An Odd Occurrence

I submit to us that, for the most part, KINFOLK LIVING TOGETHER IN UNITY IS AN ODD OCCURRENCE. For the most part,Kinfolk Getting Along on a Daily Basis, enjoying Peace and Harmony day after day after day is AN ODD OCCURRENCE. That is Different from what happens on a daily basis. It is Extraordinary. Unusual. Even Strange.

It is Uncommon. Infrequent. It is the Exception rather than the Rule. It is Rare; for it only Occurs Occasionally. Kinfolk, whether it be of the physical or spiritual kind, Living Together in Unity Is AN ODD

OCCURRENCE!

The occurrence was so odd that David gets excited, and says to us in Verse 1: "Don’t you dare miss this! Don’t overlook this! Don’t minimize the important of this! Look at this Odd Occurrence! Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!"

I believe David is arguing the fact that Often both the Family of Flesh and the Family of Spirit Are Together, But Rarely Are WE UNIFIED!

We share together the same bonds of birth, blood, body, bionics, brain and behavior. We share together the same bonds of bias, beliefs, burdens, blots, blemishes, blame, bondage and battles. We share together the same time-space continuum which we call Earth. We are constantly together in the same space and time, and yet, Rarely Are We UNIFIED!

Rarely do we come together as a family of blood or Spirit without arguing, bickering, fighting, splitting, dividing up into separate camps; choosing

sides, forming cliques. Generally, when we are together in the same place at the same time, we are a divided house, a fragmented and fractured family.

That is true in whatever sphere you care to examine.

In the political arena, both political parties share together the same House,and yet they are divided. On yesterday, President George W. Bush, Al Gore and President Bill Clinton shared the same stage at the same time, but we know they aren’t unified. The Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas share the same organization and space, but we know they aren’t unified. And here we are tonight together in this beautiful sanctuary; but we aren’t united. We are divided along the lines of

denominations, race, culture, class and geography. Yes, we are together in the Same place and time, but not all of us are in agreement with the other.

The descendant of Abraham, the Jews and the Palestinians, share the same blood, occupy the same land at the same time, and yet, they cannot dwell

together in Unity. And that is particularly true of us Preacher/Pastors. We have our own agendas; our own opinions and ideas; our own circle of friends and associates; our own houses and ministries. And rarely if ever do we dwell together in Unity. And so, I thought it would be helpful and wholesome if we would look afresh at this passage of Scripture tonight. Because even though it is Odd, yet it can Occur. And I would suggest tonight that the Odd, Occasional, Uncommon, Unusual and Exceptional can become the

Ordinary. The Odd can become the Ordinary. Because I think that is what David is suggesting in this Psalm; particularly when, in a few minutes, we examine that Third Verse.

I. BUT FIRST, LET ME ARGUE THE FACT THAT THE

SAINT LONGS FOR UNITY.

And one reason why I have reached that conclusion is the Life of David.

For if there was ever a person who Longed for Peace and Harmony among Brethren, it Was David. Because for most of his life, David was dogged by the Disunity and Discord of a Dysfunctional Family Life.

It started in his formative and growing up years in the home of his father,Jesse. For even then, he and his brothers lived together under the same roof of their father, Jesse, but there was no Unity. His brothers had a problem with David. It was manifested when he slew Goliath. For Eliab, his oldest brother,

told David that he had a pride-problem and a naughty heart. Now any time you live with your kinfolk and they think that you think you are better than they are and that your heart is nasty, then there is no peace and harmony in that home! I believe that David longed for unity among his blood brothers when he was growing up at home.

But then, David was, so to speak, adopted into the family of the King while he was still young. Perhaps he hoped to find unity in the palace of the king. But that was not to be also. For even though he and King Saul lived together under the same roof, there was no unity for David in the palace.Saul kept constantly trying to kill him or to have him killed.