Jump right in - big breath . . . Rarely have I struggled like I did this week.
Let me read/tell you a story - a story I consistently read when I need a sense of who God is and how he works . . . and this story has it all . . . . II Chronicles 20 - Old Testament - 3000 years or so.
Jehosaphat is the king over Judah (the southern half of Israel) . . . and as our story begins he finds himself and all the people he leads in grave trouble because . . . 3 other kingdoms have joined together and are coming to attack them . . . (map . . .)
(Now read II Chronicles 20:3-4)
Jehosaphat gets a little uptight because he knows how strong these opposing armies are and how weak his army is . . . in comparison, and so . . . he immediately turns to God with the dilemma. He doesn't try to fix the problem himself - he doesn't think - hey I'm the king - I should be able to figure this out . . . he doesn't even call all his advisors together to form a strategy meeting . . . No - he calls the people to fast and pray . . . Jehosaphat knew they needed God's wisdom and power to go against this enemy . . .
(focus on verse 4) "The people of Judah came together . . . . . . to seek help from the Lord . . . . Indeed . . . .they came from every town to seek him. . . "
The whole nation staged a huge show of solidarity . . . unity - oneness . . . and then the Bible records one of the greatest prayers ever prayed and one of the simplest . . . as Jehosaphat calls on God for help . . . . in a time of great need . . . Then look at verse 13 . . . "All the men of Judah - with their wives and children and little ones - stood there before the Lord." (picture that . . . )
Arm in arm - hand in hand . . . together.
Now listen to the rest of the story . . . (Dean to read the rest of the story). Great story - God brought the victory before they even had to lift a sword. Now when you read that story you think, what a great victory - what an amazing answer to prayer what an amazing show of God's power . . . and that' all true . . . but let me put a different twist to it (that maybe you haven't thought about ). . . see I think the power was in the unity - I think the blessing came not only in the prayer but in the solidarity of that prayer . . .
I think there was a rush to togetherness a huge desire to be together and pray together, and listen together and respond together as a people a nationwide "all for one and one for all . . . ." I also think that, that is what God saw . . . He didn't just see individuals or leaders . . . praying . . . He saw an entire nation . . . arm in arm - shoulder to shoulder unified in their need and unified in their faith and unified in their hope . . . and that's where the victory began . . .
Now my suggestion here is this . . . .I'm just not as sure that this story would have turned out the same . . . . I'm not sure God would have moved so powerfully, on their behalf . . . if say, instead of unity there had been squabbles amongst the people . . . or if one group of towns decided they weren't gonna show up . . . because they're pretty much against war anyways . . . or what if when Jehosaphat put the singers out in front of the army . . . what if those singers couldn't agree on what songs to sing or whether they should sing loud or soft or fast or slow . . . and some of them would have gotten mad and went home . . . .do you think the story would still have the same out come . . . .?
Well - I'm suggesting not . . . Unity is just something God blesses and . . . oneness has a power that is multiplied exponentially . . . . Great story.
Let me give you another picture from the Bible . . . The book of Acts is the story of the first century church - and Acts 2 describes that first group of followers of Jesus Christ the very first church community . . . which had about 3000 people attached to it . . . This is who that church was and what they did . . . Acts 2:42 - 47 - I'll read it . . . (It describes that church)
The Fellowship of the Believers
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:42-47 NIV)
Notice . . . as I read - it never mentioned anyone's name - or even any one specific leaders name . . . . . . but it describes them as one large group - one unit
:42 They (all of them) devoted themselves to teaching - fellowship and prayer
:43 Everyone was filled with awe
:44 All the believers were together . . . and had everything in common
:46 Everyday - (all of them) they continued to meet together . . .
:47 They (all of them) ate together with glad and sincere hearts . . .
Now I think you get where I'm going here . . . but just in case you haven't yet . . . This church described in Acts 2 was a local church just like this one . . . It had people from mixed and very diverse backgrounds (just like this one) and that church had people with different talents and abilities . . . Some were musicians - some organizers - some servers - some worked with their hands - some taught - some lead (just like this church). . . And that church also had people with different family stories as well - some were married, some not, some with kids - some not . . . and that church certainly also had people with different likes and dislikes . . . just like our church . . .
And . . . even with this great diversity - and even with all the differences and the challenges that those differences can make in a church . . . That local church became the most explosive, most powerful - most effective movement on the planet . . .
That church in Acts 2 was used by God to take the message of Jesus Christ and give it to the world . . . not only did they love and enfold and help and heal the people in their city . . . but they sent people out to other cities (as God called them to), and transplanted their church to every region in the then known world . . .
See folks - we owe that little local church a lot . . . Why? Because every church that exists today . . . whether Catholic or United or Baptist or Mennonite or Free Methodist . . . exists because of that church in Acts Chapter 2 . . . That church ignited a movement that has out lasted any other - The church of Jesus Christ has seen kingdoms rise and fall (around it) - it has seen political systems falter and super powers come and go . . . There have been . . . dark forces that have tried to stamp the church of Jesus Christ out and still other political leaders have tried to abolish it . . . and still in many nations around the world today - Christianity is forbidden, and it is against the law to go to church and you know what? . . . There have been more martyrs die for the cause of Christ in the last century than in all 19 centuries before - yet The church continues on . . . God's word says that . . . "He will build His church and even the gates of hell will not prevail against it . . . "
(Matthew 16:18)
Folks (We will live to see the church of Jesus Christ) (in our generation) expand and grow and develop in our world more than ever before (in history) as millions of people's lives will be changed by the power of God . . . .
And you know what? . . . it all started with one local church . . . filled with ordinary people . . . who followed Jesus to the best of their ability . . . together - unified as one . . .
So I was sitting in my office early one morning this week . . .writing this message and I got to this point and I didn't know what else to say . . . I mean, so what if some nation was unified 3000 years ago . . . and God did something great . . . and really, . . . . . . so what if one 1st century church got together . . . and figured it out . . . and was used by God . . . What does that mean for us . . . ?
Well . . . here's what I came up with . . .
In 1989 . . . when I was 22 years old . . . I had the privilege of being influenced by several great leaders . . . one of those influences . . . was simply through a message a fella named Bill Hybels spoke, about his passion for the church. . . . That talk created something within me . . . (a picture of what the church could be). And that has never left me, . . . and that picture has inspired me nearly everyday for the last 15 years . . . (let me tell you about the church).
See folks . . . when the church works there is nothing else like it in the entire world . . . When the church works . . . God unleashes his power like nowhere else . . . And when the church works . . . people get to see Jesus at work . . . and lives are changed and futures are transformed . . . and all kinds of hurts are healed (and when the church works) . . . people understand who they are and what God has created them for, and people find fulfillment and joy and peace . . . (when the church works) There is power to face whatever you need to face . . . and there is forgiveness and grace . . . . . Amazing . . . . . . The church of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world . . . Why? Because (this it the best part) Because - in the church . . . there is a chance to find community and a chance to find a sense of oneness not available anywhere else . . . .
See folks - everyone of us . . . was created with a deep longing inside of us . . . A longing inside of us . . . A longing for intimacy . . . and acceptance . . . A longing to be known and understood . . . and a longing to belong with out fear of rejection . . . no matter who we are or what we're done . . .
Everyone of us longs for the freedom to be who we really are . . . within an atmosphere of love and acceptance . . .
And folks that longing is for a thing called community . . . and on this earth it can only be found in one place . . . and that's the church . . . and trust me . . . once you've had a taste of community . . . you'll want it more and more and more . . . Because a taste of community . . . is a foretaste of heaven . . . awesome.
I also know this to be true (about the church) . . . See the enemy of our souls - the enemy of the church - Satan, is alive and well. And he hates community - in fact he hates oneness of any kind . . . whether that's in a family (or a marriage) or at work or in the church (he hates it) . . .
In the new testament of the Bible, Satan is called the devil . . . diablo . . . which literally means to throw apart . . . to separate . . . to divide and that is his main job . . . To separate and divide and to destroy community - of any kind . . .
See . . . because Diablo has irreversibly separated himself from God . . . division is all that he now does . . . . . . what God unites - he divides - and what God gathers, he scatters . . . . . . he's such a jerk . . .
People oneness and community are the most precious of values to God . . . but, they are also the most vulnerable to attack and the most fragile . . .
So what's my point? It's simple really . . . During this season - where together, we are writing another chapter in the history of Lakeview Church . . . It is absolutely vital that we are all on the same page . . . It's absolutely vital that we are together and that we are one . . .
And it is so important during these days that we are about the business of strengthening that which God holds as the highest of values . . . Community. Because - during this season, you can expect the evil one to do all that he can to separate us . . . and drive us apart and create division . . . because the enemy knows that if we are divided we will fall . . . and if we get separated in vision . . . If we get scattered in our mission . . . We'll fail . . . he knows that . . . but now so do you and so do I . . .
So here's what I think God wants us to put into practice during these days of forward movement into Chapter 6 . . . .(this is the message) (4 practical things)
1. Engage in Community Run to it - Come to church regularly - Listen close to what God is doing here. Join in - sign-up - serve in a ministry - Gloria Reimer. Take a class - Darren Friesen. Join a small group - Elizabeth Nickel. Be a bigger part of what God is doing right now during these days . . .
2. Engage in Relationship within Community Build relationships. Have people over. Meet and greet and go for lunch. Join a Small group (did I already say that?) Meet someone new to you, today here . . .
3. Keep Relationships Strong (during this season) Be quick to forgive. Be quick to make amends. Go see someone today if there is an issue - get it back on track.
4. Pray - for unity/oneness - greater sense of community Come together - (picture) - People of Israel standing together in prayer. II Chronicles 20 And as they prayed - God gave the victory.
The apostle Paul said . . .
" Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one person for the faith of the gospel." Philippians 1:27 (NIV)
Church there is nothing on earth as valuable or fulfilling as community and there is no greater way to release God's power than being united as a community chasing after what God has for us . . . together.
There is great power in oneness. |
