Unity is the most necessary experience in the life of human society!
Unity is not a religious doctrine, not a racial law, not a national law.
Unity is one of the most important experiences of human life! Unity is a necessity!
Unity is a social need! Not only that, unity – blessing!
Unity is the step to progress. Unity is the way for any family to grow, for any society to prosper, for any race, for any system to progress!
Progress cannot be achieved unless everyone works together with unity.
Unity is not a commodity.
Unity is a wonderful achievement that we achieve with a collective effort!
Unity is not just about, greeting each other and making friendship with each other.
Unity can be achieved, created or created only in a life that is lived with a commitment, a responsibility, and a sense of dedication. That's why we all have to work together for unity. We should achieve unity through that effort.
2 factors have always stood in the way of unity –
1. Ego
2. Selfishness
These two are the fault factors that break down the unity from time to time.
We can see that there are two main factors that cause any good harmony between anyone to be damaged / their unity is disturbed, namely – EGOISM & SELFISHNESS. These two factors destroy unity.
"Unity keeps us firm, stable, united and strong but disunity makes us weak".
It shows us as weak to this society. As Unity Sunday, in the context of our meditation this Sunday, let us take this meditation forward to analyze, define, interpret and understand unity in the revelation of God's Word by observing the good words given for today's meditation.
The people of Israel achieved the land of Canaan promised to them by God as a great undertaking, they entered and took control of the land, considered it a promised land and distributed the land according to the tribes in their country in a very orderly manner, and distributed 12 places throughout the land to the 12 tribes of the Israelites. The 12 tribes of Israel distributed this promise land with complete unity/acceptance without any disagreement and are living happily, prosperously, happily and unitedly.
Saul - Israel's first king, the king they wanted! But the king appointed by God was the great king David who came next!
But in the time of King David, the people of Israel as a nation, a nation, a country people, after they were fully established in this promised land, after they gradually came down an administrative order to them.
? One king
? One country
? As one people
Those were the days when King David was ruling over them. Then there was a blunder, a blunder, a seemingly foolish decision, leading to a great division.
And so - King David got an idea. That idea is – HE WANTED to collect the CENCES of the 12 Tribes. As the tribes of Israel
He ordered to take their census calculations. They – King, this whole country is yours, isn't it? No matter how many people have grown in this country, all those people are yours, aren't they? Aren't they the ones who should be under your rule?
What matters if they increase even 100 times? Even if they increase for hundreds of times, what is the loss to us, Raja? They tried to please him/ advised him. But King David issued his order precisely and sternly.
He ordered them to go and give me an account of these 12 tribes, according to their tribes. (We find this passage in II SAMUEL 24).
For 9 months and 20 days, this ministry and administration traveled all over "from Danu to Beersheba" and brought the accounts of the 12 tribes of Israel before the king.
IT WAS AN UNWISE ATTEMPT OF KING DAVID BY GIVING ORDERS TO COLLECT THE CENSUS OF THE 12 TRIBES OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.
An ignorant idea commanded by God's appointed King David.
There is a saying in English, that is – “EVEN GENOIUS MAKES MISTAKES”. It means “wise people make mistakes/blunders with”.
King David is continuing his reign as a king with great knowledge, ruling the people of Israel with peace and brotherhood, as the first king of God's rule or the first king appointed by God.
We do not know what happened to this great man who has got such a wicked idea.
We do not know why this evil thought came to this great prophet – the Holy Scriptures give various reasons for this. But David did the calculations.
This is the first time that differences between the people of Israel have arisen as if they were counted as tribes, there were no differences, discriminations, inequities, divisions and differences among the tribes.
• How much are you? what about us
• How weak are you, how strong are we?
In these 12 gotras, differences and divisions have started between the brothers and sisters who are born from the same father and share the same blood. There are differences.
After doing this work, after receiving the report of the census ordered by King David - after bringing the accounts of these 12 tribes to King David - the Holy Book says in the same chapter (II SAMUEL 24) David lamented a lot, His mind penetrated, his mind was not shaken.
Why have I done this mistake? He was shaken by the thought. This mistake he made, this mistake made by him - the seed of division between the 12 tribes of Israel, who were united as brothers and sisters, was sown. The Seed of Division was sown between them. It sprouted – David's son Solomon became king. After Solomon, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms. The people of Israel, who were a single nation, divided into two kingdoms as a result of this numerical division and conflict. A small cause leads to a great disaster. A small thought which begins in our minds is a small thought which begins in our minds (the idea of counting people).
This evil thought born in the mind of King David, this thought of this knowledge, this is not my word, this is what is said in the Bible - this foolish decision of David led to division. This one nation, one race, one nation, which was one, became two kingdoms on this day.
As soon as they were separated - they became weak ever since.
Separated people are not strong.
Breaking up means - getting spoiled.
The separated people of Israel - weakened, their division, their disunity - the surrounding tribes, nations, kingdoms, and nations, who were jealous of them, began to attack them at the same time.
Enemy kingdoms, surrounded by envy, jealousy and hatred, began to attack and wage war against the people of Israel who were separated and childless. Enemy attack is very easy.
“The Disunity will allow the Enemy to attack and defeat us”
Our disunity makes it very easy for the enemy to attack us. Enemies attacked these two separated kingdoms.
As if separated, they fell into the hands of the enemy.
They also became slaves.
As if separated, they were scattered.
This disunity caused them to split up, split up and scatter. They were all scattered to the different parts of the world.
They are scattered like children who have scattered the nest. They ran in different directions.
? In one house – as a family..
? In a country – as a kingdom..
The people of Israel who are one family, they are all children's children, all are related by blood! But these numerical differences between them caused them to separate, disperse and drift apart. This is their condition.
Bible analysts and historians have analyzed this and called it a historical error. A historical transgrition is called a historical mistake. This small mistake to collect the census, the act of taking these calculations, the decision is a historical mistake. It led to the splitting of a nation and a race into two. Such a mistake was caused by the thought of a man.
Ezekiel 37:15-23
To the people of Israel who are scattered, separated, and alienated...
The first verse we read today is Ezekiel 37:15 where God calls the prophet – “O son of man! Take a small stick of wood in your hand and write the names of Judah on the wood. Bring another stick and write on it all the names of the descendants of the Israelites”. Write the names of the tribes divided into two. This is how this Prophet wrote that those who are separated should be written separately on one end of a stick and one on the end of another stick.
He said to hold these two together as one. Similarly, the Prophet held these two sticks in his hands on which these names were written. Now the amazing thing is - the two pieces of stick have become one.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Coming from disunity to unity It is indeed a Celebration of Life. These two nations became one as soon as they held the pieces of stick with their names written in their hands!
Now when you are doing this wonderful work in front of those people, those people will ask you – What does it mean? O Prophet, what is the meaning/implication of this?
Then you should say this – God is now uniting those who were separated into these two kingdoms.
No more 2 kingdoms, No more 2 nations, But going to become One United Nation God is going to make not two kingdoms but one country, one people, one nation, one kingdom. It should be said.
God says, "I will make it a single piece of wood in my hand."
Now that prophecy will be fulfilled among the Israelites. Among them there is no division of these kingdoms / no division of gotras. All the people of Israel were united. They are returning to the promise land given to them by God.
In the fulfillment of the prophecy given by God through the prophet, all the scattered people of God are also being gathered back to their homeland again.
We are now in the year 2022, if we can recall the political history of our country in 2012, the then Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh organized a special flight for all the Israelis to their home country and they officially returned all of them to their own country. Officially helped him to reach home. Likewise, Israel & Judah, who were scattered among the nations, were all gathered together in their own land. That prophetic word spoken by God through his prophet is literally violated today.
• God is the giver of unity!
• Who wants unity!
• God is the source of unity!
• Our God is the God of UNITY!
He is the one who hopes to have this unity with his children.
Note:
When it comes to this word, it cannot be reconciled with unity
? Both husband and wife..
? among brothers..
? among Sisters..
? Relatives, families ..
? Associations and societies..
We are God's children, God's people, we live for God - that's just a word!
It is absolutely true that God does not accept them as much as they say!
Q. How are our lives and families today?
Q. Compared to these words, are we God's children?
Today we commemorate this great historical event on this Unity Sunday. Once we have taken something into our circumstances.
What is the reason for this disunity, dissension, division, differences, disparity, etc. in us today?
Who is responsible? If asked - we all say - because of her, him, them, them, but I am the reason! No one said that.
But I want to say that it should not be like that. If you ask who is the reason - I AM the REASON for the DISUNITY, the situation will change.
I must say that we cannot find a proper solution to this problem unless we start from a soul-searching, self-examination of these disparities, differences, and divisions.
I Corinthians 12: 12-27
If we can observe the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians 12:12 – 27th verse – we will see a truth that Paul is conveying through his own writing.
Paul is explaining through an analogy, an allegory – a wrong conception strongly emerged in the Church of God.
In the order that Paul explains about the evil influence that has formed in the assembly of God, in the church of God, and in the society of God, he condemns it and taking the members of the body as an analogy, how man's nation, the organs of man's nation, their work, the organs of man's body are all formed as one body. Paul reminds us that we are all members of the community.
Writing like that - he says about the problem in the community in this verse.
The problem in the Church today is one member or Part in the Body is trying to dominate to function as a complete Body.
Paul started to say that this division, disharmony and disunity in the community is due to an intrusive street system that tries to work with an exaggerated and patriarchal view that a member of the body is the whole body.
There are many organs in our human body and all of them have their own functions. Because all these organs are doing their own work, a human being lives with this body / unless the human body is alive, the Heart says that I will not work – Do you stay there and I am here?
Q. Does this body of ours live if our heart says to us that I will not work?
Q. Breathing cysts – do we live when I breathe?
Q. Mana Kindney – Is it always my work because I am purifying all the grass that you eat? Why should I do this work? Let another organ do this work instead of me! That means - are we alive?
We can keep saying this forever.
Or I do all the work, I am important! If Heart is not me, then there is no body at all, does it mean that we would be alive on this earth?
Heart should only do the work of the heart.
Also every single Organ or Part in the body should function the given functioning.
"It means that I will do everything except the specified tasks and duties that are given to that body part - there is no body at all, no man!"
Also a major problem in the society today is –
? I have to do everything myself,
? I will see how it goes without,
? Unbeknownst to me,
? Without telling me,
? Without asking me,
? Without me saying ok,
If the first type are those who are dead in God's sight, with spiritual lifeless beings who fall for the authority of I am all, without I giving.
The second type - the tendency to push others why I have to do everything myself!
Paul explains very clearly that these two are the most dangerous in the congregations.
The Positive attitude towards the Positions. For positions, a possive attitude that I want to get it myself.
No part in the body has got such a functional mechanism. God did not assign a responsibility to the body to do all the work. No organ in this body has a functional mechanism that does the work of all the organs.
The entire body functions in complete co-operation with all other parts in the body.
Every organ works in cooperation with all the other organs in the body, don't do it! A healthy body is only when it works like that!
Q. Why today our churches have become sick churches?
Q. Why have our societies become unhealthy/sick societies?
Q. Why have our Christian families become unhealthy families?
Q. Why are our Christian lives Unhealthy / Sick Spiritual or Spirituality? Why are the lives of unhealthy lives?
Paul explained this problem in this book.
When will this feeling - we all have to work together, when will the feeling that we all have to work together and unite form in us? Choose?
What reforms will be taken to remove these conditions? Can the whole community be united?
We see only one answer to all these!
That is the truth in the words of the gospel lesson we read today!
St.John 15: 1-9
If you observe the lesson of the gospel read – Our righ relationship with God shall lead to our right relationship with others.
Our relationship with God – with people/others will lead us in the right direction!
It means that we should have good relationship with others – first we should have good relationship with God.
To this the Lord Jesus taught a well-decorated parable. A Metaphorical Parable – “Vine – Vines” is a good parable inspired by Lord Jesus here.
The important motive/objective is – “to bear fruit”!
The motto of this parable of Jesus is – “Bear Fruits”! "Bearing forth" is the meaning of this parable.
How to bear the fruits? How is it fruitful?
Why we do not bear the fruite?
What happens if we don't bear the fruit?
What is the blessing if we bear the fruit?
If we look at its purpose, the purpose of this parable is to bear fruit!
How does fruiting happen?
What are the reasons for failure?
What are the consequences of failure?
What are the blessings of bearing fruit?
Let's quickly notice that in the words of Lord Jesus!
If we can observe the words from John 15:1-8, here Lord Jesus told a parable.
In this parable, Jesus gave us the subject of "grapes and vines" as a subject of meditation today.
Among the parables told by the lords of Jesus, this parable of "grapes - vines" is the most instructive parable!
This is the parable that said, "I am the true vine, my father is the husbandman, and you are the vines".
Another important message here is – “This vine must bear fruit”!
"To bear fruit" is its prominent aim, main moto, Maian Message, main purpose.
And how is it fruitful? - Here the lords of Jesus are saying Vs.15:4 in the last part of the verse he said – "As he himself did not bear fruit, neither do you bear fruit unless you abide in me."
Notice the last verse of Vs.5 – “Apart from me you can do nothing” Jesus said.
This is what Jesus is clearly saying - to bear fruit means that the vines must be grafted onto the vine. He said in that Drukpada.. "A string does not bear fruit by itself". We must remember that this is very important.
No believer survives or bears fruits with His/Her independence attitude, Unless they abide in Christ!
No believer can have a fruitful life by himself unless he is grafted and abiding in Christ!
Now the truth which is very clear – we have to bear fruit means that no fasts, penances, meditations, yogas, we will not bear fruit spiritually.
If we live our lives with our own or religious devotions, with the rituals of a religious acharya, we will not fail spiritually Andy!
Here the lords of Jesus are saying – “If you abide in me, you will not be fruitful”. He said, "If you remain in the vine, but you do not bear fruit of your own accord, you will not bear fruit either."
We must bear fruit - we must be grafted in Christ.
We need the experience of standing in Christ.
You should note in what sense this parable is brought before you.
It is the relationship we have with God that leads us to the relationship we have with others.
Very well the truth that we need to observe is – we do not have a good relationship with God and therefore we do not have a proper relationship with people/others/blood relations/relationships.
Sadhu Sunder Singh - told a story. One day a man with a broken leg came to a doctor. The person with broken leg is standing in front of Doctor and crying. Yay! Doctor, I can't bear this pain and suffering. First give me relief from this pain.
Then the Doctor said like this –
Do you know how you got this pain?
The reason why you feel this pain, the reason why you feel sad – is that your leg is broken!
So now, “This broken leg must be reattached”.
Your broken bone should be jointed again. Only then you get the complete freedom from this pain and suffering.
“The reason for your pain is – your bone is broken into two pieces. Unless we join that broken bone your pain will never go away from your body”
Yes, dear children of God.. Today our lives are fruitless, our families are dragged with sorrows and misunderstandings because our lives, which were tied to God, are separated from God, torn into pieces. That's why we have these differences, divisions, differences, fights, factions, grudges and hatreds.
If our relationship with God is reattached today, This External Pain will disappear form our bodies and lives. Only then all such external sufferings and pains will be removed at once.
The Lord said – "If you stand in Me, you will be fruitful."
Third – “You cannot do anything apart from me”.
How to bear fruit – means we bear fruit only if we abide in Him!
Q. What if the loss does not work? Who is the fruit of praise? Who is watching us? By what standard are we measured? Who is accountable? How to survive in this world?
Along with this the Lord says – John 15:6 – Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a vine and wither. So people smoke them and throw them in the fire and they burn.
Will dry!
will burn!
Lives that are not in relationship with God / not grafted wither and burn!
Today, if we live with arrogance and pride that we have muscles in our bodies and money in our pockets, do we need God? Here we see what happens to the lives of those who think they have nothing to do with God.
Lord Jesus says – “Apart from Me you can do nothing”. No matter how much life is done in this world, everything is in vain!
Why does this fruitless life become a useless life?
Finally let me conclude by showing what is the purpose of bearing fruit – same chapter John 15:8 – “By bearing much fruit my Father will be glorified, and by this you will be my disciples”.
John 15:7 – “If you abide in me and my words in you, ask what you will and it will be given to you”.
Here we see 3 blessings.
1. If we bear fruit – the Father will be glorified by us.
2. We become His true disciples.
3. We will be rewarded with what we give.
Are we today like vines grafted into Christ the vine Or Not?
How long these disparities, disagreements, disunity, will grudges, hatreds, dislikes and so on continue? Shall we end our lives like this?
Come on! Let us examine ourselves and know that if we are not yet grafted into Christ, who is the vine, we will be cast out and burned in the fire, let us take advantage of this opportunity that God has given us today and experience the blessings of God as those who are grafted into Him. May God grant us such grace! Amen
