fighting For One Another"
"Fighting For One Another"
“I Have Your Back”
Philippians 2:3-4
“I Will Stand at Your Side”
Acts 23:11; Proverbs 18:24
“I Will Face You”
Ephesians 5:21 I Thessalonians 5:14
“I Will Kneel at Your Feet”
Galatians 5:13; Matthew 23:11; Luke 22:26
With that being said… we end this series of
sermons.
My prayer is that we become a true community of believers…a real New
Testament church.
John 13:34-35