What about Christian unity?

Come right this morning. Thank you for being here. I am very blessed that it's not just me and Ruth. That was that was definitely yeah, people are feeling glad and cold two together and fellowship in the worship together. And as we figure all this out through this we decided walk God is doing and saying in this Gathering. Yeah. I'm just encouraged and blessed even this morning that that we had friends together with and I hope that it's been a blessing to you as it is to me a little bit weird, right? Is it just me maybe I don't know for me. It feels a little bit weird to be doing this. It feels weird. I'm here and not in the Pulpit of the church. I was pastoring just a few weeks ago. It feels weird that we Gathering here while Friends Christian brothers and sister and family who we work with so many years off I swear here with us. What's the warmest just jump back into preaching through the Gospel of John? That is my plan my intention butthole at least the next little while As We Gather here wanting to do that. The truth is.

One of our struggles one of our problems is being sometimes we've addressed the hard stuff at least not as clearly or as easily as we want to do weave no always business or I can always been as quick as I should be to tackle head-on. Some of the difference is some of the challenges some of this stuff. It has caused us to be in the place that we're in today and will be at least it wouldn't be good to start this at least this week. Christmas going on here just in the fact that we are here brothers and sisters who have worked together for a various times. Century fracturing seem to be going in different directions

It's normal. I think to feel conflicted about that. It's natural. I suspect to feel a sense of sadness that things didn't always work out the way we imagined that they would that things sometimes a fraud that relationships that we thought were on the table on the left seem to grow distance over time.

It's normal pops even to be frustrated or angry that that is the case. Who reportedly took so much right Unity it took so much about the fact that one of the defining features of this Christian life will be our Unity. Yeah, we live with the reality that that just isn't always the case or at least it doesn't appear to be on the surface. We live with the reality that we have differences and sometimes those differences seen irreconcilable.

So how do we reconcile those things? Because we have to we have to live in that tension between what scripture tells us the salt to look like and what it often does.

Cops put another way for being frank with us. I was given the reality that the reason we meeting here and don't that is because differences exist, but those differences biblically absolutely truck full of them. So we'll do feel free to grab one off of that if you liked as well, but always encourage you to get to check me and make sure I'm really saying what the Bible actually says, we hadn't actually seen we have an interesting chapter just give you context and background first acts 15 as a chapter action deals with ESP today, but whatever you have. Yeah, yeah actually thing to deal with two separate home flicks really within the early church. It describes the way that these things get worse. I shouldn't actually surprisingly in this one chapter. They give were safe in two very different ways. The first part of Dexter to be 15, it deals with the conflict between the Jewish Believers and the Gentile believe is this this kind of conflict between them. Just take Jewish these new gentle Christians need to become do they need to be circumsized and that were together in that same place Jewish believers who believed in Jesus as the Messiah Jewish believe that's who didn't believe in Jesus as the Messiah and gentle believers who would come in because we believe Jesus was the Messiah. It was an interesting time in the history of the church. I'm happy to speak of these things. We see that the apostles and the elders they meet together and discuss with the church what they supposed to do right there. They conclude that there are some of the dietary restrictions and a few other things as well. They should continue to follow that you should abstain from blood and bits and pieces of that Old Testament Jewish seem to be presented as being bonded even on these Nugent. He'll believe us. It's a fascinating point because it's a compromise the compromise that God will direct them on later on we're Eve first in First Corinthians enrollment high pulse is even now it should be an imposition on people even though you know people should work at themselves with their okay sweetie. Don't worry if it's been as it were. But for the sake of love being a position to one another At this point it was right for them to compromise.

It was right. It was good. That's even though perhaps no one who was that completely agreed with every point that was being said it was good and right that they made that compromise.

If you have to listen, right, maybe the simple lesson is this may be suspect to compromise for the sake of unity. Maybe we should always be prepared to let go of some of our own preferences for the sake of others, even if those scripture is The we compromise we laid those things then we sacrifice them interest if we're wrong. We'll figure out the details in the sudden. We have immense of that the truth. We see another conflict different together.

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaim the word of the Lord and see who they are. My Barnabas wanted to sleep with them John Coleman. The pool thought it best not to take with someone who had withdrawn from them and pamphylia and did not gone with them to the work.

And that Rose Shop disagreements, so they separated from each other. On a street map with him and say all the way to Cyprus through Silas and deposited haven't been commanded by a i commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord that he went through Syria and Celestia strengthening the churches. 16 vs. 36 to 41 They describe the different conflict. They settled in a very different way. First of all, let's deal with whether you agree. They both agree to the ends of the Earth, but it's also good to those that they've already been working with it's good that they check in on the brothers and sisters that they've Left Behind to see you make sure that they do in well. butts they disagree you disagree sharply. I bet you it's whether or not John Mark is supposed to go with them. They disagree on the big picture for disagree on the details. Fulton Barnabas both sensor that supposed to check up on the places. They don't agree who is to come with them.

It's important that we understand something's getting some may be in our english-language some stuff gets lost here. Barnabas he believes that God is asking him to bring John Mark with him his opinion or preferences. Mark comes with him when we read it in the original. It's much stronger than that the button bus 37. We see this would then yes, please translate you guys wanted it might be translated as desired or something else. I got in yours, but the Greek word is the word mula mean. I'm usually when this gets used it doesn't just refer to personal preference and refers to actually go to specific plans and purposes of work in the life of a believe that we read it in a bunch of places examples include 2nd. Timothy. 2:8 wear full says I desire then the men should pray every place my list of holy hands with a q in it even more freely in 1st Corinthians when he's ready to back those spiritual gifts and stuff and where he says in 12 1st Corinthians 12:11. This is the one and Same Spirit Distributing to each has he

who am I kind of Desire?

Often it's not just the word speaks of human preference is one that expresses clearly cut off his desire. His will his intention even sometimes his specific determining. I'm kind of actual causing to happen

when Barnabas says he desires he wishes that your mom comes with him. What he's really saying is I'm pretty sure God is telling me you're supposed to come with us.

Doesn't share that saying sense of direction.

Pool Vista East said he thought it best to do more than just. personal preference here is let's use elsewhere in Paul's letters to refer to those who are deemed worthy of it when you are when you are when you best what you really saying is the tool that God has given this person if this idea of saying Wasting good. God has called this person and they are fit for the task.

Gabby's playing pool isn't just saying it's personal preferences. That is not cold. Do this task? I'm convinced. This is what God is saying In This Moment. Both of these words a employee that they believe the God has spoken here. Both Woods employees the these men believe that heard from God's

how do you make both be so sure that God is speaking. When will he's telling them for most contradictory sings irreconcilable completely opposite look when the disciples that it's not even what does the middle Dragon fear that they can find the compromise that they can work out? You called. He called both come and knocked at the same time.

So what do we do with this passage baby boy take this particular passage has a few things we can start with the obvious. Sometimes disagreement is healthy. When you bring that word that phrase the Paul and Barnabas disagree Shockley. We probably have a picture of what it looks like. Right? We probably imagine raised voices her feeling. We probably imagined those kind of fights and arguments that sometimes follow when two people just don't seem to be able to see to why Once more we go to the Brie we see something quite different here. The Greek word. It's peroxyl smokes. I so would the only gets your voice at least in this form in all of scripture. It's a very unique word that describes something quite specific. Here is translate to Just Disagree Chalkley. The only other place its use though is in Hebrews 10:24 a verse pops. Most of us will know very well. The bus that refers to spurring one another up to love and good works most. Translation translation has disagreed sharply in Hebrews. Like I'm not aware of any to do it translates to his Stirrup or spur one another on literally the word means shopping Like a Knife. That picture then seems to be the one that we see in Proverbs where we reminded the iron sharpens iron. So one man sharpens another

this definition of disagreements between by pain and anger and frustration of one another. It's not a fight. It's a disagreement with one another up to be better. Let me give you an example of a story of a pretty big national chain of stores. He was the manager called this employee again.

I said let me go.

The employee protected appointed aides have successful he being in the role you're going today to pay all of the things that he done and fulfilled the way he exceeded his obligations the way you went above and beyond with this most conscientious worth it. He pointed to all the other workers in the store didn't work nearly as hard as he did or didn't have nearly the same drawer Eve or ambition who will less conscientious less efficient less motivated and keep him or was that gets angry to be even better. Listen to him. He's got so many ideas to make things even better and expresses frustration that those up the managers don't see that the manager says, I agree completely. That's what I need to let you go. This is a menial in the mundane job. You reach the top of the ladder here you've gone as far as you can go. You have too much potential to stay here. Don't be sticking master and job. I'm letting you go because I want you to be even better you go to Vision that is above and beyond what you can accomplish here.

Employer the employees they don't necessarily see things the same way.

Puts do that difference its Spurs people on. to do the next best thing to hold him back. That's what this word means disagreements this difference that encourages rather than ties, Dave. second points

sometimes a separation is necessary to grow. Face value when we can read this it may seem as though something's sales. purple bombas don't separate if they don't figure this out just hard to imagine the gospel spreading the way we see this through. The rest of the New Testament is known as an encourager. He's cold to be eventful. He builds a people in the face. That's what he does. Jon Bon Bon Appetit from off and then go to Cyprus. And apparently he never leaves historians record. The Barnabas was marked in salamis. What's the poorest city? I'm sorry for is the very first place that have arrived Barnabas gets to the first place that you chose their path to me. This is home. This is as good a place as any for me to put down roots in for the next 15 or more years. That is where he stays.

Establishes the church he builds it took on that island. You said same routes. He mentors he builds up leaders. He works to establish something in one place. That's just not what he's about. He's Relentless evangelist. He's impossible. He rarely stays in the same place. For more than pops a few months or years, even when he's forced by circumstances to stay somewhere. You don't always see him thinking about what's next where else he is to go.

Barnabas would have been able to hold pull back to keep him in one place to set up something to establish it in to build on it who would have always tried to drag Barnabas a way you can go on the next mission trip to do the next thing in all of those people. He was just opened in men's room would have been left behind.

Neither of them would have been entirely fruitful instead of stage where they were and certainly no instead of stayed together. They pulled two different things and the only way to be everything that got it full time to be. We can go in different directions. It said you staying together much longer. I'm sure of it. Come off wasn't the problem here come off as the Catalyst that helped them to see the we're not seeing things the same way. We don't call to do things the same way. Do pops know either if either of them would have chosen it was the best possible outcome for both of them.

Barnabas after the encouragement he takes from Austin to his winning. He touches him through stores him the gospel to the ends of the known world that tithing Asia Mart in the Grease the whole Roman world. Ebisu go to scold them to be and they know that they need to be separate to do that.

Faith is not a zero-sum game.

One to succeed another doesn't need to fail. I was competitive by Nature we've spoken about those things even while we were chatting this morning if there is something false. Hope we'll find a way to fights. So often we bring this 40 someone sets into everything my protections for those who don't know where to find the Zero Sum game where there's only ever found success available. It's where one place getting me. The game is exactly equal to another player's loss think of it like a tennis match where they could only be one winner and take him to win. The other person needs to lose or pops up a poker table. Where does the number of chips and are you can only increase if you lose some of yours so often I say we treat life and that just isn't the way it's supposed to be. We read this passage. Our instinct is to make this disagreement is before we nights and then try and figure out who is right and who is wrong?

We wanted to know who was the winner and who was the loser here.

What I seen tiny wrong mindset. Voice may be the simple answer. Is this the reason why or wrong kid? Who pulled Barnabas heard from God both of them had a vision for Ministry both of them had a shared passion for doing God's work? But neither of them had the same thing simply because they weren't supposed to be together. You see the differences, they recognize recognize that they had an irreconcilable call. Two separate want to know the wrong thing turns one of they build one another up to be who God has made them to be even knowing that means they will have to separate up toward a greater distance for me to another.

Please have to go in separate directions clear in Scripture that they still love one another very often read this first and then we will pull says by Barnabas later like that and see what they must have reconciled. I'm not sure that's true over. See they always love one another new to love one another fully. Delete it simply to left one. Another go when you are still the church in Carleton use is Barnabas supposed to give example. Lead role in his life towards the end of his ministry. Paul is in prison in Rome only.

He's he's basically got no one around him and he asks specifically homework with him these last eight wouldn't he describes as being very useful to him in Ministry? I would have never happened if Barnabas haven't taken your mark and his wings. You better try to go together Paul. I'm sure would have ended up in tonight from Mark's lights at some point. They just didn't want in the right place about tying. It needed a Boniface to restore him to build him up to two men to him so he could become useful Parts the pools Ministry. What's the distance that the time has come for them to go in different directions? They were happy to bless one another. To be who voted for them to be even though that meant walking at the races distance.

So what does that mean to us as we build this thing here as we stablish this thing here? What does it mean? Practically when we look around this community and see even in our community but seems to be deficient and Fracture fracture. Things simply means this. Sometimes unity means compromise.

That's true. But sometimes Barnabas crew you Unity requires us to part so that we can fully embraced from space written for us.

I mentioned this before.

To some of you one of the best examples of Christian Unity I've ever seen was three churches in the area. I grew up there was this was known as being the red light district. It was where all these immigrants came it was it was a pretty hard area and one from the three churches that do not eat the corners of this area. Fruit while they did their own thing every every summer each church with Vari to get the best we can summon for the right door meeting on the the green. They would be in conflict over getting the best resources to to bless the community over trying to win the most people miss important. They just said let's come together.

Annapolis Tori to some some some people and you can see that it always this expectation that these three different churches coming together and credible they came United they became one church. That isn't what happened then come together did not mean to be one Church born with a black African church the time where you'd I'm staying the auto to give your offering. One was a very conservative Evangelical Church to know that was kind of a middle-of-the-road bit more on the Travis. Mathew's out with they will hide the group who they could reach an only they could reach them together Under One Roof. And if one of the kids but instead he meant this meant to say we're all on the same team, even if we play in different positions here, we're working for the same pause. I'm not going to fight with you over resources. Let's come by, but we tell me what makes sense to tomorrow in the summer when we meet. Let's North fight for the best week like the church in, data together. Establish something United it meant saying I have a tent you need a tent but when you have a tent and then saying let's gather together. What is a month in service, but for an evening service way we can pray for the courage and uplift one another knowing that still who we are to be is completely different and unique from one another. Is Route 22 long rifle to successfully lead to stay in the middle path? tried for years to find that middle passed and haven't done a good job finding it we did that for but certainly I wasn't the man to leave that kind of Blended church. I'm not sure even pops.

I'm glad that we did what we did for as long as we did it. but the truth is we cool to be different people and that's okay if we called just pulled in different ways and that's okay. It's not feeling the Wilmington here with my brothers and sisters and me to Diamond Hill next week to Joseph and some other people will meet that that's north of the Gospel. Who uses his picture of a body in that screw both an individual Gatherings and congregations as it is between individual and conversations are people we can meet there people that they will minister to the cons and goal is not building our individual kingdoms best. We can build his kingdom through exhaust will join us. We have more conversations as we figure out what this thing is going to be. You want to hear about that vision and I hope it's envisioned the rest of meats with some of you here. I hope it's one that you'll feel able say. Yeah that speaks to me. That meets me where I'm at. You something I can borrow you into.

What if it isn't? If you can feel your vision the quote God has given you better somewhere else do that. I don't care where you worship looks like for you to be old. His folding to be all I care about is that you are being who God has called you to be.

Even if we're playing different positions ultimately, we're on the same team, even if we get that far slightly different roads with all heading in the same direction. When we see baby sings like this, you can feel like separation. It can feel like a split so you can feel like division. I prefer to think of it. is multiplication what's a few weeks ago? A few months ago. It was one Church in this town. Without very clear sense of identity of Asian. There are three. Each of which can fulfill the call that God has given us. Hopefully more clearly with more sense for identity. But more of a 350Z not less that's more opportunities to worship and fellowship not less. That's more people that God has given us a chance to engage with glass and more opportunities to find a place where people can say you can buy reflects who God created me to be But has to be good thing right for this to be successful don't need to tear down any of the other things that God is doing for this to reach part of this use that we've been called to reach. We don't need to see ourselves as in competition with anyone else. We simply need to say God. Yes, this is who are you who you called me to be? Hey voice of best in that place.

Wherever is week-old to whoever is week-old Fellowship my only hope my only prayer is that we can find a way to do that effectively Mark with love walk with real Unity the kind of unity that isn't a service level agreements. What is a heart and soul commitment to going in the same direction and doing Gates together?