HOPE BEYOND DIVISION: REASONS TO PULL TOGETHER
1 PETER 1:22 – 2:3
IF YOU WERE TO ASK MY WIFE, SHE WOULD TELL YOU THAT I AM NOT GREAT AT MATH. I NEEDED 105 TO PASS MY FINAL IN HIGH SCHOOL. NEEDLESS TO SAY WHEN I WENT TO UNIVERSITY I DID MY LEVEL BEST TO AVOID SCIENCE AND MATH COURSES, UNTIL MUCH LATER AT UNIVERSITY.
WHEN IT CAME TO REMEMBERING FORMULAS I WASN’T VERY GOOD, AND OH HOW I WISH WE COULD HAVE USED THE CALCULATORS AND COMPUTERS THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE TODAY. I MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE INTERESTED.
THERE WAS ONE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA THAT I DID DISCOVER I COULD REMEMBER THAT WOULD HELP IN LIFE. I GUESS I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE I DISCOVERED IT. I THINK YOU’LL FIND THAT IT IS A GOOD FORMULA AND ONE YOU CAN APPLY TO YOUR LIVES AS WELL.
HERE IS THE FORMULA AND HOW IT APPLIES TO THE CHURCH:
IF YOU WANT TO ADD MEMBERS
MULTIPLY BLESSINGS
ELIMINATE STRESS AND BICKERING
THEN SUBTRACT DIVISION.
WHILE THERE ARE SOME FORMS OF DIVISION IN THE CHURCH THAT ARE GOOD AND PROPER, MOST CASES IT IS NOT. THERE IS AN IDEA TODAY THAT IF YOU ARE FACING A PROBLEM, THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION IS TO LEAVE.
THIS HAPPENS IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE INCLUDING CHURCH LIFE. WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT IN THE CHURCH WE’LL JUST GO AND START A NEW CHURCH AND DO THINGS OUR WAY THERE. IF WE DON’T LIKE THE WAY OUR MARRIAGE IS GOING WE’LL LEAVE. IF WE DON’T LIKE SOME BUSINESS DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE, WE LEAVE THAT BUSINESS AND START ANOTHER ACCORDING TO OUR TERMS.
PRIDE IS ALWAYS THE ROOT CAUSE OF DIVISION. I WANT THINGS MY WAY. THIS FORM OF PRIDE HAS BEEN THE RUINATION OF SEVERAL CHURCHES THAT I KNOW OF, AND DESTROYED THEIR WITNESS TO THE COMMUNITY. I REMIND YOU OF THE CHURCH THAT WAS DIVIDED OVER THE COLOR OF CARPET TO USE. ONE WANTED GREY AND THE OTHER BLUE. THE ISSUE WAS DECIDED WITH CHAINSAWS. THEY LITERALLY SAWED THE BUILDING IN HALF SO THAT ONE GROUP COULD HAVE GREY AND THE OTHER BLUE CAPRETS.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO GAIN WHEN WE STAND IN UNITY. I FOUND THE OPENING OF HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA TO BE PARTICULARLY MOVING. I DIDN’T SEE IT, BUT IT ACUTUALLY MADE THE NEWS BROADCASTS ON TELEVISION FOR ITS SHOW OF UNITY. AS A TRIBUTE TO THE TWO FALLEN SOLDIERS THIS WEEK HERE IN CANADA, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS SUNG IN, MONTREAL, TORONTO, AND I BELIEVE OTTAWA, IN REAL TIME, AS ONE GROUP. HOW MOVING THAT MUST HAVE BEEN TO BE A PART OF IT. I WAS PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN WHEN I HEARD ABOUT IT.
IT IS THIS TYPE OF UNITY THAT CAN BRING HOPE TO THE CHURCH TODAY. WHAT A WORLD IT WOULD BE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PULLING FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER. THAT WE CARE AND PRAY AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN CHRIST. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
PSALM 133:1: “HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS WHEN BROTHERS LIVE TOGETHER IN UNITY!”
CONSIDER WITH ME A PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE IN WHICH JESUS SPEAKS OF THE SPIRIT OF UNITY. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES WERE IN JERUSALEM AND ABOUT TO SIT DOWN TO A MEAL. JESUS NOTICES THE FEET OF MANY OF THE MEN WERE DIRTY, AND DECIDES TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH.
CHECKING THE FEET WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON THING TO DO AT THIS TIME. WALKING WAS THE MAIN FORM OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE STREETS WOULD HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIRT AND FILTH IN THEM. THE CUSTOM OF THE DAY WAS TO HAVE GREAT JUGS FILLED WITH WATER AT THE DOORS OF HOUSES AND UPON ARRIVAL, HAVE THE SERVANTS WASH THE FEET OF THOSE ENTERING. IN FACT IT WOULD BE CONSDIERED VERY UNHOSPITABLE NOT TO WASH THE FEET OF GUESTS.
JESUS BEGAN WITH HIS OBJECT LESSON IN JOHN 13.
JOHN 13:1-12:
“1 ¶ IT WAS JUST BEFORE THE PASSOVER FEAST. JESUS KNEW THAT THE TIME HAD COME FOR HIM TO LEAVE THIS WORLD AND GO TO THE FATHER. HAVING LOVED HIS OWN WHO WERE IN THE WORLD, HE NOW SHOWED THEM THE FULL EXTENT OF HIS LOVE. 2 THE EVENING MEAL WAS BEING SERVED, AND THE DEVIL HAD ALREADY PROMPTED JUDAS ISCARIOT, SON OF SIMON, TO BETRAY JESUS. 3 JESUS KNEW THAT THE FATHER HAD PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS POWER, AND THAT HE HAD COME FROM GOD AND WAS RETURNING TO GOD; 4 SO HE GOT UP FROM THE MEAL, TOOK OFF HIS OUTER CLOTHING, AND WRAPPED A TOWEL ROUND HIS WAIST. 5 AFTER THAT, HE POURED WATER INTO A BASIN AND BEGAN TO WASH HIS DISCIPLES’ FEET, DRYING THEM WITH THE TOWEL THAT WAS WRAPPED ROUND HIM. 6 HE CAME TO SIMON PETER, WHO SAID TO HIM, "LORD, ARE YOU GOING TO WASH MY FEET?" 7 JESUS REPLIED, "YOU DO NOT REALISE NOW WHAT I AM DOING, BUT LATER YOU WILL UNDERSTAND." 8 "NO," SAID PETER, "YOU SHALL NEVER WASH MY FEET." JESUS ANSWERED, "UNLESS I WASH YOU, YOU HAVE NO PART WITH ME." 9 "THEN, LORD," SIMON PETER REPLIED, "NOT JUST MY FEET BUT MY HANDS AND MY HEAD AS WELL!" 10 JESUS ANSWERED, "A PERSON WHO HAS HAD A BATH NEEDS ONLY TO WASH HIS FEET; HIS WHOLE BODY IS CLEAN. AND YOU ARE CLEAN, THOUGH NOT EVERY ONE OF YOU." 11 FOR HE KNEW WHO WAS GOING TO BETRAY HIM, AND THAT WAS WHY HE SAID NOT EVERY ONE WAS CLEAN. 12 WHEN HE HAD FINISHED WASHING THEIR FEET, HE PUT ON HIS CLOTHES AND RETURNED TO HIS PLACE. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU?" HE ASKED THEM.”
HE WASN’T LOOKING FOR THE OBVIOUS REASON WHEN HE ASKED THIS QUESTION. HE WOULD WAIT A FEW MINUTES, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REALIZE WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO TEACH THEM, SO HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THE LESSON.
JOHN 13:13-15:
“13 "YOU CALL ME ‘TEACHER’ AND ‘LORD’, AND RIGHTLY SO, FOR THAT IS WHAT I AM. 14 NOW THAT I, YOUR LORD AND TEACHER, HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET, YOU ALSO SHOULD WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET. 15 I HAVE SET YOU AN EXAMPLE THAT YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE FOR YOU.”
THIS WAS A LESSON ABOUT UNITY OF PURPOSE. EVEN WE GET IT WRONG TODAY. THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THIS FOOT-WASHING SERVICE WAS POPULAR IN CHURCHES. WE HAD ONE HERE ONE SUNDAY. BUT AS I THINK ABOUT IT NOW WE DID IT ALL WRONG, AND MOST OF THE OTHER CHURCHES DID AS WELL.
WE IGNORED JESUS COMMAND IN THIS SERVICE. HE WASHED THEIR FEET AND THEN GAVE THE COMMAND TO WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET SO TO DO THE SERVICE IN A BIBLICAL FORMAT I SHOULD WASH THE FIRST PERSONS FEET, AND THEY SHOULD WASH THE SECOND, AND ON DOWN THE LINE.
CAN YOU JUST PICTURE THAT NIGHT IN JERUSALEM. THE DISCIPLES COMING IN, EXPECTING TO HEAR GREAT TEACHING FROM THE MASTER, AND INSTEAD HE COMES AND WASHES THEIR FEET. I CAN JUST HEAR THEM SAY, I DON’T WANT HIM TOUCHING MY BUNYONS,” OR “I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE STEPPED OVER THAT MANURE PILE.”, “I WONDER IF I TRIMMED MY TOENAILS. OH OH, TOO LATE NOW.”
HERES THE POINT OF THE STORY. THE DISCIPLES WOULD HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM RETURNING THE FAVOR AND WASHING JESUS’ FEET. THEY WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT REASONS FOR DOING SO BUT THEY WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING IT. THAT WAS NOT JESUS’ COMMAND THOUGH. JESUS COMMAND WAS TO WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO YOU. CAN YOU IMAGINE WASHING THEIR FEET? CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEONE TOUCHING YOUR FEET? FOR SOME PEOPLE IT IS THE LAST THING THEY WOULD WANT TO DO, OR HAVE DONE TO THEM. THIS HOWEVER IS A SERVICE OF UNITY AND SERVANTHOOD THAT HAS POWERFUL APPLICATION TO US TODAY. WE SERVE BECAUSE JESUS SERVED US, WE SHOW LOVE, BECAUSE JESUS LOVED US.
JESUS PRAYER WAS FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.
JOHN 17:20-23:
“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.”
UNITY IS WHAT JESUS DESIRES FOR US. UNITY IS THE CALLING CARD OF THE CHURCH. IT IS THE FIRST AND LASTING THING THAT A PERSON WILL NOTICE ABOUT A CHURCH. THEY WILL ASK THE QUESTION, “IF THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT EACH OTHER, IS THIS HOW THEY ARE GOING TO TREAT ME?”
PAUL TAUGHT:
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4:
“3 DO NOTHING OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION OR VAIN CONCEIT, BUT IN HUMILITY CONSIDER OTHERS BETTER THAN YOURSELVES. 4 EACH OF YOU SHOULD LOOK NOT ONLY TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS, BUT ALSO TO THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS.”
PETER CONTINUES ALONG THESE LINES IN THE PASSAGE WE ARE LOOKING AT TODAY. HE IS WRITING TO A HURTING AND PERSECUTED PEOPLE. WHEN PEOPLE HURT, THE STRESS IS GREAT, NERVES ARE THIN, AND IT’S EASY TO REACT IN ANGER AND PAIN.
THIS HAPPENS IN THE CHURCH WHEN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. WE FORGET THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE UNITY AND DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER ON SOME ISSUES. THINGS BECOME PERSONAL RATHER THAN DEALT WITH AS AN ISSUE, AND ARGUMENTS AND BAD FEELINGS OCCUR.
PETER REMINDS US THAT AS CHRISTIANS OUR SALVATION IS A UNIFYING FACTOR FOR ALL OF US. IT DRAWS US TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. IT ALLOWS US TO SHARE THE STRUGGLES OF THE FAITH, AS WE MARCH ON TO OUR VICTORY IN THE FAITH.
1 PETER 1:22-23:
“22 NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART. 23 FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, NOT OF PERISHABLE SEED, BUT OF IMPERISHABLE, THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD OF GOD.”
HERE WE FIND THREE THINGS THAT ENCOURAGE OUR MUTUAL UNITY IN THE FAITH:
FIRST: OBEDIENCE TO THE TRUTH. WHEN WE SPEAK OF BEING OBEDIENT TO THE TRUTH, IT GIVES US AN OBJECTIVE BASIS FOR UNITY. WE UNITE BECAUSE WE ALL AGREE ON THE TRUTH OF THE SCRIPTURE. WE ARE ALL OBECIENT TO IT. WE DO NOT ALLOW OUR PERSONAL FEELINGS TO EFFECT THE WAY WE SEE OTHERS. WE SEE PEOPLE AS GOD SEES PEOPLE. WE LOVE PEOPLE AS GOD LOVES PEOPLE.
SECOND: PURITY OF SOUL: BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A BASIS FOR UNITY IT ALLOWS US TO ACT WITH PURITY OF INTENT. IT DOES NOT BLIND US TO EACH OTHERS FAULTS. IT GIVES US THE GRACE TO OVERLOOK THEM.
THIRD: A LACK OF HYPOCRISY. THIS IS THE RESULT OF APPLYING THE FIRST TWO ELEMENTS. IT IS AN AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIP AS CHRIST WANTS US TO HAVE. RELATIONSHIP IS THE KEY TO UNITY, AND PETER STATES THAT THE GLUE TO HOLD THIS RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER IS LOVE.
PETER SUGGESTS FOUR WAYS IN THIS PASSAGE THAT WE CAN SHARE UNITY, THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER:
1. WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE SAME FATHER
1 PETER 1:23: “FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN,”
AS BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME FAMILY. WE ALL HAVE THE SAME FATHER, AND WE ALL COME TO HIM THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP ONLY BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS CAN SHARE IN. PETER IS VERY SPECIFIC HERE. THERE ARE MANY WHO CLAIM TO BE “CHRISTIAN” IN OUR WORLD TODAY. THE TERM HAS BECOME SO MUDDIED AND UNCLEAR THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO BE VERYN SPECIFIC IN WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY WE ARE “CHRISTIAN”.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY BELIEVE IN CHRIST, AND WOULD CLAIM TO BE “CHRISTIAN” BUT IN FACT HAVE NOT HAD A LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST.
PETER IS VERY CLEAR HERE. “YOU HAVE BEEN BORN-AGAIN.” YOU HAVE A NEW RELATIONSHIP BASED ON YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST.
2 WE TAKE OUR INSTRUCTION FROM THE SAME SOURCE:
1 PETER 1:23-25:
“23 NOT OF PERISHABLE SEED, BUT OF IMPERISHABLE, THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD OF GOD. 24 ¶ FOR, "ALL MEN ARE LIKE GRASS, AND ALL THEIR GLORY IS LIKE THE FLOWERS OF THE FIELD; THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWERS FALL, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD STANDS FOR EVER." AND THIS IS THE WORD THAT WAS PREACHED TO YOU.”
THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS OUR OBJECTIVE AND RELIABLE SOURCE OF TRUTH AND WE GET OUR INSTRUCTION FROM THAT SOURCE. THAT SEED MUST BE EMBRACED AND APPLIED FOR IT TO GROW.
THERE IS NOTHING AUTOMATIC ABOUT BEING EXPOSED TO THE WORD OF TRUTH. I WISH IT WOULD WORK THAT WAY, AS IF BY OSMOSIS, THE TRUTH OF THE WORD WOULD JUST MELT THROUGH OUR SKIN AND BECOME EMBEDDED IN OUR HEARTS FOR US TO ACT ON. IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY.
WE NEED TO BE IN TUNE WITH THE WORD OF GOD. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE BIBLE AND ASK GOD WHAT LESSON HE IS GOING TO TEACH US TODAY, AND THEN APPLY IT. IF WE ARE DEALING WITH A PARTICULAR SITUATION, TO USE THE BIBLE TO DETERMINE HOW WE DEAL WITH IT AND THEN DO SO.
JUST BEING EXPOSED TO THE TRUTH WILL NOT CHANGE US, WE HAVE TO APPLY IT.
CHUCK SWINDOLL WRITES:
“YOU CAN PUT ME IN A ROOM WITH A DOZEN BEAUTIFUL STEINWAY PIANOS AND LEAVE ME THERE FOR HOURS, BUT I STILL WON’T BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND PLAY. BRINGING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC FROM THOSE BLACK AND WHITE KEYS TAKES WORK – COMMITMENT, DEDICATION, PRIVATE LESSONS, AND UNTOLD HOURS OF PRACTICE.”
3. WE HAVE THE SAME STRUGGLES
1 PETER 2:1: “THEREFORE, RID YOURSELVES OF ALL MALICE AND ALL DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, ENVY, AND SLANDER OF EVERY KIND.”
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS LIST THAT PETER GIVES US. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH IN OUR DAILY LIVES. OUR DAILY LIVES IS WHERE WE WILL SEE OUR VICTORIES OR OUR DEFEATS. WE MAY NOT MURDER SOMEONE OUTRIGHT, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY KILL THEM WITH OUR TONGUE.
AS PART OF GOD’S FAMILY, WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO PUTTING OFF SUCH BEHAVIOUR, AND ENJOY THE PLEASURE AND PEACE THIS CAN BRING.
4. WE FOCUS ON THE SAME OBJECTIVES:
1 PETER 2:2-3:
“2 LIKE NEWBORN BABIES, CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK, SO THAT BY IT YOU MAY GROW UP IN YOUR SALVATION, 3 NOW THAT YOU HAVE TASTED THAT THE LORD IS GOOD.”
PETER TELLS US HERE THE OBJECTIVE OF UNITY. HE SAYS THE OBJECTIVE OF UNITY IS “MATURITY”
I FIND IN MY LIFE NOW, THAT I AM VERY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT I AM NOT GOING TO LIVE FOREVER. I WANT TO TRY TO CHOOSE WISELY HOW I INVEST MY TIME. I REFUSE TO ALLOW THINGS IN MY LIFE TO BOTHER ME THE WAY THEY DID YEARS AGO AND I HAVE LEARNED CONTENTMENT IN MY LIFE AS IT IS. I TRY TO AVOID CONFRONTATION WHEN POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT POSSIBLE I TRY TO END IT SWIFTLY AND WITH AS MUCH COMPASSION AS I CAN.
CONCLUSION:
LIVING A LIFE OF UNITY IS IN MANY WAYS VERY BASIC. ROBERT FULGHUM WROTE A BOOK ENTITLED “ALL I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN” AND IN IT HE WRITES:
“SHARE EVERYTHING AND PLAY FAIR. DON’T HIT PEOPLE. PUT THINGS BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS. DON’T TAKE THINGS THAT AREN’T YOURS. SAY YOU’RE SORRY WHEN YOU HURT SOMEBODY…AND ITS STILL TRUE TODAY, NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE. WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD, ITS BEST TO HOLD HANDS AND STICK TOGETHER.”
THIS WEEK PRAY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL YOU ARE SITTING NEXT TO. PRAY FOR SOMEONE YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH. PRAY THAT YOU WILL GET BEYOND THE DIFFICULTY AND ENJOY THE RELATIONSHIP. PRAY FOR PEOPLE IN THE CONGREGATION THAT HAVE VARIOUS NEEDS AND AILMENTS. PRAY FOR ME IN LEADERSHIP. PRAY FOR LESLIE AS SHE DEALS WITH ME IN LEADERSHIP. PRAY AND LIFT EACH OTHER UP. ITS BEST TO HOLD HANDS AND STICK TOGETHER.
