Divisions in the Church
Notes
Transcript
Sub-Divisions
Sub-Divisions
Taking Sides causes Divide
Our Pride sends Unity for a Ride
Conformity is an inner drive
-— we want to be like the cool kids
As i prepared this sermon, all week the song from Rush came to mind
Sub Divisions
Subdivisions
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth
There is another line in this song that stood out to me
We lose our race to rats
The Bible speaks to this in the Wisdom Book of Proverbs
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
1 John 2:15–17 “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life
—is not from the Father but is from the world.
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
This is a core issue in our world today...
Seeking to be part of something,
to be loved by someone
We often lament on the one we are at odds with
and forget to praise all the ones we are attached to...
We try to hard to please others,
and when we do this we often get side tracked with worldly wisdom, instead of God’s Truth.
The Truth tells us that there are Wolfs out in the World
it tells us that Satan wants to side track us,
To us our earthly desires
We have spoken about Pride alot in the last weeks,
and the TRUTH
is that PRIDE is different in each of us.
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Friends -— one of the best sentences i have read is the first sentence in
The first sentence of "The Purpose Driven Life" (which is often referred to as "40 Days to Purpose") is:
"It's not about you."
Explanation: This sentence sets the tone for the book by emphasizing
that finding your purpose in life is not about personal fulfillment alone,
but about aligning your life with a greater purpose,
often interpreted as serving God.
and serving others
Did you know that in the early church, congregations sometimes divided over the most ridiculous reasons? Take, for example, the infamous 'Clash of the Chairs' incident where one group insisted on wooden chairs while another preferred cushioned seating!
This lighthearted conflict reminds us that even the early believers struggled with unity.
Yet, as the Bible teaches us, we are called to focus on our shared faith rather than our differences.
In 1 Corinthians 1:10,
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
Imagine the early church trying to debate over who had the best baked goods for the potluck. Instead of arguing,
Paul encourages us to break bread together and celebrate our unity in Christ!
Divisions in the Christian Church exist due to
differences in theology, leadership, traditions, and interpretations of scripture.
Here are some key reasons why these divisions have occurred over time:
1. Theological Disagreements
• Differences in beliefs about the nature of God, Jesus, salvation, the role of the Church, and other doctrinal matters have led to splits.
• Example: The early disputes over Christ s divine and human nature led to schisms like the one with the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
2. Authority & Leadership Conflicts
• The question of who holds authority in the Church has caused major divisions.
• Example: The Great Schism of 1054 divided Christianity into Roman Catholicism (led by the Pope) and Eastern Orthodoxy (led by regional patriarchs).
3. Reformation & Protestant Movements
• The Protestant Reformation (1517), led by Martin Luther, opposed corruption in the Catholic Church and emphasized salvation by faith alone, causing a major split.
• This led to the formation of various Protestant denominations like Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, and later Evangelical movements.
4. Cultural & Political Factors
• Christianity spread across different regions, adopting local customs and languages, leading to variations in practice.
• Example: The Church of England (Anglican Church) split from Rome in 1534 due to political tensions under King Henry VIII.
Church, Community and Culture
5. Doctrinal & Worship Style Differences
• Issues such as baptism (infant vs. believer’s baptism), communion (symbolic vs. real presence), and worship styles (formal liturgy vs. contemporary services) have caused further denominational splits.
• Example: The Baptist tradition emphasizes believer’s baptism, while many other traditions practice infant baptism.
6. Modern Theological & Social Issues
• Contemporary debates over issues like LGBTQ+ inclusion, women in ministry, and biblical interpretation have caused new fractures within denominations.
Despite these divisions, many Christians seek unity through ecumenical movements, interdenominational cooperation, and shared beliefs in Christ as the foundation of faith.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
We are here to GLORIFY GOD
We are to only BOAST IN HIM Not in ourselves
Look at those Three WORDS
Righteousness
Sanctification
Redemption
Pause a moment and Ponder on those THREE WORDS
and realize that your understanding of them, could be different than others in the world
There is no doubt that these three words are IMPORTANT,
Yet Christians do agree on them
Taking Sides causes Divides
Our Pride sends Unity for a Ride
Conformity is an inner drive
United We Stand, Divided We Fall:
United We Stand, Divided We Fall:
The Call to Unity in Christ
The Call to Unity in Christ
1 Corinthians 3:1–9
1 Corinthians 3:1–9
Summary:
Paul addresses the divisions within the Corinthian church,
highlighting the carnality and immaturity of the believers.
He emphasizes that they should not follow human leaders
but recognize that all are servants of God,
working together towards the common purpose of building God's church.
Application:
We are to encourage Christians to seek unity in Christ
rather than adhering to factions and divisions.
It can help individuals recognize the detrimental effects of divisions in their community
and
inspire them
to promote harmony
and collaboration within the body of Christ,
reflecting on the greater mission of the church.
Teaching:
spiritual maturity is marked not by allegiance to leaders
but by a shared commitment to God's work.
Division hinders the effectiveness of the church and undermines its witness to the world.
Believers are called to collaborate in the mission of God
not your way, but by His Way
and grow in unity as they mature in faith.
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How this passage could point to Christ:
unity in Christ illustrates that Jesus himself embodies the foundation of the church
and the ultimate purpose of believers' lives.
Paul's directive points to the truth that all spiritual leaders serve Christ's purpose,
serving to build up the church
and glorify Him.
Glorify God by Growing Others in Christ
Big Idea:
Genuine unity in the church arises from our shared identity
and purpose in Christ
, not in our personal preferences or allegiances.
1. Clinging to Carnality
1. Clinging to Carnality
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
You could explore how Paul expresses his disappointment in the spiritual immaturity of the Corinthians as they cling to factions, likening them to infants in Christ. This point suggests the need for spiritual growth and maturity is necessary for unity. Highlight how true maturity points to Christ as the foundation rather than human affiliations.
2. Following Faithful Servants
2. Following Faithful Servants
1 Corinthians 3:4-5
Perhaps, you can focus on Paul's rhetorical questions and his emphasis that Paul and Apollos are merely servants. Stress that leaders are not to be objects of factionalism but rather cooperators in a singular divine plan. Illuminate how understanding Jesus as the head of the church unites rather than divides believers.
3. Growing Together in God
3. Growing Together in God
1 Corinthians 3:6-9
Maybe present how Paul uses the imagery of planting and watering to illustrate the collaborative work of God's servants, with God providing the growth. Emphasize how realizing that growth comes from God and not human efforts fosters unity, with Christ being the ultimate purpose for which every believer strives.
Taking Sides causes Divide
Our Pride sends Unity for a Ride
Conformity is an inner drive
Here is the conclusion of this matter:
Simple Stated
but with FULL understanding of the Difficulty in DOING
We are to Follow Christ
Friends
We have all witnessed situation where two parties are arguing
and we can see both are right and wrong to an extent
Why would you embrace FOOLISHNESS
When the TRUTH is Available
We need to WALK in WISDOM and WALK WORTHY
in this pursuit
We need to Pause, Pray, Ponder and Proceed
Stop your emotions
and THINK on the Situation
Do you feel inclined to offer GOD’s Word or God’s Way
or do you LISTEN and WAIT
Taking Sides causes Divides
Our Pride sends Unity for a Ride
Conformity is an inner drive
BUT Conformity to Jesus, BOASTING in HIM alone, and ONLY taking HIS SIDE
Is Walking in WISDOM
God’s plan is UNITY, not Division
In the high school halls
in the shopping malls
Be With Jesus or Be Cast out.
Lets Pray
