Unity Week 6 - The Sum of The Some

Tyler Harris

Unity • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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OFFERING

We have hauled off two trailer loads of junk - thanks Nicole

We have had a crew donate their work to renovate the lobby and kids area - thanks Jared

We have had multiple volunteers give time to clean and paint - THANKS TO SO MANY

We have scraped up 3000 sq ft of VCT Tile

We have had the floor painted

We have purchased chairs

We have made some upgrades to our sound system and have some visual upgrades coming.

We have signage and window branding coming

We have lobby materials and some materials for our kids space that will be purchasing in the weeks to come

LONG STORY SHORT - We budgeted $50,000 for this acquisition and renovation

With inflation of materials and scope of the project we are going to be closer to $60,000 when it is said and done.

WE ARE GIVING TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE LIFE CHANGE THROUGH CHRIST

$4000 a week - Our tithes cover this…

I’m assuming the tithe…if you aren’t tithing…you’re missing out on a guaranteed blessing.

What I’m asking you to pray about is consistently living in the world of “offering.”

EVERY SINGLE WEEK MY FAMILY GIVES TITHE AND OFFERING.

Everything above the tithe for the next two months will go towards preparing for and executing our relaunch!

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Pray for Kayla and I this week…we get to sow into church planters by being a part of training and equipping them with an organization called CMN.

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ADDENDUM TO LAST WEEK:

I said that every sin was forgiveable except for unforgiveness.

SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT THERE IS ANOTHER UNFORGIVEABLE SIN…Blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

To call the work of God the work of the enemy

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“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NKJV)

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Unity in Christ is not something to be achieved: it is something to be recognized.

A. W. Tozer

Unity accommodates blessing at every level

Psalm 133:1–3 (NKJV)

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

______________________________________________________________________________Good Good - Unity Looks good on the church.

Good: agreeable to the senses - It looks good.

People have been turned off by the concept of church because churches have been bickering with one another.

Have you ever been at someones house when they get in a spousal disagreement.

you’re just trying to enjoy dinner and they are at each others throats.

When they ask you back…you become a creative genius when it comes to the excuses you come up with!

We’re making ourselves look dumb when we walk in disunity.

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Pleasant - Unity is something God loves.

Pleasant: Spiritually Delightful - This could be alluding to something that brings pleasure to our God.

Have you ever had the euphoric moment in which your kids are actually functioning as best friends.

Usually they are at each others throats, but every once and a while they will find a stretch of time in which they enjoy one another’s company

In these moments, I want to give them all the things.

That’s the heart of a father who wants to bless his children for functioning in his intention for them!

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A church with wet hems

David refers to unity as the oil from the beard to the hem of the robe...

Unity makes a path for blessing from the top to the bottom

A unified church is one wherein the fringe is saturated just as the head is saturated.

Too many churches function with dry hems

I don’t want to create a space where you can come and watch anointed heads…I want to create a system of flow to where I get saturated and as we function in the unified purpose of seeing Cartersville and Bartow County experience Life Change Through Christ.

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TR: TO MAIN CONTENT

Today I’m preparing to bring us in for a landing on this unity series.

I just want to grab three big ideas from three passages about unity and use them to explain to you why unity is one of the most important ingredients we can have as a church!

THE SUM OF THE SOME

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1. Christians are not supposed to live in isolation

There are many tasks that can be done by one’s self…but were not intended to be done by one’s self

Moving the pew off the stage at Bearden -

It might be possible to live for Jesus in isolation…but it was not His intention for us to live in isolation.

John 17:9–11 (NKJV)

9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

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I’m on the prayer list of Jesus

First of all notice the benefit of being a believer…you make your way onto the prayer list of the Son of God.

When you feel discouraged in your walk as a believer, be encouraged that Jesus has been and is praying for you.

He is currently at the right hand of the Father making intercession for you.

WHEN SATAN ATTACKS JESUS PRAYS. (So encouraging)

BUT WE DON’T GET TO CHOOSE WHAT HE PRAYS!

When Jesus prayed for Peter who was being sifted or attacked…He prayed for unity.

His prayer is that God would facilitate opportunities for His people to become one as He, The Father, and The Spirit are one.

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The Trinity is our Template for unity

The trinity gives us the picture of unity in that they are a triune Godhead functioning in equal authority and chosen submission.

The Son submitted Himself to the Spirit - See led into the wilderness.

The Spirit has submitted Himself to the Son - He leads into all truth and reminds what He said.

The Father is putting everything in submission to the Son. - Making His enemies His footstool.

There are no debates amongst the trinity about which branch is more essential to the being of the Godhead.

We allow the hell inspired presence of insecurity to become the seed of disunity.

The unity God desires for His people is one in which kingdom success is the only motivation.

Christians are not supposed to live in isolation.

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2. Unity works in every season

Romans 12:10–19 (NKJV)

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,

We immediately see that Paul is giving us a narrative in relation to how we will relate to one another interpersonally.

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in honor giving preference to one another;

Remember the prayer of Jesus, make them one as we are one, a willful honoring of one another in which we give preference.

This is the secret sauce to initiating unity in your church - prefer others.

I’d rather you be given the promotion than me.

I’d rather you get noticed for your service than me.

I’d rather your family get to go on the vacation than mine.

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Sit at the table or grab a towel?

Preference of others is the model set by Jesus.

He deserved to take a seat at the table…but he grabbed a towel and knelt at the feet of his followers.

As a leader this is such a challenging question for me but I think all of us can properly consider this.

DO WE SIT AT THE TABLE OR DO WE GRAB A TOWEL?

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11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

It’s almost like Paul gives an addendum in the middle of his interpersonal lecture to say…are you giving your best for Jesus?

Are you as diligent about your attendance of church and service for the kingdom as you are about your job performance?

Are you as passionate about the things of God as you are the hobby that occupies your time?

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12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Rejoicing in hope…not in reality.

One of the greatest benefits to unity and being a part of a unified church is that even in discouraging times we have a constant source of hope filled reminders.

A unified church reminds you to rejoice in hope even when your stuck in a poor reality.

This hope allows me to be patient in my hard times…knowing they are not final

Struggle can seem so definite when you are walking in isolation.

One of the most encouraging aspects of struggle that I’ve experience is the understanding that someone else has been there before.

The key to survival is steadfast prayer.

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13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

A church who reflects the unity of the trinity is just as happy with you benefiting from my prosperity as I am me benefiting from my prosperity.

We can’t meet the needs of everyone…BUT WE CAN TRY!

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14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Persecute means to pursue: Scripture tells us to bless those who keep digging to find our kryptonite.

Paul says to bless them and then says....You heard me right…I said bless and do not curse.

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15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

It is appropriate to mirror emotional moments.

We can convey hope and walk in empathy at the same time.

I have hope I will see my loved one again…but I can still weep with you as we mourn their loss on the earth.

We can trust in the sovereignty of God and agree to our lack of understanding as to what He is doing in the present.

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16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

The only way for us to maintain unity is to have a baseline mentality…nothing is below anyone.

I want us to be a church full of people who aim low…

What’s the hardest job…what’s the thing no one else wants to do…we’ll do that.

If you do what no one else wants to do, you’ll always have a job.

If you’re too big to serve you’re too small to lead.

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17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

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The local church is the hope of the world

Why is unity a requirement for the church?

Why can I not function on my own and make an impact on my community and see revival.

Because God structured this thing to where the kingdom will be primarily advanced by the church…the local church.

The local church is not the last hope of the world…it is the only hope.

THIS MATTERS!

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3. Unity in Diversity is the plan of God

Ephesians 4:11–12 (NKJV)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

We have a tendency to read this passage and see it as a commendation for a five fold ministry.

I believe in that…but I also believe it is an indication as to the heart of God.

Remember the prayer of Jesus was to make them one.

The only reason for something to be made “as one” is if it is functioning as many.

Many of us make the effort to go to a church of all.

We want to be in a group of people who are all Republicans, all democrats

We want to be a in a group of people who are in congruence with our personality

I am a part of the some

3 Unity and diversity must work together or one will destroy the other. Unity without diversity is uniformity, but diversity without unity is anarchy.

Warren Wiersbe

A Gallery of Grace (2002)

Warren W. Wiersbe

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Jesus gave variety

The Savior who prayed for unity, gave diversity.

We are currently working with what he has given but aspiring to be an answer to His prayer.

Our differences are not bad…in fact they are a part of what God has given.

But he gave us a variety of expressions and prayed for those expressions to learn to function in preference of one another.

It is my prayer that Awaken Church is a place where we live in diversity but love in unity!

If you’re black…you belong.

If you’re the palest white dude in the room like me…you belong

If you’re married…you belong, If you’re divorced…you belong

If you’re living perfectly…you belong, if you’re living a messed up life right now…you belong.

Together we create a sum of the some and it’s all for the purpose of seeing Cartersville experience Life Change Through Christ.

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