As a pastor, I love the season of Advent. This time before Christmas is an excellent time to concentrate on Christ. At the same time, this season is very stressful for people in the church. Sometimes, it becomes real hard to develop harmony in the church during the Advent season. Romans 15:1-13 lists 7 ways to build harmony in the church. I have made this list as an acrostic. Each letter that starts the first sentence will form the word HARMONY.

HELP one another up (15:2)

“Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2, HCSB)

As a church, we come together to encourage each other. We meet to meet each other needs, through prayer and worship. We take this work of encouragement and use it to help others around us.

AGREE to be in unity (15:4-6)

“so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.” (Romans 15:6, HCSB)

To be united in mind and voice means that we decide to agree. We work together to get things done. We work to diminish division. For the greater good of the church, sometimes we have to agree as Christians to disagree with one another – without being disagreeable.

RECEIVE one another (15:7)

“Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7, HCSB)

If we agree to work together, and if we agree to help one another, then we also agree to accept one another. We learn as a church that we when we receive new people in the church, that we should learn to accept them. Even when people have their differences – whether it is worship traditions, how one dresses, how one looks, people in the church live in harmony when they learn to receive and accept one another.

MINISTER to one another (15:8)

“For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers,” (Romans 15:8, HCSB)

Jesus served all kinds of people. As Christians, we learn to follow His example. The church builds harmony when we spend time serving and ministering to one another.

OFFER worship to God with one another (15:9-12)

“Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!” (Romans 15:10, HCSB)

Our worship can be a very unifying thing. It helps other people know that all of us are God’s children. We show people how unified we are as Christians by the way we worship together. The way we offer our worship and with whom we offer our worship is something that tells people we want to live in harmony with one another.

Three times, these verses quote from the Old Testament and in each case, it is about the praise of the Gentiles to God. Gentiles (non-Jews) will offer their worship. Jews are not the only ones who have an exclusive right to worship God. God is big enough to let all kinds of people worship Him. The same is true today. God is big enough for this church to have all kinds of people in the community come together and worship Him. No one can claim an exclusive right to worshipping God in this church.

NURTURE the hope which builds harmony in your life (15:12-13)

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, HCSB)

What does hope have to do with building harmony? Everything. It is the positive ingredient that every Christian needs to have harmony with one another. God fills me up with hope, and that gives me joy and peace. God gives me enough hope that I can share this hope with other people who need hope. Why? Because there is much hopelessness going around during this holiday season.

YIELD to the power of the Holy Spirit

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, HCSB)

Harmony comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. He provides different spiritual gifts to help people be harmonious with one another. The Holy Spirit is like the conductor of the orchestra. We play different instruments, but He provides the direction. He leads the players to play the right notes at the right time. When it works, the church makes beautiful music.