Unity & Stewardship

Scriptures: John 17:20-23, James 1:27, Colossians 2:2-5, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Ephesians 4:1-3, Ephesians 4:11-13, Matthew 23:23-24, Genesis 14:18-20, Genesis 28:20-22, Leviticus 27:30-32, 2 Corinthians 8:1-7,

Greetings. As we continue to work through this series, we began back in October about what we believe as the Church of God, we started last week’s discussion about unity from the testimony of John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, with Jesus’ prayer in the garden before his arrest. So let’s continue with just a portion of Christ’s prayer from (SLIDE) John 17:20-23 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (SLIDE) 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

(SLIDE) I spent the earlier part of this week with Pastors, Chaplains, and lay leaders from around Michigan up at the Gull Lake Ministry Center. It was a wonderfully diverse group from across the Lower Peninsula. We sang together, we prayed together, we were taught, and ministered to, and we laid hands and prayed for specific healings and the Holy Spirit to move within each other. I can tell you that as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, in unity. So were those that gathered for this retreat.

We don’t all read the same translations of scripture, we don’t dress alike, look alike, listen to all the same worship songs or the same style of music. Our congregations are all different sizes, and the church meeting times, how the services are organized and structured, how the church board of directors, and committees, if there are committees, don’t look identical. Our ministries are not the same in how they’re carried out in the communities where we live, breathe, and have our being. Nor should they be.

But we are all in agreement that the Son of God died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave three days later. We are all in agreement that there is not enough prayer taking place, whether it’s by pastors, or by congregations. We are all in agreement on the power of the Holy Spirit moving within the Church of God and in our communities and the need for Christians of all denominations to serve the Lord together. As James the brother of Jesus wrote: (SLIDE) James 1:27 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Let’s pray.

No matter where we came from in our walk with the Lord leading up to today, we come together as body of believers in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Where our homes or apartments, where we live doesn’t matter. Our age doesn’t matter. What church, if any, we went to growing up doesn’t matter. What our income, what assets God has blessed us with doesn’t matter. When we gather. We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; He chastens and hastens His will to make known; the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.

Now hopefully, while we all have different levels of experience in studying the word of God and being able to walk accordingly, every Sunday we’re able to digest a little bit more of the scripture and God’s will for our lives, this congregation and this community. That our hearts, our minds our spirits can be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s word moving through us. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one. They are always in agreement together. Amen?

It’s we human beings who tend to muck things up a little bit by putting our personal agenda’s ahead of God’s agenda. That’s what James was talking about as we were finishing up last Sunday in our first talk about Christian Unity. (SLIDE) He was not happy with the behavior of that group of believers, and to be honest I’m feeling blessed here right now. That’s not the kind of chastising we need here in Burlington now. As I told you last month, God didn’t’ send me here to judge anyone. If He tells us we need to have some fire and brimstone moments, we’ll have them because I just want to do God’s will. Right now, that means just loving on you the way Jesus does in ways that will allow the Holy Spirit to move, to heal, and to have His way with all of us. Including Me.

(SLIDE) Last week we finished our discussion with a clear understanding that the other churches in our region are not competition for members here at Burlington Church of God. Here’s a list for you. Some of them have impressive websites. Some of them don’t have a website or social media at all. It appears to me from just looking that the Victory Life Church of Fulton, which is a branch of a Battle Creek congregation that also took over a St Joseph church, might have taken acquired the Athens United Methodist congregation. I’ve begun reaching out to them to find an interfaith community that used to exist in the area. None of these congregations are competition in that sense of we’re fighting a battle for participants and donors, right?

(SLIDE) We’re all in the business of serving the Lord in building the Kingdom of God on earth. And here in Burlington we don’t compete because we don’t have members in that traditional church membership sense that some denominations do, or even require. Right? The Church of God is built welcoming Every Blood Washed One. Every believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is welcome here. As is those who aren’t sure about God yet and trying to find their way. What must I do to be saved? We want to be a safe place for people to come explore their faith and learn about the risen Lord. The King of Kings who gave His life as an atonement, as a willing blood sacrifice that the sins of all humanity might be forgiven by the creator of the universe. No matter where they live and work.

As Paul wrote to the church in (SLIDE) Colossians 2:2-5 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

There’s that unity word again. Encouraged in our hearts and united in love. Unity because as we just continue to read from Paul, that is where, through the Word of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit, that we may come to a complete understanding of Jesus Christ. Just a very interesting side note regarding Colossians, and the church at Colossae. (SLIDE) This letter is part of Paul’s “prison letters” along with Philippians, Ephesians, and Philemon because he wrote them while he was in prison. When we read Colossians, Paul says that he “heard” of their faith, but there’s no evidence he ever visited and let’s look at verse 5 alone.

(SLIDE) Colossians 2:5 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Now we know (2 Timothy 3:16-17) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Yes? Do me a favor, and close your eyes for a moment. Really, close your eyes. Listen for the Holy Spirit. In your soul, can you hear Jesus saying to us, right now today, 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in me is. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99. And I couldn't earn it. I don't deserve it, still You give yourself away Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.

(SLIDE) The Lord our God has put us together for this time. He’s doing something in this region, in this congregation, and in this building. While I will reach out to other pastors in the region, and to some of the non-profits, the food bank for example during this next quarter in part to establish a relationship that may have existed at one time, may have been lost, but will be found again, just like the prodigal son. We will seek unity in the larger body of Christ. It might seem silly but you can’t spell “community without “unity”.

There are 14 Greek words that could be translated in the New Testament as unity or some implication that togetherness, a perfect joining together of different parts to create the whole, is implied.

In Colossians chapter 2, verse 2 the word we read as “united”, as in united in love, is Sumbibazo (soom-bib-ad-zo), and it is a verb meaning to unite, to join together, to grasp a truth by intertwining ideas, and so to teach and instruct. It’s used 7 times. Henotes (hen-ot-ace) means oneness, God produced unity between believers who are sharing the likeness of the Lord. It is a feminine noun. It’s what we read in (SLIDE) Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Paul shares similar thoughts in 4:13. Here from the NIV translation. (SLIDE) Ephesians 4:11-13 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

There is the verb Sumphoneo (soom-fo-neh-o) which is to agree, to be in harmony together, to get together as tightly as cut stones in a building. And yes, there’s a derivation by which we get the word symphony. Only used six times in the New Testament. The testimony of Jesus in Matthew and Luke, and Luke sharing the beginning of the Jerusalem church in Acts. Let’s just look at Christ’s words from (SLIDE) Matthew 18:18-20 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

How powerful is that scripture. I sure hope and pray that you can sense the moving of the Holy Spirit in this room. If we are serious about our relationship with the Lord. Building up in a knowledge and wisdom of the word that comes from the Lord our God, earnestly praying in agreement, in unity together, He is with us. The gates of hell shall not prevail on this earth, in this community, and not in this building that belongs to the Lord our God. Amen?

Both last week and at the beginning today, we read from John’s transcript of Jesus’ words. (SLIDE) John 17:22-23 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. The word we read here as one isn’t quite as complicated to understand as some of the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic which can have multiple meanings. Are you ready, because this could really blow your mind. (SLIDE) The Greek word is Heis (hice). And it means. One. It is simply a primary number that means one.

The Father, The son and the Holy Spirit are one. Jesus Christ prayed for the us to be one with Him in Unity. The disciples not just the 12, male and female disciples of Jesus Christ, as we read in Acts last week. (SLIDE) Acts 4:32-33 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

(SLIDE) The Lord is using this space that’s He has given us to be stewards of to serve His children in this community. Whether they know that they are His children or not. Though I find it difficult to believe that someone could enter this space, and not realize that there’s something different going on in here. You and I know that as the Holy Spirit moving forward to restore the incredible love and power of Jesus Christ into this area. Not that the Lord hasn’t been moving in other congregations in the region, and in individual’s homes, and in individual lives, because He never stopped.

(SLIDE) But if you consider all the scripture, we’ve looked at today. If you follow the threads across the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, there is something in common beyond the fact that Jesus Christ exists in all of it. And it is this, the presence of the Lord requires Unity. The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are always one. We, as the Burlington Church of God can not build community here, and across our region, if we are not unified as one in the body of Christ. Are you hearing me, or maybe I should say are you hearing the Holy Spirit. If there is disunity in this congregation, the presence of the Lord diminishes, and we become irrelevant to the kingdom of God. We don’t have that problem today that I’m aware of. Amen?

Now let me repeat something I said a few minutes ago. On purpose. The Lord is using this space that’s He has given us to be stewards of to serve His children in this community. This isn’t our building. Over a 100 years ago the Lord provided this land, and the Burlington Church of God cut the sanctuary in half, dragged it across the river, and put down a foundation here. And every generation since then, has been given the responsibility of not only maintaining this space, but making sure that it is being used to glorify God, and bring His children, of any age, to repentance and salvation. To share the Good News of Jesus Christ death, resurrection and ascension.

(SLIDE) The concept of tithing comes right of the Mosaic law in the Hebrew bible beginning in Genesis 14:18-20 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

(SLIDE) We see Jacob committing the same to the Lord in Genesis 28:20-22 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord[f] will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

(SLIDE) Leviticus 27:30-32. 30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. 31 If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. 32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord.

(SLIDE) You might say that, well we live under the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant. That’s true. Remember Jesus response with the money changers at the temple? Not good. Jesus talked about giving to the Lord in Matthew, I mean Matthew was a tax collector right, so of course he’s going to include a discussion of money. But neither of those two scriptures is about tithing 10%. Matthew 5:21-26 is about anger, and not giving gifts at the altar of the Lord when there is someone else you owe money to or someone has some other issue with you that needs to be resolved. Matthew 23 is about the hypocrisy of the pharisees who are tithing but failing to have justice and mercy with God’s people.

(SLIDE) Matthew 23:23-24 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! That’s not a pretty picture. If you thought James the brother of Jesus was angry in his letter, Jesus’ fire and brimstone against the religious hierarchy, the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23 makes James look tame. That testimony of Jesus condemning the religious pious who treat themselves as better than anyone else is repeated in Luke 11.

(SLIDE) We’ve talked previously about Mark 12 and Luke 21 where Jesus and the disciples are at the temple opposite the treasury, and after watching many rich people put in their offerings, a poor widow puts in two small coins and Christ says to his disciples: “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

I have said since we began meeting together that what you give in time, talent and treasure to the Lord, is between you and the Lord. He provides for us abundantly in all things, not necessarily in the way we might want or think when it comes to wealth. But we are still stewards of everything that God has provided to us. There is nothing wrong with saving, for example, if it’s possible, for later years in life. That’s the example that Joseph set when they stored grain before the famine came.

We are called to be good stewards with what the Lord provides us that we may be successful in HIS work (not that of our own selfish desires). Like the Israelites before us, we don’t always manage those resources properly. But I know from personal experience, that using whatever resources I can, to serve, to love, to feed, to cloth, to shelter, to bring others to a personal knowledge of Christ as we take care of the poor, the hungry, the addicted, the sick and hurting. There is nothing more rewarding. And He blesses us from the overflowing of His unlimited resources that we may provide to others “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building”

Paul in writing to the church in Corinth, states this: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 8 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

It is not only that God has provided in the past, but that He WILL provide now and in the future. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 40 years ago, one of my best friends said to my fiancé at that time, “You know Jon’s a really great guy, but he’ll never have anything.” To be honest he was right, in the sense that I cannot help but to give away more than I should. I always have. And some of that for decades was self-indulgence, and then it was just allowing my family to have whatever they wanted no matter what it cost me.

Some of that is an inherited behavior that I show you I love you by giving you whatever you ask for. Not scriptural, not wise. But I’m also that way in part because I know who ultimately provides for me. And what He’s provided isn’t mine. It’s His. He just gives it to us temporarily to manage. Sometimes we manage well. Sometimes we don’t. As I’ve told you previously, I know what is to go hungry. I know what it is to be homeless, to not have a vehicle and so have to walk or bike to get anywhere if I had a bike even. And I don’t mean a Harley. In that sense, I have not been a good steward of what God’s given me, but I’m working on improving in that area. Just like we’re all working to improve our walk with the Lord, our obedience to His commands as we grow closer to that day when we can see Him face to face and hear those words. Well done my good and faithful servant. I love you and I always have. Praise God. Here in Burlington, we will all be good stewards or learn to be better stewards of what the Lord has given us to manage. Amen? (Communion).