04.12.2015 Thoughts on Unity from Left Field at the Natatorium

2015-04-12 from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

Lord, we thank you for this time- You are the greatest King who conquered the grave. We serve a risen Savior. Guide us today – give us wisdom.
A couple years ago I started a new job – its starting time is earlier than anything I’ve ever done before, so I’ve had a hard time getting to the Nat before work – and I even have a hard time getting there after work. So some Monday a couple months ago, I hate doing that, because it is so crowded! I asked to myself, why are all these people here – don’t they know I want to work out?! So eventually I found an elliptical, and I got to thinking – why are we all here? We work out near each other, but no one knows each other. Then I go to the track and there are all these little old ladies elbowing me out of their way… - and I looked down – and saw, like, this dancercise class with a bunch of people dancing together.
People like to clump together for events…
Or maybe like when Ken and I play – Doerr and Drumm –
Church – we can help each other out.
Or an Ohio State game – people desire to be unique, so they all dress in Scarlet and Gray…
Or the Indians opening day
Or the Cavs game
Or the Browns
We like to gather together – are there examples in the Bible of this? Jesus focused on His ministry the last 3 of His 33 years – and in Mark 6:34 – Jesus gets out of the boat, and there are a lot of people there – and He had compassion on them, and thought of them as a sheep without a shepherd… - When I read this, I think that sheep are kinda smelly and kinda dumb… - I used to think that Jesus was a bit sarcastic – or was ridiculing the people – but my view changed recently – that day at the Natatorium –
Another event – Jesus referred to us as sheep – we just celebrated Easter last weekend – in the Garden, – Jesus was praying so intently that he was sweating like dripping drops of blood – so intently – praying – Father – if there is any other way… - But God must have replied – I’m sorry, there is no other way - I suppose that gave Him some, some, directed purpose for what He was doing. The people He made were mocking Him and torturing Him and nailed Him to the cross. There isn’t a lot recorded while Jesus was in the tomb – like police trying to subdue a criminal, I think of Jesus going into hell and all of the legions of evil trying to overpower Him and to keep Him dead. But death couldn’t hold Him down. He defeated death. Where, O death, is your victory, where is your sting? Bigger than even Wisconsin over Kentucky – Jesus defeated death.
John 21:15-17
There are three words to describe love – Eros, physical love – Phileo – where we get Philadelphia – the city of brotherly love – and Agape – To love God with our heart, soul, mind strength.
Peter – do you agape me? I phileo you. Take care of my sheep.
Peter, do you agape love me? Peter says – Phileo – Feed my sheep – then Jesus says a third time – Peter, do you agape love me? Peter, this time – was disturbed that He would ask him three times – and he says, You know everything about me! You know that I agape love you! Feed my sheep.
Israel is asking for a king – and Samuel says, no you don’t want a king – and then they keep saying – we want a king – and Samuel keeps saying – no you don’t. Then God says – Give them what they want…
It is not like they want UNITY – they want to be LIKE everyone else.
1 Samuel 9:5
Kish sends Saul to find the donkeys – so Saul looks a bit – and wants to give it up. But the servant kept prodding Saul to go see the man of God Samuel -
Saul almost missed being king.
Israel wanted to be like all the other nations. That is not always a good thing.
Samuel - instructed to go to the house of Jesse to find a new king. He sees these strapping young men – certainly one of these? But no – David was out tending the sheep. And he was anointed king.
David wanted to be a good shepherd – he took care of the sheep – and in 1 Samuel 17:20, David makes arrangements for someone else to tend the sheep while he is gone – That is the heart that God wanted – David had an important job, but he still knew he had to take care of the sheep. And I think that is what Jesus was doing with Peter – Feed my sheep. We are His prized possession.
David, later he is talking to Saul – I killed a bear and a lion who were threatening my sheep – if I were tending sheep, I wouldn’t risk my life for them!
In our small group – Ed shared a story – he repairs guitars and musical instruments and amps and stuff – he has a bunch of tools – but he needed a particular tool – and it wasn’t quite right, so he ground it down a little bit. His story is fascinating – you’ll have to ask him about it. Each tool in the box has its purpose – We are like that – each having his capabilities. My mind thinks – if I were stranded on an island with only one tool, I would choose a screwdriver! You can put holes in walls, you can wedge things, hammer things, pry things – it can do a lot of things, but it does not do all of those things well. We need the other tools in the box as well.
In Genesis – God is creating everything and saying, it is good, it is good, it is good – but then He says something is not good -
“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” – We need one another.
I also thought about – this lone screwdriver –
Proverbs 18:1 He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.
Here is a picture of a loner – I think it is unnatural…
Proverbs 5:12And you say, “How I have hated instruction!
And my heart spurned reproof!
13 “I have not listened to the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!
14 “I was almost in utter ruin
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”
How sad this is – even in the midst of the congregation he is a loner who is not listening to the wisdom of others.
Uniformity is not unity - and can get us into trouble.
Unity is not Casting stones – not sure how this fits in – but there are times when we have to reprove one another – and there is this section in Matthew 18 – we are called to speak first to one another in private – and if we are not doing that – we are casting stones at one another.
What is unity? It is a mindset – that God has made each of us as individuals – and we each have our own roles – but we all fit together to fulfill God’s purposes. We can be unique and still be united.
When we do something right, we can feel God’s pleasure. When we do something wrong, God is still please with ME – as we are His prized possessions.
I wanted to allow God to speak to each of us.
When a friend of mine studied Law – he tells me in their Law class they studied Romans – it is really a legal treatise! There are so many good messages in Romans. We get The Romans Road to Salvation – Key verses – the wages of sin is death – all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – There is therefore now no condemtion to those who ar e in Christ Jesus – IN all these things we overwhelmingly conquer – then it comes to chapter 12 – Therefore – a great theologian taught me - if you see a therefore in the Bible, you need to find out what it is there for…
I’m rounding 3rd… - I put up Romans in the New American Standard – but I am going to read from The Amplifiied version.
Romans 12: 12 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
4 For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,
5 So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another].
6 Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith;
7 [He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching;
8 He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality; he who gives aid and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.
9 [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.
12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.
13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].
16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.
18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.