Excelling in Engagement (Romans 15:14) | Excel Still More (Part 3)

Transcript

JRS 71
8/17/1925
Excelling in Engagement – Excell Still More
Romans 15:14
Jesse Randolph

In 1979 a booklet was produced by Indian Hills Press . . . right here in our print shop, in the basement. On its front cover, it read “Report to the Congregation of Indian Hills Community Church.” The cover of this booklet is a tasteful blue baby, with a groovy, almost-indecipherable font. You can sort of make out the letters “IHCC” in that classic 70’s style. Inside the booklet is a fascinating snapshot of the church at that time. The “Report” begins with this 10-year look-back at that point on how the Lord was blessing the work of the ministry since the arrival of Pastor Gil Rugh. Then what followed was a copy of the church’s statement of faith. Following the statement of faith, was a personal note from Pastor Gil, complete with an inserted black and white photo where Gil is sitting in a chair in a three-piece suit. An open Bible on his lap, and not a gray hair in that lush 70’s style mane of his. After that come the staff photos and the staff bios. There’s Gil, who had the title at that time of Pastor of Preaching Ministries. Then there’s Don Goertzen, Pastor of Administration. Then there’s Larry Riekenberg, Pastor of Evangelism and then several others, including a man who held the title of Pastor of Personal Ministries.

As of 1979, here are some of the descriptions that were offered of that pastor’s ministry, the Pastor of Personal Ministries – both what he had accomplished in the year prior and what he intended to do in the year that followed.
This is from that pamphlet, it says:
“Three group premarital sessions were conducted with four engaged couples in September 1978. Individual couple sessions were held with these couples before or after the group sessions . . .”
And then there’s this:
“Three additional women counselors were trained to counsel other women.”
And then this:
“Further training is presently taking place through the Training Center course, “Basic Principles of Biblical Counseling,” in which twenty-six students are enrolled.”
And then this:
“During the winter and spring quarters of 1980 an advanced counseling course will be taught in the Training Center, the course, entitled “Training Christians to Counsel,” will be open only to students who have completed the basic course requirements and display good potential as Biblical counselors.”
And then last, there’s this:
“The counselor training program may lead to forming a Counseling Center to coordinate the official counseling done through IHCC.”

Now, who here has been to the “IHCC Counseling Center”? Right. None of us. Because it doesn’t exist. It never quite got off the ground. Now, this would not be the place for me to give all of the details, but I can give some high-level details here. What I can share is that after the issuance of this report, later in the 1980’s, this church was quite large. The Indian Hills counseling ministry started to go in a direction that was inconsistent with the Bible’s teachings about its own sufficiency and authority. And what happened, and again, I’m speaking at an intentionally high-level here; is that resources and publications were starting to be introduced and taught in some of the classes that were being offered here at Indian Hills. These resources were mixing together secular psychological wisdom with true Biblical wisdom. Known as the “integrated” approach to Christian counseling.

Gil and the other Elders at the time, they made the right call. They put a stop to it. There would be no more teachings or books or classes here which mixed psychology with the Bible. Well, that didn’t make everyone in the church happy at that time. There were people here, who were sitting in those classes who liked what was being taught. There were people here who liked those who were teaching what was being taught. When the kibosh was put on psychology being taught anywhere at Indian Hills many, including that Pastor of Personal Ministries, left.

Now, whenever there is any form of upheaval in any church. Whether it’s a departure of a small group of individuals or a mass exodus or an all-out church split. It leaves wounds and it leaves scars, and it does so on both sides of that equation. You know, surely those who leave, in this case, those who were in favor of that integrated, psychology-infused form of counseling here in the church; they wear various wounds and battle scars, as they leave. But when they leave, they go off to different churches and then when they arrive at their new church, they naturally link up with familiar faces from their previous church. Where they find themselves unified is the topic of how they disagree with their former church. But then there are those who stay in those circumstances and for those who stay, following a departure, there are also scars and there are also wounds.

There’s an initial sense of sadness and disappointment when people leave. You know, “It’s too bad so-and-so is no longer here.” “I can’t believe that so-and-so left.” “It sure seems like so-and-so could have made this work out.” Then, along with the sadness and the disappointment, there can come a doubling down on convictions, “Well, so-and-so left because of psychology.” “And psychology is dangerous.” “We don’t like psychology, and we don’t need psychology.” “So, it’s probably better that they left.”
And then, for those who stay . . . there’s the possibility of not only doubling down of convictions, in this case about psychology. But there can also be an over-correction . . . where things are said like: “Because those folks left over psychology.” “And because this psychology issue arose in the counseling ministry.” “Then by definition, all counseling must be wrong – or we at least need to be very suspicious of all forms of counseling.”

That is essentially what happened in our church. And when we eliminated not only psychology, but counseling. And eliminated not only psychology, but a lot of forms of official Biblical counseling as an official counseling ministry in this church, some 40 years ago. If you talk with anyone whose been here for 10 or 15 or more years, they know what you’re talking about, when you mention “the psychology issue”. If you ask somebody here if we have a formal counseling ministry like many Bible churches in our orbit do today . . . the answer will be no. And there will be a connection drawn, inevitably, to “the psychology issue.”

Now, without question, the “psychology” issue was a real issue in it’s day. Psychology was rightly purged from this church by that team of church leaders at that time. Positively speaking, it was during that time that our church really doubled down on our commitment to the public proclamation of the Word in a variety of different settings. From the pulpit on Sunday morning and evening. To Sunday schools, to Home Bible Studies, to Titus Tuesday, and later, the Alpha/Omega ministry. There has never been any shortage of outlets here where the Word of God is proclaimed. For decades now, the Bible has been faithfully taught here in several different venues several times a week and that’s a big praise. But at the same time, as I study the history of our church and as I survey the landscape of what our church is all about today, and what we’re doing today. As I talk with different Elders and Deacons and members of this body. I can’t help but conclude that over the long-range and looking back into our history there might have been an over-correction of sorts, in rooting out that “psychology issue.”

Here’s what I mean. Picture a surgeon. A surgeon who spots a cancerous growth on their patient’s leg and concerned with what they see in that cancerous growth on that patient’s leg. During the procedure and the urgency to get all of the cancer out, they also remove some of the surrounding bones and tendons and tissue and the like. And now that patient, though he is cancer free, is walking with a pronounced limp. That is, I think, a fairly apt summary of what is going on in our church now. The cancer of psychology was rightly removed but along with it a lot of helpful muscle and bone was removed too and taken out in the process.

I’m not referring merely to the fact that we don’t have a formal counseling ministry here at Indian Hills anymore. But what I am saying is that we have an underdeveloped and behind-the-curve approach to how we personally minister the Word to one another. We have a strong pulpit. We are churning out Bible content, sound Bible content all the time. We have innumerable Bible classes and lessons offered all over this place. But what we do not have, is a strong emphasis on individual followers of Christ in this church. Sitting with one another, face to face, getting real with each other, challenging each other, and sharpening each other in real conversations centered on what the Word is doing in our lives. I’m going to say this, this has had a negative impact on our church’s culture.

Now, you might say: “Church culture?” “What are you talking about?” “Everything seems to be just fine.” “We have preaching.” “We have programs.” “We even have potluck today.” “What more could you want?” “There’s no church culture issue here at Indian Hills.” Now, I’ve no doubt here that there are those of you here this morning who have very innocent and well-intentioned thoughts like that. Maybe you’re even looking at me with a sense of disbelief and anger as you think to yourself: “Who is he to say, who are we after three years in the post?” And you’re already thinking to yourself: “Which Elder am I going to go talk to to call for his head?”

But there are others of you who know exactly what I mean. You know exactly what I’m talking about. In my three-plus years in this role, I can share with you that there have been dozens of individuals who have come to me to describe and ask for help with what they call the “cultural issue” here in our church. The common thread that runs through each of those conversations is that we are a mature church, Biblically; but we are an immature church, relationally. We are very good at showing up on time and sitting in our assigned seat to hear another sermon. To hear another lesson,to hear another teaching. But we aren’t very good at sitting with someone and listening to them as they share with us their very real struggles. We aren’t very good at opening up about our own struggles, and our own doubts, and our own insecurities.

Let me share with you, anonymously, of course, a few of those individual’s stories who have come to me for counsel. There was one conversation I had with a woman and her husband. Both are in their 40’s. They’ve attended this church for many years now. And they have shared with me that they are afraid to open up here about the real sin struggles that they have experienced. Because if they were to share anything, they would dismissively be told that they just need to stop sinning. In other words, they truly wouldn’t be ministered to. Instead, they would be shut down. This couple has also identified veneer of perfectionism that they perceive in this church, where people don’t really open up with each other about how they’re really doing. Or the struggles they’re really having. Because if they did so, their salvation would be called into question and there’s no way a true believer could ever struggle with that. This same couple also expressed concerns over a lack of compassion, a lack of empathy in this church. One which caused them to hesitate in sharing their own marital or personal struggles . . . because what they fear they would receive is not an embrace, and not an understanding . . . and not a listening ear, but instead, what they’d get is an already memorized Bible verse served on a very cold dish.

Then there’s a young man in our church who recently asked for an appointment to meet with me. Also raised in our church. This man is not a newcomer; he’s been here literally his whole life. What he expressed to me is that though he has tried, and he really has tried, to get close to people here. By intentionally forging relationships with others, by putting that initial foot forward, by inviting people into his life. He’s repeatedly received the sanctified stiff arm, and it just hasn’t worked. As a way to illustrate how great this struggle has been for him in finding relationships and friendships and community in this church. He’s made a point of sharing with me that he has found stronger communal ties in totally secular settings. Where he can go deeper with people there and “be real” with people there, than he could be in this church that he calls home. These aren’t things I fished out of him; these are things he poured out to me and he knows that this is not ok. He knows that it’s not ok to have a tighter group of friends in a recreational softball league or on a message board than here in the church. This young man is struggling to make it work. He’s trying to stay.

I’ll mention this last one. This is a man who was not raised in our church, but who has been in our church for several years. This man loves the Lord. He loves the Word. He loves our church. But he as shared with me more that once, that there appears to be some confusion in our church about learning more about the Word and actually loving and becoming more like Jesus. As though the former always leads to the latter. This man has also had difficulty forging impactful relationships in this church. Ones where real questions are being asked of each other. Real burdens are being shared with each other, and real exhortations are being given to one another. This man has prayerfully and entirely graciously appealed to me out of his love for this church and out of his love for Christ to do whatever we can do, as a church, be better. This man believes that we can be better.

I do, too. Yes, we are opposed to psychology ever again gaining a foothold here in this church. That cancer was rightly removed back in the days of Full House and big hair and Husker glory. That was a good thing. But we need to strengthen some of the muscles and the bones which atrophied when that cancer was taken out.

We can’t be that church which takes this book and learns it and absorbs it and teaches it and preaches it but ultimately hides behind it.

We can’t be that church which is eager to debate various nuances in the Word . . . but not be that church that is open to talking with one another about who we really are . . . and what we really need . . . and what we’re really struggling with.

We can’t be that church that knows the Word like the back of our hands . . . but we don’t really, and I mean, really know each other.

We can’t be that church which has become so theologically deep, and perhaps even pridefully deep . . . that we’ve become relationally calloused . . . relationally stunted.

We can’t be that church where a whole lot of Bible is learned . . . but there’s not a whole lot of Bible being lived out in true deep meaningful relationships in community and fellowship with one another.

Turn with me in your Bibles, please, to Romans 15. We were also in Romans 15 last Sunday. That’s just coincidental or is . . . my friend Mario would say, that’s providential that we’re in Romans 15 again. Our text for today, though is Romans 15:14. We’ll be jumping all around. But we’re going to launch from Romans 15:14 – God’s Word reads:

“But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge and being able also to admonish one another.”

That’s it. If you’ve been with us the last two Sundays, you know that we’re in this Excel Still More series, this is week three of six.

In week one we looked at Excelling in Exaltation. We looked at those three words in II Timothy 2:8 – that must make sure we “remember Jesus Christ.” In that message, we saw that everything that we do as a church everything that we do as a group of believers who have been sovereignly stitched together by God as a church family; everything must be centered in our identity in Jesus Christ. Because we’re so prone to forget that basic truth of our ultimate identity in Him. We need to be diligent to consciously “remember Jesus Christ.” To remember who He is in His Person. What He came to do in dying for us and rising for us and what He will one day do in the future in returning for us . . . “remember Jesus Christ.”

Then last week, we had a sermon titled Excelling in Embracing. We went to Romans 15:7. There, we saw that we are to: “. . . accept . . .” “welcome” “. . . one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” In that sermon, I challenged us with some hard realities and some true stories about folks who haven’t felt welcomed here in our church. Folks who chose to leave and find another church to attend. Another church where, even where its doctrine might be less established or solid as ours; they at least felt welcomed there.

This week, the title of the message is Excelling in Engagement. As I’m sure you picked up on by now, I will need to say some hard things in this message and that’s ok, it’s a big part of the job, saying hard things. The hard thing our church needs to hear this morning is that, though we are anti-psychology and though we don’t have anymore, a “formal” counseling ministry, we still need to be better about counseling one another with the Word, on an individual level. More broadly speaking, we need to be better at connecting with each other. Getting to know each other and getting into each other’s lives more deeply and intimately. And I’ll say it . . . we need to be better at truly loving each other.

As we turn back to our passage, Romans 15:14. Again, let’s consider some of the background in this text. In the paragraphs leading up to our passage. Paul has laid out these eleven masterful chapters of Christian doctrine. Followed by these three-pointed chapters about Christian living. In chapters one through eleven; Paul, moved by the Spirit, has covered everything from:

The wrath of God we once faced in our pre-salvation condition. We were once, as it says in Romans1:30 – “slanderers, haters of God, violent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.”

Paul has also gone over the glorious truth that, we who once stood in opposition to God have now been “Justified by faith” – Romans 5:1, and as a result, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He’s gone over the fact, Romans 6:8 - that we have died with Christ, and as a result “we shall also live with Him.”

He’s gone over the fact, Romans 8:11- that we now have God’s Spirit living in us “. . . the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.”

He’s also stretched out that golden chain of salvation, culminating in future glory, in Romans 8:30 – “. . . those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Then come the practical application chapters. Romans 12, 13, and 14 where Paul highlights that who we are in Christ ought to shape the very type of people we need to be.
Romans 12:1 – we’re to “present your bodies as a sacrifice – living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Romans 13:14 – “. . . put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the flesh.”
Romans 14:1 – “accept the one who is weak in faith.”
Romans 14:19 – “. . . let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

Then, with all of that background in view. Paul says this to his Roman Christian audience, our passage, Romans 15:14 – “But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge and being able to admonish one another.”

Now, we are not going do a real in-depth study of this text here this morning, like we do typically on a Sunday morning. But I do want to make a few brief observations:

First here, note how Paul refers to his audience as “my brothers.” “But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers.” Paul’s letter to the Romans was addressed to fellow followers of Christ. And though he was challenging them, certainly in this letter . . . for lacking in certain areas; they were still “brothers.” They were brothers in Christ. They were Christians. Note how, of these “brothers” Paul says, “I am also myself convinced about you.” There was something about them that he knew. He knew it so clearly and intimately, that he could say he was “convinced” of it.

What was it he was “convinced” of? He says, he was convinced of their “goodness.” We’ve seen in our study in the Summer in the Systematics series on Sunday nights. In fact, last Sunday night, that goodness is one of the “fruit of the Spirit” of Galatians 5:22-23. Goodness is what the Spirit of God produces in a child of God, as he conforms them into the image of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” So, this was an abiding group of believers to whom Paul was writing here in Romans 15. They were demonstrating “goodness.” They were walking by the Spirit. Paul was “convinced” of this, of these spiritual “brothers” of his there in Rome.

Then, note where Paul derived his confidence in them. It was, still in verse 14, because they had been “filled with all knowledge” and, it says, they were “able to admonish one another.” In other words, the “goodness” that Paul perceived in these believers there in Rome, rested on these twin pillars.

Pillar number one was that they had been “filled with all knowledge.” Now, Paul here isn’t saying that in the ultimate sense, the absolute sense. He’s not saying that the believers in Rome were omniscient. Only God is that. Rather, what he’s saying here is that the believers in Rome had a deep understanding of the full range of Christian truth. They were Biblically literate, like our church is Biblically literate. They were theologically deep, like our church is theologically deep. They knew the Scriptures, like our church knows the Scriptures. They were “filled with all knowledge” in the sense that they had all the right answers to all the right theological questions. They would have aced any Bible quiz. They would have been at the head of their class in a Sunday school context.

That’s not all that Paul’s audience in Rome was. That’s not all that made them “good.” No. There’s this second pillar on which their “goodness” rested. Which is what you see there in verse 14, that they were “able to admonish one another.” And that’s where we’re going to turn our focus now. To what it means, as believers, made up of the same body “. . . to admonish one another.”

Now, some of you might be thinking; “Great!” “The pastor is going to tell me how I can admonish someone else.” “I’m great at telling people what to do, I can’t wait for this part of the sermon.” “My spiritual gift is telling people when they’re wrong.” “So, sign me up!” Well, hold your horses. The word for “admonish”, there in Greek, is noutheteo. It shows up in a few other places in the New Testament and it doesn’t always have that really sharp sense that our English word “admonish” would suggest. For instance, in Colossians 1:28, we read: “Him we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Or Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.” I Thessalonians 5:14 – “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

Well, we can gather from these many different contexts and settings in which that verb, noutheteo, is used, is that the word has a wide range of meaning. In some cases, it’s rightly translated, as we see here in Romans 15:14 – “admonish.” The word can fairly also be translated “warn” or “instruct” or even “counsel.” As believers, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to “admonish” to “warn” to “instruct” to “counsel” one another.

You know, believe it or not, when we leave here on a Sunday morning, or on a Sunday evening. When we leave this church on any given Sunday, and we head home and head off to wherever life is going to take us, for the rest of the week, believe it or not, not all of our problems, as believers, simply go away. You know, we gather, we assemble for worship, but there’s still stuff out there waiting for us, right? Sunday turns into Monday . . . Monday turns into Tuesday. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6, that each day “has trouble of its own.” As we leave here on a Sunday . . . our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we have been bonded together as a body here in this church, like us . . . are going to face some of the same issues. Our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, as they leave this place on a Sunday, they are like us, going to experience afflictions this week. And hardships this week. And difficulties this week. And temptations even to sin this week. And then there will be others who are going to face very basic questions in this body, about what to do in certain situations and scenarios that land in their laps this week. You know that man in your Bible study group might express some anxiety that he’s been feeling about the job situation and how he’s going to keep a roof over his family’s head. The woman you met at Titus Tuesday might share something of this period of spiritual darkness, which she describes as “depression” that she’s been going through.

When those situations come your way. When you hear about situations like that, what are you going to do? What will you say? Will you tell them to call a pastor or call an elder and let them handle it? I hope not. I mean, some situations rise to that level. But remember that pastors and elders have equipped you to do the work of the ministry. That includes the ministry of the Word to one another.

Should you dispense psychological “wisdom” to those who come to you with their problems here at church or later in the week? Should you give them certain principles of “Christian psychology” to hang on to? Absolutely not. Gil and the other Elders fought those battles back in the 80’s . . . and that worldly wisdom does not belong in this church, or in the hearts of believers in this church.

Should you tell that person who is going through a phase of experiencing anxious thoughts or downcast thoughts that they should “just stop sinning.” Or that maybe they’re not believers, that they are expressing some form of anxiety? No.

As believers, we’re called to actually minister to each other. To actually minister to one another through the Word. Counseling one another, admonishing one another, instructing one another with an open Bible, through the Scriptures. In terms of process, what that looks like is actually taking the time to sit with our brother and sister in Christ. Initially doing what Job’s counselors did and just sit with them. Make the time for them, before we open up our mouth and start making a mess of it with all kinds of wrong theological presuppositions, like Job’s counselors did. So, it starts just by sitting with them. Then it moves into listening to your brother or sister in Christ as they share whatever sin struggle or other issue it is that they’re experiencing.

Then it means filtering, for our brother and sister in Christ, whatever they’ve expressed to us, through a Biblical grid. As we’re thinking through, ok, what does the Word say about this situation for them? Now, that, of course, presumes that you know the Word, because you’ve been in the Word, and you yourself are a student of the Word. Then that means, offering, eventually, a fit Word for your brother or sister in Christ, a choice Word, a Biblical Word, to help them understand what God’s wisdom is in this situation, from the Scriptures. That’s when you get to that place of Proverbs 25:11 - “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.”

This means, though, being committed to having hard conversations here, or with others in this body. This means being willing to have prolonged conversations with members of this body. This means being willing to have Biblically informed conversations with people you are invested in, in this body because, fundamentally, you love them.

For instance, if you learn of a brother in this body, a man in this body who has expressed to you, or you’ve learned that he’s developing some sort of inappropriate relationship with a woman in his workplace. You certainly don’t look the other way. You certainly don’t affirm what he’s doing. But also, you don’t dispense to him worldly, secular language or wisdom, or even worldly secular terms like – warning him about an “affair”, or a “fling”, or that sort of thing. No. You take him to the Word, and you express to him how serious the sin of adultery is. You take him to Proverbs 5 and Proverbs 7. You take him to the Gospels, where Jesus issues all sorts of warnings about that particular sin.

If you learn of a young lady in our church, that is developing form of bodily dysmorphia, where she thinks she’s overweight, though she’s not. Or that she’s in the wrong body, though she clearly is in the right body. You’re taking her, after spending time with her and listening to her, to passages that describe God’s perfect plan and design for her in creating her just the way He did. I Corinthians 6:19 – “Or do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.” With that young woman, you’re pointing to the possibility of pride or the possibility of self-focus that goes into obsessing with the externals, as opposed to focusing on who you are in Christ.

Now, flowing from those conversations, of course, will be uncompromising Biblical clarity. Stemming from a confidence in God, and a confidence in what He’s revealed in the Word. But conversations like that must be in a spirit of love. Simply put, that’s Ephesians 4:15, we are to be “speaking the truth in love.” So, as we approach brothers and sisters in Christ, in this body we’re being careful to inspect our own eyes for logs before we call out the speck in theirs. We’re being careful to approach those conversations with this attitude of intentionally demonstrating the “fruit of the Spirit” to our fellow believers in Christ, in this body.

But it takes investment. That’s all tied into that word “admonish” – noutheteo, in Romans 15:14. It doesn’t mean to cut down. It doesn’t mean to browbeat. It doesn’t mean to cold shoulder. It doesn’t mean to shame. It means to warn. It means to instruct. It means to exhort. It means to counsel. Now note the last two words of that verse – Romans 15:14 still . . . we are to be admonishing . . . warning . . . instructing or counseling – and then the last two words there – “One another.”

We’re going to occupy the remainder of our time here this morning with those two words. A focus on those two words – “one another.” On one level those are very simple words, are they not? They are very basic words, “one another.” But they are two really big words. They are two words of enormous significance. Not just for this morning’s sermon, but for all of life in the body of Christ. For all that we do, as members of this church as members of one another. So, though just looked at that word – noutheteo, and how it supports the idea of counseling one another through the Word . . . as members of one another. The larger question that is for us on the table here this morning; the bigger elephant in the room that we need to address is. How are we doing as a church with these “one anothers”?

You know, there are 59 “one another” statements in the New Testament. That ought to be like a massive alarm bell going off for us. Those are like runway lights pointing to the design for believers in the context of a local church; 59 references to “one another” throughout the New Testament.
I won’t give you all 59, but I’ll give you some.

Jesus told His disciples in Mark 9:50 – to “be at peace with one another.”
Then He told His followers, in John 13:34 – to “love one another.”
And then from those commands, flow the commands to the churches in the various epistles.
In Romans 12:10 - we’re told that we need to be “. . . devoted to one another.”
In that same verse, we’re told that we need to be “. . . giving preference to one another.”
In Romans 12:16 - we’re told that we’re to be “. . . of the same mind toward one another.”
In Romans 14:13 - we’re told that we’re not to “. . . judge one another anymore.”
And as we saw last Sunday, we’re called to “. . . accept [or welcome] one another.”
In I Corinthians 12:25 - we’re told to “. . . care for one another.”
In Galatians 5:13 -we’re told that “. . . through love serve one another.”
In Galatians 6:2 - we’re called to “. . . bear one another’s burdens.”
In Ephesians 4:32 - we’re told that we are to be “. . . kind to one another.”
In Ephesians 4:32 - we’re also called to be “. . . forgiving toward each other.”
In Ephesians 5:21 - we’re told that we need to be “. . . subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
In Philippians 2:3 - we’re told that we’re to be “. . . regarding one another as more important than yourselves.”
In Colossians 3:16 - we’re told we’re to be “. . . teaching . . . one another.”
In I Thessalonians 3:12 - we’re told that we are to “. . . increase and abound in love for one another.”
In I Thessalonians 5:11 - we’re told to “. . . comfort one another and build up one another.”
In Hebrews 10:24 - we’re told to “. . . stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”
In James 5:16 - we’re told to “. . . confess [our] sins to one another.”
And then in I Peter 5:5 - scriptures reading, we’re told we’re to ‘. . . clothe [ourselves] with humility toward one another.”

Note, these aren’t suggestions on the pages of Scripture. These are commands. Now, I need to put the question before you, and before us, as a church. How would we say we’re doing with these “one another” commands? Are we a devoted, unified, peaceable, non-judgmental, kind, caring, humble, welcoming, forgiving, forbearing, comforting, building up, burden-bearing, stimulating, confessing, kind of church?

I have no doubt that there are ways in which individual members of this body get it. If I’m talking to you, be encouraged. I have no doubt that there are some in this room who are earnestly striving to and praying that they would be able to more effectively practice the “one anothers” toward other members of this church. I know, firsthand, that this happens with some of you. But remember this sermon series is titled “Excel Still More.” It’s intended to be self-evaluative, to see what could be done better. How we can grow. How we can Excel Still More” as Paul says in I Thessalonians 4:10. Well, one way to extract the relevant data for us to think about, is to pose some questions to you.

Here' one: When was the last time you confessed your sin to a fellow brother or sister in Christ in this church? When was the last time you approached a fellow believer here and said to them: “You know, I was embittered toward you.” “I was angry toward you.” “I was unloving toward you.” “I was unkind toward you.” “I was impatient with you.” “Will you please forgive me?”

When was the last time you put out a prayer request that wasn’t about physical healing, or a doctor’s appointment, or travel plans, or a job interview but instead, was about some deep spiritual need? “Please pray for me this week: “I’m feeling down.” “Pleas pray for me this week, I’m feeling blue.” “I’m despairing.” “Please pray for me this week: “I’m heartbroken.” “I’m anxious.” “I’m worried.” “Please pray for me this week: “I know I need to love my wife more sacrificially, and I’m failing.” “Please pray for me this week: “I know I need to train my children more intentionally, and I’m not doing it.” “Please pray for me this week: “I know I need to stop looking at pornography.” “Please pray for me this week: “I know I need to stop spending recklessly.” “Please pray for me this week: “I know I’m dealing with outbursts of anger.” “I’m having a hard time suppressing that critical spirit.” “I’m struggling to find joy in the Lord.” “Please pray for me this week: “I really don’t know if I love Jesus like I used to.” “I don’t know if I love Christ the way that others think I love Him.” “I don’t know that I’m just playing church.”

Here's another question. Who here in this church really knows you? Not your spouse. Not your children. Not your grandparents. But, who here in this church, aside from that sphere, really knows you? Who in this body truly knows you? Who here in this church have you shared, not only your deepest theological questions with, but your deepest struggles and worries with? Who here knows that you’ve struggled from time to time, with assurance? Who here knows about that significant spiritual valley that you walked through a few years ago? Who here knows what it’s like to go through life’s joys with you? Who here would it be natural for you to receive a call from them at 11:30 on a Wednesday night, just to process something they’re really struggling with? Who would come to bat for you, and rush to your aid when you’re being questioned. Or when are you being accused? Who’s going to proudly serve as one of your pallbearers one day? Not out of duty, or not because they have just enough strength left in one of those shoulders, that because of their genuine brotherly love for you.

Another one. If someone were to ask you the question: “How are you doing?” How would you answer that question? Would you answer that question thoroughly? Would you answer that question truthfully? If not, why not? Is it out of fear of perception? Is it out of fear of the expectation of perfection around here? Is it a fear that if you open with someone else, in this church, about the struggles you’re facing, your salvation will be questioned, or you devotion to Jesus Christ will be questioned?

What if someone in this church came to you and confessed some sort of sin struggle to you, that they’re working through? What are you going to say to them? “I’ll pray for you?” “Stop it.” “Are you sure you’re saved?”
If that was your approach. If that were your approach to a fellow member of the body here. I just have to ask the question. Is that how you would approach your spouse? If he or she had a sin struggle, would you really say to them, “Just stop it.” “Call an Elder” “Are you sure you’re saved?”
Or do you really work with them out of love, to minister toward them and work them through whatever it is they’re struggling with as you seek to help them grow in their affections for Jesus Christ?

So, I’ve put the question again, before you and before us as a church. Are we: devoted, unified, peaceable, non-judgmental, kind, caring, humble, welcoming, forgiving, forbearing, comforting, building up, burden-bearing, stimulating, confessing, kind of church? I don’t think there’s any question that we have a lot of room to grow. I don’t think there’s any question that we have many areas like this, where we can “Excel Still More.”

If you thought that was a bit much. What I’m about to say now, I’m going to say with even more caution and more care, and maybe even a little bit of trepidation. But, to “Excel in Engagement” with one another. Does not always mean throwing more Bible at people. Is the Bible the Word of God? Yes, of course. Is the Bible coming from God, inerrant and perfect? Yes, of course. Is the Bible authoritative and sufficient for all of life and godliness? Yes, of course, we’re having a whole conference on that topic, in five days. But let’s make sure that we’re drawing the right lines and camping out on the right hills and focusing on the right priorities.

We have a super abundance of Bible knowledge in this church and that’s great. But let’s not confuse our acquisition of Bible knowledge with being Biblical in our response to the needs and the struggles of other brothers and sisters in Christ, in this body. Let’s not be lulled into a self-deceived stupor, that because we know where to turn in the Bible for a certain passage. That the Word of God has truly been etched on our hearts. Let’s not think that just because we would win very sward drill or Bible Bee. That our affections for Jesus Christ are where they ought to be. What a dangerous trap that is to fall into. To rest on your supposed knowledge of the Word of God and in doing so, completely miss Jesus Christ. His expectations for you as you minister to other blood-bought sinners here in this body. What a dangerous trap it would be to fall into, to become what Michael Reeves once called “evangelical Pharisee.” Meaning, one who has lost the truth of I Corinthians 8:1 – that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

This is going to sound crazy to some. This is going to sound disrespectful to others. This might be one of those pitchfork-inducing moments that some will call heretical. I don’t think it is. I think this is worth saying. I think this is even worth walking the plank over, if need be. But another Bible lesson. Another Bible lecture. Another sermon. Another verse is not always the best way to show Biblical love. It’s not always the timeliest way to show Biblical love. It’s not always the most effective way to show Biblical love to a fellow brother or sister in Christ, in every given circumstance, at every given moment. No doubt, the Word will be what ultimately governs and guides the conversations that you need to eventually get to, with those brothers and sisters in Christ as you navigate whatever problem they’re dealing with at that time. But beware that temptation to rashly throw around Bible verses as a way to avoid the messier parts of actually ministering to one another.


Now, lest there be any thought here this morning, that what I’m sharing is just a matter of personal opinion or preference or suggestion. That one is free to either accept or reject. I present to you the case of the Apostle Paul.
Was Paul serious about sound doctrine? Was Paul serious about the Word? There’s no doubt! Paul was a brilliant theologian. Paul was a gifted advocate for the gospel. He was a tireless defender of the faith. But ferocious as Paul was toward enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ. He was tender and he was caring, and he was compassionate toward those in the flock of God.

If you’ve ever studied Paul’s prayers, you see it right away. How much this man loved fellow believers. Yes, Paul was tough when he needed to be tough. But Paul was tender. Paul experienced anguish and grief on behalf of fellow followers of Jesus Christ. He was a man who had love and compassion for those in God’s flock. In fact, turn with me to I Thessalonians 2, where we’ll see an example of the tender side of Paul. The one who would minister, personally to people.
I Thessalonians 2:7 - Paul there says:
“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. In this way, having fond affection for you, we were pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become beloved to us.”
So, yes, Paul was out there fighting the good fight of faith. He was charging hills for Jesus as he contended for truth. He was a clear torchbearer of truth. But what Paul ultimately was propelled by was his love for Christ and his love for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. A love that any Christ follower must have to confidently call themselves a follower of Christ. What did Jesus Himself say, in John 13:24 – “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So, Paul was tough, but Paul was tender. Paul was compassionate. Paul was relational.

I just quoted John 13:34, the words of Jesus. Speaking of Jesus, we see from His earthly example that He Himself was also One who expressed tenderness for those in His care. During His life on earth, He expressed sorrow. He expressed compassion. He expressed grief on behalf of those He was ministering to.
We’re told in Matthew 9:36 that Jesus “felt compassion” for those who were distressed and downcast. Because they were “like sheep without a shepherd.”
When He encountered the rich young ruler in Matthew 10:21. The rich young ruler had all these questions about his problems, and what he had to leave behind. It says that Jesus, “loved him.” Literally, He “felt a love for him.”
Jesus, we know, “wept” when He saw Mary’s grief over the death of Lazarus, in John 11.
And I would submit that Jesus’ compassionate care for the hurt and the grieving. The confused and the perplexed. The downcast and the downtrodden. It’s worthy of our consideration and it’s worthy of our attention and it’s worthy of our emulation. I John 2:6 – “. . . the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.”

Let’s go back to our text, Romans 15:14. Again it reads:
“But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge and being able also to admonish one another.”

I don’t think there’s any question that we’ve got the knowledge part down. And we’ve got it down pat here at Indian Hills . . . based on 50 plus years of faithful Bible exposition from behind this pulpit, and other places all over this church. Where we have room to grow, though. Where we have room to “Excel Still More”, is in the area of “admonish[ing].” Counseling. More broadly speaking, in the realm of practicing in living out the “one anothers” with one another.

The challenge for us, going forward. Is going to be self-aware of our tendency – our temptation, even to hide behind our Bibles. And hide behind our Bible studies as a simplified way to avoid asking the hard questions of each other. As a simplified way of avoiding the messy work of actually ministering to one another.

The challenge for us is going to be to realize that church-oriented programs, while the convenient way to fill our calendars and a convenient way to keep very busy can also be a way for us to use our business as an excuse not to personally invest in other people here.

The challenge for us is going to be in realizing that while potlucks and food truck fellowships are a great place to start. True Biblical fellowship doesn’t end in this building. True Biblical fellowship and friendship does not end in our parking lot. Sitting in the gym for 45 minutes in this next hour, and explaining and exchanging pleasantries that’s nice, but it’s not the same as truly sharing life together, as fellow members of the body of Christ.

As we look ahead to our future, as a cruise ship which needs to think of itself, I would contend more as a speed boat. Here’s my prayer. That we refused to be ok with being a plastic, bubble-wrapped church full of people who refuse to let other people in. Instead, we insist on being that honest self-critical church which for the sake of the Lord wants to be better. Wants to “Excel Still More” by being a warm-hearted church, which models exceptionally for all of our members, and all of the world who’s watching us the matchless love of Jesus Christ. That’s my prayer.

I’m a realist, by the way. Part of me is a dreamer. Part of me is a realist. I do realize that the issues I’ve flagged here this morning are not going to be solved by way of one sermon. I get that. What I’ve flagged here, I know will take time to address and time to work out. What must be this is something that gets into the bloodstream of our church. This must be something that gets printed on our corporate DNA. While the ultimate solution to any problem in any church is not simply to “create more programs.” We do want to help you. And we do want to equip you in being a part of the challenge here of being better as a church here at Indian Hills.
One of the things you heard Pastor Mike announce during out announcements this morning. Is that we’re going to be rolling out some more of these midweek home bible study groups. Midweek small groups this Fall. And as he mentioned, these will be more intentionally so, discussion oriented. We want to spin off some more midweek studies, where folks are intentionally looking to create an environment where they are putting chairs inward, is the way I like to think about it. We’ve all sorts of venues around this church where somebody is listening to somebody teach. What we lack a lot of time are those moments where we can put the chairs inward in conversations that are centered around the Word, of course. What else are we going to talk about ultimately, but where we’re talking to about how we’re doing. And what we’re struggling with. And what we need prayer for. And what we need accountability for. And what things we are really going through, as we truly get to know each other, the way that I believe the Lord would have us know each other as members of “one another” in the body of Christ.

So, whether you’re newer to the church and you’re just looking for a way to get connected to a smaller midweek group of some sort. This would be an amazing way for you to get plugged in and I would encourage you to join one of these. Or, if you’re a long-standing member, and what I’m saying this morning is resonating with you. You know there’s a way in which you can be better, and we can all be better in these relational discussions in these relational small groups; I would encourage you to check one of these out as well. I think these groups are going to be an integral part of how the Lord brings about some needed change here in our church, as He moves us toward “Excelling in our Engagement” with one another.

Just one last word. I want to make sure you understand that I know some jabs have been issued today. I know we’ve taken some rib-shots here this morning. I know it’s the old steel fist in the velvet glove routine today. But I want you to know that what I’ve shared this morning is absolutely spoken to you in love. In love for you. In love for this church. In absolute hope and anticipation about what the Lord may do with His church, if we get what it means to practice the “one anothers” in a real meaningful, lasting, understanding way. To the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray.
Father, we thank You for the chance this morning to gather, to fellowship, to be exhorted and challenged and encouraged to excel still more. God, I thank You for the strong legacy of faithful Bible exposition and teaching that has happened throughout this church, over many, many years now, many decades now. But I thank You that You have also shown us, over time, that we do have some weak spots and we do have areas in which we need to grow. That starts with the members of this body, being willing to try new things and do things differently. Maybe not the comfortable thing, but the way that is going to honor what You have revealed to us in Your Word. There’s nothing of a lone ranger type of Christianity spoken of in the Scriptures. Rather, what is spoken of over and over again is how we’re to do Christian life together – one another. So, God, help us to take these truths to heart this morning. Help us to receive what’s been said with humility and with gladness. Help us to ultimately take what’s been issued as a needed word of encouragement and exhortation, as we seek to excel still more for the sake of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s in His name we pray. Amen