Church Launch: A Church Divided Cannot Stand.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “United or Divided?”
“A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” Who said this?
If you said, “Jesus.” You are correct.
If you said, “Abraham Lincoln.” You are also correct…but he was quoting Jesus.
163 years ago on June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln received the Republican nomination to run against Stephen Douglas in the race for the Illinois Senator. 1858 found the United states in the throes of decisions of perpetuating slavery in new states or preventing it. The Dred Scott decision was a blow against the ability of slaves to enjoy the full rights of citizens. The tensions between the promoters of slavery and the abolitionists was growing.
Abraham Lincoln began his acceptance speech that night with these words:
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention.
If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation.
Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.
In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided.
It will become all one thing or all the other.
Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South.
The result? Slavery was deemed unlawful in all the states, but not without the cost of a Civil War.
Division destroys.
To point out the ridiculous nature of the charges of the teachers of the law, Jesus teaches this parable (Mark 3:23-26)
Mark 3:23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
It made no sense that Jesus was freeing individuals from the power of Satan if he himself was working for Satan. He was driving out demons because he stood against Satan and came to destroy the devil’s work. His mission on earth was to free people from the consequences of sin and the power of the devil.
1 John 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
To apply this to the church…the Church divided against itself cannot stand. Unfortunately, there are too many stories of churches closing, dissolving, or not even starting because of infighting and bickering between leaders and/or members. At the crux is often whether this will be “MY” church and I will get what I want or it will be God’s church and we will in all things seek to yield to his will and way.
The church can’t survive as part “MY” way and part “GOD’S” way – it must be all one or the other. The Church endures because GOD’S way must and always will prevail. To prevent destruction along the way, let’s unite around God’s Word and ways of truth.
Apply: How have you encountered division in the church? Did the division help the spread of the Gospel or curtail it or make it more difficult? What role have you played? Let’s repent of working harder to do church MY way and spend more effort doing church GOD’S way.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I have used your church to promote MY agenda. Yield my will and my ways by your Spirit to strengthen the unity of your church around you and your Word of truth. AMEN.
Church Launch: Lies Divide.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “United or Divided?”
“Did you hear what Mark did?”
“No, I didn’t. What did he do?”
“Well…(and the story is told.)
Without verifying the truth of the story, we can easily buy the tale that was told and form our opinion about an individual based on a half-truth or outright lie someone else tells.
We hear a soundbite on the news, read a post on Facebook, or see a video on Tik Tok and all of a sudden we form an opinion about a person or group of people…often not favorable. We see and hear and read what we want to give us an “excuse” to not like or interact or agree with a person.
Again we don’t take time to verify the truth, we just believe what we first hear.
All around us Satan likes to use his favorite tactic to divide us: half-truths and lies.
Unfortunately, he can use unexpected individuals: Family and church leaders. (NOTE: I am not trying to cast doubt on your family and church leaders…but read what happens as they interact with Jesus!)
Mark 2:20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
Jesus had just driven out a demon and people were beginning to see more clearly that Jesus was more than just an average rabbi. They were beginning to see him as the Messiah, the promised one descended from David.
But Satan couldn’t have people following Jesus. For him, this is the worst. So he uses potentially trusted individuals to tell lies about Jesus.
His family…”He is out of his mind.”
The teachers of the law…”He is possessed by Beelzebub (Satan)!”
Neither of which, of course, was true.
This is the extent that Satan will go to bring lies through people we normally trust. This is an example of how hard Satan works in the sphere of God’s family and God’s church to bring lies and half-truths to lead people away from Jesus, rather than strengthen their connection to Jesus.
Today he does the same.
Churches teach that the Word of God is with error and man-made and while contains the Word of God cannot be trusted in every word it says.
Church family members create a story or narrative around words taken out of context, or actions misjudged or taken in the worst possible way which results in division between individuals.
Satan can use us to. We must be wary of our heart and mind so we do not let him use us to drive a wedge between an individual and Jesus and his Church.
Disunity comes from the lies of Satan. A dissection of division in families and churches finds the lies of Satan at the root.
The best way to restore unity, especially in the church? Unite around the truth of God’s Word and let “one little word of truth” overcome the lies and deceptions of Satan.
Apply: How has/does Satan use lies and half-truths to cause division in your relationships/church? What truth of God would help to restore unity?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, let us always unify around your truth to weed out every lie of Satan, regardless from whom they are spoken. AMEN.
Church Launch: Unity Takes Effort!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “United or Divided?”
Sometimes we just don’t try.
We give up before we start.
We deem the objective too hard or not worth the effort.
Later we regret not trying.
What we lost out on was greater than the effort it would have taken to achieve it.
The time we spend trying to regain what we lost by not expending the effort takes more effort.
What is it for you?
For the Apostle Paul it was this:
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
The word translated, “Make every effort” has the connotation to “pursue zealously.” Effort, driven by zeal, to keep, to hold onto unity which the Spirit gives.
Here’s the full context: (Ephesians 4:1-6)
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
As we seek to be the Church which God has designed and given both to be a blessing to us and others, unity is a key attribute that is often so fleeting.
Jesus himself prayed for unity: (John 17:20-21)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
His prayer was for a deep unity which paralleled the unity he experienced with his heavenly Father. For imperfect individuals to experience something even close, it does take an intentional focus and zealous pursuit and the power of the Spirit. We need to understand what causes divisions – within and without. We must be willing to see if we ourselves are part of the problem. We must be humble enough to “bear with one another in love.” We must recognize our battle is with Satan, not with people.
Many of us have experienced the extensive effort it takes to restore unity once it is broken. Let’s put the effort in on the front end to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Why is the effort worth it? Because we all experience the greatest blessing from the Church God established when it and we are united around “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Satan loves to divide. Watch out for him…and read on this week to uncover how Satan works, even within the Church, to divide people from each other and their Savior.
Apply: What have you not given your full effort to and then later regretted it, discovering the work to catch up or repair was greater than what the original effort would have been?
Prayer: Lord, help me to live a life worthy of the calling you have given to me. Help me to be completely humble and gentle, patient and willing to bear with others in love. Help me to do all I can to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace in my church so that we may all experience the blessing of unity around one Lord, one faith, one baptism and around you God, our Father who is overall and through all and in all. AMEN.
Christ is Lord of the Church…not Us.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Christ or Customs?”
Mark 12:27 Then [Jesus] said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
This is such an important truth to remember.
The Sabbath was God’s gift to mankind. The Son of Man, Jesus, is Lord of the Sabbath. So he gets to determine its proper use and what is proper to do on it…not mankind.
That’s easy to acknowledge and hard to carry out.
Why? Because we want to be lord. We want to be in charge, not just of the Sabbath, but of the whole Church.
Unfortunately, it’s our sinful nature that rears its ugly head and desires to set up and make the church how I want it, determine what I think is important, and make others conform to what I like.
I know that is not true of everybody all the time, but it is a temptation…and a temptation into which we can easily fall.
While at times I want the church to meet my needs, in my way, and do things the way I prefer and the way I like, bottom line it makes for a very shallow experience of church…not only for you, but for everyone.
Lord, I repent of making the Church about me and subtly claiming to be “Lord of the Church.”
Jesus statement to the Pharisees is a call to once again realize the blessing of the Sabbath. Transferring this truth to the Church it’s a call to once again see the Church as Christ intended it.
When Christ is Lord of the Church, I find a place focused on the Word of truth.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
When Christ is Lord of the Church, I enjoy a place filled with his grace.
Revelation 1:4-6 To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
When Christ is Lord of the Church, I grow closer to Christ and his purpose for me.
Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
When Christ is Lord of the Church, I experience all the blessings God intends for me to enjoy through his church: grace, love, forgiveness, faith, giftedness, growth, purpose, and much more.
Enjoy the blessing of the Church, which God has given to you and Christ rules over.
Enjoy the customs that help keep you and others connected to Christ.
Apply: What blessings do you enjoy from the Church when Christ stays at the center and focus of all they do?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for establishing the Church as a place of your love and grace. Help us to keep it as you intended, share it with others, and always make it a place where you are Lord, not us. Amen.
Christ or Customs? Concerns of Customs…
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Christ or Customs?”
How can you tell if customs are taking a higher priority than they should?
Let me give you three to reflect on.
- We are more concerned about policing people’s behavior than pointing people to Christ.
The Pharisees Jesus confronts in Mark 2:24 were concerned about whether or not Jesus and his disciples were doing the right thing on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a gift from God to rest physically and spiritually. Unfortunately, when a practice in the church loses its focus on Christ, it often becomes a law some feel the need to police. The concern becomes whether someone is doing the practice correctly more than if someone is connecting to Jesus.
We are not exempt. We can quickly slip into the “Customs” police (and I’m not talking about border control!) when we become more concerned about people following the “rules” of the church, doing the “rituals” correctly, and adhering to the regulations. What does this sound like? “Look, they put the ornaments in the wrong place on the Christmas tree. We shouldn’t ask them to help again.” “Look, their baby is crying and making a fuss. Don’t they know they belong in the nursery?” “Look, they brought their coffee into the worship area. Don’t they know drinks aren’t allowed.” (Insert your own experience.)
I am not encouraging chaos, just a heart that keeps a higher concern for connecting people to Jesus than being the “Customs Police.”
2. We are more concerned about looking good than actually doing good.
This cuts to our heart as often our outward actions don’t match what is going on in our hearts. We can be what Jesus condemns, “You honor me with your lips, but your heart is far from me.” Church can sometimes be a façade where we seek to put on our best outward show of goodness, yet we fail to carry that over to the rest of our week. Pharisees sought the praise of people for their outward show, yet Jesus condemns it and reminds them and us, that what is most important is the heart captivated by and for Christ. The rest flows from the heart.
3. We are more concerned about perpetuating customs of the past than proclaiming Christ to the future.
The Gospel is for every generation. Sometimes the forms that served one generation to meaningfully communicate the Gospel, just don’t have the same benefit for another generation. A boomer generation may question why devices and screens are needed in church. But the use of these may be a new tool and way of bringing the Gospel to the hearts of youth. One generation may say, “We’ve always passed the offering plate. We can’t stop doing that.” But a new generation may find the regularity and joy of giving of using an electronic method. One generation may find great joy and comfort in the sound of the organ. Another generation may find the sound of guitars and drums. One isn’t wrong and the other right. Each serves as a custom or practice of one generation or multiple generations. However, for the sake of the Gospel, we may choose to let go of a practice of the past to ensure Christ is proclaimed effectively to the future.
Customs and traditions can be a wonderful aid to the Gospel. They can be passed on for generations. Yet, the custom must never overshadow Christ and the custom must never become more of a concern than Christ himself.
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Enjoy the customs…keep Christ as the main concern!
Apply: What custom do you enjoy, that you suspect doesn’t have the same significance to a younger generation? What change might be necessary to ensure the future generation has Christ as their main concern?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for meaningful customs. Forgive me for letting customs I enjoy overshadow Christ who I love. Help me and my church family to always keep Christ as our main concern. AMEN.