Sermon Cloud

Intro:  Counseling dysfunctional families.  What does a healthy church look like?

Big Idea: Christ loves us thru one another.

Context: Paul addressed concerns w/in the church with teaching on Christ’s work for us (justification & adoption) & in us (sanctification) and now moves to his work thru us.

I. Restore one another as Christ has restored you.

-         Christians will be caught in sin, overcome with temptation & follow the flesh.

-         The question is, what next?  Ignore it ß gossip à attack them

-         Those walking in the Spirit will have a different response (those who are spiritual).

-         “restore … in a gentle spirit”: to mend or set right.  Ill. ER- displaced fracture

-          It is done gently, as gently as possible.  Goal: restoration, not punishment.  Ill. interview

-         Gentle because we know how Christ has had to restore us (Rom. 2:4).

-         When we see the sin of others we tend to grow proud.  Look at your own to be humble.

-         Healthy communities seek the restoration of members, as ones for whom Christ died.

⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?  Romans 2 (NIV)

“Love always moves towards people to restore relationships.”  Paul Miller

“Let us be moved with compassion, and prepare our minds to exercise forgiveness.”  John Calvin

“This suggests that gentleness is born of a sense of our own weakness and proneness to sin.”  John Stott

II. Bear one another’s burdens as Christ bore yours.

-         It could be the burden of guilt, or the burden of circumstances.  We have different limits.

-         Baros vs fortion: burden fig. Suffering vs. pack  Ill. Ben Nevis

-         Love is not unmoved, but helps bear that burden rather than add burdens (false teachers).

-         “the law of Christ”- Jn. 13.  Jesus bore the burden of the weary & heavy-laden.

-         He continues to bear burdens through a Spirit-led community of believers.

-         Healthy communities do not ignore the needy, but embrace them as loved by Christ.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13 (NIV)

“… our conduct to others is determined by our opinion of ourselves.”  John Stott

“One of the ways He bears these burdens of ours is through human friendship.”  John Stott

“Love often doesn’t erase worries- it just shifts them to a different set of shoulders- our own.”  John Calvin

III. Examine yourself even as Jesus examines you.

-         Pride & envy grow when we compare ourselves to one another.  Ill. See saw

-         It is easier to examine the others’ actions than to examine ours.  Jesus examines us all.

-         Pride & envy keep us at a distance from one another.  Humility bridges the gap.

-         Develop a healthy self-suspicion, knowing your heart is deceptive (Gen. 3). 

-         Healthy communities are responsible for their actions (bear their load).

IV. Share with those who share Christ with you.

-         Those instructed receive a great benefit from those who faithfully instruct them- Christ.

-         We are commanded to share with them- pointing to fellowship.

-         Those instructed share the burdens of their instructors.  Ill. Encouragement, gifts

-         Healthy communities gratefully acknowledge sound instruction.

V. See your actions as Jesus sees them.

-         Every action sows either the Spirit or the flesh.  Ill. Farming analogy (sow 3, harvest 4)

-         Our choices are not innocent- Jesus weighs every thought, word & deed.

-         Sinful thoughts will bear sinful words & deeds so we harvest corruption & ruin.

-         Don’t deceive yourself- present choices produce future character.  Ill. Capt. Miller

-         If we do good (see above), we sow in the Spirit and will receive a bountiful harvest.

-         “Don’t grow weary & give up”.  We need the promise for hope!  Ill. farming

-         The harvest is in God’s time: be patient as Christ is patient with us.  Ill. kids

-         Our good deeds are to be sown generously- “toward all”.

-         Priority is given to “the household of faith” due to bonds of love & limited resources.

-         Healthy communities seek one another’s good rather than their own advantage.

“The desires of believers must be both supported and restrained by the exercise of hope and patience.”  John Calvin

“Loving means losing control of our schedule, our money, and our time.”  Paul Miller

“God never hurries.  There are no deadlines against which he must work.  Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax ourselves.”  A.W. Tozer