WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.860 Unity in the family. What a noble goal that is. 00:00:06.540 --> 00:00:12.339 How hard to attain it. My mother, on numerous 00:00:12.339 --> 00:00:18.079 occasions, voiced to us children, when she was 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.899 gone, she wanted us to stay in touch with each 00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:26.289 other. I think she... felt especially keen about 00:00:26.289 --> 00:00:29.230 that because she had been, as the only daughter 00:00:29.230 --> 00:00:32.149 of five children, the one who had sought for 00:00:32.149 --> 00:00:35.829 years to keep her siblings together. Mostly, 00:00:36.509 --> 00:00:40.509 her efforts ended in failure. And she was concerned 00:00:40.509 --> 00:00:43.909 that when she left this earthly scene, that her 00:00:43.909 --> 00:00:47.969 children not repeat that same pattern, that natural 00:00:47.969 --> 00:00:54.500 tendency of drifting away from each other. Unity 00:00:54.500 --> 00:00:57.359 in the family is a wonderful thing. It produces 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.619 a lot of joy when it happens. And when it's missing, 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:06.260 there's a lot of heartache. I imagine there are 00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:08.180 some people here in this auditorium this morning 00:01:08.180 --> 00:01:12.640 who have known the joy of family unity at some 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:14.439 point in your life. Maybe it was when you were 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:16.400 a child and you haven't known it since then. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.019 Or perhaps it's been this morning that you have 00:01:21.019 --> 00:01:22.959 sensed that unity and you've come to church with 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.700 your heart charged up because of the excitement 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:28.719 and the joy of sensing the oneness that's there. 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:34.239 But there are others of us that have not experienced 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:40.480 that kind of joy for a long, long time. And we 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:46.359 ache for it. God's heart is much like the heart 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.819 of every parent. God desires for His children 00:01:49.819 --> 00:01:57.280 to be at one with each other. God wants His family 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:04.480 together, together in unity. In our families, 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.299 there are natural pressures that tend to pry 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:16.740 us apart. There's individualism. We believe in 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:19.060 the individual. God created us as individual 00:02:19.060 --> 00:02:23.900 people. But individualism is that idea gone to 00:02:23.900 --> 00:02:28.419 seed. We live in a world today that emphasizes 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:31.900 the individual over the common good. Our nation 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:35.460 was founded that together we as a people might 00:02:35.460 --> 00:02:37.900 seek the common good, but that is an idea that 00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:41.360 has long since departed. And today the emphasis 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:43.599 is not upon the common good in our country, but 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:49.120 upon individual rights. And our nation is decaying 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:51.879 partly because of that. And we sense that in 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:54.900 our own families. Individualism. I'm going to 00:02:54.900 --> 00:02:59.759 do my own thing. And then there's mobility. The 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.439 pressure of mobility. We have the freedom and 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:04.740 sometimes the necessity to move where we want 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:08.180 to. And most of us will move several times in 00:03:08.180 --> 00:03:12.280 our lives. And the result of that is that we 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:17.740 get separated from family. And then there's the 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:21.860 pressure of busyness. Our schedules are demanding. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.979 We have so much going on. Our lifestyle is saturated 00:03:24.979 --> 00:03:27.719 with things to do. And we don't really have the 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:30.800 time that it takes to get together with other 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:35.840 people. Now all of those things that affect our 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:39.500 earthly families affect us as well as the family 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:45.080 of God. Unity has been a problem among God's 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:49.969 children. since the first century. Amazing parts 00:03:49.969 --> 00:03:52.569 of the New Testament are devoted to that subject 00:03:52.569 --> 00:03:58.610 of unity. And one of the sections is the book 00:03:58.610 --> 00:04:01.629 of Philippians and the third chapter where we're 00:04:01.629 --> 00:04:04.129 going to turn now for our scripture reading this 00:04:04.129 --> 00:04:09.710 morning. Beginning in verse 17, join with others 00:04:09.710 --> 00:04:14.159 in following my example, brothers. And take note 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:17.060 of those who live according to the pattern we 00:04:17.060 --> 00:04:21.819 gave you. For as I have often told you before, 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.060 and now say again even with tears, many live 00:04:26.060 --> 00:04:30.720 as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:38.319 is destruction. Their God is their stomach. And 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:42.279 their glory is their shame. Their mind is on 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:46.240 earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:50.100 and we eagerly await for a Savior from there, 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:53.259 the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that 00:04:53.259 --> 00:04:56.259 enables Him to bring everything under His control 00:04:56.259 --> 00:05:00.079 will transform our lowly bodies so that they 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:04.139 will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my 00:05:04.139 --> 00:05:08.660 brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy 00:05:08.660 --> 00:05:13.110 and crown. That is how you ought to stand firm 00:05:13.110 --> 00:05:17.009 in the Lord, dear friends. I plead with Euodia 00:05:17.009 --> 00:05:20.850 and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each 00:05:20.850 --> 00:05:25.389 other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal 00:05:25.389 --> 00:05:28.769 Yoke fellow, help these women who have contended 00:05:28.769 --> 00:05:32.649 at my side in the cause of the Gospel, along 00:05:32.649 --> 00:05:35.209 with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers 00:05:35.209 --> 00:05:40.500 whose names are in the Book of Life. Paul is 00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:43.360 pleading with the Philippians to experience unity 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:47.699 in their fellowship. God wants that. It is an 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:52.319 honorable goal for God's people. But as in our 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.120 natural family, so in God's spiritual family, 00:05:56.199 --> 00:06:01.040 there are pressures that can pull us apart. George 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.339 and Frank talked about some of those this morning 00:06:03.339 --> 00:06:07.230 as we listened in on their thoughts. Aren't you 00:06:07.230 --> 00:06:09.269 glad people can't really listen to your thoughts 00:06:09.269 --> 00:06:14.829 like that? And whatever the pressures were that 00:06:14.829 --> 00:06:17.050 pulled them apart, they couldn't really identify. 00:06:18.730 --> 00:06:20.649 But the fact is that here they were, leaders 00:06:20.649 --> 00:06:23.449 in their church, serving communion, and they 00:06:23.449 --> 00:06:25.589 were at odds with one another in thinking the 00:06:25.589 --> 00:06:29.449 way they were. There are pressures that tend 00:06:29.449 --> 00:06:33.610 to pull us apart. But unity in the family of 00:06:33.610 --> 00:06:41.040 God, unity provides joy. Joy to the heart of 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:45.220 God and joy to our own hearts. It provides a 00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:48.060 joy which is supportive, especially in times 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:52.759 of adversity. Paul was encouraged and wrote back 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:56.079 to the Philippians, you also rejoice in the Lord 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:02.959 because of the unity that He had with them. He 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:07.189 felt supported by them. When you and I pass through 00:07:07.189 --> 00:07:11.110 tough times, we need unity with the family of 00:07:11.110 --> 00:07:15.829 God to provide a joy that will help support us 00:07:15.829 --> 00:07:20.629 and see us through those difficult times. It 00:07:20.629 --> 00:07:23.889 is always such an encouragement to me to hear 00:07:23.889 --> 00:07:27.170 how pockets of people within our church, sometimes 00:07:27.170 --> 00:07:29.910 in small churches and sometimes in formal groups, 00:07:30.449 --> 00:07:33.889 who come to the aid of someone else who's going 00:07:33.889 --> 00:07:37.639 through a difficult time, That bond of oneness 00:07:37.639 --> 00:07:42.860 is expressed that way. You need that kind of 00:07:42.860 --> 00:07:46.600 unity with God's people, and so do I. So that 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:49.560 that joy that comes from it will support us in 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:54.259 our tough moments, and we all have them. As Paul 00:07:54.259 --> 00:07:59.920 thinks about unity in this text, he gives us 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:04.199 two important insights into the unity of God's 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:07.100 family. And these insights can be well applied 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:10.399 to our earthly families as well, though we will 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:13.620 focus on the former. We're going to cover one 00:08:13.620 --> 00:08:15.740 insight this morning and, the Lord willing, the 00:08:15.740 --> 00:08:20.139 second insight this evening. The first insight 00:08:20.139 --> 00:08:22.699 that we gained from God's Word regarding unity 00:08:22.699 --> 00:08:26.180 in the family is that it is based upon relationship. 00:08:27.459 --> 00:08:30.980 It is based upon relationship. We can't have 00:08:30.980 --> 00:08:34.460 unity where there is no relationship. And Paul 00:08:34.460 --> 00:08:37.240 expresses this relationship beautifully by calling 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:39.320 them, twice in the text we've read this morning, 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:45.080 brothers. Brothers. And six other times in this 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:47.340 short book, he calls the Philippians by that 00:08:47.340 --> 00:08:51.779 same special term. It is not a sexist term. He 00:08:51.779 --> 00:08:54.659 is not thinking merely of the men. It is a generic 00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:57.279 term, speaking of men and women in the Philippian 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:01.100 Church. They are brethren. The word in the original 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:04.259 comes from the idea of being born from the same 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:10.200 womb. And so spiritually we are those who have 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:13.840 been born from the womb of the love of God for 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:20.460 us. We are brothers. In contrast to the brothers 00:09:20.460 --> 00:09:24.500 who have relationship, Paul speaks about another 00:09:24.500 --> 00:09:31.360 group whom he calls many. in verse 18. And he 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:35.200 says regarding them they live as enemies of the 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:41.480 cross of Christ. There's not unity with everybody 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:44.039 you see. It's only with those where there is 00:09:44.039 --> 00:09:48.980 relationship. Where there's the brotherhood. 00:09:50.460 --> 00:09:53.159 Who are these that Paul speaks of as enemies 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:57.009 of the cross? Most probably, they were professing 00:09:57.009 --> 00:10:01.389 Christians. People in that day who called themselves 00:10:01.389 --> 00:10:05.389 followers of Christ, but whose lives denied the 00:10:05.389 --> 00:10:09.669 reality of that profession. It was a hollow, 00:10:09.990 --> 00:10:12.549 empty claim. They were not really Christians, 00:10:12.889 --> 00:10:15.590 though they claimed to be Christians. And Paul 00:10:15.590 --> 00:10:20.070 terms them the enemies of the cross of Christ. 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:24.620 The cross, you see, is what we are called to 00:10:24.620 --> 00:10:31.440 as the brothers. We are called to a life of purpose, 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:37.899 a life of sacrifice, a life of distinction that 00:10:37.899 --> 00:10:41.600 is different from the world. We are called to 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:47.480 a life of death, if I may put it that way. A 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:51.279 life of death to self -centered living. That's 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.940 what it means to be followers of the cross of 00:10:53.940 --> 00:11:00.080 Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Him who 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:04.879 died for us and in so doing to lay down our lives 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:10.559 for Him. Paul says on the other hand, there are 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:13.759 the enemies. Where there is not relationship, 00:11:13.940 --> 00:11:17.519 there cannot be unity. Paul is not pleading that 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:19.919 there be unity with the enemies of the cross. 00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:23.940 The Philippian believers could not be one with 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:26.559 those who were in reality on the other side of 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:30.759 the equation. But he pleads with them to have 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:35.080 unity among themselves. It is good for us to 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:39.299 understand that unity is based upon relationship. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:43.279 And where there isn't relationship, there cannot 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:48.740 be unity. Occasionally we read and hear about 00:11:48.740 --> 00:11:53.309 events that occur within the Twin Cities, which 00:11:53.309 --> 00:11:57.909 are intended to show Christian unity. I'm always 00:11:57.909 --> 00:12:00.889 glad for events that express genuine Christian 00:12:00.889 --> 00:12:03.389 unity. I'm glad when we can reach outside of 00:12:03.389 --> 00:12:06.570 our own church to link up with people in other 00:12:06.570 --> 00:12:10.090 churches who believe the same essentials that 00:12:10.090 --> 00:12:15.450 we do. And together we can express to the community 00:12:15.450 --> 00:12:19.340 our oneness in Jesus Christ. Although we may 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:23.080 differ on some secondary, non -essential doctrines, 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:28.679 on the basics we agree and we express our unity. 00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:34.539 I believe in unity, but I am not an ecumenicist. 00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:41.419 There is a limit to the unity. We cannot have 00:12:41.419 --> 00:12:44.379 unity with those who do not share our relationship 00:12:44.379 --> 00:12:50.169 with Jesus Christ. We recently were notified 00:12:50.169 --> 00:12:52.889 about an event this summer and encouraged the 00:12:52.889 --> 00:12:56.610 church to participate in it Which was it says 00:12:56.610 --> 00:13:00.549 on the flyer to express Christian unity to the 00:13:00.549 --> 00:13:04.389 Twin Cities But as I look down the list of people 00:13:04.389 --> 00:13:08.370 who are apparently sponsoring this event it has 00:13:08.370 --> 00:13:11.690 a very broad group and There are people who are 00:13:11.690 --> 00:13:13.870 a part of that who do not believe the same things 00:13:13.870 --> 00:13:18.169 that we believe about the essentials The sufficiency 00:13:18.169 --> 00:13:21.470 of the work of Jesus Christ. The salvation is 00:13:21.470 --> 00:13:26.529 by grace alone apart from works. Those are basics. 00:13:28.470 --> 00:13:32.090 And we cannot reach out and join hands in unity 00:13:32.090 --> 00:13:37.169 where there's no relationship based on the essentials. 00:13:39.669 --> 00:13:42.409 The point is that family unity is based upon 00:13:42.409 --> 00:13:47.480 relationship. We together within this family 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:51.779 of God at Grace Church have a relationship that 00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:56.159 is based upon our common faith, the doctrine 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:58.919 that we say we believe together, and the mission 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:01.559 that God has given us as a body of people, what 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:05.379 we're to be about. That forms the relationship 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:09.519 for us. The same thing is true in a natural family. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:12.320 There can't be unity where there isn't relationship. 00:14:14.959 --> 00:14:19.580 Isn't it strange that some of us can feel closer 00:14:19.580 --> 00:14:22.919 to other brothers and sisters in Christ than 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:25.639 we feel to our own natural brothers and sisters? 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.320 Although we have been born of the same parents, 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:35.480 there's something missing in that relationship 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:39.899 that is present in the relationship we have with 00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:43.110 the children of God. And so my question is, what 00:14:43.110 --> 00:14:47.529 defines that kind of relationship? What makes 00:14:47.529 --> 00:14:50.370 that relationship with God's family so different, 00:14:52.269 --> 00:14:57.049 so much deeper than is present often with our 00:14:57.049 --> 00:15:01.490 own natural siblings? Well, I think Paul tells 00:15:01.490 --> 00:15:03.330 us something about that in our text, and that's 00:15:03.330 --> 00:15:06.570 what I want to talk about this morning. I believe 00:15:06.570 --> 00:15:08.750 in the first place he tells us that relationship 00:15:08.750 --> 00:15:14.519 involves a common lifestyle. a common lifestyle. 00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:17.340 Notice that he speaks to them and says, join 00:15:17.340 --> 00:15:23.039 with others in following my example. He says, 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:27.080 take note of those who live according to the 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:29.860 pattern that we gave you. Paul is talking here 00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:34.879 about lifestyle. When we talk about relationship, 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:37.720 we're talking about having a lifestyle in common. 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:42.179 That's why sometimes it's so hard to develop 00:15:43.469 --> 00:15:46.990 relationship with even your own brothers or sisters. 00:15:47.950 --> 00:15:53.370 Because the lifestyle is different. In the family 00:15:53.370 --> 00:15:55.850 of God, there's to be a commonness of lifestyle 00:15:55.850 --> 00:15:58.990 and that commonness is based upon the pattern 00:15:58.990 --> 00:16:04.529 of the Word of God. Paul says, we gave to you 00:16:04.529 --> 00:16:07.929 the example. Take note of those who are following 00:16:07.929 --> 00:16:12.600 that example. He says, you walk and live and 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:15.080 conduct yourself like I did when I was among 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:18.240 you. And he tells us a little about that, even 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:23.559 in this epistle. How he walked in humility. How 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:26.440 he saw his life poured out as a sacrifice on 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:30.080 their behalf. He lived for others. He is saying 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.620 to them, now you conduct yourself the same way. 00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:35.600 That's the commonness of lifestyle, you see. 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.679 It's a life that has lived... for the sake of 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:44.159 others, looking out for their concerns as well 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:52.620 as our own. Relationship is based partly upon 00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:55.879 a common lifestyle, but there's a deeper question. 00:16:55.940 --> 00:17:00.820 Where does lifestyle come from? It seems to me 00:17:00.820 --> 00:17:04.599 the answer to that is that lifestyle flows out 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:09.450 of our values. And so we have to say, secondly, 00:17:09.609 --> 00:17:14.589 that relationship involves common values. What 00:17:14.589 --> 00:17:19.970 are values? Those are the life directing principles 00:17:19.970 --> 00:17:25.069 that we believe. It's what we really believe 00:17:25.069 --> 00:17:30.450 is important. And because we really believe that, 00:17:30.930 --> 00:17:33.150 it affects the way that we conduct ourselves. 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:38.009 Sometimes it has little to do. with our Christian 00:17:38.009 --> 00:17:44.990 faith, sadly. The ideal is that we as God's people 00:17:44.990 --> 00:17:47.569 will have a common value system because it's 00:17:47.569 --> 00:17:52.509 based upon the Word of God. Paul talks a little 00:17:52.509 --> 00:17:56.170 bit about his values in this book, in fact. We 00:17:56.170 --> 00:17:58.910 live in a world today that emphasizes who you 00:17:58.910 --> 00:18:04.390 are and what you've attained. Who you were born 00:18:04.390 --> 00:18:09.759 to. Are you a blue blood? What are the things 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:14.539 in life that you've accomplished? Our world values 00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:16.539 those things. What does Paul think about them? 00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:20.400 He says they're refuse. All of those things amount 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:28.359 to a pile of manure. Strong language. He says 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:32.480 the most important value in my life is knowing 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:38.799 Jesus Christ. and pressing on to the mark of 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:41.839 the prize for which He's called me heavenward. 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:46.160 He says that is the most important thing. Not 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:48.200 these things that the world says is important. 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:54.380 When we value that, as Paul did, that knowing 00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:57.980 of Christ and pressing on, it impacts our lifestyle. 00:19:00.220 --> 00:19:03.019 In chapter 4 he talks about how he values material 00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:06.839 things. and we live again in a world that places 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:09.019 a lot of value in how much money you make, in 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.519 the kind of home you live in, in the car you 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:20.559 drive, in the toys you can buy. Paul says, it 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.519 doesn't make any difference whether I have just 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:28.799 a little or a lot. My value is contentment. I've 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.380 learned to be content in whatever state I am. 00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:35.549 It makes no difference. If I abound and I have 00:19:35.549 --> 00:19:38.109 plenty, that's wonderful. If I have nothing, 00:19:38.589 --> 00:19:42.710 that's equally as nice. Because I have found 00:19:42.710 --> 00:19:48.750 contentment to be the highest value. When you 00:19:48.750 --> 00:19:51.970 and I begin to develop these kinds of lifestyles 00:19:51.970 --> 00:19:55.569 like Paul had, or values rather, like Paul had, 00:19:55.970 --> 00:19:58.170 then our lifestyles will be in common too. We'll 00:19:58.170 --> 00:20:01.289 be making our life choices based upon common 00:20:01.289 --> 00:20:06.799 values. But we have to ask a deeper question. 00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:11.079 Where do values come from? We could answer that 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:14.579 several ways, but I think that in the text, we 00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:20.799 need to answer it this way. Our values arise 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:26.920 from what we are looking for, anticipating, expecting. 00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:32.680 Our values come out of our hope. Let me illustrate 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:38.400 on the negative side. If I see myself as a product 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:42.079 of evolution and I am just a higher form of animal 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:48.140 life, and I believe that I have no personal significance 00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:51.099 in this world and that this world is all there 00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:56.579 is, then what am I going to live for? I am going 00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:58.579 to live for the here and now, because that's 00:20:58.579 --> 00:21:01.900 it, brother. And like the enemies of the cross 00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:07.279 of Christ, My God will be my lusts, my appetite, 00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:11.559 my stomach. And whatever I hunger for and I crave 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:14.380 for, I'm going to go get that. I might as well 00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:17.799 get it now because there's nothing later. You 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:23.819 see, my hope is in this world. And if I do shameful 00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:27.519 things according to the Bible, so what? I can 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:29.700 boast in those things like the enemies of the 00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:34.660 cross. I can mind and will mind earthly things 00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:40.960 if my hope is in this life. But on the other 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:45.400 hand, if I have a different hope that transcends 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:49.079 life and goes beyond this world, it will impact 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:53.740 my values. Paul says we're not looking at the 00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:57.099 earthly things. No. We're citizens of heaven 00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:59.740 from where we're looking for a Savior to come. 00:22:00.009 --> 00:22:04.490 the Lord Jesus Christ, who is all powerful. And 00:22:04.490 --> 00:22:08.150 when He comes, He is going to change our lowly 00:22:08.150 --> 00:22:12.289 bodies, these bodies of humiliation, these worm 00:22:12.289 --> 00:22:16.009 -like cocoons in which we live, to be like His 00:22:16.009 --> 00:22:19.849 glorious body. That's what we look forward to. 00:22:20.750 --> 00:22:25.490 That's our common hope as believers in Christ. 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:29.420 And because that is our hope and we understand 00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:32.740 that there's a judgment to come, and we understand 00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:36.039 there's a reason to live for Christ in this world, 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.420 because we understand the values of eternity, 00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:45.460 therefore we will conduct ourselves in a godly 00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:51.200 lifestyle. And when we do that, it produces relationship. 00:22:54.920 --> 00:23:00.900 When common values are absent, when lifestyle 00:23:00.900 --> 00:23:05.339 is different, when you have a different hope, 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:11.319 you can't have unity. You can't have it. There's 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:17.619 nothing there for unity to be built on. But when 00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:22.759 you have common hope and common values and a 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:27.950 common lifestyle, that honors God, then there 00:23:27.950 --> 00:23:32.430 can be relationship. And with the development 00:23:32.430 --> 00:23:36.690 of that relationship, there's unity. And there's 00:23:36.690 --> 00:23:40.210 joy to see us through the dark hours of life. 00:23:43.049 --> 00:23:48.970 There are some of you who are genuine Christians, 00:23:50.269 --> 00:23:53.990 but you have not valued Relationship with other 00:23:53.990 --> 00:24:00.690 Christians. Now, you haven't valued that because 00:24:00.690 --> 00:24:03.750 you haven't taken the time and the effort to 00:24:03.750 --> 00:24:09.250 develop it. Because if you really valued it, 00:24:10.490 --> 00:24:12.589 you would see that relationships are developed. 00:24:16.150 --> 00:24:19.910 But the relationships aren't there. And so when 00:24:19.910 --> 00:24:23.430 you come to the tough times of life, There's 00:24:23.430 --> 00:24:32.329 just you. You have no support system. There is 00:24:32.329 --> 00:24:35.890 not the joy of unity with other people of God 00:24:35.890 --> 00:24:42.990 to give you strength in that tough time. That 00:24:42.990 --> 00:24:48.609 isn't God's plan. We're saying we are one in 00:24:48.609 --> 00:24:51.450 the bonds of love. We are one in the bonds of 00:24:51.450 --> 00:24:56.789 love. And it is true, God gives us the privilege 00:24:56.789 --> 00:25:01.529 of that bond, but it's only as you and I choose 00:25:01.529 --> 00:25:05.789 to develop those relationships that we will experience 00:25:05.789 --> 00:25:08.950 the unity and the oneness with God's family that 00:25:08.950 --> 00:25:12.329 He wants us to have. God's heart longs for His 00:25:12.329 --> 00:25:19.430 children to be one. So don't go flying off in 00:25:19.430 --> 00:25:25.400 your own way. Don't say I'm too busy to look 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:32.519 after that detail of life. Understand today the 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:38.119 importance of relationship for you. The benefit 00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:43.359 it brings to you. You say, how can I have relationships? 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:45.519 Well, there are ways to do it within the program 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:49.460 of our local church. That's what small churches 00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:53.079 are about. That's why they meet two hours on 00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:55.019 Sunday mornings here in this building as well 00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:58.839 as on our East Campus to help develop relationships. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:02.720 That's why flocks exist. That's why there are 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:05.700 Bible studies in homes. And then there are other 00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:08.519 informal networkings of people within the church 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:11.759 so that relationships can happen, but the point 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.819 is they won't happen unless you set a priority 00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:19.640 on them. And my plea with you today is to do 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:27.279 that. To make it a priority to develop relationships 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.740 within the family of God where you have the common 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:32.259 lifestyle, the common values, the common hope. 00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:35.680 Where you can have that unity that will produce 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:38.759 joy that will give you strength in the tough 00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:46.039 times. Some of you are passing through the valley. 00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:52.740 And you desperately need some people around you. 00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:58.960 And as a child of God, you feel alone. And you 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:05.039 may be tempted to say, who has failed me? When 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:10.660 in fact, it's your own failure. Because you've 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:14.579 not made it a priority in your life to develop 00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:19.900 the relationships that will make you one in God's 00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:25.359 family, in fellowship. Would you pray with me, 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:32.200 please? I'm going to ask you to stand where you 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:37.059 are. And as you stand, I hope there is within 00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:40.980 your heart a deep desire to respond to what I've 00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:45.240 talked about this morning. Now it may be that 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:49.200 there are hundreds of you that feel connected 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:52.539 and networked and plugged in and You feel at 00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:55.859 one with at least a part of the family of God, 00:27:56.400 --> 00:28:02.000 so you're not alone. But I am talking to scores 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.640 of people, maybe even hundreds, who haven't come 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:09.740 to that place. And I hope in standing this morning 00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:12.240 with the rest of us, you would say in your heart 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:15.660 to God, Lord, I want to set this as a priority. 00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:18.859 And whatever it takes, whatever it means in changing 00:28:18.859 --> 00:28:21.950 my schedule, in doing what I need to do, I am 00:28:21.950 --> 00:28:25.490 going to seek out the way to get plugged in and 00:28:25.490 --> 00:28:32.490 to develop relationships in your family. Lord, 00:28:32.509 --> 00:28:36.250 we have sung about the bond of love. May it be 00:28:36.250 --> 00:28:40.369 a reality in every heart, everyone who knows 00:28:40.369 --> 00:28:46.730 Jesus. May every one of us who has been born 00:28:46.730 --> 00:28:49.269 into your family and who is therefore one of 00:28:49.269 --> 00:28:55.170 the brethren Know the unity that Paul pleads 00:28:55.170 --> 00:28:58.670 for in the Philippian Church. May that be true 00:28:58.670 --> 00:29:04.150 of us in our church. And Father, if there be 00:29:04.150 --> 00:29:09.470 someone here who doesn't know Jesus, but in whose 00:29:09.470 --> 00:29:12.750 heart the Holy Spirit is working to bring under 00:29:12.750 --> 00:29:15.869 conviction of sin and wooing that one to Jesus, 00:29:16.589 --> 00:29:19.190 may there be that response of faith even this 00:29:19.190 --> 00:29:22.509 morning. that would cause that one to be given 00:29:22.509 --> 00:29:29.210 birth, the new birth into your family. In Jesus' 00:29:29.490 --> 00:29:31.470 name, Amen.