Aligning with God's Purpose: Forgiveness and Unity
Summary
Today, we gathered to honor Veterans Day, expressing our gratitude to those who have served and continue to serve in the military. We prayed for their safety, especially as the holiday season approaches, and for the leaders elected to govern us, asking for wisdom and humility in their service. We also celebrated the transformative work happening within our church community, from ministries like Operation Christmas Child to the life-changing decisions made by students at fall camp.
Turning to the Word, we delved into 1 Corinthians 6, exploring the metaphor of a misfiring car to illustrate how the church in Corinth was failing to live out its God-given purpose due to selfishness and sin. Just as a car out of alignment shows symptoms, so does a church not aligned with God's mission. The Corinthian church was taking trivial disputes to secular courts, a symptom of deeper misalignment. This raises the question: how do we handle being wronged by fellow believers?
Paul challenges us to consider our future role in God's judgment, reminding us that if we are to judge the world and angels, we should be able to handle minor disputes within the church. The Corinthians were missing the bigger picture, focusing on minor grievances while ignoring significant sins. This misalignment reflects a broader issue: prioritizing personal agendas over peace and unity.
We are reminded that love should cover a multitude of sins, and when it cannot, we must follow biblical steps for reconciliation. Paul warns against taking church disputes to the secular world, as it damages our witness and undermines the gospel. Instead, we should remember our own forgiveness in Christ, who bore our sins without parading them before others. As forgiven people, we are called to forgive others, reflecting the grace we have received.
Key Takeaways:
1. Gratitude and Service: We honor those who serve in the military, recognizing their sacrifice and the freedoms they protect. As we pray for them, we also pray for our leaders, asking for wisdom and humility in their governance. This gratitude extends to our church community, where we celebrate the transformative work God is doing through various ministries. [05:41]
2. Alignment with God's Purpose: Just as a car needs alignment to function properly, so does the church. The Corinthian church's misalignment was evident in their trivial disputes, reflecting a deeper issue of not living out God's mission. We must regularly assess whether we are aligned with God's purposes, ensuring we are not just a building with people but a community living out its divine calling. [07:56]
3. Handling Offenses Biblically: When wronged by fellow believers, our response should be guided by love, which covers a multitude of sins. If reconciliation is needed, we follow biblical steps, addressing the issue directly and seeking resolution within the church. Taking disputes to the secular world damages our witness and undermines the gospel. [15:17]
4. Remembering Our Forgiveness: Before seeking retribution for offenses, we must remember the great debt of sin from which we have been forgiven. This perspective helps us extend grace to others, recognizing that our own sins were forgiven through Christ's sacrifice. As forgiven people, we are called to forgive, reflecting the grace we have received. [29:30]
5. Living Out Forgiveness: Jesus' example of forgiveness challenges us to let go of minor grievances and focus on the bigger picture of God's kingdom. By forgiving others, we demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel and live out our calling as ambassadors of Christ's love and grace. [42:45]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[05:41] - Honoring Veterans and Leaders
[07:56] - Church Alignment and Purpose
[09:33] - Handling Disputes Biblically
[10:23] - Missing the Mountains for Molehills
[13:17] - The Role of the Church in Judgment
[15:17] - Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
[17:41] - The Wisdom of the World vs. God's Wisdom
[18:52] - The Corinthian Legal Culture
[20:17] - The Entertainment of Legal Disputes
[22:05] - The Danger of Publicizing Church Issues
[23:58] - Personal Agendas vs. Peace
[26:30] - The Call to Forgive
[29:30] - Remembering Our Forgiveness
[31:38] - Civil vs. Criminal Matters
[33:42] - The Role of Government and Church
[34:55] - Steps for Reconciliation
[35:57] - The Teachings of Jesus on Forgiveness
[38:34] - Convicts Cleansed by Christ
[40:18] - The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
[41:17] - Living Out Forgiveness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
- 1 Peter 4:8
- Matthew 18:15-17
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Observation Questions:
1. What metaphor does the pastor use to describe the church in Corinth, and what does it signify about their spiritual state? [07:56]
2. According to the sermon, what were the Corinthians doing with their grievances that Paul found problematic? [09:33]
3. How does Paul remind the Corinthians of their future role in God's judgment, and why is this significant? [15:17]
4. What does the pastor say about the cultural context of Corinth regarding legal disputes, and how does it relate to the church's behavior? [20:17]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the metaphor of a misfiring car help us understand the importance of alignment with God's purpose for the church? [07:56]
2. In what ways does the pastor suggest that taking disputes to secular courts damages the church's witness? [22:05]
3. How does the concept of love covering a multitude of sins challenge the way we handle offenses within the church? [29:30]
4. What does the pastor mean when he says that we should remember our own forgiveness before seeking retribution for offenses? [40:18]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you were wronged by a fellow believer. How did you handle it, and how might you handle it differently in light of the sermon? [09:33]
2. The pastor talks about the importance of church alignment with God's purpose. What steps can you take to ensure you are aligned with God's mission in your personal life and within the church community? [07:56]
3. Consider the pastor's point about not taking church disputes to the secular world. How can you address conflicts within the church in a way that honors God and maintains the church's witness? [22:05]
4. The sermon emphasizes the need to forgive as we have been forgiven. Is there someone you need to forgive, and what practical steps can you take to extend grace to them this week? [40:18]
5. How can you cultivate a heart that is quick to cover offenses with love, as described in 1 Peter 4:8? What specific actions can you take to practice this in your daily interactions? [29:30]
6. The pastor mentions the importance of not prioritizing personal agendas over peace and unity. How can you contribute to fostering peace and unity in your church community? [23:58]
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about the remote control. How can you avoid making minor grievances into major issues in your relationships, both in the church and at home? [25:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Honoring Sacrifice and Leadership
In our daily lives, we often overlook the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military, protecting the freedoms we enjoy. Veterans Day is a reminder to express gratitude for their service and to pray for their safety, especially as the holiday season approaches. This gratitude should extend to our leaders, for whom we pray for wisdom and humility in their governance. Within our church community, we celebrate the transformative work God is doing through various ministries, such as Operation Christmas Child and the life-changing decisions made by students at fall camp. These acts of service and leadership reflect the heart of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve. [05:41]
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV): "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."
Reflection: Who is one leader or service member you can pray for today, asking God to grant them wisdom and protection?
Day 2: Aligning with God's Mission
The church in Corinth struggled with alignment, much like a misfiring car, due to selfishness and sin. Their trivial disputes, taken to secular courts, were symptoms of a deeper issue: failing to live out God's mission. This misalignment serves as a warning for us to regularly assess whether we are aligned with God's purposes. Are we merely a building with people, or are we a community living out our divine calling? Just as a car needs alignment to function properly, so does the church need to align with God's mission to fulfill its purpose. [07:56]
Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV): "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Reflection: What is one area in your life or church community that needs realignment with God's mission, and how can you take a step towards that alignment today?
Day 3: Responding to Offenses with Love
When wronged by fellow believers, our response should be guided by love, which covers a multitude of sins. The Corinthian church's tendency to take disputes to secular courts damaged their witness and undermined the gospel. Instead, we are called to address issues directly and seek resolution within the church, following biblical steps for reconciliation. This approach not only preserves our witness but also strengthens the bonds of unity and peace within the church. [15:17]
Matthew 18:15-17 (ESV): "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."
Reflection: Is there a conflict with a fellow believer that you need to address biblically? What steps can you take today to seek reconciliation?
Day 4: Embracing Forgiveness
Before seeking retribution for offenses, we must remember the great debt of sin from which we have been forgiven. This perspective helps us extend grace to others, recognizing that our own sins were forgiven through Christ's sacrifice. As forgiven people, we are called to forgive, reflecting the grace we have received. This act of forgiveness is not just a duty but a reflection of the transformative power of the gospel in our lives. [29:30]
Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Reflection: Think of someone you need to forgive. How can you begin to extend God's love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 5: Living Out Forgiveness
Jesus' example of forgiveness challenges us to let go of minor grievances and focus on the bigger picture of God's kingdom. By forgiving others, we demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel and live out our calling as ambassadors of Christ's love and grace. This lifestyle of forgiveness not only impacts our personal relationships but also serves as a powerful witness to the world of the grace we have received in Christ. [42:45]
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."
Reflection: How can you embody the role of an ambassador of Christ's forgiveness in your daily interactions, especially with those who have wronged you?
Quotes
"Now, right away, again, I'm talking to a small percentage of people. How many of you are going to take what happens at church and are going to take it to a legal courtroom? Probably very few. But don't you do that when you are wronged and you go home or you go to work the next day and you say, this, something to this effect. Can you believe I went to church and this is what so -and -so did to me?" [22:57] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"To help explain this a little bit, imagine in the Badal home, and you probably don't have to imagine that, but in the Badal home, we have a lot of quarrels and squirmishes. Families have that, amen? Can you say that? Yes, the Badals have lots of quarrels, and skirmishes. Yes, thank you for affirming that. We all do, right?" [23:58] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Paul says, we need to know that there's something better. Can love cover it? Well, what if love can't? What if the offense is so great? Now right away, we got to do some disclaiming here. So what's Paul talking about? And I know some of you are saying, wait a minute, wait a minute. I've got a brain and I know what it all is laying down." [31:25] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Now, here's where it becomes a problem for us as Christians. At some point, because I believe in the Great Commission, I am called to share the good news of Jesus Christ with my neighbors and community. How do you think they're going to take it when I say, hey, can I just tell you, you need Jesus in your life? Why?" [25:39] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Paul says that there are great matters that the church needs to address. And how he does it isn't by communicating something that Jesus said, or one of the prophets said in the Old Testament. He doesn't quote a Bible verse and say, the reason why this is unbecoming of you is because so -and -so said this in the past. No, in fact, notice, he points not to the past, but to the future." [14:12] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"And what God wants us to do is know and recognize that the church has a purpose, that it has a mission, and that our job is to make sure that we are living in light of that. To steal from another car metaphor, we need to ask the question, are we in alignment?" [06:39] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Now, right away, we have to separate that which is civil, that is an offense between two people, and that which is criminal. Think of it this way. What Paul is talking about is us sinning against one another. He's not talking about crimes committed against one another." [31:50] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Paul goes on and he says, you take the things from the church and you take them to the world. Now a couple things I want you to see here. Number one, Paul does not argue against or chastise or correct the people for having issues. Paul knows that there are are issues. Paul himself had had some disputes with believers." [18:10] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Paul says, don't forget this. But you were washed. You were saved. You were sanctified. King Jesus, and this is how it all fits together, and the worship team will come up and close our service, but don't miss this. King Jesus could have taken you to court." [41:26]
"And so what little things have got you riled up? What little things have got you all worked up? What little things can you not give up? God has shown a better way than taking people to court, making grand cases of things." [42:58] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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