Unity or Division

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The world is busy right now isn’t it? Everything is political right now. At least it seems to be. The truth is that it is not…but that’s what it seems to be. We’re going to, for the next few weeks, look at being the church in the world today. I think sometimes we get so focused on the loudest things or the most things that are hyped the most…and we lose track of the big picture.

Truth is, there are times when we have seasons like that right? When something is going on around us or within us and that is all we can focus on.

We’re going to take a few steps backward so we can get a bigger picture.

I think we had a good start to this last week didn’t we? We were downstairs, in Jessica’s big classroom…where the kids learn and play and worship. But we were down there to eat and talk and remember Jesus. I had a lot of fun! you?

To be honest…I was really nervous. Because…and here’s where we’re going to start today. Sometimes we have ideas about how church ‘should’ or ‘ought’ to be. Last week was pretty different wasn’t it. But here’s what I heard and what some of the elders and other leaders heard.

One person said that last week was effective. I heard this idea from a few different people. That in a very real way, we all were acting like the church together while learning about it. Family and friends, together, talking, sharing, listening, remembering, worshiping.

Some others said it was relaxed. And not in the casual way…like not important. There was no pretentiousness. Some said they felt at east…not intimidated.

Some said they were able to talk to people…rather than just having time to say, “Hello, how are you?”

We were together. One body. And we found out that since the church began, people (believers in Christ) have been doing this for nearly 2000 years. Meeting together as a family. As the body of Jesus. Today we’re doing the same thing. We don’t have pancakes and sausage here. But we’re doing the same thing. (FYI - most people we talked with said we should do that at least once per quarter). What do you think?

Here’s what I saw from my perspective. Here’s what the elders saw from their perspective. A group of people, individuals, together…ministries represented…public ministries, private ministries, individual ministries. Lots of different things going on. Different people unique people. But one body.

One spirit through all of us. One church family, many ministries, many unique lives, but one spirit. God’s spirit moving all of us in different ways. Growing each of us in different ways. But all for His purpose. So we can be united in Christ…God’s people…following Him, under His name, for His purposes…for His glory.

read this church advertisement the other day. “Does your life stink? We’ve got a pew for you.”

Yes…we want to grow as a church…but we want to do it the way Jesus is leading us to. I think that starts with personal growth…getting to know Jesus as your friend. Because when life stinks…there’s no better friend to have.

It was in the early 50’s AD that Paul traveled to a town called Philippi. It seems, for Paul, to be the most northern places that he traveled to share the Gospel. While there, on the Sabath day, Paul and his mission team went outside of the city gate to go down to the river expecting to find a place of prayer. It seems there was no synagogue in town…that was Paul’s habit…he’d first go to the local place of Jewish worship. But here he went down to where people might be praying. He did find some people praying.

There was a group of ladies there, one person named Lydia. She was a business women, purple cloth. After praying with and discussing Jesus with her, she believed the Gospel message and (good news message) and then went and shared the news with her whole household…all became believers that day. Again this is Philippi…northern Greece…Europe.

Many scholars believe that this is the first person who became a Christian in Europe. Lydia.

Paul, after this freed a girl from a demon…her family and some business men were using her to have her tell people their fortunes for cash. Well, that stopped when Paul called the demon to leave in Jesus’ name. Paul was thrown in prison.

Ironically, here’s what she was doing…Paul was annoyed…she was following him around town saying “Here’s a man who will tell you how to be saved!” He got tired of it and told the demon to leave.

Well, he and Silas were thrown in jail for this…then God released them from prison (earthquake)…chains came off…(which is a sermon in itself right there for another time)…the jailor was scared literally towards taking his own life…but Paul stopped him…told Him the good news…the jailor and his whole family became believers.

There’s more to this whole story…but here we have 3 main people who came into contact with Jesus. Lydia, a little girl, and a jailor. We have written documentation that Lydia and the jailor became Christians…and their families and more. The first church in Philippi.

Paul had a great affection for these people. Later, when Paul would be in Jail, he writes a letter back to this church that was started there with these people. And in this letter, he encourages them to keep at it. Keep moving forward. To stay together…united.

He mentions that he’s in jail and that he’s grateful to them and their prayers and the help given to him.

It opens with a verse many of you are familiar with. “…be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.” He was writing to Lydia, her family, the jailor, his family, and others that have been added to that church family…new leaders and more. Keep moving forward…Jesus is growing you all.

Now in the book, we have another passage that might be familiar to some. It comes from Philippians 2. Paul had just finished writing about his hope that they would be united, standing firm as one person (even thought they’re many)…for the faith of the Gospel. Stand firm for the sake of the Gospel … the good news.

Remember what we kind of experienced last week. That feeling of oneness, family, one body. Together for one purpose.

Ok…so here we have Paul writing to this church in Europe…to Lydia, the jailor, the new leaders and more.

Philippians 2:1–7 (CSB)

1 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,

2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.

7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant...

One body…many people. One love, one fellowship, one purpose, on mind…one with Jesus.

If you were the devil…satan…someone opposed to God and or his plan or way of life or whatever....what would be your plan for this little but growing church in Philippi?

Here’s what Paul is writing about. Unity…being of one mind. Remember, Paul is writing to encourage the people there in Philippi to become what Jesus prayed for before the cross…John 17. Jesus prayed that we would all be one as he and the father are …so that…the world will know God, His love…and His son.

So again…it seems Paul is praying that the church would be unified in mind and purpose.

What would the enemy do?

If Jesus is praying for unity, oneness…and Paul is writing into the lives of the Philippians and encouraging them to be unified…why?

Because division will kill the purpose of the church and the message of the gospel in any community. Its pretty much that simple.

Now, we have to look at what this might look like. And to tell you the truth, Paul does a pretty good job for us describing what unity looks like in the church family.

But just for an example…we talked about the body last week. The church body…being the body of Jesus.

So I love to eat. I’m guessing many of you do as well. Anyone like a good steak, chicken, pork chop, baked potato?

Yeah so in eating anyone of those…most of the time, you’ll be using a fork or a knife. Most of the time.

So i’d like you to picture yourself getting ready to eat that....steak or pork chop or baked potato. You have the fork in one hand holding the steak or potato…you have the knife in the other hand.

Now you may have never thought about this…but you’re two hands are working in tandem…for the purpose of in a matter of seconds…feeding your face. Taking bite of that food.

In tandem. And you’re eyes are focused watching it all happen. Giving feedback. Your sense of touch is letting you know if the knife is actually cutting well…or it is letting you know if the fork is slipping or sliding on the plate…your ears are listening for that screech of either the fork etching the top of the plate or the knife doing the same.

All of this happening for one purpose. For you to eat. Your mind is able to do all of this.

Your left hand is not off doing its own thing…picking up the potato…throwing it across the table… Your right hand is not throwing the knife at the potato that is now flying through the air…in hopes of pinning it against the wall.

Your eyes are looking at TV while you cut…accidently of course the tip of your fingernail off with the steak knife.

Your mind is, working its best, aware of all of these things and doing all it can to control all of these things, different motions, senses, for the purpose of cutting a piece of food for your mouth to consume.

Last week we looked at that passage from 1 Corinthians 12. Paul writes that we are the body of Christ. Here, in his letter to the Philippians, he writes that we are to be like minded…being one in love and spirit and purpose.

Purpose…last week we also talked about all of us, different ministries, different gifts abilities…we all have the same spirit of God flowing and living through and in each one of us.

RESOURCE BOOK

One purpose.

You can see how Satan’s goal may very well be division. Divide the church…help people want their own agendas. Lead them to grumble and complain. Entice them to look to their own interests rather than the interests of others.

What’s the image Paul gives of this oneness in love and purpose? What the image of us being like minded together? What’s the image Paul gives as he explains that we are to have the attitude or the mind of Jesus…together?

Philippians 2:5-7 says

Philippians 2:5–7 (CSB)

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.

7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant...

I wonder if Paul had in mind for people to go back in their own memories to the image of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. Or Him healing others. Or Him feeding the hungry. Or His words about attending to those who are without basic necessities. Maybe even the images of when Jesus asked us to pray for and serve those we may even consider enemies.

Wow, if the church were to be unified in those things…just imagine.

And wow…if the church was divided…just imagine.

Have the same mind of Christ...

One in spirit and purpose...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition…or vanity...

Be humble and consider others better than yourself...

Look not only to your interests but the interest of others.

Have the same attitude of Jesus…the servant heart He had.

Then if we go back just a few passages to chapter one...

Stand strong. Serve in strength…as if you were one person.

The body of Christ.

That is who we are.

There are so many ways to become divided right now. There is a move, and has been since Jesus ascended to Heaven, to unglue the church. To separate us from each other. For us to not have the mind of Christ, but to operate out of our own minds, separately, selfishly, for our own interests above others.

Satan wins when we operate like that doesn’t he? And we’re all guilty.

This is our primary focus. There are many important things that require our attention day in and day out. But the Kingdom, God’s heart, the Spirit within us…those are primary. Above all other things.

United....not divided. When we get on other items in life…and raise those above the purpose of Christ, then we will become divided.

Jesus wants on the same page…and not just any page. He wants us with Him. He died and rose to make that happen. And now we, on the same page with Him, operating in all of our different spots, locations, within our gifts and abilities and sometimes allowing Him to work through our weaknesses…in all of those things, we serve like He did. Serving, humbly.

In just a few verses on…past what we read ....there’s a truth that we’ll focus a bit more on next week. We serve humbly because at some point in history every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. And our hope is that people do that, our friends and family and neighbors and co-workers do that with smiles on their faces knowing Him personally. That’s our hope.

We’re called to be united in that hope. United in working towards that hope. United as we stand against things that would take our focus off of that hope.

Amen!?

Let’s read one more passage from Paul together. He kind of opens all of this unity discussion with a word for the church in Philippi. And I think we can very easily apply this to ourselves as well.

Maybe we could read this together…maybe as a prayer ...

Philippians 1:27 (CSB)

27 ...As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. ...standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel...

Easy? Not all the time. Possible? Absolutely with Jesus spirit working through each of us.

Next week…Government and Politics. How do we correctly, biblically participate, while also not becoming divided? For the sake of the Gospel…for the sake of other people seeing Jesus in us. His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His love, in us.

Let’s pray

Lord help all of us today, to keep focusing on this unity that Paul encourages us to have. Help us focus on the unity that Jesus died for. Help us yield to your spirit…who leading all of us together, in different ways…but all for the same purpose. So that we can be involved in and participate in this Kingdom that you’re growing around us. For us.

In Christ’s name we pray,

Amen