Embracing Unity: Celebrating Diversity in Christ's Love

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound difference between unity and uniformity within the church. While uniformity seeks to make everyone the same, often leading to exclusion and division, unity celebrates diversity and embraces differences as strengths. This is crucial in a world where many are leaving organized religion due to perceived hypocrisy and bigotry. We are called to be a community that reflects the love of Christ, which is patient, kind, and not self-seeking. This love does not demand its own way but instead honors and values others above oneself.

We discussed the alarming statistics about why people, especially young adults, are leaving the church. The primary reasons include religious hypocrisy, bigotry, and a lack of genuine love and acceptance. To counter this, we must strive to be a church that embodies true unity, where differences are not just tolerated but celebrated. This requires a mature love that is patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. It is a love that does not keep a record of wrongs but rejoices in the truth.

Paul's teachings to the Corinthians remind us that spiritual gifts are important, but love is greater. Without love, our actions and gifts are meaningless. Love is the foundation of unity, and it is through love that we can truly reflect the image of God to the world. We are challenged to examine our own hearts and actions, to ensure that we are contributing to a loving and unified community.

As we move forward, let us commit to being a church that is known for its love and unity. Let us be a place where everyone feels valued and accepted, regardless of their background or beliefs. By doing so, we can be a beacon of hope and a true reflection of Christ's love in our community.

Key Takeaways:

1. Unity vs. Uniformity: Unity celebrates diversity and embraces differences, while uniformity seeks to make everyone the same, often leading to exclusion and division. True unity in the church reflects the love of Christ, which is patient, kind, and not self-seeking. [42:45]

2. Reasons for Leaving the Church: Many young adults leave the church due to perceived hypocrisy, bigotry, and a lack of genuine love. To counter this, we must strive to be a community that embodies true unity and love, where differences are celebrated. [40:16]

3. The Importance of Love: According to Paul, love is greater than spiritual gifts. Without love, our actions and gifts are meaningless. Love is the foundation of unity, and it is through love that we can truly reflect the image of God to the world. [48:53]

4. Characteristics of Love: Love is patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. It does not keep a record of wrongs but rejoices in the truth. This mature love is essential for building a unified and loving church community. [49:38]

5. Building a Loving Church: A loving church is made up of loving individuals who choose to see the best, believe the best, and overlook the rest. By committing to this kind of love, we can be a beacon of hope and a true reflection of Christ's love in our community. [01:15:07]

Youtube Chapters:

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [35:44] - Introduction to the Pie Party
- [36:31] - Harvest Party Details
- [37:15] - Call for Donations and Volunteers
- [38:28] - Membership Class Update
- [39:00] - Understanding the "Nones"
- [40:16] - Reasons for Leaving Religion
- [41:59] - The Church's Reputation Problem
- [42:45] - Unity vs. Uniformity
- [44:37] - God's Mission of Reconciliation
- [46:45] - Paul's Teachings on Spiritual Gifts
- [48:53] - The Supremacy of Love
- [49:38] - Characteristics of Love
- [51:41] - Love vs. Spiritual Gifts
- [01:15:07] - Building a Loving Church

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 12:4-31
2. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
3. Philippians 2:3-7

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#### Observation Questions

1. What are the differences between unity and uniformity as discussed in the sermon? How does each affect the church community? [42:45]

2. According to the sermon, what are the main reasons young adults are leaving the church? [40:16]

3. How does Paul describe the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13, and why are these important for unity? [49:38]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between spiritual gifts and love? [48:53]

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#### Interpretation Questions

1. How does the concept of unity, as opposed to uniformity, align with the teachings of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13? [42:45]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that love can counteract the reasons people leave the church, such as hypocrisy and bigotry? [40:16]

3. How does the sermon interpret the role of love in building a church community that reflects the image of God? [48:53]

4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of individual contributions to a loving church community? [55:10]

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#### Application Questions

1. Reflect on your own experiences in church. Have you ever felt excluded due to a lack of unity? How can you contribute to fostering a more inclusive environment? [42:45]

2. Consider the reasons people leave the church, such as perceived hypocrisy. How can you personally demonstrate authenticity and love in your interactions within the church community? [40:16]

3. Think about the characteristics of love described in 1 Corinthians 13. Which of these do you find most challenging to embody, and what steps can you take to grow in this area? [49:38]

4. How can you use your spiritual gifts in a way that prioritizes love and unity over personal recognition or hierarchy? [48:53]

5. Identify a situation in your life where you have prioritized uniformity over unity. How can you shift your approach to celebrate diversity and embrace differences? [42:45]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt impatient or unkind. How can you practice patience and kindness in your daily interactions, especially with those who are different from you? [58:03]

7. How can you actively work towards being part of the 35% of Christians who experience their church as a place of unity? What specific actions can you take to promote this within your church community? [53:59]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: Celebrating Diversity in Unity
In a world that often values uniformity, true unity within the church is found in celebrating diversity. Unity does not mean making everyone the same; rather, it embraces differences as strengths. This approach is crucial in a time when many are leaving organized religion due to perceived hypocrisy and bigotry. By reflecting the love of Christ, which is patient, kind, and not self-seeking, the church can become a community where everyone feels valued and accepted. This love does not demand its own way but honors and values others above oneself. [42:45]

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively celebrate the diversity of those around you in your church community today?

Day 2: Addressing the Church's Reputation Problem
Many young adults are leaving the church due to perceived hypocrisy, bigotry, and a lack of genuine love and acceptance. To counter this trend, the church must strive to embody true unity and love, where differences are not just tolerated but celebrated. This requires a mature love that is patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. It is a love that does not keep a record of wrongs but rejoices in the truth. By fostering such an environment, the church can become a place of refuge and acceptance for all. [40:16]

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: What specific actions can you take to help your church become a more welcoming and loving community?

Day 3: The Supremacy of Love
According to Paul's teachings to the Corinthians, spiritual gifts are important, but love is greater. Without love, our actions and gifts are meaningless. Love is the foundation of unity, and it is through love that we can truly reflect the image of God to the world. This challenges individuals to examine their own hearts and actions to ensure they are contributing to a loving and unified community. [48:53]

"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:14, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize love over your own talents or abilities in your interactions with others today?

Day 4: Characteristics of Mature Love
Love is patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. It does not keep a record of wrongs but rejoices in the truth. This mature love is essential for building a unified and loving church community. By embodying these characteristics, individuals can contribute to a church that truly reflects the love of Christ. This love is not just an emotion but a deliberate choice to see the best, believe the best, and overlook the rest. [49:38]

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent conflict or misunderstanding. How can you apply the characteristics of mature love to resolve it?

Day 5: Building a Loving Church
A loving church is made up of loving individuals who choose to see the best, believe the best, and overlook the rest. By committing to this kind of love, the church can be a beacon of hope and a true reflection of Christ's love in the community. This requires intentionality and a willingness to put others before oneself, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and accepted, regardless of their background or beliefs. [01:15:07]

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to encourage and build up someone in your church community?

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Quotes

1) "Why do they leave? Religious hypocrisy, number one reason. 42% said because of religious hypocrisy. 35% said religion just doesn't make sense anymore, just fell apart once they started asking new questions. And then the next one, I found it interesting that the two of the top three are very similar. Religious bigotry. So, you aren't who you say you are, and I leave, because you're a hypocrite, or you're just a jerk to anybody who's different than you, and you hide behind religion. No thanks, that's not for me. I would rather have no religious affiliation than be like that, because even though I don't identify with that group of people, or that culture, or that whatever, I don't think you should discriminate against them, especially under the guise of being a God thing." [40:16] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "We have a problem. We have a reputation problem. We have an interaction problem. We have a culture problem. We have a problem where we're so disunified, if that's the right word, divisive, that we're actually bigots towards people who think differently than us, or we're hypocrites, and we don't live out the Jesus we claim to follow. So today, I wanna talk about unity, and not uniformity, because it's important that you understand, there is a, there's a difference between unity and uniformity. There is a difference between unity and uniformity, and what I am hoping we can push towards and come away from today with, is the value of unity, not uniformity." [42:45] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "Unity, on the other hand, is much different. It's a much higher reward, but it is higher risk, too. It takes a lot of work. It's what happens when you recognize, you actually identify and acknowledge the differences among us, but then instead of just acknowledging them, we actually learn from them and maybe even celebrate them. We realize that together we are better, and even though somebody looks differently than me in skin color or how they dress or how they vote or how they date or how they think or what their current theology is on something, that's actually something I can learn from, and there's value." [44:06] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "If that's what we're trying to do, but it doesn't make sense if your goal is to advance the kingdom of Jesus, because God is on an eternal mission to reconcile all things to himself through the person and work of his son, Jesus Christ, so that one day there will be worshipers from every kindred and every tribe and every tongue and every nation gathered around the throne of King Jesus. And last week, or two weeks ago, sorry, when we were doing our service on worship, we read that passage, where we get that from, Revelation 4 and 5, and what do we see there? We see four beasts gathered around the throne and then 24 elders, and then when you zoom out, you see millions of angels, beasts, elders, angels. There is no uniformity here. But there's unity. Why? Because there's something bigger. There's something better. There's something holier than their differences." [45:06] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, or boastful, or proud, or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever. When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child, but when I grew up, I put a lot of thought away childish things. Three things will last forever, faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. Let love be your highest goal." [49:38] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Love is patient. And patience is the decision to move at someone else's pace rather than pressure them to match yours. Patience is choosing to do less than you are capable of for the sake of keeping in step with someone else. Patience is the decision to pause rather than push. Now, impatiens is something totally different. Impatience is an emotion. You feel impatient. You feel impatient. Patience is something you have to choose to do. I don't know if you ever feel patient. You choose to be patient, you feel impatient. So love becomes a choice. Patience isn't natural, but love defers to the pace of the other. And patience is a a simple way of putting someone else above you. So love is patient." [58:03] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "Love is also kind. Kindness, put simply, means to leverage one's strengths on behalf of another. When we are kind, we put our strengths, our abilities, our resources on loan to someone who lacks them in that moment. When you're kind, you put yourself at someone else's disposal. Kindness is love's response to weakness. Everybody knows how to be kind when kindness has a potential reward attached to it. The question I need to answer and the question you need to answer is, what is my natural response to weakness in people closest to me? Do I lean in or do I power up? Because to power up is a power play. It's not love. Do I hold it against them or do I lean in? Do I expect people to match my strengths even in their moment of weakness?" [59:45] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "Love is not jealous or proud or boastful. And he groups all three of these together because simply put, all of these are expressions of insecurity. You're jealous. And depending on what version you're in, you're jealous. You're jealous of envy or jealousy. And really, like, envy and jealousy is a personal problem, not a relationship problem. But it's a personal problem. I have a jealousy problem, and it seeps into my relationships. And I bring it into the relationship because I have a personal problem. I don't feel good about me, so I can't let you feel good about you. I can't pull myself up right now, so I'm going to pull you down. That is what jealousy is. That is what envy is. And that's why it's toxic in the world. And that's why it's toxic in the world. And that's why it's toxic in the church." [01:01:02] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9) "Love is not rude or dishonoring. We protect and safeguard what we value. Anything you ascribe value to, you protect. This is also an expression of honor. That's why later Paul says love always protects. Another facet of honor is that honor defers. It yields. Honor takes every opportunity to express you first to someone else. To which, I'm sure, if you're a thinking person and you're following along, the first thought that probably came through to your mind is, but isn't honor a good thing? It's a good thing. It's a good thing. It's a good thing. It's a good honor earned. Shouldn't I reserve honor for honorable people? And the answer to both of those is actually no. Honor is a decision. It's a choice. Honor is what love does." [01:02:33] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10) "Love is not demanding of its own way. Love puts the interests and needs of others first. And so if your first thought is I didn't like the music or I didn't like how that person was dressed or somebody didn't say hi, love puts others first and doesn't demand that everything is our way. Something to keep in mind in church, because church is one of the hardest places for this because it's personal. It's religious. It has theology attached to it. But if you happen to feel uncomfortable in a service because of the language that's being spoken or the music that's being played, just recognize that for the first time, someone else might be feeling uncomfortable." [01:05:11] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Chatbot

Transcript

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