Unity in the Body of Christ

Great Sports Teams

Great Military Teams

Jesus and His Team of Disciples

Team MakeupJesus recruited His team out of the community

He knew the heart and potential of each man He called

The twelve were a diverse group with many human flaws just as the body was, is and will continue to be:

– Fishermen (at least 4)– Tax collector– Physician– Local officials– Tent maker– Younger / older

Factors That Impacted Unity With Team Jesus

Environmental

• Roman culture• Travel • Economics (broke)• Fatigue (physically &

emotionally)

Mark 9:33-34 They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about during the journey?” They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been disputing with each other about who was the greatest.

Personal

• Hot Heads• Betrayals• Jealousy• Cliques• Biases• Pride

There is an “i” in Team

I Support My Team by: Keeping My Pride in Check

Pride is a tool used by Satan to keep us from being unified in our service to God

– We want to be respected– We want to be Right (even when we are wrong)– We want to be regarded & rewarded for what we do

Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured they will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5 (AMP)

Pride

Leads to corruption (II Chronicles 26:16)

Not Compatible with the will of God (Psalm 10:11)

An ingredient in every quarrel (Proverbs 13:10)

Comes from self-righteousness (Luke 18:11-14)

Keeps us from being able to reason (John 7:51)

Blinds us from seeing our own flaws (Ephesians 2:11-13)

Pride

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

(Mark 9:38-41)

Humility vs. Pride(From the Proverbs)

HumilityLeads to wisdomTakes Advise/feedbackLeads to honorEnds with glory given unto God

PrideLeads to disgraceProduces quarrelsLeads to punishment Ends with destruction

Verses 11:2; 16:5; 16:18; 18:12

When self ambition pushes aside obedience and service to God alone, it creates a climate for sin to thrive and generate hostility among a team believers…

I Support My Team By

Reading God’s wordHaving a solid prayer lifeGathering with the SaintsForgiving othersIndentifying, acknowledging and repenting of my own sinsAsking for forgiveness (from God and others)

I Support My Team By: Being transformed by the Holy Spirit

The Disciples became a team of champions after they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2We can not serve in our full capacity as an individual, as a church or as a unified body unless we allow ourselves to become more and more like ChristTo remain unchanged is to say:– I don’t trust God’s way, or His ability to be in control of things– I don’t take God at His word that He does and will do what He

says– I don’t love Him enough to allow Him to change me, so let me

be comfortable as I am– I don’t love others enough to serve as I am called, so leave me

aloneSimply put, it is rebellion against God

Diversity within the Body of ChristI Corinthians 12:12-14

We must avoid two things with this concept:

1. Being too proud of our own abilities

2. Thinking we have nothing to offer

Unity Within The Body of Christ

Unity: to bring together forming one body to serve in harmony with one another

Psalms 133:1 tells us how good it is to be unified

Philippians 2:1-4 says we can only be unified through a spirit of meekness

Colossians 3:14-17 tells us to do all things in love in the name of Jesus and giving thanks to God the Father

Jesus Prayed for All of His FollowersJohn 17:6-24

For Unity (17:11)For protection from Satan (17:15)For our holiness (17:17)Christianity does not take away our individualism, it brings us into a oneness in Christ with common goals to:

– Love God– Love others– Serve the world

Our Play Book“The Bible”

The Old Testament– Provides us with lessons learned

The Gospels – Provides our coaches bio, his vision and his tactics– Tells us how to recruit more team members

The epistles and letters – Specifics from the offensive and defensive

coordinators (The Apostles)Revelation– The 4th quarter pep talk

Go Team Jesus on 3