The Great Divide Series

THE POINT: DISUNITY WILL ALWAYS DISRUPT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.

ME:

Welcome. We're starting a brand-new teaching series today.

Series Intro:

America is a divided nation.

Red vs. Blue

Black vs. White

Democrat vs. Republican

Masker vs. Anti-Maskers

Vaxers vs. Anti-Vaxers

Traditional Marriage vs. Gay Marriage

Traditional/Historical Sexual Roles and ID vs. Gender Fluid

It seems like everywhere you look there is another reason to be divided and there are more and more people willing to divide us.

And why? Are all of these differences brand new? Is it that we've never had a reason to be divided before now? No. There have always been reasons to be divided. So why does it seem like we are so much more divided now than we were even just 20-30 years ago?

I think it's that we have moved into an era where certain people/groups have learned to capitalize and profit from what divides us. (and even this isn't new, it's just cycling through again) And what is it that really divides us? FEAR. We are divided by fear and that isn't going to stop because Nothing SELLS LIKE FEAR.t

We just came out of the mid-term primaries and are heading towards the mid-term general election and every single one of us can give examples of how fear has been used to galvanize us, mobilize us and divide us.

• IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR ____________ THEN THE DEMOCRATS WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR GUNS.

• IF YOU DON’T VOTE FOR ____________ THEN THE REPUBLICANS WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.

• IF YOU DON'T GIVE MONEY TO OUR CANDIDATE YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO -- Marry who you want, own what you want, be free to walk down the street, etc.

Fear is used galvanize, mobilize and divide us…. And all so we'll give MONEY and POWER to those who have told us to be afraid.

This shouldn't surprise any of us. It's not a new tactic. It's the way of the world.

Here's the real problem. The Church has entered the fray. Motivated by FEAR of LOSS, we have stepped into the fight and begun to use the same tactics as the world around us.

We have decided to take sides. And I realize there are those who will disagree with me on this, but I believe that by taking sides, we have found ourselves on the sidelines.

Most American Christians in most American churches have taken sides and begun to operate with an US vs. THEM mentality

• On our best days we have a CHURCH vs. THE WORLD mindset.

• On our worst days we have a CHURCH vs. CHURCH mindset.

Are you a RED CHRISTIAN or a BLUE CHRISTIAN?

And I already know what some of you are thinking. You're thinking there's no such thing as a RED CHRISTIAN or a BLUE CHRISTIAN.

• "You can't be a Christian if you are a Democrat."

• "You can't be a Christian if you are a Republican."

• "You can't be a Christian if you vote for…"

• "You're not a real Christian if you don't vote for…"

Just like the world that uses FEAR and DIVISION to get the money and power it wants… we in the church have done the same thing. I'm afraid that WE HAVE DIVIDED THE BODY OF CHRIST FOR THE SAKE OF OUR POLITICAL VIEWS.

Let me say that again because it's something we need to think about.

WE HAVE DIVIDED THE BODY OF CHRIST FOR THE SAKE OF OUR POLITICAL VIEWS.

This divided mindset and this divided way of living has made the church ineffective and it has undermined the mission of Jesus in the world.

And THAT is what this series is all about. Today - and for the next 4 Sunday's we are going to look at what the church - in the middle of a divided, angry, culture war society - is supposed to look like!

We're looking at this because, honestly, most of us are getting it wrong.

Are you ready to jump in and do this?

We're going start right here in the middle of THIS conversation by looking at the GREAT DIVIDE!

Grab your bibles and open them up to Philippians 2:1. Pg. 802.

WE:

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever gone to an event where you didn't know very many people? Maybe it was a party or a wedding reception or work event, but you got there and discovered that you didn't really know anyone. It's a lonely feeling. And then you see that one guy/gal you kind of know. They work on the same floor as you and you've briefly spoken in the break room… or they live on your street and you've said 'hello' a few times… or maybe you went to the same high school/college and haven't seen each other in years.