A Family that Functions in Unity Part 3
A Family that Functions in Unity • Sermon • Submitted
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One Accord
One Accord
This photograph of all these people crammed into one little foreign made car is often the sum of how we interpret the disciples being in “one accord.”
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
When you read this verse it is easy to miss the fact that they were functioning as one family unit in the name of Jesus Christ.
We have covered the essence of the word “one” or “unity” which is the word echad meaning to be bound or permanently melded together. But the word “accord” in conjunction with echad gives us a stronger image of God’s family design.
Look with me in Zephaniah 3:9 where we can see this same concept of being in “one accord.”
“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord.
In this passage, God is declaring His judgement on the nations and all who rebel against His righteousness. Yet, He declares that the remnant of those who are His shall be of one speech declaring His glory from a pure heart as one voice.
We see a similar declaration in 1 Kings 22:13:
And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”
Here, Micaiah is encouraged to stand in unity with what others were saying God was saying. You know, assume unto God what the popular voice is declaring instead of saying what He knew God had spoken to him in line with the character and nature of God instead of popular contradiction.
The phrase “one accord” in Hebrew is actually shekem echad שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד meaning shoulder to shoulder. Shekem שְׁכֶ֥ם means to bear a load upon ones shoulder or put your back into it. Furthermore, it means to consent or do so willingly and in agreement. Gesenius adds that it means to turn “one’s back” to where he was going and to go a new way.
In a family, each must learn to serve the other. Each must learn to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the family. Each member of the family, even the children, must grow to consent to serve, fight for, defend and love the family.
The weight of the family biblically falls squarely on the shoulders of the husband and/or father. But God also expects the entire family to assume responsibilities for the harmony of the home.
If the children grow to the age of consent but the restraint of selfish rebellion has not been imparted, division and disharmony will result in the home. If a couple enter into marriage but have not consented to a set standard of living spiritually, morally, financially, relationally and so on, there will be division and disharmony in the home.
The word “consent” in the English language refers primarily to a diverse age standard of sexual maturity or lack thereof. The intent of laws of consent are to protect the children from sexual perversion and predators. Yet, our culture seeks to utterly disregard this intent. They seek to manipulate the concept to pervert our children at the youngest age possible.
However, in Hebrew the word for “consent” is ava אָבָה meaning to yield willingly. In the context of family, the yielding is not to abuse, anger, or manipulation but to the love and the Law of God. It is to surrender and serve or serve with willing surrender. This applies to the home and the church which is the family of the Lord.
If there is a lack of righteous consent in the home, there contempt for the home and those therein will grow. Therefore, a lack of willingness to serve reveals a lack of relational consent with God and instead contempt for Him grows.
In the days of Nehemiah, the people of God had entered into pagan marriages. Their children spoke different pagan languages. No one honored the Sabbath or the Laws of God. They had become completely engulfed in the pagan culture and all its ways. And among themselves, they were divided.
In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah and Ezra begin to purify the house of the Lord, re-establish honor to the priesthood of God, and call the people to repentance and back to the ways of their God.
In Nehemiah chapter 4, the people of God served and worked together in one accord. And when the enemy sought to hinder the work, the people’s resolve to unit and defend each other, their families and the work of the Lord grew stronger.
When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah,
who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.
And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
What was so important about getting this wall built? For one, the working together for the common cause of God brought the people back in unity. It also identified those who would honor the Lord and those who would not. It was also a sign to the enemies of the God of Israel that He was with His people and had not forsaken them. As well, it was to keep the enemies out and protect their families.
This same principle applies to you, your households, marriages and families today. If you have let the walls down, build them back up. Do what you must to guard the unity of your family in the righteousness of Christ from this pagan culture and the assaults of the enemy. Do what you must to guard your own heart from the attacks of the enemy on your intimacy with the Lord. If you have taken your hand from the plow of serving the Lord, His family and your family with joyful consent, then get back to it and rejoin the Kingdom effort. Serve with one hand and fight with the other. To rebuild the wall in your home is to say to all, “As for me and my house, we are the Lords.”
Pastor Angie, Pastor Woody and Pastor Claudia and I stand with you. Today, I am sounding the trumpet as did the Apostle Paul in Romans 15:5:
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
I watched a lady on the news the other day being interviewed about a life threatening situation. And she said these words, “Me and my husband, well he is my boy friend, are living together in this house but we are trusting God to take care of us.”
Folks, God is merciful and gracious but He is not a blooming idiot. And what a blasphemous thing to assume He is. Where there is willful and blatant sin in your life and in your home, then the walls are down and the clash of clans are going to come raid and invade your dwelling.
The only way there is one accord in your life with God and with your family is to be in one accord (Shekem Echad שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד) with Christ Jesus.
Who wants to be in perfect accord with Christ?