Title: Job 1
Scripture: Psalm 133
A Sermon for Heritage Sunday
Intro:
Has anyone here ever heard the slogan “Quality is Job 1?” Yes, that is the slogan from Ford Motor Company, made popular in the 1980’s. I’d like to give you a little history on how this slogan came to be:
Job 1 actually refers to the 1st car of a new model that comes off of the assembly line. What an exciting time that is! A new model rolls off the line, full of promise and expectations. All of the marketing and advertising is prepared to get things kicked off so that people will want to run right out and buy a new Ford product.
Back in the 70-80’s however, Ford was rolling out many new models but they were also getting more than their share of complaints about those new cars. Employees began to worry about whether or not Ford would be able to roll off new models if people were complaining so much. Everyone was focused on job one – getting newer models off of the line. No one was focused on the quality of those products or on customer satisfaction.
The CEO’s and the Directors of the company began to realize that they were going to have to do things differently if job one, getting the new models off the line, was going to continue to bring success to the company.
They went back to the roots of the company. They began to realize that they had indeed gotten away from many things as they had focused only on job one. They had forgotten that they were a family started and owned business. They had forgotten that people should be their focus – the people who worked for them, the people who sold cars for them, the people who bought cars for them. And if people were the focus, then they had better have a quality product that the company could stand behind and be proud of.
The slogan, “Quality is Job One” was born. The company changed their focus from just making cars to caring about making cars that focused on people. They began to make customer service Job One. They began to make employee satisfaction job one. Quality, in all areas of the company, was job one. And sales went out the roof.
In 1988, the company set an industry record when their worldwide earnings reached $5.3 billion – the highest to date for any automotive company.
Success came when the focus of the company changed. Sure, they had been successful before but they realized that they had to change in order to stay successful. They had to focus on what brought success to the company, and that wasn’t the cars, that was the people.
We must ask ourselves, what brings success to a church? I believe that the answer is in the Psalm before us today. This Psalm was written to celebrate the gathering of Jews at one of the festivals they were required by law to attend. It celebrates their coming together to worship God, much like we have come together today.
I. The Psalm writer first tells us that God’s people were created for unity.
A. In these three short verses, the psalm writer is clear about what he means by unity.
1. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
a. Now this imagery may not be familiar or exciting to us today, but it was very meaningful to the people living when the psalm was written.
b. We must remember that Aaron was Moses’ brother, and in the exodus story was designated as a priest and head of the priestly line (Exodus 28-29).
c. The oil spoken of here is that of the anointing of the priest in the midst of his people. The oil is referred to as ‘precious’, in Hebrew literally ‘good’, linking the act of anointing the priest to the “goodness and pleasantness” of living together in unity.
d. Living together, in unity, is no less refreshing, is no less important, than the oil which was poured forth upon Aaron’s head at the time of his consecration to the priestly office.
2. The second metaphor states, “It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.”
a. Living together in unity is as desirable as the dew which falls upon Mount Hermon.
b. Mt. Hermon, is the highest mountain in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, located in the far north of the country of Israel. It is often snow capped, and from springs at its base, the waters that feed the Jordan River are issued. In the image the whole land of Zion is seen as being fed by the ‘dew of Hermon’.
c. Just as the whole land is fed by the ordinances and graces of God, flowing down to the people proclaiming peace and unity among all who worship him
B. The last statement relates to both images, “For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life evermore.”
1. Just as the dew falling on the mountain brings life to all the land, which is a blessing from the Lord, so too the oil which anoints, gives life to the priesthood and blesses the people.
a. Both blessings represent the means of communion between the Lord and his people and are a source of life forevermore for all of God’s people.
b. This communion, between God and his people, is characterized by unity which brings life to the church.
2. In the Easter event, God blesses us with the one gracious gift that undergirds all others, ‘life forevermore’ through the death and resurrection of Jesus. That is the basis of our unity, and its goodness and pleasantness, as the psalmist puts it.
Because of what God has done for us through his son Jesus, unity must be job one in the church!
II. Peace and getting along is ordained by God.
A. If this is true, then why is it so hard for people to do – especially we who proclaim to worship God together, to be a part of the Body of Christ?
1. This psalm was written to celebrate the gathering of the people at a festival.
a. Have any of you ever been to a family reunion?
b. Well, then maybe you understand why the psalm writer felt the need to remind the people of God’s peace and unity.
c. At most family reunions there is tension!
i. Uncle Bob hasn’t spoken to Aunt Sophie in years. Aunt Sophie doesn’t usually come to the reunions but she is here this year!
ii. And her kids, they are all here too! What will happen? Will there be an argument? Who will start it?
iii. And what about Betty – why she didn’t even bring any food! And Susan, she went out and bought fried chicken! How terrible!
iv. And Cousin Ned, why he’s only been divorced for 6 months and he’s brought his new girlfriend with him…how disgraceful.
2. Maybe there was tension at the Jewish festivals – much like the tension that exists within other families.
a. Maybe the people did need to be reminded why they were brought together – to worship God – and in doing that their behavior must be marked by peace and unity.
b. That is what God finds good and pleasant.
B. All families have their problems and families often have trouble getting along.
1. Maybe we should not focus on WHY we can’t get along, but focus instead on what we are willing to do about it; on what we are ordained by God to focus on!
2. Even the church family has had its ups and downs. All church families do.
3. But today, this psalm reminds us that Unity is Job One in the church.
Are we in agreement, promoting peace and unity within the church or are we being selfish, looking out for our own selves? Are we seeking reconciliation when we have disputes or are we quick to talk about people behind their backs? Do we promote tolerance and live with understanding not only within the church but alongside people of other faiths?
Unity must be the focus of the church at all times. A unified church is a church that will see success. A unified church will experience growth in its love for one another and for others.
Unity, ordained by God and provided by him to bless his people, must be the characteristic of a healthy church family.
Today, is Heritage Sunday. A time when we look back at our past and use it to strengthen our future. I’m sure there have been times when disunity was present in the church. But then some in the church realized that in seeking God’s will for the church,the church couldn’t live like that and they allowed the Holy Spirit to work within them to bring peace and reconciliation back into the church. Just as the CEO’s of Ford Motor Company realized that they couldn’t just keep making cars, the church must also go through changes so that its focus is always on living together in Christ. If job one is unity, then spreading the gospel will be easy! If job one is unity, then evangelism will be a piece of cake! If job one is unity in Christ, then others will be able to see the living savior in each life that makes up the church. The church will experience God’s blessings of success as people become its focus and unity is its primary behavior.
That is what makes Heritage Sunday so special. We can enjoy looking back at the good times, remembering them with fond memories. Remembering them as times that the church was indeed unified and growing in love toward one another, toward neighbors, and in its witness to the gospel of Jesus the Christ.
As you watch this presentation, please keep the theme of unity as job one in your mind…as we move boldly toward a future which has as its very foundation the unity visible in its past.
Picture presentation demonstrating a part of the heritage of the church - its unity. Presented with commentary by a church member.
