- This is the Ordinance– Unity above all Exodus 12:43-50 and Ephesians 2:11-18
- We’re going into election season. These types of things can get very divisive.
- Anything can actually divide a church. We’ve all come from brokenness and have emotional and spiritual needs and if we don’t watch ourselves, the smallest thing can bring division within us
- Unity is possible. It is possible for Christian people to walk together in Unity and love.
- When we walk in Unity, we display to the world that only through Christ is unity possible.
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1. The Significance of the Passover and Circumcision (Exodus 12:43-50)
- We discussed the Passover a few weeks ago and now it is being established who can and who cannot take part in the Passover and how it should be taken
- WHO- 43 No foreigner shall eat it. 44 man’s servant who is circumcised may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 48 stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, For no uncircumcised person shall eat it
- So, only circumcised people. No circumcision, no Passover.
- How it should be taken
- HOW- 46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.. 49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
- An idea I continually defend is the idea that Christianity isn’t a free-wheeling uncontrolled endeavor that has no commandments or constraints. That somehow Jesus created a Church with no direction or plan. This couldn’t be farther from the Church. Its all connected!
- As we read through the Bible, in context, we can see a very congruent story that fits together.
- Passover was a perpetual ordinance for Israel and it connects to us today as well
- Circumcision was a sign of the covenant with God. – we too have a sign of our covenant w God
- Remember- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Was who was, and is, and is to come. Circumcision still required. Passover still required. All demands must be met.
- Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
- Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
- We still meet the requirements of circumcision through Jesus Christ circumcising our hearts
- We still meet the requirements of the Passover through Jesus Christ dying on the cross
- Romans 3:30 Since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
- In the OT- Circumcision was the sign of the covenant, now the circumcision of our hearts is the proof our covenant relationship with Christ. OUR HEARTS MUST BE CIRCUMCISED.
- Circumcision was a visual clear distinction between gentiles and jews. You could see it
- You should be able to see the visual circumcision of the heart of the Christian
- Those without C, no Passover. Those without Conversion, no communion.
- There is a separation between those who are the covenant people of God and who is not
- Everyone is not a child of God. Everyone is not accepted. Some are rejected.
- And there is an offer of conversion– Get circumcised, you can take Passover.
- Circumcise your heart by coming to Jesus and take his Passover cup
- John 6:53-54 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
- Its not the actual blood and flesh. An unbeliever taking part doesn’t do it. HEART CONVERSION
2. The Breaking Down of the Wall of Hostility (Ephesians 2:11-18)
- READ Eph 2:14-16 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
- That wall of separation is also translated ‘wall of hostility’ in that the jews and gentiles were divided on who Jesus was, and the role that he played in the life of faith as continues today
- But by WHAT Jesus did on the cross, he brought UNITY to the Jew and Gentile in that Jesus came to redeem both of them. God’s plan was always to redeem as many as possible.
- Rom 1:16 it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
- Anyone and everyone can come to the Savior (same in Exodus, just be converted)
- So now, there is no separation because of Christ. Everyone can be saved and we are all equal
- Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- No division by disposition, by gender, by heritage, race, economics etc. We are all equal
- Col 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
- This was a costly endeavor! Eph2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
- THROUGH THE CROSS. This unity in Christ was only possible through the Cross, there could be no other way by which people could be brought together in Unity. Only through Christ
- How? Through heart change. Only the HS can change hearts. No other way.
- Pastor friend in Seattle- Meeting about getting rid of guns. Take away the guns, what about the heart? How do we change that? There are people that hate people for generations!
- But once you get saved, you hopefully change. You realize what you used to be, and give grace.
3. One New Humanity in Christ (Ephesians 2:15-18)
- Through Jesus, we have access to the Father. Eph 2:18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
- The circumcision provisions in Exodus 12 show that equal access to the father was possible as well. God didn’t keep people from him, he made provision for people to come to him.
- God’s plan was to always bring all of humanity towards himself.
- John 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.
- He was lifted up. He was resurrected, transfigured, and taken to heaven in the sky
- So now, as we continue to lift him up, he is drawing all men unto himself.
- This brings peace to the earth. “Peace on earth goodwill towards men”
- How many people are in this room in relationship with people they would never have hung out with without Jesus making them one. Races, backgrounds, ages, etc. Only God can do it.
- SO how do we apply this scripture, how do we live it out?
- 1 Cor 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1. Speak the same thing
- When you have a shared language you can get more done. If you don’t, its hard.
- While back, ordering food in Spanish. Got there, but it was rough.
- As our church grows and our unity grows, Satan will come against it. We must be on guard
- We need to watch our mouths. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
- We shouldn’t have unwholesome talk, coarse joking, gossip, slander etc.
- We all need to watch what we say about everything. Ask- am I creating Unity w my mouth?
- James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [b]nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
- Do you know what people talk about in EVERY Church? 1. Other people to make them feel better about themselves, 2. About the Pastor, he pushes them to grow and they don’t like it.
- Quit talking about others to hide your own brokenness- You’re not fooling anyone.
- Also- I have lived and led here for 20 years and have proven myself as a capable leader with a good heart. I still have issues, I’m not perfect, but speaking against me at this point is condemning a 20 year track record. At this point, I should have your trust.
- I know new people may not, but you will. “manage own house well” that’s my resume.
- So speak truth Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love
- We aren’t going to pretend things aren’t the way they are. We speak truth here.
- Speak what God speaks 1 Pe 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.
- We speak bible believing faith filled language here. We have strong belief in God!
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 may learn in us not to think beyond what is written,
- We speak what the Bible speaks and stick with that
- We hold fast to the word of God! Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word
- What makes teams win, business move well, shared language.
- Football plays- special language. Around here “Pastor Matt wouldn’t like that” shorthand for “pastor matt thinks things through to how they affect the overall mission and purpose of our Church, he’s proven himself as a capable leader, and I’ve been around here long enough to know that we have somewhat of a standard here, and this wouldn’t meet that standard”
2. There be no divisions among you
- We’re not supposed to have any division among us.
- Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
- Division is a disease that is contagious. DI-VISION. Two visions. You cause division when you decide that you don’t agree with the vision of this church and verbalize it (speak the same)
- “worship should be different” “CM, Youth, Men etc” “He should preach diff” “diff leader”
- Thats DI-Vision. Different vision than the stated vision. Don’t mean you cant help get better, but if all you have is a complaint and not solution. Shut it. (Derricks-dodge, every Monday years)
- Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- Endeavoring! We have to work at it. It doesn’t come easy. We have to work at it
- Two couples not getting along- Come together in sanctuary, work it out, now hang out.
- Couldn’t figure it out, thought they were both going to have to leave, now UNITY.
- Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
- It can only happen in love. Only through love can you maintain unity. Only through love
- Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
- Do you know what causes divisions?
- One- Not knowing yourself good enough to realize your brokenness manifesting as pathology in other peoples lives.
- Some peoples lives are so messed up, they cant manage their own lives, marriages, and kids and they subconsciously create problems in other relationships to mask their own trauma.
- This is the hardest thing to uncover in our own life. Ask others to help you see you.
- Two. Loss of the Cross. Thinking about yourself more highly than you ought, not considering others better than yourself. – you’ve forgotten what you were saved from and who saved you
- Three- The works of the flesh. Sometimes sin reigns in your life, jealousy, envy etc.
- Some would say- you’re saying if we have a problem we have bad marriages, unsaved, and in sin
- No- You can have feedback on anything, but the squared away people bring it differently.
- They want unity within the church, not self serving changes to benefit themselves. I’ll listen!
3. you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment
- Is this possible? Man. I don’t know. I’d like to think that it is. I hope it is
- I know that many times the dividing line is honesty with where you’re at and whats going on.
- Been doing this long enough that there are people who lie to me until they cant anymore
- Drugs, alcohol, porn, abuse, financial calamity, lack of spirituality. Always after destruction
- To be joined together, we must have the mind that we want to honor God in EVERYTHING
- All of us. You can’t live some half-way existence and expect that its all going to go right
- Romans 15:5-6: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- How can God grant us anything if we aren’t collectively endeavoring to watch our mouths and keep division from us? We ask him to do what he does in us, but he can only do what we allow
- WE go and have him circumcise our hearts and minds so we can serve him adequately
- We spend our time before him in faith and ask him to change us for HIM
- 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”
- If we see each other as Family (some of ya’ll don’t like your family) but Church family is the family we choose. I don’t want to lose you as my family.
- I don’t let the sun go down on my anger. I want to do whatever needs to be done to glorify him
- Its not even about us anyway.
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