'united We Stand'

SERMON OUTLINE:

• unity is a satisfying experience (vs 1)

• unity is a spiritual experience (vs 2)

• unity is a supernatural experience (vs 3)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• The German philosopher Schopenhauer (Sh-up-en-how-er),

• Who compared the human race to a bunch of porcupines

• Huddling together on a cold winter's night. He said,

"The colder it gets outside, the more we huddle together for warmth; but the closer we get to one another, the more we hurt one another with our sharp quills. And in the lonely night of earth's winter eventually we begin to drift apart and wander out on our own and freeze to death in our loneliness."

• TRANSITION: What is true for the human race,

• Sadly, can often be said of the people of God (the Church!).

• In theory and in our songs, we want unity, to ‘huddle together,’

• But often we are together we can then hurt each other with our ‘sharp quills’

• The result, instead of drawing ‘closer together’ we can easily, ‘drift apart’

Ill:

• The Bible is big on unity, it says we are…

• Children of one family with one Father

• (John chapter 20 verse 17)

• Disciples in one school with one teacher

• John chapter 13 verses 13-35)

• Sheep in one flock with one shepherd

• (John chapter 10 verse16)

• Members of one body with one head

• (Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15)

• Stones in one building with one foundation

• (1 Peter chapter 2 verse 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 11-12)

• That’s the theory! That’s how it should be!

• But in reality, Churches are not always as they should be,

• And it is not just a modern problem…

• e.g. Some of the New Testament churches,

• Broke the heart of the apostle Paul with their disputes and divisions.

• e.g. Even the twelve disciples argued among themselves,

• And they bickered and disagreed even when Jesus was right there with them!

• e.g. Sadly, even within our own type of Church circles,

• there has been much falling out over the years.

• There are those Christians who think unity is uniformity,

• Unless we agree with them on every point of doctrine (or style of practice),

• Then they will not ‘fellowship’ with you.

• But to me that is not unity but uniformity (what we find in the sects & cults)!

• We must all think the same, dress the same, and be the same.

• But to me that is not unity but uniformity.

• Unity is when two people can disagree about certain secondary issues.

• Yet still be of one heart and mind in Christ.

• Quote: St. Augustine said:

• "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Ill:

• Make one fist and one open hand with your two hands.

• In the closed fist are the essentials of the Christian faith,

• These are the beliefs that you cannot disagree with,

• The traditional, Orthodox beliefs about God Christ and the Bible etc.

• e.g. The trinity.

• e.g. The virgin birth,

• e.g. The sacrificial death of Jesus.

• e.g. The physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

• Now that is not a complete list!

• Just some examples of what is essential to the Christian faith.

• Change any of those and you are no longer Christian.

Now in my other hand, which is open, are the secondary issues:

• They are still important but a difference in opinion will not stop you being a Christian.

• e.g. What you believe regarding in the spiritual gifts (Cessationism versus continuationism),

• e.g. The role of women and their ministry.

• e.g. The style of worship or the structure of your services and outreach.

• What happens for many Christians is over time,

• They start to highlight some of these secondary things,

• And over time they'll start to find their way into the close hand.

• And that always leads to division and separation among God’s people,

• Then we become hypocrites, singing that we are one in the Spirit,

• Preaching that there is only one Church,

• But in practice we only fellowship with the few!

• Those who agree with us in secondary issues!

Quote:

“Believe as I believe—no more, no less;

That I am right (and no one else) confess.

Feel as I feel, think only as I thing;

Eat what I eat, and drink but what I drink.

Look as I look, do always as I do;

And then—and only then—I’ll fellowship with you.”

• Quote: St. Augustine said:

• "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

(1). UNITY IS A SATISFYING EXPERIENCE (vs 1).