Worship for Sunday, August 23, 2020

Read Psalm 133: 1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. The Basis of Unity: 1. Created in God's image 2. Christ died for us 3. In Christ 4. Created for community We are going to deal with the first two today. They deal with what I am calling universal unity. In a world that is so divided, the Church can do a great service by looking for and emphasizing ways that we can be united. In a world where our differences are quickly pointed out, we as Christians need to be reminded of the ways we are alike. In this message I want to talk about universal unity. Next time we will look at the basis for Christian unity. Today I want to show you two foundational, theological ways that we are united with all people everywhere. This is an important message because the truth of what I have to say should impact the eyes through which we see other people and the attitude that we have toward them. The first basis for unity among all peoples is that we are all created by God and in God's image: Genesis 1:26-31 - 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." 29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Every single one of the fifty or so people who would claim Grace Community Fellowship as their church home have been created in God's image. Every single one of the 195,000 residents of Sangamon County have been created in God's image. Every single one of the nearly 13 million people who live in Illinois has been created in God's image. Every single one of the 328 million people who live in the United States has been created in God's image. Every single one of the nearly 8 billion people who live on planet Earth has been created in God's image. This is an important concept to grasp. Each human being carries within herself or himself the imago Dei - the image of God. It is not something that is stamped on us when we receive Christ. It is inherent, woven into the very fabric of what it means to be human. Psalm 139:13 - For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. Even as he was lamenting his very existence, Job recognized that he had been formed by God: Job 10:11 - 11 You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews We all share a common ancestry in Adam and, if you want to move down the family tree a few generations, in Noah. Our bodies have adapted in various ways to conditions around us. We have developed outward, physical differences, but none of those outward, physical differences are part of what it means to be created in God's image. None of those outward, physical differences should have any impact on our basic unity as human beings. It is important to stress that this is the most basic of reasons for us to have unity. In God's eyes, it matters not what your ancestry is, what your country of origin is, what your race or creed is. All are created in God's image. As is often said, when God looks at the earth, He sees no lines and boundaries. He sees no gender or race. He sees no political parties. I feel the need to pause briefly and clarify this unity. I will deal with what unity looks like in a future message. Here let me just say that unity is not uniformity. Unity is not agreement on every detail. Unity does not require that we all like the same sports teams, shop at the same stores, drive the same make or model of vehicle, agree on whether or not something tastes good or smells good or looks good. Unity does not require us to vote for the same political parties or even live under the same political systems. Christian unity, which is ultimately what we are talking about here, must transcend all these worldly differences, or it could not be timeless and universal. And I believe that the unity David calls blessed, and the unity Jesus prayed for is timeless and universal. Just as it is not stamped on us, but woven in us, so it is true that there are no exceptions. There is no one who has not been created in God's image. There is no one who does not carry the imago Dei within. It may be marred. It may be twisted. It may be buried beneath sin and evil, but no one ever ceases to be made in the image of God. No one ever ceases to carry the imago Dei within. As human beings we are always united in this way. And, as human beings, we are all always loved by God. As Christians, when we view other human beings, we are called to see beyond the differences and see the, first of all, as someone created in the image of God, someone who still carries the imago Dei within, and someone who is loved beyond measure by this God who knit them together in their mother's womb. This brings us to the second basis for unity. All people on planet Earth are included in those for whom Christ died. There is not a single person who is beyond the reach of the outstretched arms of the crucified Christ. Romans 3:23-24 - For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans 5:12 - 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned- Romans 5:15-19 - 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Every one of us has participated in the sin of Adam. Every one of us is equally and desperately in need of a Savior. We are all in this mess together. All of us have been or are in need of a Savior. All of us are in need of grace - both rescuing and transforming grace. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, celebrate that you have found that grace. At the same time, remember that the change in you is a gift of that grace, not a reward for how special or important you are. Can there be anything more evident from the life of Jesus? He lived and died for the lowliest and the loftiest. He came to serve but will not be bought. Throughout his ministry on earth Jesus ignored all of the social conventions. He didn't care if you were a revered member of the Sanhedrin or a Samaritan woman at a well. It didn't matter to him if you were a Roman centurion or a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. He wasn't concerned with what it looked like when he invited himself to dinner at a tax collector's house. What Jesus saw when he looked at each of those individuals and thousands of others was a sinner in need of grace. He didn't care what made them different from one another. What mattered to Jesus was what they all had in common, what united them. They were in need of a Savior. We have a type of unity with all of humanity because we share a sinful nature and need for saving grace with all of humanity. It doesn't matter where our sins are on the world's scale of badness. They are all capital crimes. Any and all of our sins are enough to separate us eternally from a God of holiness. We are good at playing the game of greater and lesser sins and thinking that God should grade on the curve. We are good at justifying our own sinfulness. We claim that we just made a mistake. We tell ourselves that we are pretty good most of the time and that no one is perfect. We need to acknowledge that John Newton wasn't the only wretch in need of amazing grace. 1 John 1:8 - 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:10 - 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. We have a type of unity with all of humanity because we are included in the world God loved so much and the whosoever that has the opportunity and need to believe in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and eternal life. There is not universal salvation, but there is a universal offer of salvation. There is not a single person who has sinned so greatly that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot wash them white as snow. There is no one who ask for forgiveness and is told, "No." 1 John 1:9 - 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now comes the hard part. If you believe that what I have said today is true, and I trust that you do because I have the utmost confidence that it is biblical, the only real basis for truth. If you believe that what I have said today is true, it calls us to two specific actions. What we are called to do in light of the knowledge that we share the imago Dei and the need of a Savior in common with all humanity, is not easy. It goes against all that the world has trained us to do. It will require a great deal of prayer and intentionality. But I believe it is a crucial course of action for God's people and, quite frankly, I believe it is the will of God for His people. The first action is to look with new eyes. When you look at another person, see them as a person created by God and created in God's image. Do you know what an incredible difference this would make? When you look at another person it doesn't matter who it is, see that person as someone who was lovingly formed by the very same God who lovingly formed you. See that person as someone who was knit together with the same care God used to knit you together. See that person, because what you see is the earthly body, as someone who was formed from the same dust of the earth that you are formed from and will return to the same dust of the earth that you will return to. When you look at another person see that person as someone who has the imago Dei, the image of God woven into their very being, just as you do. The second action is to feel with a new heart. When you look at another person, go beyond your frustration or anger or fear, go beyond your excitement or pride at what they are doing and see them as Christ see them. No matter what they have done, no matter what they are doing, Christ feels compassion for them, That person is as much a wretch in need of amazing grace as you are. Christ stretched out his arms on the cross of Calvary as much for that person as He did for you. I have had the privilege for a number of years now to work in a hospital, to be involved in the lives of patients who come to the Emergency Department, and most importantly, to spend my shifts as a member of a Level 1 Trauma team. I have seen people show up at the hospital for the most ridiculous of reasons. As we often say, "You couldn't make this stuff up." I have watched people show up because something truly accidental has happened. I have watched people show up as a consequence of someone else's sinful choices. I have watched people show up as a consequence of their own sinful, sometimes horrifyingly sinful, choices. But they all have one thing in common. When they roll through that door, the medical team gives everything they have to save their life, to keep injuries from causing further damage or to mend the brokenness and bring healing and wholeness back to the body. They don't decide how much effort goes into the care of the patient based on how worthy they are to receive care. They don't make a judgement based on the cause of their pain or injuries. They give their best because what they see is brokenness in need of healing. That is the heart that Christ calls us to have for the world. He did not come to bring salvation to those who are worthy of it. He did not come to bring new life to those who are the unwilling victims of someone else's sinful choices. He did not come to reject those who are deserving of rejection. Jesus Christ went willingly to the cross of Calvary because His heart was broken for those who were lost without a Shepherd. He stretched out his arms to offer salvation to any who believe, no exceptions. We share the need of a Savior and the offer of salvation with all of humanity. We are neither more or less in need of that saving grace. Christ calls us to have his heart for the world. Christ calls us to be humbled when we look in the mirror and see a person for whom Christ died. Christ calls us to be broken when we look into the world and see people for whom Christ shed his blood. As we prepare to leave this place today, let us go forth with new eyes and a new heart. Let us go forth looking for what we have in common with the rest of humanity, that we are all created by God and in God's image and that we are all in need of a Savior and offered amazing grace. THE BASIS OF UNITY PSALM 133 2 | Page