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8/7/2019 Difference ODCF Christmas 2010
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I and my family and some friends
will be serving a dinner Saturday December 25th at 920
Dundas for anyone in our
church who will be alone on the
holiday. We will begin at 3 and
eat at 5. Please let us know if you would like to join us or help
by giving food or your presence
with us.
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DIFFERENCES IN THE
CHURCH
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Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is For brothersto dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
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It is like the precious oil
upon the head, Comingdown upon the beard,
{Even} Aaron's beard,Coming down upon the
edge of his robes.Psalm 133:2
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Now accept the one who
is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing
judgment on his opinions.Romans 14:1
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One person has faith that
he may eat all things, buthe who is weak eats
vegetables onlyRomans 14:2
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The one who eats is notto regard with contempt the
one who does not eat, and
the one who does not eat is
not to judge the one who
eats, for God has acceptedhim.
Romans 14:3
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Who are you to judge theservant of another? To his
own master he stands or
falls; and he will stand, for
the Lord is able to make him
stand.Romans 14:4
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One person regards one dayabove another, another
regards every day alike Each
person must be fully
convinced in his own mind.
Romans 14:5
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He who observes the day,observes it for the Lord, and
he who eats, does so for the
Lord, for he gives thanks to
God; and he who eats not,
for the Lord he does not eat,and gives thanks to God.
Romans 14:6
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For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for
himself; 8for if we live, we
live for the Lord, or if we die,
we die for the Lord;
therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
Romans 14:7-8
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For to this end Christ died andlived again, that He might
be Lord both of the dead and
of the living.
Romans 14:9
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But you, why do you judgeyour brother? Or you again,
why do you regard your
brother with contempt?For we will all stand before
the judgment seat of God.Romans 14:10
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For it is written,"AS I LIVE, SAYS THE
LORD, EVERY KNEE SH ALL BOW
TOME, AND EVERY TONGUE
SH ALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.³12
So then each one of us will give anaccount of himself to God.
Romans 14:11-12
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Therefore let us not judge oneanother anymore, but rather
determine this--not to put an
obstacle or a stumbling blockin a brother's way.
Romans 14:13
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I know and am convinced inthe Lord Jesus that nothing
is unclean in itself; but to him
who thinks anything to beunclean, to him it is unclean.
Romans 14:14
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For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no
longer walking according to
love Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ
died.Romans 14:15
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Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken
of as evil;
Romans 14:16
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for the kingdom of God is noteating and drinking, but
righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.Romans 14:17
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For he who in this way servesChrist is acceptable to God
and approved by men.
Romans 14:17
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So then we pursue the thingswhich make for peace and
the building up of one
another.Romans 14:18
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Now we who are strong oughtto bear the weaknesses
of those without strength and
not just please ourselves. 2
Each of us is to please his
neighbor for his good, to hisedification.
Romans 15:1-2
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One very important aspect
of a becoming a life givingchurch is how we deal
with differences betweenus.
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The way we deal with
differences not onlyrelates to the church it has
an impact in every area of life.
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Relationships in marriage,
parent / child, employer /
employee, friendships,
enemies will all blossomor die due to the way we
handle differences.
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Most relationships are in
turmoil or fail because of
the wrong response to
differences by either oneor both people.
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Yet difference is the very
foundation of our unity.
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For even as the body is oneand yet has many members,and all the members of the
body, though they are many,are one body, so also is
Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12
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For the body is not onemember, but many.1 Corinthians 12:14
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If the foot says, "B
ecauseI am not a hand, I am not
a part of the body," it is notfor this reason any the
less a part of the body.1 Corinthians 12:15
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A
nd if the ear says, "BecauseI am not an eye, I am not apart of the body," it is not for
this reason any the less apart of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:16
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If the whole body were aneye, where would the hearingbe? If the whole were
hearing, where would thesense of smell be?
1 Corinthians 12:17
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But now God has placed themembers, each one of them,in the body, just as He
desired.1 Corinthians 12:18
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so that there may be nodivision in the body, but that the members may have the
same care for one another.1 Corinthians 12:25
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We are created uniquely to
express a particular
aspect of God and to
function in a particular wayin the Body of Christ.
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These particular aspects
create huge differences
between us. And God
meant it to be so.
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The profound difference
between men and women
is such a wonderful
difference in the world. Yetit can be one of the worst
places of division whengrace to be different is not
given.
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The profound difference
between men and women
is such a wonderful
difference in the world. Yetit can be one of the worst
places of division whengrace to be different is not
given.
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Colossians 2:16
Therefore no one is to act
as your judge in regard to
food or drink or in respectto a festival or a new
moon or a Sabbath day --
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Today we want to talk about
differences in Preferences,Tradition, Convictions and
Biblical Absolutes as they
relate to the Unity of the
Church.
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And from the beginning Iwill say that the
message is not toalienate or discredit any
group within thechurch.
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As a church we havethose who believe
we should do some
things and those who
believe we shouldn¶t.
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Freedom in our response to
God is a primary value of scripture
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This is a great change from
the Old Testament wherealmost everything was
ruled by precept.
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We need to understand this
great difference or we maybring the rule orientation
of the Old Testament intoour present day practice.
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God desires that reborn
believers respond in loveto Him in freedom.
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It was for freedom that
Christ set us free;
therefore keep standing
firm and do not be subjectagain to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
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The freedom we are given
is not to sin but to love
God with everything in us
as a free gift. It is not tobring harm on others but
to love them as Jesus did.
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For you were called to
freedom, brethren; only do
not turn your freedom into
an opportunity for theflesh, but through love
serve one another.Galatians 5:13
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For the whole Law is
fulfilled in one word, in the
statement, "YOU SH ALL
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.³
Galatians 5:13
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But from the very start this
freedom was the source of
difficulty. The ones who
loved their freedom oftenturned it into a licence to
sin. The ones who hated itconstantly sought to bring
others into bondage.
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Both groups can be
extremely hurtful to each
other. It has always been
a difficulty for the churchto handle the differences
Jesus desires to be in hisbody.
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UNDER THE NEW COVEN ANT
SOME THINGS WHICH WEREONCE BIBLICAL ABSOLUTES
H AVE BEEN ABOLISHED OR
REDUCED TO THE AUTHORITY OF
PREFERENCE OR
TRADITION.
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FO
R EXAMPLESACRIFICING
ANIMALS FOR THE
ATONEMENT OF SIN
H AS BEEN
ABOLISHED.
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Hebrews 10:1
For the Law, since it has only ashadow of the good things to come
and not the very form of things, can
never, by the same sacrifices whichthey offer continually year by year,
make perfect those who draw near.
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The way we know anOld Testament
absolute has changedis when the New
Testament tells us ithas.
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Our church, like everychurch has certain
differences which havethe potential to lead us
to either a place of unity in love or division.
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So many things candivide a church.
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Differences in worshipstyles is a big one
today.
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Differences in themanifestations of the
Holy Spirit is another.
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When I was younger amajor divisive
movement camearound when the
rapture of the churchwould occur.
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Division has split thechurch from the earliest
days of her life.
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If we stand for the truthof God we will certainly
experience a godlydivision.
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Godly division comes aroundabsolutes He commands us
to do or not do. When these
are communicated in loveany division that comes is
inevitable and is not wrong.
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Most division has not beenaround God¶s righteousness
but around preferences,
traditions, uncertain theologyand personal convictions
sought to be enforced oneveryone.
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The only answer to thistendency is to follow what
God teaches us in His Word
about differences andfreedom in those things not
commanded as absolutes inscripture.
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One of these kinds of issues which we face
every year at this timeis our differences in the
celebration of holidays.
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Colossians 2:16
Therefore no one is to actas your judge in regard to
food or drink or in respectto a festival or a new
moon or a Sabbath day --
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This scripture tells us that, for Christians, the Jewish ritual
laws concerning eating
drinking and observances of specific holidays and
Sabbaths have beenabolished as absolutes.
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And the Bible tells uswhy they have been
abolished as
absolutes for
Christians:
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Colossians 2:17b
things which are a mereshadow of what is to come;
but the substancebelongs to Christ.
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TheO
ldT
estament lawsconcerning food, drink,
festivals, new moons or
sabbath days are nolonger binding on
Christians
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Because theywere given to
point to Jesus.
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They wereanalogies or
signs pointing to
the reality of Jesus.
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Now that the reality
has come there is noneed for the sign to
be an absolute.
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Saying this does
not mean theyare no longer
important.
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As absolutes they
were once pointing tothe future coming of
Jesus.
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Now that they are
fulfilled they serve toconfirm He is the one
they pointed to.
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Christians maycontinue to celebrate
them but not asmandated acts of
obedience.
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The Old Testament
commands that are not
restated in the New
Testament are not to
be held as convictions
or to be seen as
Biblical Absolutes.
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Whenever they havebeen re-elevated to
this status they havebrought great
confusion anddivision.
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Old Testament Holid ays:
1. Were signs (analogiess) to point to
Jesus.
2. Are now celebrated only to reveal how
they pointed to Jesus.
3. Are not required to be celebrated for
any reason.
4. Their merit is only in their making our
or other¶s experience of Jesus greater.
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Whether we celebrate
these festivals, whichwere once Biblically
mandated, or not we mustmaintain love with one
another.
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Romans 14:5
One person regards one dayabove another, another regards
every day alike Each person
must be fully convinced in hisown mind.
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Romans 14:6
He who observes the day, observes
it for the Lord, and he who eats,
does so for the Lord, for he gives
thanks to God; and he who eats
not, for the Lord he does not eat,
and gives thanks to God.
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One very powerful example of this
principle is the life of Eric Liddell. He
was passionately committed to keepingSunday as the Lord¶s Day. He refused
to do anything he considered work on
that day.H
e believed it was thesabbath. He held it as an absolute that
should be practiced by everyone.
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While even a casual investigation of when
the Sabbath actually was gives a clear
understanding it was Saturday and notSunday. Further the practice of the
Early Church was to rest with the rest of
their society on Saturday. Sunday was aworking day just like Monday. All early
Christians worked like everyone else on
that day.
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Eric¶s conviction regarding the
Sabbath was not biblicallycorrect or perhaps even
biblically mandated to be
observed even on Saturday.
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But his heart for God could not
be doubted.H
e loved God andhis life left a great testimony to
a generation many years after
he had died.
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I do not have to believe he was
correct in his observance tohighly honor his commitment
and zeal for God.
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BUT WH AT ABOUT
NON-BIBLICAL
HOLIDAYS?
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For our Congregation
The celebration of
Holidays like Christmas
and Easter would fall
under observing any
holiday in general.
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Unless something
about the holidayintrinsically violates a
Biblical Absolute
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The observance or
non-observance of itis a matter of
personal preference.
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And in these matters
freedom needs to begiven to Observe the
Day or Not Observe it
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without either
regarding the other with contempt or
judgment.
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Romans 14:3
The one who eats is not to
regard with contempt
the one who does not eat, andthe one who does not eat is not
to judge the one who eats, for
God has accepted him.
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CHRISTMAS AND
EASTER ARE NOT HOLIDAYS TH AT WERE
ONCE
BIB
LICALLYMANDATED.
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While some would reject
the celebration of anyHoliday most Christians
do partake in evensecular celebrations.
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Thanksgiving is a
celebration that hadChristian and native
spiritual roots.
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Much like
Christmas had
Christian andpagan roots.
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Yet most Christians would
have little problemcelebrating Thanksgiving
precisely because of the four
principles we outlined for biblical holidays and one
further point:
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While the secular
culture can make
it into a day toworship sports,
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Or to see how
much their
stomach canhold,
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And the people of its
animistic roots gavethanks to gods other
than ours,
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Thanksgiving
can be
celebrated in aChristian way.
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And for a Christian
to celebrate it
properly,
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It MUST be
celebrated in a
Christian Way.
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The blatant
secularism in it
must be purged.
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And the focus of
Thanksgiving
be to Jesus.
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But if one feels that to
celebrate it links them tothese secular or animistic
elements then they shouldbe able to abstain
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without fear of
judgment or regarding those who
do celebrate with
contempt.
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The celebration of
Christmas or Easter,
or any holiday ingeneral should be
seen in this sameway.
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Unless something
about the holidayintrinsically violates a
Biblical Absolute
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The observance or
non-observance of itis a matter of
personal preference.
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And in these matters
freedom needs to begiven to Observe the
Day or Not Observe it
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without either
regarding the other with contempt or
judgment.
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One answer about how
to deal with differenceis to honor intention.
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We can seek tounderstand the
intention of a personeven if we don¶t believe
the outcome is correct.
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We can always bless
and honor a right
intent.
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I once believed that if
intentions were rightthen actions would
be right.
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Then God began to
show me that thefoundation of right
action was rightintention.
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But something more
was needed for rightintentions to become
right actions
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WISDOM
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SO EVEN THE BEST
INTENTIONSWITHOUT WISDOM
CAN BE FAT AL
Th i t ti t l t t
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The intention to relate to a
culture as closely aspossible without moving
into sin gives us a basisfor bringing the message
of God into cross culturalsituations.
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1 Corinthians 9:19
For though I am free fromall men, I have made
myself a slave to all, so
that I may win more.
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1 Corinthians 9:20a
To the Jews I becameas a Jew, so that I
might win Jews;
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1 Corinthians 9:21b
to those who arewithout law, as
without law,
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1 Corinthians 9:21c
though not beingwithout the law of
God but under thelaw of Christ,
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1 Corinthians 9:21d
so that I might winthose who are
without law.
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1 Corinthians 9:22a
To the weak I becameweak, that I might
win the weak;
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1 Corinthians 9:22b
I have become allthings to all men, so
that I may by allmeans save some.
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THE FOCUS OF ALL
CELEBRATION FORCHRISTIANS IS
JESUS.
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Colosians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks through Him to
God the Father.
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OR TO LET
OTHERS
EXPERIENCEHIM.
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Colosians 2:17b
things which are a mereshadow of what is to come;
but the substance
belongs to Christ.
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1 Corinthians 10:23
All things are lawful, but notall things are profitable. All
things are lawful, but not
all things edify.
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1 Corinthians 10:24
Let no one seek hisown good, but that
of his neighbor.
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1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eator drink or whatever
you do, do all to theglory of God.
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1 Corinthians 10:32
Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks
or to the church of God;
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1 Corinthians 10:33
just as I also please all menin all things, not seeking
my own profit but the profit
of the many, so that they
may be saved.
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So the question of Celebrating
Christmas or Easter comes
down to this. Does celebrating it
or not celebrating it bring to me
or others make me closer toJesus or farther away from
Jesus?
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That question is very
personal and in our church we would like
it to remain so.
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Beyond the personal
question are somethoughts that will help
us to be able to havedifference in any area.
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In celebating or not
celebrating, am Ibeing faithful to my
own conscience?
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And in my faithfulness to
my own conscience amI giving others the
freedom to follow their conscience?
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without judging
them or regarding
them withcontempt?
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If I believe I am or am not to
celebrate Christmas am Imaking sure that the
message I am sending is
one of love for Him and notrejection of others?
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If I believe to celebrate or not
do I treat those of differingperspectives with honor,
questioning the wisdom of
actions rather than judgingmotives if they are not clear?
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If I believe to celebrate or not do I
treat those of differing
perspectives with grace, by not
using their conviction as a
means of defaming them or stirring up offense with others?
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Psalm 15:3
whose tongue utters no
slander,
who does no wrong to aneighbor,
and casts no slur onothers;
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If I believe to celebrate or not
in the conversations aboutmy convictions do I patiently
share to expose my heart
rather than strive to win theargument?
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2Tim 2:24 (KJS)
And the servant of the Lordmust not strive; but be
gentle unto all men, apt to
teach, patient,
The church that takes
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The church that takes
a narrow, and what I
consider non-biblicalstance on these
issues will becomeincreasingly divided.
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To allow freedom in those
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To allow freedom in those
things the Bible says to doso can be challenging but
it allows a church toremain committed to one
another in spite of differences.
Due to the preference of
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Due to the preference of
our pastor as a church wedo not celebrate
Christmas or Easter. Thisis a practice not an
identity.
It is a preference not an
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It is a preference not an
absolute.
Unless some one chooses
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Unless some one chooses
to make it so for themselves personally it is
never meant to be a basisof fellowship or to break
fellowship.
It is hard to allow freedom
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It is hard to allow freedom
when we are sure we areright about a practice that is
not biblically mandated. But
if we wish to become a life
giving, inclusive church we
must learn to do sogracefully.
To elevate the observance or
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To elevate the observance or
the non-observance of aholiday to the status of an
absolute and an identity of
the church is wrong.
The elevation of any observance,
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y ,
tradition, personal conviction or theology not clearly taught in
scripture to an absolute and to
an identity of a church willultimately make it more cultish
and it will have internal division
constantly.
To be a life giving Church we
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To be a life giving Church we
must allow freedom in allareas that are not biblical
absolutes and even in those
areas we need to minister
grace.
As we do so we will find a
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As we do so we will find a
sweetness that comes fromthe Spirit growing between
us. That Spirit of love is very
attractive to unbelievers and
validates the truth of our
relationship with Jesus.
"A new commandment I give
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A new commandment I give
to you, that you love oneanother, even as I have
loved you, that you also love
one another. 35 "By this all
men will know that you are
My disciples, if you have love