WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
- Speak on the goodness of our being together this morning
- This series called “We Are Better Together”
- Intentional in pointing our minds to unity as a church family and as part of the churches of Christ.
SAME-SIDE SQUABBLE
Sometimes people within the same school class, the same organization, the same church, and even the same sports teams get into arguments and have conflict.
In the year 2015, the Washington Nationals were in the home stretch of the Major League Baseball season. They were in contention to get one of the final spots in the playoffs. Every win counted, and tensions among players were high.
During a game against the Phillies, Washington relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon got upset at star teammate Bryce Harper. It was the bottom of the 8th inning and the score was tied at 4-4. With one ball and 2 strikes, Harper pops a fly ball into left field where he was easily caught out. Routine play.
On his way back to the dugout, pitcher Jonathan Papelbon was upset because Harper didn’t run all the way to first base. Papelbon thought Harper should have at least tried to reach first. As Harper went back into the dugout, Papelbon yelled, “You gotta run that ball out!” Harper muttered something under his breath, to which Papelbon responded by attacking Harper and choking him. Teammates quickly broke up the fight, and Papelbon was suspended for four games.
Two guys within the same team who had the same goal were ready to trade blows because of a disagreement on the amount of hustle one guy was giving. Bryce Harper said in the interview following the game that “it’s like brothers fighting…” Sometimes brothers fight. But what they don’t do (shouldn’t do) is divide over it. And that’s what I want to point us to this morning. Our lesson this morning is called “Brothers Go Together”.
LEAD PRAYER FOR UNITY
Jesus has chosen his disciples. Twelve men to be his followers and learn about his purpose. Twelve men to learn what this Gospel (good news) is all about. Let’s read a little about these men in Matthew 10
READ MATTHEW 10:1-4 (2 Slides)
1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These 12 men would be Jesus’ closest friends. They would go through much together and together they would witness unbelievable things. What we find is that as they were chosen, Jesus sends them out with instructions about their work.
They were to go and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.
This work was going to be fascinating and frightening all at the same time for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This would cause them to be delivered over to the courts (because of who’s authority they were given to do so) and have them flogged in the synagogues (because the one who has given them authority is claiming to be the Great I AM). These 12 men would be hated for the name sake of Jesus. They needed each other.
In Luke’s account of this, it isn’t just the 12 that are sent out, but after the 12, he sends out 72 more with the same instructions he gives to the 12. These disciples were to go with partners in the Gospel. This is an important part of this sending. Why does he send them out in twos? There are several reasons and like a good sermon, I am going to give you 3 and tell us why we need the same system as brothers and sisters in the faith.
JESUS SENDS THEM TWO BY TWO
1. The first reason: We all have different gifts and different weaknesses.
Each of these men were equipped with different strengths and skills. Some might have been able to speak well in public, others were gifted in serving. One might have the ability to discern whether a home was worthy as he says in verse 13, another might know when it’s time to leave town as in verse 14 & 15.
The church today needs people of all kinds of gifts, all manner of strengths, and every kind of skill in reaching people for the Kingdom. We at 29th need people of all skill and ability for the ministry opportunities that come. Maybe your gift isn’t public speaking, but you are great at serving—you know, we have such an opportunity for you. We will be over at the Contact Church serving lunch next Sunday! We could sure use your help in being the hands and feet of Jesus in serving these wonderful brothers and sisters in a simple meal to love them. Or, maybe you don’t do well in a big group, but there are things coming like an opportunity to watch kids and help with activities as their parents have a night out. Falecia is putting such an event together. Or maybe you are not great with kids…we can use your hands to help with things around the building or in our worship assemblies on Sundays. There are numerous ways to be a part of the church and unite with your brothers and sisters.
Paul writes about this necessity to the church at Corinth. In chapter 12, he gives them a lengthy lesson on how every body part is necessary. That there are all kinds of gifts in the one Spirit of God. He tells them in verse 14 that there are many parts to the body. And through the rest of this thought, he says, because you are not this part doesn’t mean you are unimportant. He tells of how important you really are. And we cannot say to other parts of this body, I don’t need you. The truth is I do…if I didn’t have you, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t see, I wouldn’t hear.
Why does Paul say this? 1 Corinthians 12:24-26 (1 Slide):
“God has so composed the body…that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
We need each other and Jesus knew that. Before the formation of the first century church, Jesus sent his disciples out with a partner to learn to love the gifts of another person. We learn how to appreciate what we do not have the ability to do and we get the blessing to encourage someone else who does not have the ability to do what we individually can do.
2. The second reason Jesus sends them out with a buddy: we need accountability.
These men needed to know that this mission wasn’t about them. It was about the Gospel. Jesus was sending his disciples to teach who Jesus was. It could have been easy to become like many of the traveling religion peddlers. Many magicians, zealots, religious cult teachers, and other eccentric philosophers would travel around and gain an audience. It was how they earned a living. They would live off of the naivety of those that they could find gullible enough to hear a new story or see an exciting miracle done by slight-of-hand.
Why did Jesus send them with a partner? To have someone there to keep them straight. He told them to do these powerful miracles in the name of Jesus because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. To see these men performing the same miracles Jesus performed would have been just as amazing as seeing Jesus himself perform them. But they would also do this with no intention of asking for money, food, or wage. They were to accept the hospitality of the people in each town. It could be easy to receive some adulation from these astounded Jewish brothers and sisters. But as Jesus said in verse 16 be careful. He is sending them out into a dangerous world. Don’t fall prey to its schemes. Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. These disciples needed a partner to keep them accountable to the mission and not to get lost thinking about their own livelihoods.
They needed someone standing by their side to remind them of their mission.
3. Finally, Jesus sends them out with a buddy because they need a shoulder to lean on.
Jesus tells them up front, this is not going to be easy. Just as he would later be persecuted, accused, flogged, and beaten, these disciples may experience this too. He tells them in verse 22, you will be hated because of me. And he gives them examples of everything they may experience. You are going to need a friend to lean on through these difficult times.
Don’t we need a friend for the same reasons? We need someone to walk beside us and give us the comfort and encouragement when things aren’t going well. There will be times when our faith is being pressed on by the world around us and we need one another to help bear these burdens.
If we were to try and serve this mission alone, we might not be successful. We might easily give up. When we are struggling to be the best example of Jesus we may walk away. Jesus didn’t want that for his disciples then and he doesn’t want that for his disciples now. As disciples of Jesus, we need each other. As our title today suggests, brothers (and sisters) go together!
We have to walk beside each other. No matter how tough it gets, knowing we have someone there next to us to support and encourage us, we can make it. The kingdom message is too important, the Gospel good news is so great, we need each other.
This is why we cannot lose our unity. We must be united with one another to keep going. We may disagree with one another, but we can be reminded about the mission and walk together anyway. We can be united even when we don’t agree on every tenet of the faith and every dot of doctrine.
Why? There are more important things to do. We must be the example of unity so that the kingdom will see an increase. What an awesome example that would be when people see that you and I may not agree on everything but we love each other and we are taking this message together into the world!
Brothers and sisters need one another as we go into this world. It won’t be easy.
Jesus prayed a prayer near his arrest. The example he started them with—going out in pairs—was so they would continue doing this after his death. He prays for them to never forget it. John 17, his High Priestly Prayer…this is not his whole prayer but a part of it
(John 17:6-23—7 Slides):
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Jesus’ prayer parallels his sending of them out. His prayer isn’t to keep them from the world, but to protect them as they live in this world and teach this world. His prayer is for all his disciples—us included. This is my prayer this morning as well.
May we share our gifts with one another to be a powerful body.
May we remind one another of our purpose and keep each other accountable ………when we might not be doing the right thing.
May we be shoulders to lean on.
……Weep with those who weep.
……Rejoice with those who rejoice.
……Keep each other going when the work is discouraging.
May we be the people who show our love for one another.
May we be people who unite even in our disagreements.
INVITATION
