A House Divided Cannot Stand
Abe Lincoln; was elected to congress in 1847. The Mexican war was going on, and Lincoln opposed the war. His anti war speeches displeased his political supporters, and he knew they wouldn’t re-elect him.
So at the end of His term in 1849 he returned to Illinois to practice law. Then in 1858 He was nominated by the republican party for Illinois state senator.
Addressing the State convention at Springfield, he gave the first of his memorable speeches.
His huge hands tensely gripped the speaker’s stand, he declared slowly and firmly: “A house divided against it’s self cannot stand”
He’s talking about the country being divided on the issue of slavery, but where did he get that phrase? He got it from Jesus. And it’s recorded in 3 of the 4 gospels. Matthew 12:25, Mark 3:25, and Luke 11:17.
Jesus was being accused of driving out demons in the name of Beelzebub, in which the Pharisees said was the ruler of demons. Beelzebub was one of Satan’s cohorts.
Luke 11:17: Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and a house divided against itself will fall. if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.
Jesus brushes their accusation off with logic. They’re accusing him of being in league with the prince of demons because of his power over demons, and He’s saying Satan would not attack his own subjects, then his kingdom would be divided.
We live in a divided country. Certain events bring it together, united we stand, then it fades away to division. We live in this world, a world of division, and change, but we are not of this world.
We are separated from the world, by our belief in the word of God,and It will never change. And it will not fade away. Unity was apparent on the day of Pentecost when the Church was established. Acts 2:1; the apostles were all with one accord in one place. The church is a fellowship of faith, hope, and love that binds believers together.
In Eph. 4:3-6 the NIV translation says: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit. Just as you were called to one hope when you were called. One Lord, one faith, one baptism; One God and Father of all. Who is over all and through all and in all.
Yet we still see division in the nation, in families, and in the church. I’m going to talk about these divides, and then the medicine that will cure division.
We find a striking parallel to the things that cause division today, in the Bible, in the city of Corinth. And Paul tells us how to deal with these issues in His letters to the Corinthians, but first some history about this biblical city.
The city of Corinth was strategically located on a narrow neck of land that connected southern Greece to the mainland of Greece. And there were two natural seaports that fed into Corinth providing a natural stop over for people traveling between Rome and the East. Old Corinth was destroyed in 146 BC. Then reconstructed in 44 BC by Julius Ceasar, and the city was given the status of Roman colony.
This city was a melting pot of many nationalities. Old Corinth had been known for it’s imoralality and unrestrained self indulgence.
New Corinth ,took on the same characteristics. The city was intellectually proud, materially affluent, and morally corrupt. The philosophy in Corinth encouraged it’s people to indulge in their desires, greed, dishonesty, impurity, drunkenness, lust, and selfishness.
When Paul came to Corinth He worked as a tent maker and preached every Sunday, He remained there for about a year and half, and established a growing church. (Acts 18)
The congregation consisted of some Jews, but was mostly Gentile and ex-pagan in nature. Socially, the membership ranged from the very affluent city treasurer (Rom.16:23) to Jewish refugees(Ac.18:2) and former criminals(I Cor.6:9-11)
Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church was written about 55 years after the death of Jesus from Ephesus, and in it he answered questions about marriage and celibacy, food offered to idols, proper dress and responsibilities of women, public worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection of the dead.
Paul was also concerned about the growing division in the church, different groups were forming, they were quarrelling among themselves, and some had even taken other members to pagan courts to settle disputes.
Although Paul’s 1st letter to the church at Corinth was written to deal with specific needs within that church, it has a tremendous value for us also,
The hearts of people have not changed, and neither has the principles by which God works.
Paul dealt with their problems in such a way that it gives us principles and guidelines by which we can measure our lives and conduct.
We face the same essential issues today, and we need the same sure and unchanging word from God to guide us.
In verse 10 Paul addresses divisions in the church, and we normally think of this as doctrinal and denominational divisions.
The word denomination means to divide.
Denominationalism divides believers and leads them astray with man made doctrine, I find this disheartening, and sad. I have to believe that Satan has had a hand in dividing believers in this manner.
Paul isn’t talking about denominations though, He’s addressing the divisions in the church at Corinth.
I Corinthians 1:10; Paul says, I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
And in verse 12:13 He says What I mean is this: One of you says, I follow Paul, another , I follow Apollos, another, I follow Cephas, still another, I follow Christ.
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into Paul? Congregations today, are divided in the same way sometimes.
People say I’m going to believe this teacher because He’s my favorite speaker, or I’m going to side with this person because they’re family.
I have attended a church in which the affluent people sat on one side and the not so affluent sat on the other side. The aisle between the pews actually divided the congregation.
Fellowship with Jesus Christ is the distinctive mark of the church, or the body of Christ. This unity of the church was created by
Christ through Christ.
Fellowship leads church members to help one another in spiritual and economic difficulties. Fellowship does not represent an organization or a group. It represents the relationship between the believer and God and among believers.
This relationship is not possible through human achievements. God transforms Christians and makes fellowship possible. Fellowship should produce perfect unity among church members.
Listen what Paul says in Romans 15:5-7; may the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God desires unity among His people. Holding grudges and resenting other members of the body separates us from the will of Christ. Christians should accept each other as Christ us.
In Christ all people are one. All are brothers and sisters in Christ because all are indebted to the work of Jesus. Gifted leaders should never be followed in such a way that it divides the church.
Another problem in the church at Corinth was the observance of the Lord’s supper. Apparently some of the members were bringing food and drink and treating this as a common meal.
Paul gave the fullest account we have of the last supper. He condemned the abuse of the Lord’s Supper by the Corinthians, and in doing so He gives us more insight into the proper observance of the supper than any other New Testament writer.
I Corinthians 11:20-22 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?
What Paul is saying is; When they came together as a church, but had divisions among them. Their eating and drinking could not really be a true observance of the Lord’s Supper; they had to be unified in the Lord to observe the Lord’s Supper properly.
(23-26) Paul says; The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, in remembrance of me.” Paul then says, for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Paul connected the eating of the bread and the drinking of the fruit of the vine, from the cup with proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes, meaning that every proper observance of the Supper points back to the death of Christ and forward to the second coming of Christ.
Now in verses 27-29, he says; Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
You see, we also must be unified in the Lord to observe the Lord’s Supper properly. Back in chapter 10:17 Paul says; Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Paul has weaved a thread of unity throughout this letter, but that thread doesn’t stop in this one letter to the Corinthians. It is woven throughout the Bible. We are called to be in harmony and in unison with each other.
In chapter 11:19; Paul also says that there is no doubt that there will be differences of opinions. Differences can be healthy, if they are approached in a Christ like manner, seeking the truth, and the will of God.
Now I don’t know how you all are, but when I think I’m right about something, I can be a bit stubborn and stiffnecked, but if I’m wrong I want to know it as soon as possible, so I can correct my wrong thinking.
So if we are wrong about something, we have to be willing to admit it, and if it’s an error in the way we worship, or a sin that we didn’t realize we were doing, then we correct it, or repent then ask for forgiveness.
The continental divide is sometimes refered to as the great divide, the equator divides the earth, and Sin divides us, or separates us from God. Satan deceived Eve, separating man from fellowship with God.
And He’s still at work, deceiving and dividing people with sin. Imoral and adultrus behavior divides husbands and wives. It divides children from their parents.
Jealousy, envy, and greed divides people. Gossip, and slander separates people. Sowing discord among brethren tears congregations apart. So what is the cure for division? The cure is love, faith, kindness, truth, and forgiveness, the very nature of God is the cure for division.
I Corinthians 13; says the greatest of these is love. In verse 4-8, Paul says Love is patient, love is kind. It does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with truth. It always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
God sent his only begotten son into the world, because he loves us. Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins, why? Because he loves us. And just before he was betrayed by Judas, and just before he was arrested, and taken before Annas.
Jesus prayed three prayers, He looked toward heaven and prayed for himself, then He prayed for his disciples, Jesus then prayed for the unity of all believers. He prayed for you, He prayed for me, and He prayed for all who believe in Him.
I’m going to close this lesson by reading a portion of this prayer. John 17:20-23 My prayer is not for them alone,(He’s talking about the disciples he just prayed for) I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me, and loved them even as you have loved me.
I want to thank everbody for your attention, and I hope and pray that you can use this lesson of unity, that you can apply it to your heart and your lives.
