READ | SERMON NOTES
SUMMARY l The Corinthian church was quarrelling amongst themselves and Paul stepped in and appealed to a community who was hurting and divided. He spoke with love to them and refused to shame them. The church was not divided over doctrine; the disagreements were personality and preference driven and rooted in pride.
The first group consisted of loyal believers of Paul, and they were exclusively attached to their mentor and became a barrier to unity. The second group was loyal to Apollos, and they were drawn to intellectual arguments and eloquent preaching. What is important for them were the sermons and Bible studies. They chose knowledge over love in action. The third group was loyal to Cephas (Peter), and they were traditionalists who hold authority and tradition in high regards. Peter represented the original apostolic tradition, and his followers were mostly Jewish Christians who leaned towards the Jewish customs and heritage. They preferred stability and “the way things have always been”. The last group claimed they were followers of Jesus, but they were spiritually arrogant. They rejected church authority, accountability and organisational structures. They believed they were only accountable to Jesus.
Therefore, Paul’s appeal is relevant to us. For us to enter this year of Sabbath-rest as a church, we need to walk in unity. Rick Warren wrote in Purpose Driven Life that “Unity is the soul of fellowship. Destroy it, and you rip the heart out of Christ’s Body. It is the essence, the core, of how God intends for us to experience life together in his church.” To achieve sabbath-rest as a church, we must intentionally grow in unity.
Belonging
This is our internal experience of unity in the community, feeling accepted. Belonging gives members, a sense of acceptance and commitment. This creates relationship security. Paul asked in v13 if Christ has been divided as the people’s sense of belonging has been misplaced over various people. Where do we find true belonging?
i. According to Jeremy Linneman, “Belonging is a core human need. Beyond food and shelter, nothing promotes human flourishing like having a people and a place… We long to belong. True belonging means being fully known and fully loved by God and one another”. Our deepest fulfilment is not from self-sufficiency but from being welcome into unconditional love and forming unbreakable bonds with the community. True belonging is cultivated when members feel that they have a place, a voice and a role, regardless of their background, culture or past. Belonging is more than being a member of Wesley, it happens in the moments when we choose to step in and participate. It may be unfamiliar or awkward at first, but our continued involvement is what roots us in community. Belonging becomes real when we show up, serve, listen and share life. These habits turn strangers into family.
ii. Belonging is strengthened through vulnerability and stories. David Kim explained, “Vulnerability isn’t safe, but it creates safety. I call it dangerously safe because vulnerability truly sets hearts free and offers belonging. As we come out of hiding through vulnerability, by fully opening ourselves – in wisdom, we experience freedom, healing and opportunity to be seen, known and loved in even deeper ways.” If you are hiding, then you fail to belong. How has your soul been? We do not need to hide our struggles to belong. True belonging is about facing the chaos together.
Harmony
This is the external expression of our unity, working together cohesively. Harmony enables effective, respectful cooperation despite differences. This creates cooperative environment and atmosphere that results in bond of peace that defines true unity.
Christian harmony is not about everyone singing the same musical note, it is our different voices tuned to Jesus Christ. Harmony shows up as a peaceful, constructive and loving life together. Sharing and serving the same purposes. Rick Warren also said, “It is your job to protect the unity of your church.”
i. Harmony requires mending what is torn. Paul urged the church in v10 to knit together in the same mind and the same purpose. Unity is not the absence of conflict but the willingness to repair what is broken through:
a. Courageous conversations with humility
b. Confession and forgiveness
c. Restoration over resentment
ii. Harmony is expressed through shared purpose. Unity grows when we move in the same direction, not when we stand in the same place:
a. Embrace each other’s God-given design. Each of us have our unique strength and weaknesses. We are all different, but we fit together as one.
b. Believe in God’s redemptive work among us. When conflict arises or when disappointment tempts us to be cynical, we must still believe that God is shaping something good amongst us.
How does unity look like in church?
The one shared purpose that all of us can do is Vision 2035–Wesley’s 10-year journey to be a Welcoming, Missional and Caring church in Singapore. All Wesleyans may impact our family and community.
Let us set aside time for family discipleship. Let us think and move with Spirit-led purposes.
(Sermon notes by Honey Vreugdewater)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Read Scripture: 1 Cor 1:10-17
a. What words or phrases feel especially strong or surprising to you?
b. How would you summarise Paul’s main message in your own words. - Recall Sermon
a. What part of the sermon stayed with you the most?
b. How did the ideas of harmony and belonging help you understand unity differently? - Relate Personally
a. When have you experienced genuine unity or harmony in a church community?
b. What makes belonging easy for you, and what makes it difficult?
c. What relationships or situations in church feel strained for you at this moment? - Commit to Action
a. What is one relationship you can take a step toward mending this week?
b. What is one habit you can adopt that cultivates belonging or harmony?
c. Prayerfully discuss and commit to a shared action that your group can do to grow in unity.
