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In Search of Unity
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
01/27/2008
Back in the late sixties it became popular to name children names of things found in nature. We saw children being named things like moonbeam, earthflower, cosmos, and all kind of other weird things. And the story is told about a little boy who started kindergarten. All of the kids were told to wear these name tags and one little boy came with his name tag on, which read, “Fruitstand.” That was an odd name, but no one thought too much about it. But all day long, this boy was rather detached, he wouldn’t respond when they would try to talk to him, he ate his lunch, but little Fruitstand wouldn’t come when they called him, and wouldn’t carry on a conversation. Finally it was time to go home and all the kids were put on their buses and there stood Fruitstand. He didn’t know which bus to get on. So finally the teacher remembered that the parents were asked to write the bus stop on the back of the name tag in case anyone got lost. So they turned over Fruitstand’s name tag, and it read, “Johnny.” Sometimes we human beings are not very good at communication. Sometimes, even with the best of motives, our thoughts are not conveyed very accurately. It may be funny. But sometimes division and strife can be the result. I have seen serious fights within Christ’s body over such issues as what color to paint a room, or who got to pick out the mini blinds. That sounds so silly, until you are in the middle of it.When misunderstanding and division are in the body of Christ, the results can be very serious. Scripture teaches unequivocally that God’s will for His people is to live in unity with one another. Yet, history tells us that it hasn’t always been so. In fact, our text for this morning in First Corinthians tells us why it is that Paul is writing this letter to the church in Corinth.[10-11]Paul writes an intensely personal letter to his brothers and sisters in Christ because he hears the report that there are factions, divisions, literally schisms, in the church. And he knows that there is no way a church can be effective when it is divided. There were personal divisions and fellow workers in Christ were set one against one another and so against the kingdom. Paul is an apostle in search of unity.What would he tell them? How could he get them to mend their ways, and again be effective for Christ? I think he gives them some good advice, and I would like for us to look at four principles for unity I believe we can draw from his words.
#1. When we give precedence to any person, we are in error. One of the major problems here was that some were saying that they owed their allegiance to a certain teacher. Some claimed Paul, or some Apollos (Acts 18, a Jew, mighty in the scriptures), or some to Cephas, which is another name for Peter. And Paul writes to them saying that this is madness. Those people were probably responsible for them hearing the gospel, but let’s not forget that it is Jesus Christ who saved them, and who binds the church together. Maybe they all had certain emphases within the body of Christ, but they were on the same team, working for the same goal.[v.13]Do you see what he is saying? Don’t you dare be divided in Christ, no matter how spiritual it may seem at the time. It is always error. Yet we Christians are so good at being divided. We can separate ourselves over such issues as when to go to church, how much water to use during baptism, what style of music to sing, our interpretation of the Holy Spirit, or of a certain passage of scripture. We Christians have been hating each other for centuries over just those kinds of things, and how it must break Christ’s heart. We must resist any attempt to be separated whatsoever, be in it the local church, as in Corinth, or in Christendom in general. 2. The cross of Jesus Christ must be our guide. The cross is an instrument of death, and through death, new life. And part of being a disciple means that we consciously make a decision, as Paul said in Romans 16:11 that we reckon ourselves to be dead to our own wills, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That does not mean that we lose our personalities, but that we deliberately decide that we want Christ’s will within the body of Christ, even when it conflicts with our own.That sounds very easy, but in reality that old will dies hard. Amen? But if we could learn to ask questions such as, “What would Christ do in this situation?” I am convinced that most divisions within the Body of Christ today would simply be moot. And we would find a new way of life and power which the world doesn’t understand.[18] And so, let us strive to seek Christ’s will for our church and may we never forget the cross.
3. We must deal with each other through the eyes of love. How much does Christ love us? Do each of us try in every way we can to show that love, yes, to the world, but especially within the body of Christ? Paul says later in this letter that we can do any kind of work or miracle imaginable, but if we do not love as Christ did we are nothing! I hope you can see it in context here. First and foremost he is talking about within the body of Christ, the church. Many churches today are having the power literally drained out of them because they do not love. The temptation to divide over this issue or that is always there. And it is so subtle. There will always be someone who will disagree with you about something, or who has a habit that annoys you, or is cut from a different mold than you. And it is so easy to let that grow and fester into an unloving attitude. And Paul is telling us that we are not to live like that, especially not within the body of Christ. That’s right where Satan wants us, though, because he knows it will take away our strength. Issues do not divide churches. Sinful human hearts divide churches. And one of the prayers of your pastor, is constantly, Lord, keep us undivided. Keep us walking in love. 4. We will only be effective as a church as we see each other as brothers and sisters in the faith. We are family. One Christian said you don’t have to like me you have to love me. You can pick your friends but you’re stuck with your family. We are all in the same family, we have the same father with all who, down through the ages, have stood for His cause. That means that we have a job to do together, not alone. Where we consider Christ’s will greater than ours, where Christ’s love is present, there you will find the power of God.There is a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the great entertainers of a generation ago. He was asked to be part of a show for WWII veterans. He told them his schedule would only permit him to stay for one short monologue, but if they wanted, he would come. Of course they were delighted that he would come for any amount of time at all. But when he got there something interesting happened. He did his short monologue and kept going. The applause got louder, and louder and he kept on staying. Pretty soon he had performed for over half an hour before he took a bow and went backstage. Someone came up to him and asked him, “What happened? I thought you had to leave after only a few minutes.” Jimmy answered, “I did have to leave, but I can show you the reason I stayed. Look out on the front row.” Seated there were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right, the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that is exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.Friends, that is what it means to be in the body of Christ, forgiven sinners, joining together with everything we’ve got, and sharing in the joy of the journey. Is it really such a mystery that Christ said in Matt. 18:20 that where two or three are gathered together, there I am in their midst.”? symphonyWhen Christians are determined to love and work together there is real power. As Paul said, May the Lord make us complete in the same mind.
Notes on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Background: Schisms, or rifts have divided the Christian Community into factions so that the members are no longer of one mind. The divisions were not primarily theological, but personal. The real problem was allegience to different teachers (people in the church).Factions are giving to people a place which only Christ should occupy.These divisions set as rivals, fellow workers for Christ.
Paul does not want anyone following him. We should not either.Pride is at the heart of all disunity.We need to remember who our savior is.
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