INTRODUCTION:
We will continue our sermon series on “The Walk of Faith” this morning with the fourth part. We
have discovered that a true walk of faith is a new walk, an honest walk, and a loving walk. Today, we will
examine the idea that the walk of Faith is a Unified walk.
America is talking about her enjoyment of a greater sense of unity now than any before in my
lifetime, and according to many twice my age, in their lifetime. We have rallied around our flag in
defense of “freedom.” However, as I have said once, I’ll say again, we are “missing the boat” in our
definition of unity. We have rallied around our flag, and unified under a single purpose - defeating
terrorism. We, as a nation, take pride in our diversity, while our enemy seeks to destroy us for it. But
our history books have been re-written today. My history books don’t tell of a nation that was formed to
celebrate diversity. That came later. Diversity was NOT the basis of founding our nation. Don’t get me
wrong - I’m not saying we stand opposed to diversity of background, but I AM saying that the common
ground on which our nation was founded was NOT the celebration of diversity. Rather, our nation was
formed so people of Christian faith (whatever their background) could practice their faith without
persecution and external controls. Their purpose was to spread the Gospel, not contain it to further
“diversity.” The founding fathers of our nation, extending back to our land’s discovery, had a different
country in mind than exists today. They recognized the sovereignty of God, His providence, and the
Savior’s desires for their life was good enough for them, come what may. Today, however, we are no
longer free to stand for solid, traditional Judeo-Christian values. We are no longer free to proclaim that
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to heaven, and through Him, the ONLY way to genuine peace with
mankind.. We are unified under our flag, but our flag today stands for freedom FROM religion, not
freedom OF religion. Our flag now stands for freedom to pursue unrestrained pleasure, not sacrifice and
goodwill toward our neighbors. We have neglected our roots. Our roots are changing as a result.
As a nation, we have misunderstood this freedom for which our founders fought and died. We
have forsaken our faith in Christ as a nation in exchange for “freedom to do as we please,” not realizing
that we are truly free in only in Christ. As a nation, we claim to be “Christian” when it suits us, but when
it restrains us from doing as we please, we turn our backs on Him. We, if we were truly Christian, would
not be this way. As a nation, we are destroying ourselves at a faster rate than any terrorist organization
could hope to do, and we aren’t even aware of it. We are destroying ourselves with philosophy and vain
deceit, killing ourselves from the inside out. We do it by selling drugs, by encouraging the use of alcohol
and nicotine use, buy shooting one another and by killing our unborn and elderly. We destroy our
neighbors by allowing them to ruin their own lives as they please through homosexuality, financial
bankruptcy, adultery, and divorce while we silently turn our backs, saying to ourselves, “to each his own.”
We allow one another to destroy himself by practicing all sorts of deceptive things like lying to people
and calling it good. Many of us have built amazing justifications for our sinful ways, and so begin to call
our ways “Good.” However, God warns us of those that call evil “Good,” and good “Evil.” I would say
that if we were to ask God whether there was truly unity in America today, the answer would probably be
a resounding, “NO!” We continue to sin. America has not returned to God, for we are encouraged to
resume our lifestyles as before the attack a month ago. These practices, which have not changed after
the attacks, divide and tear apart. They are simply more subtle than the horrendous approach taken by
those that attacked us directly. They are equally horrendous and cost more lives each year than any
terrorist activity on earth. Yet we are not outraged at these things. Why?
READ COLOSSIANS 2:4-8
Neil Orchard was talking with a farmer about his soy bean and corn crops. Rain had
been abundant, and the results were evident. So his comment surprised him: "My crops are
especially vulnerable. Even a short drought could have a devastating effect."
"Why?" Orchard asked.
He explained that while we see the frequent rains as a benefit, during that time the
plants are not required to push roots deeper in search of water. The roots remain near the
surface. A drought would find the plants unprepared and quickly kill them.
Some Christians receive abundant "rains" of worship, fellowship, and teaching. Yet
when stress enters their lives, many suddenly abandon God or think him unfaithful. Their roots
have never pushed much below the surface. Only roots grown deep into Jesus Christ (Col.
2:6-7) help us endure times of drought in our lives.
In order to walk by faith (and in this case, in unity as a sign of faith) we must...
I. BE ONE WITH CHRIST: HAVE TAKEN CHRIST BY FAITH (v. 6)
During his children’s sermon, the pastor was speaking to the children about the need for unity
within the church. The pastor looked at the children and emphasized, “God wants us to be one.” One of
the youngest, a four year-old, immediately protested, “I’ve already been One, I want to be Five!
A. HEARING
B. ACCEPTING
C. RESPONDING
In order to walk by faith (and in this case, in unity as a sign of faith) we must...
II. BE ONE WITH CHRIST: HAVE CHRIST AS THE ROOT OF OUR LIVES (v. 7a)
The huge redwood trees in California are considered the largest things on earth, and the tallest
trees in the world,. Some of them are 300 feet high and over 2500 years old. One would think that trees
so large would have a tremendous root system reaching down hundreds of feet into the earth. The
redwoods actually have a very shallow system of roots, but they all intertwine. They are locked to each
other. When the storms come or the winds blow, the redwoods stand. They are locked to each other
and don’t stand alone, for all the trees support and protect each other.
A. NOURISHMENT
B. ANCHOR
C. LIFE-SOURCE
Bible teacher A.T. Pierson tells about a new convert to Christ who had a strange dream in which
he was trapped down a very deep well in the night. He looked up and saw a single star shining far above
him, and it seemed to let down lines of silver light that took hold upon him and lifted him up. Then he
looked down, and he began to go down. He looked up, and he began to go up; he looked down and
began to descend again. He found that by simply keeping his eye on that star, he rose out of that well
until his foot stood on the firm ground.
The dream was a parable, Dr. Pierson said. “Get your eyes off yourself and on your Savior, get
them off your disease and on your physician... Now and here, turn your eyes to the Lord Jesus.”
Satan, the Hinderer, may build a barrier about us,” Hudson Taylor once said, “but never can roof
us in such that we cannot look up.”
In order to walk by faith (and in this case, in unity as a sign of faith) we must...
III. BE ONE WITH CHRIST: HAVE CHRIST AS THE FOUNDATION (v. 7b)
Weary of discord, Mark Twain said, “So I built a cage, and in it I put a cat and a dog. After a little
training, I got the dog and cat to the point where they lived peaceably together. Then I introduced a pig,
a goat, a kangaroo, some birds, and a monkey. And after a few adjustments, they learned to live in
harmony together. So encouraged was I by such successes that I added an Irish Catholic, a
Presbyteriean, a Jew, a Muslim, and a Buddhist, along with a Baptist Missionary captured on the same
trip. And in a very short while, there wasn’t a living thing left in the cage!”
A. FOUNDATION OF PURPOSE
Someone once imagined the Carpenter’s tools holding a conference. Brother Hammer presided.
Several suggested he leave the meeting because he was too noisy.
Replied Hammer, “If I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him
around again and again to get him to accomplish anything..”
Brother Screw then spoke up, “If you wish, I will leave, but Brother Plane must leave, too. All his
work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.”
To this, Brother Plane responded, “Brother Rule will also have to withdraw, for he’s always
measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.”
Brother Rule then complained against Brother Sandpaper, “ You ought to leave, too, because
you’re so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way.”
During this discussion, in walked the Carpenter of Nazareth. He had arrived to start His day’s
work. Putting on His apron, He went to the bench to make a pulpit from which to preach the Gospel. He
employed the Hammer, Screw, Plane, Rule, Sandpaper, and all the other tools. After the day’s work,
when the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw arose and remarked, “Brethren, I observe that all of us are
workers together with the Lord.”
B. FOUNDATION OF PEDIGREE
C. FOUNDATION OF PASSION
CONCLUSION:
Today, will you accept Christ as your personal Savior, inviting Him to help you follow the path of
righteousness? You have heard the call. He is inviting you to look to Him, accept His invitation and
respond. If you’ve never before responded to the call of Jesus Christ, right now, respond. Come forward
and repent of your sins, enter into unity with Christ.
Believer, have you been walking by sight and not faith? Have you been out of unity with your
Savior? Have the storms of life left you feeling like there is no hope? Then recommit your life to Him,
and grow your roots a bit deeper in Him today by coming forward in faith to Him. Recommit yourself to
Him right now. He is inviting you to come to Him as you did in the beginning. Restore your commitment
to follow Him, come what may.
That may mean for you baptism. Do you need to be baptized? Come forward right now and ask
for baptism based upon your faith that Christ has already saved you.
That may mean for you joining yourself with this church. You have sensed very strongly the call
of Christ upon you urging you to go forward and join this church. Come forward right now and do so.
That may mean for you committing to some ministry within this church. You are a church
member, but you have been living for yourself, and not serving Christ except when it’s been convenient.
You sense Christ calling you to come forward and use your spiritual gift to support the others.
Believer, have you been walking by sight and not by faith? Have you been out of unity with your
Brothers and Sisters? Make the commitment right now, by the call of Christ, to put aside the things that
stand between you and make Christ the focus and the basis of your relationship.
