All For One and One For All
Intro:
(1) What do you call a group of..
-- cattle..herd
-- quail...covey
-- wolves...pack
-- whales...pod
-- lions...pride
-- geese..gaggle
* Jaycees
* Family Names
* Baseball Mascots (Bearcats)
(2) What do you call group of people who congregate
together and believe that the needs of the group are
more important than personal needs? CHURCH
(3) Unfortunately, not all groups who call themselves the
church practice this policy of group importance.
(4) Take the Corinthian church for example.
-- they seemed to spend more time diverging than
merging.
-- Examples:
(1) different preferences, I Cor 1:10-13; 3:1-4
(eating offered to idols)
(2) different standpoints, I Cor 6:1-3, 7-8, 8:10-13
(3) different economics, I Cor 11:17-22, Spiritual
gifts, ch 12,14 ressurection, ch 15
(5) Yet despite all this diversity, they were addressed as
the "church of God at Corinth", I Cor 1:2
-- they had to learn that differences must be accepted
for the good of the church.
-- and not only accepted, but encouraged.
-- Our goal is not to be clones..exactly like each
other (Federal Express commercial)
(1) not uniformity, but unity
(2) unity in the midst of diversity
I. Paul's Teaching to the Corinthian Church
A. Diversity FROM unity, 1 Cor 12:4-6
(1) There are different kinds of gifts, I Cor 12:8-10,
Rom 12:6-8
-- some for teaching (wisdom, knowledge, prophecy;
tongues, etc)
-- some for service (healing, miracles)
-- today we have same general categories: teaching
and serving. (illustration: Vacation Bible
School, care for sick)
(2) All from same God (Spirit, Lord) I Cor 12:4-6,11
B. Diversity FOR Unity
(1) Why all this diversity?
-- for the common good, I Cor 12:7;14:26, Eph 4:14-
16
-- all this diversity is to strenthen unity
(2) The Body functions because it is diverse
-- I Cor 12:12-14
-- if there were no diversity, there would be no
body, I Cor 12:15-20
-- Diversity ensures unity; variety doesn't change
Oneness.
(3) NOTE: Talking about diversity within the Body, not
the union of all denominations!
II. Application of Paul's Teaching to Ourselves.
A. What should our attitude toward diversity be?
(1) Should the church be treated like milk?
Pasteurized? Yes Homogenized? No
Separated? No
(2) There is a trend toward uniformity.
-- can you spot a church of Christ building
without a sign?
-- can you detect a member of church of Christ by
language?
(1) gospel meeting (2) member of the church
(3) prayers
-- Some congregations expect men to wear necktie
to serve Lord's Supper
-- Do you expect all to minister in the same way?
(1) all be personal workers?
(2) all be Bible class teachers?
(3) all congregations to offer same service in
same way?
-- in doctrine we must speak same thing, I Cor
1:10
-- in service we must have diversity or we will
not meet the needs of all the people.
(3) Encourage Diversity
-- comes from same Spirit
-- don't suppress ingenuity...revel in it...praise
God for it.
(4) Goal of Unity
-- diversity must be used to unite the Body, not divide
it, I Cor 3:7-8
-- If a gift is used to divide the body, the basic
purpose of that gift is perverted.
Conclusion:
(1) From Alexander Dumas: The Three Musketeers emerged on
unforgettable slogan: "All for one and one for all"
(2) That's the purpose of the church.
(3) That's why we are a group..to serve each other with
the means and ability that comes from God.
(4) Are you fulfilling your part?
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