INTRODUCTION
You will be wondering why I choose the topic the
character of a true Christian on a Pastor’s love Sunday like this. But I
believe that a true Christian will know all that it takes to love. A true
Christian will show unity amongst brethren and this can only come out of love.
And you cannot say you want to celebrate pastor’s love Sunday if you do not
know what it means to love. You’ll agree with me that “If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great
matter if we shall reap your carnal things?” 1Cor 9:11.
I believe you will show your love to the pastor today
if you were truly blessed by his stay with us. Someone said to me like a baby
that pastors do not need to be paid because they are working for God. Vs 14 of
1Cor 9 says “Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim
the gospel should live of the gospel” The same thing is said in Gal 6:6-10; That God is not mocked. You’ll reap what you sow. It is not because the pastors seek or look for your
gifts, it is because they want the fruits that increases for your account
Philippians 4:17 reminds us of that.
And finally your last reminder is that “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching”1Tim 5:17
NOW I TAKE YOU TO THE CHRACTERS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN (TRUE CHURCH)
I know a man who was called in a village fund raising
ceremony in Yaounde some years ago. He was called “The president of the Youth
Association”! The man changed again and pronounced it in French; then asked the
people to clap for the president as he was coming. This man adjusted his tie
before getting up, searched for some heavy banks notes. He did not prepare to
give that much but he had to change his mind just the way he was addressed.
Then he moved majestically to the table and deposited his gift. This was
announced and heavy claps rendered to him. This man was me!!!
I wanted to walk worthy of the calling with which I
was called. The president cannot give chicken change for fund raising! In the
same way Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus to walk worthy of the calling
with which they were called. The Spirit says the same to us today!
a. We were called to be "fellow citizens with the saints and members
b. We were
called to be "a holy temple in the
Lord", "a habitation of
What then is the character of a true church? I’m not
talking of the building here. I am talking about you, about me. You are the
holy temple in the Lord, the habitation of God in the Spirit. That is what the
Bible says.
Some of us have different characters at home just as
in the assembly.
I am asking about your character at work,
Your character in the assembly,
Your character when you are beside the pastor,
Your character when you are far away from the pastor,
Your character when you are at home, That is the
church I am asking of. That church where the senior pastor is the man and the
woman the administrative secretary!!!! Men, is your walk worthy of your
calling? Woman is your walk worthy of your calling?
Let’s look at the characters:
I. THE "ATTITUDES" FOR MAINTAINING UNITY
(1-3)
A.
LOWLINESS...
1. This
word means:
a. To
have a humble opinion of one's self
b. A
deep sense of one's (moral) littleness
c.
Modesty, humility, lowliness of mind
3. Without
this virtue, members in the body begin trying to be the "head" of the
body, a role reserved only for Christ
The more highly you think of yourself the more quickly
you will think you should be served. "Who do they think they are to keep
me waiting like this!"
B. GENTLENESS...
1. This
word can be translated as mildness, meekness
2. It is not a quality of weakness, but of power
under control
b.
Jesus was "meek and lowly in heart" (Mt 11:29), but we see where
He drove the money changers out of the temple
3. Thus it
is being gentle, even when there is the potential for being harsh, but
gentleness is more conducive for maintaining unity
C.
LONG-SUFFERING...
1. The
idea here is one of patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging
wrongs
2. When
the body consists of members who are not perfect, and often sin against each
other, maintaining unity is not possible
unless they are willing to endure each other's imperfections. Long-suffering is
“staying a little longer in the pain”. That is patience. That is
long-suffering.
D. BEARING
WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE...
1. Similar
to longsuffering, "bearing" means to sustain, to bear, to endure
2. What
makes such "longsuffering" and "forbearance" possible is another
virtue: "love"
Perfect people don't need to be endured or forgiven (Colossians 3:13). But we do. So Paul’s counsel here is not how perfect people can live
together in unity, but how real, imperfect Mount Zion Baptists can maintain the
unity of the Spirit, namely, by enduring each other in love.
I. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I SAY IS INEFFECTIVE
II. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I KNOW IS INCOMPLETE
III. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I BELIEVE IS INSUFFICIENT
IV. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I GIVE IS INSIGNIFICANT
V. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I ACCOMPLISH IS INADEQUATE
II. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I KNOW IS INCOMPLETE
III. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I BELIEVE IS INSUFFICIENT
IV. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I GIVE IS INSIGNIFICANT
V. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I ACCOMPLISH IS INADEQUATE
E. Peace
maker...
1. You
should be the kind whom people in the quarter call a peacemaker
2. If around
you people call you a trouble maker, then you have missed the walk because
Christ is our peace and the one who makes peace Eph 2:14-16
How can you keep on caring about a person who doesn't
like you? Or a person who likes music you don't like? Or a person who opposes
you and wants to frustrate your dreams? How do you maintain the unity of the
Spirit with them instead of becoming hostile and cold? Paul's answer: be lowly
in spirit so that you can patiently endure their differences and their sins.
Why should we maintain unity in the body of Christ?
Does it matter?
II. THE "BASIS" OF UNITY (4-6)
A. ONE
BODY...
2. Of
course, Paul speaks here of the church in the "universal" sense
a. The
"body" of saved believers throughout the world
3. While
there may be many "local" churches (congregations), there is only ONE
"universal" church, with ONE "head" - Jesus Christ!
B. ONE
SPIRIT...
1. This would
be the Holy Spirit
2. Who has
already been described in this epistle...
C. ONE
HOPE OF YOUR CALLING...
1. For
Paul, this pertains primarily to "the resurrection of the dead" - Ac 23:6; 24:15; Ro 8:23-24; cf. 1Co 15:19-23; Php
2. Which
necessarily includes such concepts of "salvation" (1 Th 5:8) and "eternal life" (Tit 1:2; 3:7)
D. ONE
LORD...
E. ONE
FAITH...
1. This
the body of truth, "the faith", which Jude says was "once for all delivered to the saints" - Jude 3
2. It is that
"pattern of sound words" that Paul taught Timothy (2Ti 1:13), and which he was to commit to faithful men (2
3. We find
this "pattern of sound words" in the pages of the New Testament, which contains that which all
Christians must believe
F. ONE
BAPTISM...
1. This is
the baptism...
2. I.e.,
the baptism in which a penitent believer is immersed in water for the remission
of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit
- Ac 2:38; 10:47-48
G. ONE GOD
AND FATHER...
1. The
Father, Who together with the Son and Holy Spirit, makes up the "Godhead"
2. Note
that Paul emphasizes both:
a. His
personality ("Father of all")
b. His
transcendence and omnipresence ("who is above all, and through all, and in you all")
[These constitute "the unity of the Spirit"
that as Christians we must be so diligent to keep "in the bond of peace".
Not one of these is "non-essential"! E.g., just as crucial as maintaining who the
"One Lord" is, so we must be steadfast in holding to the "One
Baptism"!
CONCLUSION
1. As Christians, we are called to unity in the body
of Christ…
a. Displaying
all the attitudes we have seen today
b. Without
which we are not walking worthy of the calling
c. Christians
are called to peace and be peace makers. Not the ones who will say “heh! I will tell her that she has touched
the tail of a lion” ...else Christ's
work on the cross will be in vain! - cf. Ep 2:16
2. Here on earth we want to be worthy of what people
call us to be. What more of God’s calling? If you want to be president as they
call you. Do you know how much it is to be called a child of God? "Be worthy of the calling with which you were
called" - Ep 4:1
a. We were
called to be "fellow citizens with
the saints and members of the household of God" - Ep 2:19
b. We were
called to be "a holy temple in the
Lord", "a habitation of God in the Spirit" - Ep 2:21-22
Are you doing all you can as a member of the body of
Christ to "walk together in unity",
and by so doing walk in manner worthy of our calling? Some people have not yet
reached the point where they can be called the children of God. They do not yet
have a call and so are worthless. If Christ has not yet done anything in your
life by the grace and power of the cross, then you are worthless despite all
what men may call here on earth.
But there is goodnews for you today because the same Christ is the Lord who
is sited at the right hand of God the father interceding for us. He just want
you to take a commitment with Him. He can forgive your sins only if you will
repent and accept Him as your Lord. Before we pray, I want you to think of your
life at work, with friends, at home, in the market, in the farm. Are you
walking worthy of your calling?
