Matt Nelson - April 30, 2023
Unity Amid Diversity
Only when the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes our primary identity is both unity and diversity possible. Adiaphora – non-essential matters that are deemed scripturally neutral Romans 14:1-9 1Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. 5One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. The goal of the church is unity, not uniformity. It is gospel unity that is proof of the deep work of Jesus to change our lives and how we interact with one another. Romans 14:10-15 10You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” 12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. 13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Romans 14:19-20 19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. How can we be a radically united church in a radically divided culture? Find our identity in the gospel of Jesus Christ Practice humility and empathy Embrace diversity Actively listen Pursue reconciliation Pray for unity
From Series: "Becoming Family"
In an individualistic, preference-based, and consumer-driven world, God calls his people to be a family; a radically different covenant community united to one another through the work of gospel. Becoming the family of God requires a commitment to Christ and a commitment to one another. It requires sacrifice and a laying down of our lives in order to love our brothers and sisters like Christ. In this series, we will identify the major killers of community and the sacrifices necessary to become the family of God.