Without Partiality
Living Together Series • Sermon • Submitted
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· 27 viewsAs a forever family we are to be without partiality (an accepting fellowship)
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Living Together
Living Together
In our series, Living Together, we have looked at a few concepts, that help us in living together as a forever family.
First, we are a fellowship in Christ, made a family
We are an intimate family
We have no life outside of the body; the body does the body good
We are a giving family
We looked at the fellowship of the supper, Song and prayer
Besides having an intimate relationship, fellowship within the forever family we need to be an accepting fellowship, or a fellowship without partiality as we can clearly see in the scripture. Loving the family (fellowship) for the most part is easy, learning to love those who are different or who are not in the family yet may take some effort, but isn’t it worth it? Eternally worth it?
Now I said in the family it is easy, but it is not always easy we all come from different places, social economics, professions, maturity in Christ, hobbies and the like, but in Christ we are more accepting of each other because we have unity in Christ.
(insert slide, differences does not equate to division)
(Insert illustration of differences and acceptance within the body of Christ.)
Tonight we will look at “without partiality” and the challenges we face as a forever family. in looking at
Nature of our differences
God’s attitude towards impartiality (acceptance)
Application of accepting, being impartial
I. Nature of the differences
I. Nature of the differences
It is not hard to see differences within the family, may not have all these here at Lockett, but when you look at the fellowship, family as whole you can see
Differences in ethnicity and nationality
Differences in political ideologies and cultures
Differences in economic status as well as lifestyles
Differences in our interests, hobbies and the like
and yes, differences in spiritual maturity
Differences have potential for division
Prejudice, bigotry, being judgmental
Cliques can be very destructive
(insert illustration of division)
You may be wondering where is the scripture, long time with no scripture, well for us to understand God’s attitude toward acceptance and about being impartial we need the scripture. So we will not have a lack from here out.
II. God’s attitude toward impartiality
II. God’s attitude toward impartiality
God has shown He is the God that shows no partiality (Deu10:17)
17 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
Paul told the importance of impartiality because of God’s impartial judgment to come (Rom2:9-11)
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
There was Peter who addressed God’s impartiality too (1Pt1:17-19)
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
The Lord wants “all” to come to repentance
Impartiality starts with us understanding God’s willingness to accept all
Look at Peter’s vision proving the point (Act10:34-35)
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
All this starts with looking, understanding God’s acceptance (Act10:34-35; Act15:7-9; 2Pt3:9)
Proven by the vision given to Peter (Act10:34-35)
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
Spoken of by Peter at Jerusalem conference(Act15:7-9)
7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Finally, God’s desire for “all” to come to repentance (2Pt3:9)
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
If God does not show partiality, if God makes no distinction and shows acceptance, shouldn’t we?
(Expand on the statement above, acceptance does not mean accepting sinful behavior)
God wants us to accept (be impartial) with one another (Rom15:5-7, Gal3:27-28)
5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
Rom15:
Jesus accepted us for God’s glory; why because of love, He desires for us to be of the same mind, to be of one accord!
How do we do it, how do we receive God’s impartial love and bring glory to the Father? By putting Christ on
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
When we understand God’s desires, God’s love, God’s acceptance regardless of who we were, but in who we are in Christ when we accept His love through Christ. then we can be in a better position to accept others and have an “impartial fellowship (family)”
III. Application of impartiality
III. Application of impartiality
First, start by not showing partiality (Jam2:1-9)
1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
Jam2:
Have no personal favoritism (v.1)
2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
Show no favoritism for rich or for poor
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Be applying God’s command (v.8) - love
By not sinning by showing partiality (v.9)
Next application, put on the new man, or be renewed spiritually
No matter our differences we are to be like Christ (Col3:9-10)
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
When we do the former, then our differences lose significance (Col3:11)
11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
Look at when we are renewed in Christ we then develop Christ like character (COl3:12-15)
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
putting on heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing and forgiving one another.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Putting on love which is the perfect bond!
The results peace of Christ, as one body! (unified by Christ and for Christ)
To summarize this section we will
have heart of compassion not of stone or of ice
we will be kind to one another, not cruel
We will be humble and not proud
Gentle and not harsh
Patient and not intolerant
Forgiving and not judgmental and finally
loving and not bigoted!
We will still have differences, but they lose their significance
In the case of 1st Century, the Jews was still a Jew, and the Gentile still a Gentile but when they came into Christ they were one, united by Christ.
The poor are still poor the rich still right, but one in Christ Jesus
The servant must still honor their master (employee, employer)
The responsibilities and authority in the body (male; female) have differences but we are one body serving Christ.
(If time permitting do the following; but look at the time first)
Now that last one in some parts can be divisive so let me give a few scriptures first to back up the honoring our responsibilities and authority (Col3:18; 1Tim2:11-12; 1Cor14:34-38)
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
Not that woman, wives are not able to, God’s plan from the beginning was for woman be be along side men, not behind, not before, but beside and the man is to lead the family and lead the forever family in the Lord. (Gen2:18)
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
So now to conclude all this tonight about “not showing partiality may we continue to grow in Christ as it says (Col3:10)
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
May we receive, accept one another (Rom15:7)
7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
all to the glory of God, when people walk through that door let us love on them and love them into the body of Christ so we may have them as a part of our forever family that is living together!
(lead to invitation)
(insert a fellowship slide)
(end recording)
(insert exit slide)