UNLIKELY - Your Place to Stand Together
John 3:7-8 MsgB
“So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.”
God has a place for the unlikely; the wind of the Spirit will blow us into surprising places to accomplish His purpose in our lives.
The Greek “pneuma” and Hebrew “rauch” are translated into English how?
Wind
Breath
spirit or Spirit
What does the “pneuma” “rauch” or wind follow? What does this tell us about the work of the Spirit?
The wind follows a PRESCRIBED PATH.
The Spirit works to fulfill GOD’S CREATIVE PURPOSE in our lives.
What caused Nicodemus to recognize the “pneuma” “rauch” as the Spirit of God?
THE UNBREAKABLE UNITY OF GOD.
The unbreakable unity of God also caused Nicodemus to recognize the “pneuma” “rauch” or Spirit of God as Who ?
THE MESSIAH
The New Testament demonstrates the unbreakable unity of God as the Spirit of God and Messiah are one. ⇛ Luke 4:14, 18 NIV
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. . . .18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me. . .”
The Spirit and Jesus the Messiah are ONE. Therefore Jesus is not a mystery or unknowable, but makes Himself known to us by the Spirit - His breath, His Wind - in us.
Will we YIELD to the Holy Spirit, or will we push back and RESIST the wind of the Spirit? We can choose to either push against the wind, or we can open the sail of our hearts to be carried along by the Spirit of God being transformed to be more like Jesus.
God has a place for the unlikely -
- a place in an uncertain future
- a place in the battle
- a place at the King’s table
- a place to give with open hands.
- a place to stand together.
At unlikely times and places our love for each other will be TESTED. When the relational road becomes rocky God’s Spirit will blow into our lives in order to strengthen us to stand together in UNBROKEN UNITY.
God has brought us into covenant relationship with one another.
You cannot be in relationship with God alone or in a vacuum. From the beginning God said “It is not good for man to be alone.” Adam was in a relationship with God unlike anyone else has ever had. Free from the curse of sin Adam enjoyed unbroken fellowship with God, but the LORD said this was not good. God did not want Adam to keep his relationship with the LORD to himself; this was not good. Adam needed to share his encounter with God with someone else. That’s why God gave Eve to Adam. Eve not only completed Adam as a helpmate, but Eve further developed Adam’s relationship with God. With Eve, Adam had someone to share his devotion for God with.
I know Susie loves me by how she relates with me; we enjoy spending time together. But I know her love in a deeper way by how she expresses her devotion to me as her husband with others. The way she talks about me with our children or others people proves her love in far greater ways than anything else she could do for me. She doesn’t jus love me when we are together; her love is expressed when she is with other people - even if I’m not there.
Our love for God is expressed in how we relate with each other. It is impossible to love God and not show it by how we get along with one another.
1 John 4:19-21 NIV
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Our love for each other will be tested. God’s desire is that we prove our love for Him by passing the relational test. Therefore, the Wind of God will blow into our lives at unlikely times and places to empower us to truly love each other.
Let’s look at two similar stories of conflict among the people of God to discover how God’s Spirit will blow into these unlikely places in our lives to accomplish His purpose.
Philippians 4:1-3 NIV
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Let this set the stage for where you and I are in our relationship with God and one another. The church at Philippi was a good church, yet it proves there is no such thing as a perfect church. Euodia and Syntyche were not seeing eye to eye; a schism was growing within the church.
Paul doesn’t provide a lot of details about the conflict within the church. To help us see the truth within this passage let’s also quickly look at an Old Testament story to help us see how God is working even in the church today to empower us to stand together in unity. Keep your finger in Philippians, but turn back to Exodus to see how God worked to resolve conflict.
Exodus 17:1-8 NIV
1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?”
3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The LORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah [testing] and Meribah [quarreling] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
Notice four things about this story:
The Israelites were following God - they were walking together on a journey of obedience. However, as they traveled the Amalekites a type of our flesh attacked Israel at Rephidim the place of rest. As we walk with God, the desires of our flesh will often be the cause of testing in our relationship with God and one another.
The people argued with Moses over the lack of water. Arguments and disagreement within relationships often begin over LITTLE THINGS. The LORD had demonstrated His power and ability to provide, yet rather than trust God the people grumbled and complained against Moses who was powerless just like the people to do anything about the lack of water.
The argument or strife among the people was not just a test of their relationship with each other; their disagreement put God to the test. Moses did not stand alone; the LORD stood with Him. Moses struck the rock at Horeb providing water for the people proving once again.
They remembered the place as Massa TESTING and Mariah QUARRELING so as to not forget that the LORD was with His people. When the Wind of the Spirit blows into their midst the need is met restoring unity among God’s people.
The wind of the Spirit blows into our lives in unlikely places to empower us to stand together in unity.
God brings the church together in covenant relationships - a journey of obedience.
Notice how Paul describes this relational journey within the church at Philippi:
Philippians 4:1 NIV
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
How are we to make this journey of obedience? Paul says, “stand firm in the LORD in this way.” In what way do we stand firm? Covenant relationships that overflow with LOVE and JOY.
The desires of our flesh will often cause conflict within the church over little things.
Notice how Paul describes the conflict within the church or what Moses described as the quarreling and grumbling against the LORD.
Philippians 4:2 NIV
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
The disagreement between these two ladies was a little thing - Paul does not even describe it, nor does he take sides to say who is right or who is wrong. Paul just reminds them to be “of the same mind.” We have been given the mind of Christ. Jesus is not schizophrenic; His mind is whole and not divided. If we don’t agree on something, then we should not set our heels and refuse to budge. Instead when we disagree we need to come together in order seek to know the mind of Christ
We cannot restore relationships - conflict is ultimately a test showing if the LORD is among us.
Notice how Paul affirms the LORD is with the church in the midst of conflict:
Philippians 4:3 NIV
3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers. . .
God wants us to have memorials to not forget that He has brought us together as His people.
Notice the memorial Paul describes:
Philippians 4:2, 3 NIV
2 Euodia . . . Syntyche 3 . . . my true companion. . . along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Paul adjusts the focus of the church in Philippi by reminding them of what really matters, of things eternal. Theirs are names written in the book of life.
We will build a memorial as a stone altar in order to not forget how God has brought us together in covenant relationships. We are not alone, but the LORD has joined us together as members of His body. We stand together in in unity for the LORD has made us one.
What is the Holy Spirit Saying to YOU today? As God gives you ears to hear and eyes to see will we now allow Him to transform our heart and empower us to respond in obedience to Him?
The Lord does not want us to walk alone. Who has God brought you into covenant relationship with on your journey of obedience?
What little things have the desires or your flesh created conflict between you and God has brought you into covenant relationship with?
How has the Lord proved Himself faithful to restore broken relationships in the past? In what ways can you see God working to restore or maintain covenant relationships?
What memorials have you established to remember the Lord is with you empowering you to stand together in unity within covenant relationships?
