April 2, 2006

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

What We Expect of One Another

 

Introduction: Heb. 6:9

 

I believe that Christians, in a local church, have the right to expect certain things of one another.  There are many different agreements, covenants and contracts in our world.  Through these our expectations are expressed.  There are responsibilities that members of any group have toward one another.  Whether it is business, marriage, sports teams, school, government agencies, military or church, there are things, written or understood, that we expect of one another.  Of all the different kinds of contracts and agreements, there is none as powerful and unifying as the Faith of the Gospel of Christ.

 

What binds Christians together goes far beyond just individual or social matters.  It is something and Someone beyond us and far greater than any rules imposed upon the group by man.  Peter wrote about “the like precious faith.”  (2 Peter 1:1.)  Jude wrote about “the common salvation.”  (Jude 3.)  Paul wrote about “the one God who is above all, through all and in you all.”  (Eph. 4:6.)  We have come to understand that we have the right to expect certain things of one another because of what binds us to the Lord.

 

There is no greater bond than our spiritual bond of faith and redemption.  Signatures on contracts are no better than the characters and intentions of those who sign them.  Men often act out of self-interest and personal gain.  But the greatest and most binding relationships are based upon freewill, love and mutual commitment.  If you have to coerce, force and threaten one another, then one party does not understand the nature of the relationship.

Paul said it best: “I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.  So, as much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.”  (Rom. 1:14-15.)  The lost people of the Roman Empire could expect Paul to bring the Gospel to them—though at the time they did not understand why. Going back one step, we could have expected (had we known) that God would send his Son to die for our redemption.  Why?  Because he so loved us.  (John 3:16.)  If we had only known God, we would have expected that he would seek out our redemption.

 

I have said all of this to lay the foundation for understanding the basis for our expectations of one another in the church.  All that we do is based upon what God has done for us.  It is based upon our common faith, hope and love.  The Gospel binds us together in a greater sense of duty and responsibility than any contract or agreement among men.  We have the right to expect good things from one another because the Lord already expects it…without coercion, with free choice.  We take it freely upon ourselves.

 

Jesus said, “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.”  (Luke 17:10.)  What is our duty?  What are our expectations of one another at Cawson Street?  Let me name some specific ones.

 

Behave as Brothers and Sisters

 

“Rebuke not an elder (older man), but intreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.  Honor widows that are widows indeed.”  (1 Tim. 5:1-3.)

 

This passage helps to explain what binds us together in a common bond.  We can be from every nation, culture, language, economic status and educational level; yet we are all members of the same family.  In that family, we have the right to expect each one to behave as members of a family.  If you are divisive, disruptive by means of your behavior or tongue, then you are not behaving as family.  There is something that you do not understand about family relationships if you do that.  You do not tear down your brothers and sisters; you do not think that you are better than others in the same family.  We are all sinners in need of the Father’s grace.  Love covers a multitude of sins in any family.  You do not announce to the world your problems or belittle other members.

 

Some families are torn apart because the members do not understand what binds them together.  Either the parents have not communicated or demonstrated that desire to be a family.  They have not shown love and forgiveness.  If a family starts off on the wrong foundation, it will self-destruct.  Churches can also fail if the members do not understand why they exist and what the Lord expects of them.

 

Grow to Maturity

 

The Hebrew writer wrote about obeying the Gospel and growing to maturity.  There is a danger if we fail to grow as we should.  The danger is that one will fall away from the Faith and crucify afresh the Son of God, putting Him to an open shame.  (Heb. 6:1-6.)

 

The writer then gave a vivid illustration for us to understand his message.  (6:7-8.)  He described rain falling upon the earth as blessings from God.  The herbs then bring forth fruit by those tending them.  But sadly, instead of fruits and vegetables, sometimes the earth brings forth only briers and thorns.  They are not useful.  Farmers cut them down and burn them.  Then we find these words: “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”  (6:9.)

 

The Hebrew writer is saying that we have the right to expect that members will be fruitful in their lives as they grow and mature.  But some people do not mature.  They are not dependable.  They are like the soils that Jesus described in his parable.   Three soils did not bring forth the desired fruit: the wayside, thorny and rocky soils.  Only the good soil fulfilled the expectations of the farmer.  This means that there are some soils that you cannot depend upon.  They will not produce fruit.  They will not be co-operative.  They will produce briers and thorns.  We have the right to expect one another to not be like briers and thorns!  But some members are.  They are prickly and difficult to get along with.

 

To Be Present & Participate

 

Family members, in modern society, all go out during the day—to work or school.  But at the end of the day, we all come back home.  We expect each one to be present, to come home.  We would be surprised if one member just did not show up at the end of the day’s activities.  In my childhood, we did not go out to work; we worked together on a farm.  There were responsibilities that each family member was expected to fulfill.  We were expected to be present and to participate in the work.  So also with the church.

 

Some members seem to “members at large.”  In town councils, they have aldermen at large.  They do not represent any particular district; they are serving at large, for the good of the whole community.  Some members of the church must think that they are members at large; that is, they are just members of the larger body, but not any one particular local body.  These members just roam about from one place to another, from Sunday to Sunday.  One never knows where they are going to be next Sunday.  You cannot depend upon them.  They do not teach classes. They are aldermen at large.

 

We have the right to expect that you will be present if you are a teacher. The students and parents have the right to expect that of you.  If you are not going to be present and on time to begin your class, then you are failing your class and the church.  I think we must surely disappoint the Lord when we are indifferent and careless about our duties.

 

I think that we have the right to expect of one another to be present to support the various activities of the church—like Gospel Meetings, Vacation Bible School, Sunday evening worship and Wednesday Bible study.  The church would soon disappear from Hopewell if everyone attended like some do.  (Heb. 10:25.)

 

Purity of Life

 

The church has the right to expect of you, since the Lord does, that you live a life of purity.  Yes, we all sin and fall short.  But, growing spiritually means that you put away the desires of the flesh and the world.

 

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”  (1 Pet. 2:11.)  Paul wrote to the sin-laden Corinthian brethren: “Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”  (1 Cor. 6:9.)  “For you are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and spirit which are God’s.” 

(1 Cor. 6:20.)  Note the foundation upon which Paul beseeches them to live pure lives.  He reminded them that they are bought with a price, the death of Jesus Christ.

 

Churches are being destroyed and fail to be a light to the world because of the worldliness and fleshly desires of its members.  The shame is broadcast to the world on television.  Churches are filled with pedophiles, covetous people, fornicators, liars and adulterers.  Churches are often no different from the world.  We have the right to expect better things of one another here.

 

Conclusions

 

God as our Father will fulfill all that we have come to expect from Him.  The only real question is whether we will fulfill His expectations from us and our expectations of one another.  “I am persuaded better things of you; things that accompany salvation.”