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October 2, 2021 2:00 am
Church-shopping and church-hopping have long been one of American Christians' notable patterns. Most want a church that suits them, helps them, and pleases them. But since Jesus paid for it, it's His church (Acts 20:28). So what does He want from us as a group? What should the collective people of God be like? What ingredients and activities ought to be part of our makeup as a congregation? In short--what kind of church would Jesus attend?
This teaching is from the series Church? Who Needs It.
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What is the Bible speaks of unity. Please hear me out.
It doesn't mean first of all, it doesn't mean uniformity or unanimity doesn't mean that we can all agree on everything.
Also doesn't mean that we have for the same close vote exactly the same way. Read the King James Bible only the Bible speaks about unity doesn't refer to the churches go through sort of an identity crisis of the past couple hundred years so many different denominations, or even sub denominations. How does one determine which church is a good one there for that matter which of the many churches today would be approved of by Christ. That's what will examine today here in Québec Skip weekend edition.
First, this update from the connect was Skip resource at the beating heart of Bible prophecy is the land of Israel and the Middle East. Joel Rosenberg has his finger on the pulse of the world shaking changes happening right now and he unveils them in his new nonfiction book enemies and allies is the first stage inside loft inside the house is the same as in his think about making US enemies and allies from multiple New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg takes you on an unforgettable journey inside the turbulent Middle East go behind closed doors to hear from the very kings and crown princes, presidents and prime ministers who are leading the charge. Enemies and allies includes exclusive never before published quotes insight and analysis from the authors conversations with some of the world's most controversial leaders your hardcover copy enemies and allies is our thanks for your generous gift of $35 or more today to give call 800-962-1888 or visit connect this.com over your vitals once more to John chapter 17 schedule prescribes it for the rest of this message, church, Jesus wanted to. I remember something very vividly.
It wasn't long after I prayed to receive Christ back in 19 long time ago that I felt like I didn't fit any longer. I was a fish out of water. I felt like when I went back to my old friends in my old Bigs and started hanging out again. I just thought I am not in my element. This is not who I am anymore.
I remember feeling that because I minute but I'm not all that but for me to be in it and survival well and make an impact.
Well, I need some preparation and that's verse 17 I get sanctified, made holy by God's truth which is his word took this what were like were like astronauts you can go to space, just as you are not your element you need a specialized suit or pressurized suit that gives you the elements of the earth to survive in a hostile environment or if you were to try to go under the water. You can't breathe water. You need a special pressurized suit that gives you the surrounding elements of this environment for you to survive. So it is as believers.
This world is in her element. The only way working to survive the pressure of this world and its system poised against God is to have sufficient pressure from within by the Holy Spirit working through the word of God, which is truth which sanctifies us that pressure that realignment week by week, day by day is what prepares us for the next phase. So we need to know we need to grow and then we need to go. That's the third part of this we need to go see our knowing and are growing should always lead to going and I tell you what it's really bad news when it doesn't.
It's really bad news when we know who we are and we start growing in our knowledge and become very theologically adept and we know the fine points of theology, and we do nothing with that for the world would become fat and sassy spiritually speak. We need to exercise we need to be going. That's the whole point of verse 18. As you sent me into the world.
I also have sent them into the world, I discovered there's five responses. The Christians have toward the world and I think only one of them is the best response is the last one. One response. The Christians have had to the world around them is to isolate is to isolate the world's bad to get away from the world want anything to do with the world.
All move away from it. That was the whole basis of the monastic movement monasteries will survive is for us to leave that and get away over here by ourselves.
That's to isolate number two is to insulate the insulate also not a good strategy is very similar to the first, but is a little bit different.
This is the belief that says okay the world is bad and I got to protect myself and protect my children protect my family and remove them from certain institutions and remove us from certain things and just sit here in this little bastion of Christianity and pointed all the bad things in the world is 1/3 response people of had and that is to vegetate vegetate the become very apathetic very apathetic. They know the truth but they have no passion for lost people at all. They don't witness to anybody.
They don't care. Their primary concern is her own personal comfort and that's a very sad place to be in wages vegetate whatever dude. There's 1/4 response and that is to imitate the world. I will just be like the world their values all see what they see or listen to what they listen to our watchlist. They watch over they go and then it gets even worse when that's taken into the church and says, okay, let's make the churches like the world will do everything they do and will take all the songs about Jesus and his blood out of the church and make every unbeliever to still really good about their sin and they can come here and will aid the world. None of those are great strategies.
The best strategy is to know to grow and then to go or is the fifth one. Permeate the permeate or to penetrate the world rescue souls engage the unbelieving world engaged here we are today were salt know Jesus called us how many would agree that were salt but a lot more of you need to agree because Jesus said you are the salt of the earth. And isn't it great to get together in the salt shaker that feel really good to get all shaken up together. It's cool I love it. I really do. But when we leave we gotta do this, turn that saltshaker over get out into the world and engage the world and tell them the good news.
There's a story that you not to turn to it. Now if you're not familiar with the jot this down for later. Second Kings chapter 7 second Kings seven is a story about four dudes by paraphrasing admittedly four (dudes house that for leprous men at the gate of Samaria. Remember that story another dying of leprosy and starvation because there's a famine is a famine in their city and one guy one day, looks at the other guys and he says why are we sitting here until we die if we go back into the city to die because there's a famine there is no food if we stay here were gonna die. But if we go to the enemy's camp and surrender. We might live.
They might accept us and at least a fetus. Now they might not go kill us but what we care. Were gonna die anyway. If we sit here. Why do we sit here till we die. So they going to the enemies You know what they found nobody they had all left and they left all their food behind and so these leprous guys went into the tent started taken closing food and hoarding it and hoarding it in one of them said thing the were doing is not right. This is a day of good news. And yet we remain silent as a day of good news. We need to go back to our town Samaria and tell everybody we discovered a food supply. We got out let this good news all you know what ladies and gentlemen, this is a day of good news. We cannot keep silent, we gotta tell people how to get from earth to heaven through Jesus Christ next and finally we are to be a church and one that I believe Jesus would attend is one that rallies over the love of God is the final point, one that rallies over the love of God in verse 20.
You'll notice that Jesus is praying for you. I do not pray for these.
That is, these disciples alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. How many of you believe in Jesus or the word of the apostles. I have we all have they wrote it down for us.
So now Jesus prays for us. Notice what he prays. Verse 21, that they may all be one, as you father are in me and I in them, that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me, and the glory which you gave me. I have given them that they may be one, just as we are one, I in them, you and me, that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them, as you've love to me.
Father, I desire that they also, whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Oh righteous father.
The world has not known you but I have known you, and these have known the you sent me and I have declared to them your name and will declare it, the love with which he loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Now boys got a mouthful when you distill it for you.
Jesus is simply praying for unity based upon truth and love as the nutshell is the Col. unity among his followers based upon truth and love.
And he prays four times for this and this prayer or times as if to say father.
This is really important for those of us who read it is really important you are to do this, you really gotta do this four times we get the message that we are to have unity. How can we ever preach the gospel of the love of God unless we display that love one to another than they make sense. That's what Jesus praying. What is the Bible mean when it speaks of unity, please hear me out to what it doesn't mean first of all, it doesn't mean uniformity or unanimity were all can agree on everything, can we all just to get together every Christian or every believer of anything in his hold hands and sing Kumbaya and a large chanting can't do that now I can work get it out of your mind. It doesn't mean that we can all agree on everything.
Also doesn't mean that we have for the same close boat exactly the same way.
Read the King James Bible only when the Bible speaks about unity doesn't refer to that in us are like a real family. A family here. If you have more than one child. If you have several kids. They're all different and they do not agree on everything one might be very vocal.
One may be very quiet. I know some you think it will give me one of those. I will have one of those when might be a morning person.
One idea my person were all different, and even God's family we don't agree on everything. We don't hold the same position on every single thing and that's okay. You know the disciples didn't get along, Peter and Paul didn't agree in Galatians, Barnabas in the book of acts, along with Paul had an argument they didn't agree on certain things.
Both brothers in Christ. And so today there are some Christians who are pre-millennial. I'm one of those others are all millennial. I pray for those all the time but there my brothers in Christ and sisters in Christ. Some are pre-tribulation. All in our eschatology. Others are post toasty's and their eschatology. They will go through the tribulation. Some in their style of worship are different.
Some like choirs and robes in the Oregon others like granola and guitars and the whole other thing. And that's okay. I am so glad that there are a variety of churches and organizations to accommodate those different styles, but when it comes to unity. There are certain things work together and what is Jesus mean by it. I'll show you in verse 8 to 11 for I have given to them the words which you have given me and they have received them and have known Shirley that I came forth from you and I believe that you sent me. Pray for them. I do not pray for the world. But for those you have given me further.
Yours in all mine are yours and yours are mine, and I'm glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world and I come to you. Holy father keep to your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are one. So what is this unity, Jesus speaks up. There is unity based upon truth and specifically the truth about Jesus Christ that this what it means your attrition in exactly the same way. I'm a Christian, you believe that God sent Jesus into the world and that his sacrifice on the cross is enough.
I believe that to you believe that the only Savior of the world is Jesus Christ.
I believe that to we are united in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Because that's essential that's essential who God is who Jesus is that he is God in human flesh that he paid the sacrifice for sins all about truth about Jesus is essential for salvation, but then there are certain things that are not essential which Bible version you read not essential. When Schwager baptized, not really essential you speak in tongues are not not really essential when the rapture happens not really essential know some of this agreement that is an essential thing to talk to you later because there are some issues there. These are nonessentials and what Augustine said is this in essentials unity in nonessentials liberty in all things, charity, love, and all things. Love, why does Jesus pray for this four times in his prayer. Verse 21 tells why the world may believe that you sent me. I just want that part to sink in. More probably than any other part of this message that the world may believe that you sent me father the world is going to believe that you sent me. If there one they have unity if they unify over the essentials and not worry about the nonessentials. The world will believe it. Here's a problem that we have follow me here problem that we have in our evangelism are testimony to the world is God's invisible that poses a problem were telling people about God.
They can't see him. And so that's why the global prove God exists on a table will help is when they see us loving each other by our love. We are making the invisible God more visible when you see this from Scripture and to review first John chapter 4 verse 12. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other. God lives in us and his love is brought to full expression in us see that by our love for one another. We are making invisible God more visible to an unbelieving world, no one will call the body of Christ. That's visible were the body of Christ. Jesus Christ in his physical body ascended into heaven can't seem any longer last 2000 years. The only way God will be made visible is by us and it begins in loving each other so we prove the reality of our message by our love for one another are unity flip the coin what Woodard this unity proof to the world what our disunity prove what what is the world think when churches fight over colors of pews and kinds of music and flowers, etc. when bickering divides the church. John Stott wrote this in that fine book, I told you about. We cannot proclaim the gospel of God's love with any degree of integrity. If we don't exhibit it in our love for one another. Perhaps nothing is so damaging to the cause of Christ as a church torn apart by jealousy, rivalry, slander, malice, or preoccupied with its own selfish concerns. We live before watchful eyes and they want to see if were going to live our message that we proclaim to rotate what my prayer is been as I went through this and I go to a message I was preach to myself somewhat.
You know that I preach it to me so after this week I have a prayer. Personally number one I want to be renewed in love. I want to be renewed in love. I want to have such a tender love for God's people that is seen and and and I just got a tell you why I make that a prayer I make it a prayer because it is easy to get jaded in the ministry.
I've Artie shared with you in a couple sermons ago how many people leave the ministry and primarily because they get so jaded so easy to get jaded of the ministry in her life as we see so much stuff we hear so much stuff we people all week long. All day long that this probably get that problem problem problem. See it and after a while we can become very thick-skinned to it. I want to remain tenderhearted. This is my prayer that I be renewed in God's love for his people, and then number two out of that love that I would be ready to enter into conversations in the Starbucks store laundromat carwash wherever I'm at, enter into meaningful conversations that will help rescue people out of darkness be brought into the light so they can also experience his love.
So the church does Jesus envision when he says I'm to build my church, and he prays for one that will radiate God's glory. Whenever will reveal God's truth, one that will rescue those who are opposed to him, one that will revel in rear rally around the love and at first must be seen with us. There was a little boy who was praying Sunday evening before he went to bed about his head and says dear God, Lord, we had such a good time at church today. Boy I wish you could've been there. How horrible for Jesus to be outside knocking to get in so let's turn the spotlight for a moment from off of the church organization in general is, after all, were not called to be church connoisseurs, judges of organizations. Let's turn the spotlight on ourselves should think about her own life.
What do you personally live for, what are you living for.
What are you aiming at what you want more than anything else.
Have you been rescued. Do you belong to Christ is his plan. What's going on in your life.
If not, do something about that.
Give him your heart with a whole new start. Have you like a fresh start. Just by going to church going fine. Jesus fees the weather can push the button on your life you like to find out more about how Jesus could give you a new beginning. Be happy to talk with you about just call us at 1-800-922-1884. Click the mill God button. connectwithskip.com is just about going to do it for today.
But before time runs out I want to remind you if you'd like a copy of today's teaching the church, Jesus will attend part two. All you need to do is call us at 1-800-922-1888. Each copy is just four dollars plus shipping and you know there's an art to attending church tell you about it next time. As we continue our series church who needs it right here and connect with Skip weekend edition the presentation of connection so you guys never changing and ever changing time