06-06-2021

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06-06-2021 Rev. Trevor Johnston (West & Online), Dr. E. Dale Locke (East), Pastor Efrain Silva (Español) Sermon Series: Unity Week 1: Family Meeting English PDF file for printing. Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español  1. Read our memory verse for this sermon series, Ephesians 4:3 – “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Why does take “effort” to keep unity, even within a group of Christians? 2. Our country needs unity. Americans increasingly don’t like each other.  According to a November 2018 Axios poll, 54% of Republicans believe that the Democratic Party is spiteful, while 61% of Democrats believe the Republican Party is racist, bigoted, or sexist.  Approximately one-fifth of both Republicans and Democrats consider the opposing party ‘evil.’  A Pew Research poll from 2016 found both parties largely felt the other was close-minded and generally unfavorable.   This divisiveness is seeping into the church. Timothy Dalrymple, President of Christianity Today said: “One group within American evangelicalism believes our religious liberties have never been more firmly established; another that they have never been at greater risk. One group believes racism is still systemic in American society; another that the “systemic racism” push is a progressive program to redistribute wealth and power to angry radicals. One is more concerned with the insurrection at the Capitol; another with the riots that followed the killing of George Floyd. One believes the Trump presidency was generationally damaging to Christian witness; another that it was enormously beneficial. One believes the former president attempted a coup; another that the Democrats stole the election. One believes masks and vaccines are marks of Christian love; another that the rejection of the same is a mark of Christian courage.” Even within our own church, our pastors have been observing this. They see feelings of outrage and disgust are growing, people’s enemies lists are growing, and in conversations with our people about how our church leadership is trying to navigate these divisive issues, it seems like each person believes the pastors are only listening to the other side of the issue.  What do these symptoms point to?    3. Read the prayer that Jesus prayed on the night before his death – John 17:20-26 –      “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.      24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.      25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” Why is Christian unity so important, according to this passage? 4. What might the disciples have expected Jesus to pray for at that time?   5. One of the misunderstandings about unity is that it means total agreement. How is Christian unity different from total agreement?   6. Another misunderstanding Christians have is that we achieve unity by “canceling” the people we disagree with. What’s wrong with that approach? 7. It’s tempting to hate people who think differently than we do. Why isn’t it an option for Christ followers to hate anyone, even if they represent a viewpoint we feel strongly opposed to?   8. What is the “better way” that Jesus offers regarding people we disagree with?   9. Read the following Scriptures, and then discuss what they teach about biblical unity.  ·      Jeremiah 32:39 –  “I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.”·      2 Chronicles 30:12 – “Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.”·      Acts 4:32 – “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” 10. Sometimes parents order their children to “just stop fighting and get along!” But Jesus isn’t doing that. He bases his prayer for our unity on the Trinity itself.  How is the Trinity a good model of the kind of oneness that Jesus wants to see in His Church?   11. Jesus’ prayer for unity in His Church is still unanswered. How do you feel when you pray for something that really matters to you, and it doesn’t happen as you had hoped?   12. Disunity grieves Jesus. Read Ephesians 4:30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  Take a few minutes to pray together as a group about the things our pastors talked about in this sermon.    Ready for your next step? – If you would like to take a next step in your faith journey, such as trusting your life to Christ or getting baptized, text the word “Next” to 561-264-6079 and follow the steps there, and we’ll contact you to help you do that. News and Announcements:·      New Here?  Let us know who you are by texting “hello” to 561-264-6079. ·      Our next Connections Class starts Monday, June 7 - Mondays 7:00-8:15pm in-person at the West Campus and simultaneously online. Connections is a 4-week class on how to live the Christian life, and it’s also the best way to get more connected at Community of Hope. You’ll learn about our church’s mission, values, and statement of faith. At the end of the four weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to become a Community of Hope partner, if you wish, which opens more opportunities for leadership and service.  Register at https://communityofhope.church/connections ·      Who Needs God? Summer Discussion SeriesWest: Tuesday, June 29- August 3, 7-8:30pm – English only East: Wednesday, June 30-August 4, 7-8:30pm – Spanish and EnglishA 6-week series where you can discuss faith questions, doubts and reasons why some don't believe. With video teaching from Andy Stanley and table discussion designed to provide a safe place to deepen your own faith foundation or to invite a friend who struggles with faith or doesn't attend church. Invite a friend! Register at https://communityofhope.church/whoneedsgod­­­­­­·      Kids of Hope Summer Fun – Join us for this year’s summer activities for pre-school and elementary families! We have daytime “Kids of Hope Around Town” outings, as well as evening “Fam Jams” planned for you! More info at https://communityofhope.church/summer ·      Thank you for your financial support, which makes it possible for us to minister to our community!  As summer approaches, consider setting up automated giving to help you be consistent, even when you’re traveling.  To give to Community of Hope, go to https://communityofhope.church/give.

06-06-2021
Rev. Trevor Johnston (West & Online), Dr. E. Dale Locke (East), Pastor Efrain Silva (Español)
Sermon Series: Unity
Week 1: Family Meeting
English PDF file for printing.
Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español

 

1. Read our memory verse for this sermon series, Ephesians 4:3 – “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

 

Why does take “effort” to keep unity, even within a group of Christians?

 

2. Our country needs unity. Americans increasingly don’t like each other.  According to a November 2018 Axios poll, 54% of Republicans believe that the Democratic Party is spiteful, while 61% of Democrats believe the Republican Party is racist, bigoted, or sexist.  Approximately one-fifth of both Republicans and Democrats consider the opposing party ‘evil.’  A Pew Research poll from 2016 found both parties largely felt the other was close-minded and generally unfavorable. 

 

This divisiveness is seeping into the church. Timothy Dalrymple, President of Christianity Today said: “One group within American evangelicalism believes our religious liberties have never been more firmly established; another that they have never been at greater risk. One group believes racism is still systemic in American society; another that the “systemic racism” push is a progressive program to redistribute wealth and power to angry radicals. One is more concerned with the insurrection at the Capitol; another with the riots that followed the killing of George Floyd. One believes the Trump presidency was generationally damaging to Christian witness; another that it was enormously beneficial. One believes the former president attempted a coup; another that the Democrats stole the election. One believes masks and vaccines are marks of Christian love; another that the rejection of the same is a mark of Christian courage.”

 

Even within our own church, our pastors have been observing this. They see feelings of outrage and disgust are growing, people’s enemies lists are growing, and in conversations with our people about how our church leadership is trying to navigate these divisive issues, it seems like each person believes the pastors are only listening to the other side of the issue.

 

What do these symptoms point to?   

 

3. Read the prayer that Jesus prayed on the night before his death – John 17:20-26 –

     “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

     24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

     25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

 

Why is Christian unity so important, according to this passage?

 

4. What might the disciples have expected Jesus to pray for at that time? 

 

5. One of the misunderstandings about unity is that it means total agreement. How is Christian unity different from total agreement? 

 

6. Another misunderstanding Christians have is that we achieve unity by “canceling” the people we disagree with. What’s wrong with that approach?

 

7. It’s tempting to hate people who think differently than we do. Why isn’t it an option for Christ followers to hate anyone, even if they represent a viewpoint we feel strongly opposed to? 

 

8. What is the “better way” that Jesus offers regarding people we disagree with? 

 

9. Read the following Scriptures, and then discuss what they teach about biblical unity. 

·      Jeremiah 32:39 –  “I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.”

·      2 Chronicles 30:12 – “Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.”

·      Acts 4:32 – “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”

 

10. Sometimes parents order their children to “just stop fighting and get along!” But Jesus isn’t doing that. He bases his prayer for our unity on the Trinity itself.  How is the Trinity a good model of the kind of oneness that Jesus wants to see in His Church? 

 

11. Jesus’ prayer for unity in His Church is still unanswered. How do you feel when you pray for something that really matters to you, and it doesn’t happen as you had hoped? 

 

12. Disunity grieves Jesus. Read Ephesians 4:30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  Take a few minutes to pray together as a group about the things our pastors talked about in this sermon.   

 

Ready for your next step? – If you would like to take a next step in your faith journey, such as trusting your life to Christ or getting baptized, text the word “Next” to 561-264-6079 and follow the steps there, and we’ll contact you to help you do that.

 

News and Announcements:

·      New Here?  Let us know who you are by texting “hello” to 561-264-6079.

 

·      Our next Connections Class starts Monday, June 7 - Mondays 7:00-8:15pm in-person at the West Campus and simultaneously online. Connections is a 4-week class on how to live the Christian life, and it’s also the best way to get more connected at Community of Hope. You’ll learn about our church’s mission, values, and statement of faith. At the end of the four weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to become a Community of Hope partner, if you wish, which opens more opportunities for leadership and service.  Register at https://communityofhope.church/connections

 

·      Who Needs God? Summer Discussion Series

West: Tuesday, June 29- August 3, 7-8:30pm – English only
East: Wednesday, June 30-August 4, 7-8:30pm – Spanish and English

A 6-week series where you can discuss faith questions, doubts and reasons why some don't believe. With video teaching from Andy Stanley and table discussion designed to provide a safe place to deepen your own faith foundation or to invite a friend who struggles with faith or doesn't attend church. Invite a friend! Register at https://communityofhope.church/whoneedsgod

­­­­­­

·      Kids of Hope Summer Fun – Join us for this year’s summer activities for pre-school and elementary families! We have daytime “Kids of Hope Around Town” outings, as well as evening “Fam Jams” planned for you! More info at https://communityofhope.church/summer

 

·      Thank you for your financial support, which makes it possible for us to minister to our community!  As summer approaches, consider setting up automated giving to help you be consistent, even when you’re traveling.  To give to Community of Hope, go to https://communityofhope.church/give.

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