Can I Accept My Brother?

Jesus’ Prayer For Our Unity

John 17:22-23…”The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

God Want Us To Be UNITED!Restoring Hope in our Community Through the Resurrection of

Jesus Christ

Trinity (tri-unity) of God’s Nature3 persons of one individual essence, who are co-equal, co-existent and co-eternal

Unity Brings Maturity

Unity brings Maturity (Ephesians 4:13)

Maturity brings Effectiveness (Ephesians 4:16)

Effectiveness brings Growth (Ephesians 4:16)

Restoring Hope in our Community Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

(Ephesians 4:13 & 16) 13: until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 16: from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

A Principal of Unity

The Church, Divided?

Restoring Hope in our Community Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Personal convictions• Music we listen to• How we Dress• How we talk

Personal beliefs• Worship styles• Outreach methods

Biblical interpretations• Salvation requires more than Jesus• Holiness by legalism• Holy Spirit’s gifts and presence• Apostle and Prophet offices went away

Insecurities

Judgmental

Building Personal Empires

Legalism

Division Destroys: Acceptance Unifies

Paul speaks on division in Romans 14 & 15

He Dealt With Division Caused By:

• Food – things they can and cannot not eat• Circumcision – of the flesh and of the heart • Weakness in Faith – false doctrine• Legalism – needed laws to be saved• Inequality – treatment of Gentiles by the Jews

Paul’s Command:Romans 15:7…Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Restoring Hope in our Community Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

How Mature Am I, Really?The spiritually mature have more freedoms

• Few personal convictions requiring personal boundaries• Allowed the Holy Spirit to heal, remove, deposit• Experienced a greater degree of spiritual liberation

(Romans 14:1-4) They often criticize or look down on Brothers/Sisters who have less freedoms/less mature

Romans 14:12-13 (NLT)…So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Am I Imposing My Convictions on Others?

The spiritually immature have less freedoms

• More personal convictions requiring personal boundaries• Areas within needing the Holy Spirit to heal & remove• Situations can trigger inner struggles• Or have not matured over time…turned convictions into law• Have not experienced much spiritual liberation

(Romans 14:1-4 summarized) They judge Brothers/Sisters who have more freedoms, and impose personal convictions, as law, on others

(James 4:11-12 summarized) If you judge your brother, you are judging the law that God created. Only God saves and destroys.

Unity Moves Us Toward MaturityPaul’s Quotes From Romans 14:

• Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died (14:15)

• Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat (14:20)

• Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall (14:13)

• So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up (14:19)

Maturity Grows God’s Kingdom; Immaturity Divides It

Another Level of MaturityAm I Mature Enough to Accept My Brother?

Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 9For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.

A Slave To:• Those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself

under the Law • Those without law• To the weak I became weak,

I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it

It’s Not About Us! Maturity Is Marked By Selfless Living

Can We Be United?

Restoring Hope in our Community Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

John 17:22-23

It Is Jesus’ Prayer!