1 Tim 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 
	We are in the third installment of our overview of these two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. As we have seen, these are the writings of a spiritual father in the Lord to his son in Christ Jesus. We have already looked at it terms of the relationship that Paul and Timothy shared as well as in the relationship that the members of the church share in Christ. This morning, let us consider together, one of the overriding principles of these letters. The Apostle is detailing the manner in which the church needs to function in its relationship as the Body of Christ. There are several key aspects that Paul felt were imperative for Timothy to know and to understand in his guidance of the members of the church into that which would fully please God.
	We will not endeavor to deal with every specific detail at this time. Lord willing, we will cover most of them as we consider specific verses of these letters to Timothy, as well as in Paul’s letters to Titus and Philemon. What we do want to see, however, is the overarching characteristics that are the evidence of the singleness of Jesus Christ within His body of Believers. This is well encompassed in the Apostle’s declaration that ministry’s goal of instruction must be from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 
	The truth of our oneness together with each other in Christ is not just a New Testament truth. We find that the Lord had this in mind from the beginning. He revealed it to His prophets, as we read in Jer 32:38+39, "And they shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good, and for the good of their children after them. Notice that God is the One who gives us this one heart and one way. That way is through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. God always had this in mind as He created all things, that there would be a fellowship between Himself and man in His Son. And, in Jesus, we not only share together in that fellowship with God and Christ, but in and with each other as Christ’s single Body of believers, as Christians.
	The Prophet Ezekiel was shown this tremendous truth. Ezek 11:19+20, "And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. We no longer have those hearts of stone that are so characteristic of one who refuses to believe in the Lord God Almighty. We no longer have those hearts of rock that refuse to submit to the teaching and the guidance and the will of God as He directs our steps in Christ. We no longer have those hearts of granite that refuse to seek after the Holy Spirit to do all that is necessary in our lives to make us one in Christ. We have, created in us by God, hearts of flesh that are soft to God,  that reverence Christ, that are open to the Word and accepting of one another, our fellow members of the Church.
	The history of the early church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, shows the manner in which we are to function with one another in Christ. Acts 2:42-47 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. 
	There is that joyous recognition of the need of all to be together, to share together, to eat together, and especially to be completely devoted together to prayer, and the study of the Word. The church, in its unity, listens to the preaching of the Word, and to fellowships with one another. We share the single, mutual desire to know Christ all the more. The purpose of the Church is to be the living testimony of Jesus Christ, the perfect expression of God’s love. To be that testimony, of the selfless and sacrificial and divine love of God to this world, we must first be that testimony to our brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s love puts others ahead of itself, and that is what we do for each other’s sake. We are on this earth to show, in our fellowship, one with another, that God has made a completely new and glorious creation in Jesus Christ. Only as the church is that new creation, will it have the perfect effect of God’s heart of love in those around us.
	Acts 4:31-33 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. Please note some of the key words of this passage: they prayed, they were gathered together, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke the Word of God with boldness, they believed, they were of one heart and soul, no one claimed anything for his own, they witnessed of Christ with great power, and God’s abundant grace was on them all. Not just upon some of them, but upon all of them.  
As well, note the manner in which we are to be gathered together. First, it is in prayer. There should be that characteristic of constant, faithful, complete, and trusting communication with the Lord in His Church, His Body. That true prayer is evidenced in our singleness of heart and mind unto the Lord. That singleness of being should give expression to the fact that we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. We are led by the love for His life expressed as our life. That love should encompass our every consideration of the Word of God as the source for our manner of walk on this earth. There should be in evidence the tremendous power of the Holy Spirit as He is honored and desired with the one heart and mind of the church. Nothing of our own, none of our power or our might, but everything in, from, and through the Holy Spirit.
And consider the manner in which decisions were made within the church. We see it as the Apostles were dealing with the need to open their hearts to the gentiles that God was bringing into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. Remember, these apostles and all the earliest members of the church were Jews in every sense of the Word. They had been immersed in the exclusive attitude that they were to have no contact with the heathen Gentiles. This was a religious, ethnic, moral, and cultural code that had been ascribed to for thousands of years. For God to now open up His salvation, without reservation, to the Gentiles was a complete shattering of their heritage and identity in the world. Yet, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we get a very solid picture of how none of that matters in the Lord. Rather, we see that, in Christ, we are one with each other, no matter what the background, geneology, or heritage. We are of one mind with each other in Christ and it is only in that unity, that we can express God’s love. Acts 15:24-26 details the manner in which the decision was made, by the Apostles, to gather in the Gentiles. These Gentile believers were being told, by some, that they had to completely convert to Judaism and absolutely follow every point of the Jewish Law. This passage is the declaration of the Apostle’s opening their hearts to these fellow believers in love, just as they were. As we read it, please listen for the manner in which that decision was determined. "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Did you catch it? Did you see the manner of this absolute decision of love? …having become of one mind… They set aside their individual thoughts and concepts and understandings and sought for the mind of Christ to become their single mind in this decision and in every decision. That is the key to our functioning as the Church of God. We seek after Him to show us His mind and we come into agreement, together, to honor His guidance and His wisdom and His understanding We completely set aside our individual, engrained opinions and seek after His heart, alone.
	The Apostle Paul further encourages our attitudes and interactions with each other as we read in Rom 12:10-13. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. As a member of the Body of Christ, we are to be of service to one another. We do not seek our benefit and our station of importance. We do not impress upon others our administrative ideologies. Rather we set it all aside to serve one another, as Christ so served us. We are not better than our Lord and Master. Because His is a life of service and love, so are our lives founded, formed, and characterized by His life of service. We are known by His love and His life and His service the fellowship of believers and in this world.
	Later in Romans, Paul addresses our corporate identity and purpose in Christ Jesus. Rom 15:5-7 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. We are to be at peace with one another, in the harmony of the Holy Spirit in order that we can, with one mind and heart and soul, glorify God. That absolutely means that we have to set aside our personal preferences and wants and likes and dislikes. We have to accept one another as valued and cherished members of the Body of Christ. That is how Christ has accepted everyone of us. Who are we to do less to any of the brethren of God’s love and heart?
	1 Cor 1:9+10 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. It is only with one another that we will find our completeness in Christ. We cannot grow alone. We need each other for the purpose of bringing us to the end of ourselves in order for His life to be more and more manifested from within us. It takes our individual death to self within the body, for our corporate life in Christ to blossom forth in His resurrection power and grace.
	Phil 1:27+28, Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 
Our lives, individually and corporately, are for His sake, and not our own. That is something which needs to find its way into our hearts and minds. So often we come together for what we can get out of it. We tolerate one another because it will serve our purposes of recognition, of honor, and of importance within the Christian community. How far from the truth that is! When we come together, we do so with that singleness of heart and being that desires nothing more than to serve. We serve the Lord with all our heart. We serve each other as unto the Lord. We serve the Holy Spirit as He guides and directs our paths. We give service unto the lost of this age as we stand against all that is corrupt and vile and sin in its death apart from Christ. We are beacons, not of our self-righteousness and our self-exaltation, but of the brilliant light of the service of God’s love. We serve as Christ served that the Love of God will invade and draw forth those who will respond to Him in the life of Jesus Christ.
 	As Paul so fervently proclaims in Phil 2:1-8, If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 
	Learn what it means to be joined to one another in Christ. Live in the faithful work of God to establish His heart as our single heart. Be that expression of His love as we serve and give ourselves for one another. Be a vital part of the Body of Christ by submitting to the complete humbleness of obedience to the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Seek together after God to make us and to mold us into that one perfect Beloved Bride of Christ, without any spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Cherish the unity that we have with each other as the completed Body of Christ, for His glory and His honor and His praise for all eternity. This is the relationship that Paul and Timothy shared. That is the relationship we share together in Christ. Amen.
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Amen

Guests
Announcements:     Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
			Women’s Meeting
			Young People’s Meetings
			Tuesday, Dupar’s 6 AM
Other announcements? 
			Men’s Meeting Next Monday Feb 4  (remind Jay)

Birthdays:		Monday – Luke Bear
			Tuesday - Makenna Maples
			Thursday - 	Emma Pacyna
					Ted Enke
Anniversaries		Today – Mike and Claudia Brock
Benediction Eph 3:14-21 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.