Introduction

I am continuing the theme of differences in the body of Christ. This is a continuation of the last communion message. I am simply unpacking that message, which I titled: "Remembering our One Lord." Unpacking further, I spoke on differences last week under the title: "Handling Differences as One Loaf." It is in the same vein today that I discuss our love for one another in the face of differences. This is based on John 13:34-35 (love …as I have loved you).

We should not be surprised with the fact of doctrinal differences within the body of Christ. After all, we are not clones of each other; we do not come out of membership classes like cars off an assembly line: each exactly the same as the other. In general, differences are a good thing. Life is full of variety. But as Christians, we have truth in an age of pluralism and relativism, where anything goes as long as you feel good about it. Christians have something to stand on, truth to live by, a faith for which to contend. In contending for the faith, we may get carried away, but we are to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. We do have something to fight for. This is an area where many of the thorns surface in the bed of roses. But it is still a bed of roses, with the beauty and sweetness that can only be given by our Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, our one Lord.

So let me use this analogy of the rose bush again. When are you most aware of the thorns? It is not just when you see them but when you feel them. Right? At that moment you might forget that these roses are the awesome creation of the Lord Jesus-when you have one of those thorns sticking in your finger.

In the body of Christ, we often inflict pain on one another, and we recoil from pain, don't we? It should never be premeditated and intentional, but sometimes it is premeditated and intentional. And very often it is more misunderstanding than meanness. Right there we must take stock and remember who we are, what we are doing, and why. We must forgive as we have been forgiven. And we must do this remembering our one Lord, and with Him remembering our one Father and our one Holy Spirit. Remember who created the roses and who it is that allows the thorns in their midst.

We must do this, not to become one, because we are one. Regardless of how many of us there may be: there is one loaf. We are one in Him (1 Cor. 10:17, read this verse with me. Question: again, does it say "we should be one body?"). It is a very important point of focus that, in all our differences, we come here and look earnestly at the one loaf, the Lord Jesus. He is not ashamed to call us brethren (Heb. 2:10-15; Rom. 8:29). He is Lord of the church, and He manifests His love for each of us according to our varying needs, in stages, and in process.

One could get discouraged with the fact of fault lines in the church across the centuries, around the globe, and in our little flock. Differences, disagreements, and polarizations are stressful and often divert us from our work in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). But differences are also a component in the process of fulfilling the great teaching commission to teach the gospel to all nations. We have to work through them in the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, we have to come to terms with this fact in such a way that we remember that He is our elder brother and friend. This makes us brothers and sisters and calls us to love one another as our brother and friend loves us. This brings us to the matter of love that is to prevail in the family of God despite differences. Remember the final words: love one another as I have loved you and by your love you show yourselves to be my disciples (Jn. 13:34-35). So we must inquire as to how we love as disciples of our loving Lord. How do we love as learners? The duty should be quite easy to identify. It is our duty to help each other learn His word in such a way that we show ourselves to be His disciples: we must learn, work at differences, accept the reality of differences, and show ourselves His learners, by our love for one another, right then and there, right here and now.

The real problem is not our differences. The real problem is how we handle our differences. The real test is a test of Christian virtue. Differences test our love in detail and over time. They cry out for the development of godly virtues. We must learn how to handle our differences as one loaf in Christ. We must learn how to show love in the face of differences. So, how do we love given the differences we have between us, despite them, in the face of them? I will start today with some brief review of our focus and our conduct.

1A. First, our focus in the face of differences

In brief review, our focus must be on the Lord Jesus, who makes us brothers and sisters because He is not ashamed of us. He is not ashamed to associate with us and to call us brethren. We must keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him (not the stormy waters about us) and then conduct ourselves as His disciples, that is, in a manner that reflects the fact that we belong to Him. We must always remember that He is the Creator of the rose bushes, and He allows us to be jabbed by the thorns now and again.

2A. Our conduct in the face of differences

A key biblical example of this is found in Acts 17:11. Question: what makes the openness so remarkable in this context that these Bereans would become a model of open-minded humility for the Christian centuries? Their openness is demonstrated in the face of radical differences.

This is simply saying that our goal is first and foremost to show ourselves discipleship learners of the Lord Jesus by how we deal with truth in relation to each other. We will not judge motives. We will not keep record of wrongs (by having a long list of things that we will not forgive).

We will argue of course. Recall the quote: "people quarrel when they do not know how to argue." Arguing is godly. It means to discuss, dialogue, try to learn definitions, get information, and find all the good we can. We will not quarrel. Look at the elaboration of quarrelling in 2 Timothy 2:25. In this text, there are three things to say about quarrelling: 1) it means to be unkind in thought, word or deed, 2) it means also to be unskilled, unlearned, and uninformed, but dogmatic and instructing others anyway. To avoid quarrelling, we must be skilled as workmen in the word, and 3) quarrelling means to be malicious, quarreling in our hearts with others, even if we are silent with our lips. As Jesus taught us, fulfilling the commands of God and the specific command of love is deeply a matter of heart and attitude.

We will go to the person in private and talk it out when we perceive some offence or sin (Matt. 18:15-17). But first we will carefully judge ourselves, for we know that will be judged with the same judgment we judge others (Matt. 7:1-5). We will deal with telephone poles in our own eyes before we deal with specks of sawdust in other people's eyes. It may take so long on our own eyes that we won't have time to meddle in the specks in other people's eyes. We will exercise the love that covers a multitude of sins before we address someone about their wrongs.

I want to apply this to our relationship as pastor and flock. Let me begin with the following question. What should you do if you have differences with the pastor? I can outline some general principles.

1) Pastors are to be respected. They should earn our respect and that takes time. But they should also have respect, due to the office they hold. It may be hard for you to think this way, but you should call me beautiful, that is, you should call my feet beautiful. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" (Rom. 10:15). Respecting the biblical "chain of command" is essential to doing all things decently and in order (and of course, without making pastors into mini-popes; they are not to lord it over the flock).

2) Regarding differences you many have with the pastor, remember the importance of the means of grace, of attendance to preaching and teaching. Regularity is critical to any diet or you will be "out of the loop" so to speak. It is interesting to me to note how it is that negatively critical people are often, not always but often, people who do not attend preaching and teaching of the word with any regularity. Being out of the loop is one way to guarantee misunderstanding fostered by a loss of context and continuity. It is not good for one's own spiritual health, it opens a door to many relational problems, and it puts a strain on the pastor and flock relationship.

3) Prayerful attending to the word, with a learners heart, is basic when you differ with the pastor. Attitude is 99% of the work. If you are looking to fault the preaching and teaching, then you will probably find some faults, and you will tend to miss the big picture. You will tend to miss the spirit and intent of the whole. Differences then become exaggerated. The learner's heart is a great preventative here.

4) You have work to do as a listener, especially when differences emerge. This is a way that you respect pastoral leadership. It is a labor in the word for you, as it is a labor for the pastor. It is work with a capital L. Many of you have mentioned that you get lost at times in the concepts and terms that I use, but you have "hung in there" with a determination to learn. One member told me that she attended my Sunday Bible Study for well over six weeks and could not make "heads or tails" of it. But she kept coming and things began to click. Jesus talked about being determined people who seize the kingdom as a prize (Matt. 11:12). Determination to know and live by kingdom truth is a mark of a Christian.

5) There is a due submission called for that should season our attitudes toward the preaching, teaching, and nurturing, especially in the face of differences. How does due submission look in a practical way? This could be a touchy matter for the pastor to discuss. But do you know what this is like? It is like parents explaining the 5^th commandment to their children. In the family of God, a pastor is like a mother who travails but endures for the hope of birth and growth. Listen to Paul as he shows us what we should be as pastor and flock in 1 Thessalonians. In chapter 2, note the sense of calling from God, along with the motherly and fatherly care that is to flow from the pastors heart (2:1-13). In chapter three, he records his prayer for the advance of the flock in love and godliness (3:11-13; with 4:9-10). Love will build up (5:11). Central in that context of building is the ministry of the word (5:12-13).

6) But what is the best way to work on differences with your teacher, any teacher, and thus, here with the pastor-teacher? Acknowledge his call from God and his appointment by the Holy Spirit (this sets a tone), go to him with questions, and maintain a willingness to learn (the questions you have cause the pastor to stretch and grow; and his answers should have the same effect on you, even if all the details are not immediately ironed out). You have to think about these things as we look ahead to December 12. Do you believe that I am called by God and appointed by the Holy Spirit to this office? Do you come to me with questions? Are you willing to learn from me (Recall our mutual covenant when I came to be your pastor. I said, "I am willing to come and teach you, if you are willing to learn from me.").

Jesus said He would build His church. He established the means of preachers and ministers (Eph. 4:11). Thus, submitting to them is a matter of submission to Him. There is a spirit, a tone, and an attitude presented in these verses on submission, and at the center is the feeding and nurturing the flock of God so that the flock may do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12; Heb. 13:7-8; 17). Remember, all members are ministers (all disciples are servants).

Conclusion

What a joy to go to the hospital and hear Martha say, "The Lord knew (cared) that I needed you, pastor, to come and help me eat today." For me this symbolizes my ministry: I am here to help you eat of all the nourishing foods supplied by the Spirit for the people of God. I am to keep you eating a good diet of the whole counsel of God and of all that is needful for you (Acts 20:20, 24, 27). I must do this by Pete and Re-Pete (2 Pet. 1:10-15).