Boundaries – 4 – Being in Covenant

Subject – The Safety of Being In Covenant Relationship

by Rick Welborne

--As we continue this series on boundaries and on fences I want to share with you today the safest place you can be and that is in the Church…the Body of Christ.

--We are not talking about just showing up and being here physically but what I am talking about is being in covenant relationship with each other.

--It is absolutely true that we are stronger when we are together spiritually, physically, and emotionally and bonded together by Holy Spirit.  

--I tell new folks all the time you need to be bonded to us by Holy Spirit if this is going to be your local church home…otherwise it will miserable for you and us.

--If you just leave another church because you were not happy there and you do not resolve your issues there…you will just be unhappy here.

--The last several years in the US the church growth has only been because of transfer growth… Here at Life Church we want people to be born again.

--Jesus said He would build His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it…sure sounds like a safe place to me.

--How wonderful is it to have a network of people who will stand with you and encourage you as you face your individual challenges.

--Now I understand many of you probably have been hurt in churches before and maybe some of you even question whether church membership is even necessary…we will try to address those concerns.

1. Let’s look and see what Jesus had to say about being in covenant and how that relates to being in protective boundaries.

--We are to cleave to one another in the church in covenant love just like a husband and wife cleave to each other in marriage…at least, the way God intended.

Matthew 19:4-6 (NLT) 

4  “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ 

5  And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 

6  Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

--Notice where it says the words joined or joined together…there is a Greek verb “Kolloah” which means being joined together in covenant relationship between a husband and wife.

--What Jesus is indicating here is that this is such a strong relationship that God has put together in covenant and that no one should ever split them apart.

--If you were wondering what our stance on biblical marriage is…we still believe marriage is between one man and one woman for a life time.

--Jesus even says woe to the person who would ever split a marriage apart and break the covenant they have made…extremely dangerous ground for you. Stay with the one you have.

--We must understand that Jesus, right before He left this earth, so wanted us to love one another and for us to be in covenant together that He said this:

John 17:20-23 (NIV)
²⁰  "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
²¹  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
²²  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
²³  I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

--All of these verses show again this concept of “Kolloah” and it is so important to see that God wants us to be bonded together in perfect unity…why? So the world will see.

--See what…that we are committed to each other in such covenant love that nothing can break that relationship…By this all men shall know that you are my disciples…love.

--Please know this…you will never understand all the people who are sitting around you right now…just look at them…you don’t have to…but you must love them and be in covenant.

--If you think you can get this many people together, that all think exactly the same thing, dress the same way, drive the same car, and be 100% in agreement you are kidding yourself.

--There is a spiritual place a church can get to where we love one another and we have each other’s back.  If someone tries to talk about you in a demeaning way…I will not allow it.

--You see, if they are talking about you, they are talking about me and if they are talking about me they are talking about you…people in covenant will not allow it.

--Stop talking about the person I am one with and the person I am in covenant with because I love them and we have joined together by Christ!  Stop it!!!

--We are coming into a time in our country where Christians are the plague of the land and we are hated for Christ’s sake…we are the target and there will be little tolerance.

--How much more do we need to have each other’s backs so we can protect each other, encourage each other, and love each other.

--Listen, I am not just telling you to be in covenant with us (the staff) where we expect you to watch over us and be dedicated to us…it works both ways, Honey. We’ve got your back!

--When we are in these fences or boundaries together…what safety we will find…the wolves can’t get in, and if they do, there will be a gang coming against them. Remember the water buffalo.

--Covenant people love each other, they protect each other, they help each other, and they don’t let someone who is spiritual (supposedly) come from the outside to do damage to our relationship.

--I had a pastor years ago tell me (as youth pastor) that I should set myself high on a pedestal and have all the youth to work hard at getting where I was…high and lifted up.

--I said…have you lost your cotton picking mind…we all are on the same ground, we all need the same Jesus, the same forgiveness, we all need help and mercy.

--The higher you go in the Kingdom of God just means that you have become a servant to more people…At Life Church we teach servant leadership…in that is great safety.

2. This being “joined together” can also be carried over into our business relationships.

--This Greek word “Kolloah” can be used as in a contract with two business people having an agreement like with the prodigal son.

Luke 15:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
¹⁵  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

--Notice the prodigal son had joined himself…he had a commitment to work for this man.

--I believe Christians should be the most responsible people on the planet when it comes to keeping business commitments or contracts…pay your bills and pay them on time.  Keep your word.

--If you struggle paying your bills maybe you should try being faithful to God in tithes and offerings and then…get rid of cable, get a basic phone plan, stop eating out, drive what you can afford…

--Those of you who feel called into ministry join yourself to a local church and be faithful.  As you are faithful God will bless you and your pastor can recommend you.

--When you are wishy washy in your commitment with God and the church, don’t be surprised when you find yourself frustrated because doors are not being opened.  No pastor wants instability with staff.

James 1:5-8 (NCV)
⁵  But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to all people, so he will give you wisdom.
⁶  But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.
⁷  Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord.
⁸  For not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

3. We can also be in Covenant relationship with the Lord…we must be “joined together” with Him.

1 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)
¹⁷  But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

--When we are in “Kolloah” with the Lord we are in the safest place we can be in.

--Obviously this the beginning place for all of us.  Let me say here that it may be a local church with members who are joined together that will convince someone of their need for God.

4. This concept of “being joined together” also applies to being in covenant with the local church body.

--Paul who had previously been Saul had a major conversion on the road to Damascus and God turned him every which way but loose.  He saw his need to be joined to the local church.

Acts 9:26 (NKJV)
²⁶  And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

--Paul was not allowed to join the fellowship until he had a reference from Barnabus…we have been checking some of you out.

--Paul was accepted into the local fellowship there in Jerusalem and any time after this point Paul was referred to as being ‘with them’ which meant he was in covenant with them.

--When you come to Life Church, this is not a club that you just try out for a while…I am saying that if you want to be in covenant with us that it is serious.  Safe boundaries but serious.

--When you stand before our church and you make a covenant with us it is just as serious as standing before a preacher getting married…maybe when se start honoring marriage again we can start honoring church membership again.

--In nothing I am saying am I trying to infer that Life Church is perfect…this pastor is obviously not perfect…if you find a perfect church…do not go to it because you will mess it up.

1 Corinthians 1:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
¹⁰  Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

--I have no problem with you coming to me and saying that you are upset or bothered by something…but since we are in covenant we should be able to work it out.

--When my son Jeremy was dating Elizabeth I am so glad that they did not come to me and tell me…we love each other and we are committed but we do not want to make a covenant.

--How many of you know it was a good thing they got married…made that covenant to each other.

--Here’s the problem with so many in the church…they want to date the church but they do not want to marry the church. They want to date Jesus but not be in covenant with Him.

--They want to flirt with the body of Christ but not become a perfectly joined and committed member.

--You see, if I date the church, if another church comes along that is prettier, the latest greatest, then I can easily walk away without feeling guilty.

--But when I am in these boundaries of the covenant and I am committed to you and you to me, we will stay faithful no matter what others do…no matter the season.

--I am committed to this church…yes I have made mistakes and I am sorry for that and I am willing to say I apologize…but I am committed and I am in covenant.

--When I decide to make a commitment to the church I am making a commitment to Christ because this is His body.

--When you sign up you are really saying that I am signing on to be there thru the good times and the bad, for better or for worse, rich or poor…I am all in!

--When you are joined to us in covenant relationship, you are in the safe boundaries of the church…the body of Christ.