United

United 
Pastor Blake Hanson | 7.3.22 

Acts 4:32 (NLT)

32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

Big Idea: Unity brings the greatest opportunity. 

1 Corinthians 1:10–17 (NLT)

10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 

11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 

12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” 

1 3Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! 

14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 

15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 

16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) 

17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

WHAT DESTROYS UNITY…

1) Quarrels –  “Heated arguments over trivial matters.”  

1 Corinthians 1:11 (NLT)

11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 

2 Timothy 2:23 (ESV)

23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

2) Comparison 

1 Corinthians 1:12 (NLT)

12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter…” 

Galatians 6:4–5 (NLT)

4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 

5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

3) Arrogance 

1 Corinthians 1:12 (NLT)

12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” 

1 Peter 4:18–19 (NLT)

18 And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” 

19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

HOW TO LIVE UNITED…

1) Agree to speak the same message. 

1 Corinthians 1:10a

 to live in harmony with each other.

James 3:5-6 (The Message) 

5 A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. 

6 A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)

21 The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

2) Evaluate our actions.

1 Corinthians 1:10b

Let there be no divisions in the church.

Titus 3:10–11 (NLT)

10 If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. 

11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

3) Control our thoughts, opinions, and attitude. 

1 Corinthians 1:10c

Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 

Colossians 3:2 (NLT)

2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

1 Corinthians 1:17 (NLT)

17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

NOTES:

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