RESTORING A KINGDOM DIVIDED.
TEXT: Matt. 12:22-25.
INTRODUCTION:
1. One of the greatest weapons Satan has in his arsenal is division (text)
2. If you’ve been around very long, you’ve seen churches torn and crippled by cliques, power struggles, malicious talk and the club syndrome.
3. The church should be a place where there are no power struggles, no gossip or strife.
4. But, That is not the way Satan wants it to be.
5. Two of the most potent weapons in Satan’s arsenal are the tongue and the self-willed heart.
6. We must be an guard against these problems within our individual lives, and congregations.
DISCUSSSIN:
I. The problems described in scripture.
A. The TONGUE
(Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV) These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: {17} A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, {18} A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, {19} A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
(Proverbs 15:28 NKJV) The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.
(Proverbs 18:3-8 NKJV) When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. {4} The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. {5} It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. {6} A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. {7} A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. {8} The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.
(Proverbs 26:20-23 NKJV) Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. {21} As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. {22} The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. {23} Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
(Ecclesiastes 7:22 NKJV) For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.
(Ecclesiastes 10:11-14 NKJV) A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. {12} The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; {13} The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. {14} A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?
(Romans 3:13-14 NKJV) "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; {14} "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
(Ephesians 4:29-32 NKJV) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. {30} And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. {31} Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. {32} And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
(James 1:26-27 NKJV) If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. {27} Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
(James 3:5-10 NKJV) Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! {6} And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. {7} For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. {8} But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. {9} With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. {10} Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
(1 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV) Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; {9} not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
B. Strife
(Proverbs 10:12 NKJV) Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.
(Proverbs 13:10 NKJV) By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.
(Proverbs 20:3 NKJV) It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
(Proverbs 28:25-26 NKJV) He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. {26} He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
(1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NKJV) And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. {2} I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; {3} for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
C. Some of these problems will surface from time to time.
II. How are we to deal with these problems?
C. Recognize heart failure
(Matthew 12:34-37 NKJV) "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. {35} "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. {36} "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. {37} "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
D. Restore Love
I Cor. 13:4-7(1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NKJV) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; {5} does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; {6} does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; {7} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. {8} Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
1. Love eliminates gossip and the joys therein.
A. Humility
(Philippians 2:2-4 NKJV) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. {3} Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. {4} Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
1. With this attitude, we can discuss our OPPINIONS DISPASSIONATELY and submit to the will of the brethren.
2. We do not run around on the phone trying to subvert the discussions of the businuss meetings.
3. Nancy and Flora "Nancy’s been on the phone politicin’ all day."
4. Pick some men and support them
5. Charles Dunlap’s paint job.
F. Work without murmuring.
(Philippians 2:14-16 NKJV) Do all things without complaining and disputing, {15} that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, {16} holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
5. God took the lives of the Israelites for murmuring.
G. Adhere to Jesus’ instructions for conflict management Matt. 18:15 ff.
(Matthew 18:15-17 NKJV) "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. {16} "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ’by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ {17} "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
5. IF A BROTHER COMES TO YOU INSTEAD OF THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED YOU SHOULD TAKE IT AS AN AFFRONT TO YOUR INTEGRITY.
6. He is saying to you, I know you don’t love him enough to rebuke me for not going to him.
7. He is saying, I know you have so little regard for scripture that you won’t mind if I ignore Matt. 18.
H. Follow Abraham’s Example.
(Genesis 13:8 NKJV) So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.
I. If necessary Practice congregational discipline.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 NKJV) But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. {7} For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;
(2 Thessalonians 3:11 NKJV) For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
