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Like to speak to you this morning about unity through humility unity through humility. Taking us a small break from the gospel of John as we've been traveling together through that wonderful gospel and We're right at chapter 3 and actually The next section the next section in John's gospel as we have already finished all the way to John 3 16 17 verse 18 the next section is Jesus gives a little bit more commentary to Nicodemus and then we see a section of John the Baptist as his humility as the Transition takes place between his ministry and the Lord's ministry and speaks about actually about humility, so this is going to Fit exactly right in but the reason I'm bringing this before you today is this has been heavy upon my heart a Burden upon my heart, and I think it's very timely.
And we're going to take several Lord's days to go through Philippians chapter 2 verse 1 all the way to verse 13.
And.
It's very fitting. It speaks about humility and There's unity. And if we're going to have unity in Truth just not for unity unity's sake as brother Keith has mentioned. It's always in truth. We never sacrifice the truth for the sake of peace and unity truth is paramount but the Apostle Paul says much about unity and this is going to be the strength of the church and It is a burden upon my heart and and it's as always It I like to share it with you.
I believe there's a lot here, and we're going to break this down with God's help. Now before we get started Let's bow Just for a moment prayer and let's ask the blessing of God upon this hour as we look into his word as We hear from heaven our father and our great God we Come before you now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ your beloved son.
We come Lord with grateful hearts as the hymn Has well said Lord our hearts must be prepared.
Lord we're so thankful for the privilege this morning That you have given For us to gather together and to ask of your hand and your blessing and your smile Upon us as the old hymn says Lord you chastened and hastened your will to make known and.
We.
Would ask Lord as We open up the word. Now we pray that your blessed Holy Spirit the spirit of truth the real teacher Would guide us sanctify us in heart soul and mind and Help us. I pray Lord that We would truly understand and grasp and apply this great truth that is found in Philippians chapter 2 To our personal lives and Lord.
We need your grace and help in this. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen, well if you have it already turned there, please turn with me. To the book of Philippians. Philippians chapter 2.
Very quickly this book of Philippians is was written by the Apostle Paul in a dungeon. It's known as the epistle of joy the epistle of joy. The Apostle Paul suffered much for the gospel sake and he gladly suffered for it.
He writes to the church of Philippi that actually there was some issues with tension conflicts divisions among them. Overall, they were a very good strong church, but here he's sharing his deep affection for them and He is bringing an encouraging word to them as he writes this letter to them to live a life that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So in Philippians chapter 2 Beginning at verse 1. I'd like to read to verse 13. Paul here is emphasizing the great importance of humility and unity and the Awesome example of Jesus Christ who humbled himself for our sake.
Hear the word of the Living God.
Therefore.
If there is any consolation in Jesus Christ in Christ. If any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any affection and mercy. Fulfill my joy by being like-minded. Having the same love being of one accord and of one mind.
Let nothing be done through a selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind.
Let each.
Esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others and let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to.
Be equal with God.
But made himself of no reputation Taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross.
God also has highly exalted him and given him a name the name which is above every name and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth and That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father in verse 12.
Therefore my beloved as You have always obeyed Not as my in my presence only But now much more in my absence.
Work out.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. We'll stop right there praise God. That is a Very loaded passage and it's going to take us Several Lord's days to go through this but I believe the Lord would have Something for us to say something to us here about what has taken place here.
I Really have a quote by CH Spurgeon and I like to set the precedent with Spurgeon's quote here About humility and He speaks about this passage. This is what Spurgeon said. The Apostle knew that the that to create unity and Harmony you need first to have humility of mind.
People do not quarrel when and their ambitions have come to an end. When everyone is willing to be leased When everyone desires to place others higher than themselves There is an end to contentious.
Clicks.
Factions and divisions pass away. Now in order to create lowliness of mind he says. Paul under the teaching of the Spirit of God spoke about lowliness of the lowliness of Christ. He would have us become low and So he takes us to see our master becoming low.
He leads us to those steep Stairs down which the Lord of glory took his lowly way and Paul bids us stop While he points us to the lowly Christ. Unquote. It's well said by CH Spurgeon because this is actually what this whole passage is speaking of and how we can have lowliness of mind and humility.
And this is what binds us together is.
True.
Humility in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if we're all honest we should confess that We not as we're not as humble as we should be or we ought to be. Because only Jesus said come unto me all you labor and heavy laden. I'll give you rest for I Am lowly and.
Heart.
Meek and hard. I don't think no no one in the church. No matter how sanctified or holy they may profess to be. There's no one like the lowly Jesus and by his example, he set that for us and Proved it and didn't demonstrated it in his life his life was a life of total perfection and.
And if we're honest once again, not a one of us no matter how sanctified or holy we make Professed to be we don't even come close. Do we? Well, we're going to explore this great passage together and discover how we can follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To be pure as he is pure to walk as he walked as The Apostle John says in the epistle first John so in this section The Apostle Paul calls upon the Philippian believers to embrace unity in truth. Christ likeness and like-mindedness.
What is he doing? He's echoing Actually the same call to us today just as it was in the early church that they demonstrated the early church that faced various challenges and divisions marred by discord and strife as well.
And we as the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are urged and commanded to be of one mind. As scripture says one mind not two but one. Maintaining the same love toward one another being united in spirit as scripture says.
And beloved is doing so. We reflect the very essence of the Lord Jesus Christ Who humbly gave himself for us and he stooped to serve others now want you to think of that? And this is God in flesh the God-man Who served and washed feet?
He washed his disciples feet. Constantly his life was a life of perfect humility now. He humbly gave of himself. So in this first section, I'd like to give an overview here very quickly of what we're going to be looking at and then I like for us to just go through a couple points and Then we'll see an application that the Lord has for us.
So as overview takes place, this is the first section in Philippians chapter 2 we see how unity of like-minded believers looks like. You know, it's more than just doctrine even though doctrine is paramount the Apostle Paul always sets doctrine before first and foremost before his people before God's people and then he brings it to a practical application of How we should live this out so it would be he would show us how humility like-mindedness Among believers actually looks like in flesh and blood then we see the motives and the marks of Spiritual unity the motives and the marks and that as far as we're going to go today.
But there's many other points. I'd like to point out but the motives of unity Answers the question why? The marks of spiritual unity answers the question what. The second part of this section of this passage the Apostle Paul reminds us the ultimate example of Christus humility we see this in verse 5 to verse 8 and Jesus willingly sets aside his divine rights and his privileges to become a bond slave.
He became flesh and then he was he came among us and lived among us he who created all things. The second person of the Trinity came and to He was he that was not his beginning. He always existed. That's what John 1 chapter 1 basically begins in the beginning was the word.
The word was with God and the word was God. And he came and he tabernacled among us and he pitched his tent among us. Scripture says that he gave up his divine rights and his privileges and He became a bond servant the bond slave and ultimately his mission was to die on the cross of Calvary for our sins for your sins and as The Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world so he may redeem a people to himself.
And then a world we live in a world beloved. That we're self promotion and pride is paramount and often take center stage. Don't you see it? I'll see it everywhere and it's even within myself at times I say Lord is ugly pride the sin of pride is Is there and it crops up and I hate it so much and I said Lord help me to put it to death and crucify.
But in the world in which we live, that's all that matters. Actually the world in which we live and just accolades and Praises people that are very prideful in this world. And it's opposite with God's people and as you well know scripture says so much about pride and if you think of it pride is what Lurked in was in the heart of an archangel by the name of Lucifer that made him into a devil.
Pride not adultery not other sins, but pride. He exalted himself up against God. Well in this world of self-promotion and pride it often takes center stage as we as Believers are called to imitate Christ as humility and in order to do that.
We must consider others more important than ourselves. Now that takes sacrifice and obedience to live out that takes some sanctification. We're going to look at that and Also to serve one another with genuine Agape love the love of God because the love of God's been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
And this love is brought out. It's I like the like what Luther says. He actually says that God does not need my good works, but my neighbor does and That love is Demonstrated out and that's you read in first John the epistle first John how that is spoken of.
It's just doesn't speak or say God bless you is in shoe leather faith. It it does something and that's why Jesus gave the the wonderful story about the Good Samaritan. To actually say this is how loving your neighbor looks like and this is what this is about.
It's about loving our neighbor loving one another then in first in verse 9 to verse 11 God Exalted Jesus Christ his son and bestowed upon him the name that is above every name the glorious exaltation of Jesus reminds us that God faithfully rewards obedience and Humility, he always rewards it.
God is the God of the humble. He's not the God of the pride matter of fact the Apostle James says God Resists the proud but gives more grace to the humble. So today as we live in a society that so often prioritizes personal gain personal achievements and Recognition as we as believers.
We must remember that true exaltation always comes through humble obedience to the will of God. And Jesus said this as well. He said he that exalts himself will be humbled Will be abased and he that Abases himself shall be exalted.
It's right opposite of the world and that's the way and what he's saying is the way up is down and the way down is up. It's those wonderful paradoxes that the Lord gives. Then in the final portion of verse 12 and 13 is The application to everything that Paul is basically telling the church at Philippi.
He encourages the Philippian believers as well as us.
To work out.
Our own salvation.
With what.
Fear. And Trembling, you know what he's saying examine yourselves. To see if you're in the faith make your calling an election. Sure. We must do that as as God's people and even if you're not in the kingdom of God and you don't have that assurance The scripture says judge yourself least you be judged.
We must have self-examination to see if we are in the faith. So he calls for sanctification. It's it's interesting. Even though Satan has a hand in discord and all that is going on Paul Applies of unity through humility and then he goes and points to the example the ultimate example Jesus Christ but really the application is Search me Oh God and see if there be any wicked way in me.
It's the heart That we must each and every one of us must search and allow God to search us out to make sure that if we're not the cause of Discord or cause and disunity among the brethren because God hates those that discord.
That's what scripture says and in Proverbs that he hates those that causes discord among the brethren. Well, there's much here. So we're gonna look at that. And again, let me briefly say about working out your own salvation with fear and children.
That does not mean by no means We earn our salvation in case there's a misunderstanding here through works.
Cannot even come close of working for salvation. It says work out. Work it out. What has already been placed in you by regeneration. So it's talking about sanctification not salvation and by the way Sanctification is always active.
Active it's constantly active and it's not passive. It's not this saying Let go and let God know. It's something that God has done in me and it's something I do by the Spirit of God as I cooperate with God in sanctification and The transforming power of God that works within us.
God is at work in us Born-again believers both to will and to work for his good pleasure. So that's what he's talking about in the context. So in sanctification by the power and the strength of the Spirit and it's by the way Sanctification is not never by our own efforts.
It's never by our own strength, even though we are cooperating with God and allowing the Lord to work in us. But it's the Spirit of God that's doing the work within us that we may work it out. That's what he's talking about.
So we'll look more about that later on but God's ongoing process of spiritual growth is through sanctification. Now that's a brief overview. And that's my introduction to this message today. So what we're going to look at is just a couple of topics here a couple of Points as in the course of time God willing we will look at the rest but today we're going to look at verse 1 and verse 2 and we'll close it down with application on verse 3 and The first is the motive of spiritual unity the motive of spiritual unity then later we will and also I like to look at the marks of spiritual unity and by the way, I'd like to give pastor John MacArthur the credit for the that outline of the motive the marks the means later on we will look at.
And just using his wonderful outline there. So, what does he say what is the motive what is the motive of spiritual unity? Let's look at it therefore verse 1. Therefore if there is any consolation that means encouragement.
Encouragement in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any affection and mercy verse 2 fulfill my joy. Being like-minded. Having the same love being of one accord and one mind now.
The very heart of this passage is the phrase That is found in verse 2 notice with me by being.
Like-minded that is actually.
The thrust that is Paul is actually saying I desire you to be like-minded. Like-minded and what he's talking about like-minded. He's talking about being like-minded in the gospel like-minded in the truth.
The truth that is found in the gospel. It is basically the very same thing that he expressed in chapter 1 verse 27. Just look over at a page and chapter 1 look at verse 27. He says this only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Wow, listen to that conduct the way we conduct ourself the way we live our Conduct must be worthy of the gospel of Christ. So that whether I come and see you or I'm absent. I may hear of your affairs.
The personal affairs and that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind. Striving. Listen to that word striving together for the faith of the gospel striving together. And that word striving when we look at it's a powerful word.
But so believers in Christ are to have integrity here that integrity is to live consistent with what? We believe. What we believe to stand fast in one spirit and one mind. So his call for genuine unity is at the very heart and mind that is based on these Motives, what's the motives?
First of all is the necessity of oneness to win the spiritual battle for faith. Second for the love of others and the fellowship. Third for genuine humility and self-sacrifice and obedience. Forth the example that Jesus Christ gave who would prove the sacrifice produces eternal glory.
Ultimately, and it's those who obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ persevering to the end. So this is what the believer in Christ is to stand fast in one spirit one mind one spirit one mind and again. Let's look at this word striving together.
Striving together. Don't you love that? We strive together. We're not in competition to one another we are in humility and truth to one another for one great cause and That is the gospel of Jesus Christ his person his works what he has accomplished through his life through his death through his burial through his resurrection and All that he has done.
So Paul changed what he did here. He's talking about striving the Greek word literally means to struggle.
Alongside with.
To struggle alongside with someone together. Brothers and sisters in Christ, so Paul. He's changed the metaphor the metaphor here actually from that of a soldier that is literally standing at his post.
Unmovable steadfast.
For the gospel sake. And then he said that has been steadfast and that is what as of one team That stands together for the same purpose and that purpose is as one unit. Struggling for the victory against the enemy of our souls the devil for the faith of the gospel.
Always that is the purpose. That is the goal. So that's the reason that we're united together in Jesus Christ is For the sake of the gospel for the faith of the gospel. For the faith of the gospel. So Paul speaks to us about motives, doesn't he?
Now I'm gonna tell you this right up from the get-go when it starts talking about motives this this can get very convicting to all of us because it searches my heart and it searches your heart and Please allow the Holy Spirit to do that because it's good.
Conviction is always your friend to always bring us nearer to God. Even if there's continual repentance in the child of God's life, which should be To bring us closer to the Lord that we may know to do his will together together.
So again, Paul speaks to us the motives and that speaks of why?
Why?
Why he desires them to be of one mind. Why is it important for us as a church and a body of believers to be like-minded?
Good question. Why is it important for us to be striving together for the faith of the gospel? Did you ever think of that? Why? Some say may say to eliminate conflict. Yes. To eliminate any discord among the brethren.
Yes, but I want you to think of this. I would say yes and amen again and again to that. Because God hates discord among the brethren and Conflict has to be worked out in wisdom at times. Even among those that are brothers and sisters in Christ because we're one family one army together for the cause of the gospel.
But think of this that's the negative answer. That's the negative side that must be dealt with. And yes. It must be dealt with but what the Apostle Paul does here. He begins with the positive side he begins with an exhortation.
He begins by giving them strength to encourage them. What a leader. What a leader. That's what leaders do. That's what godly leaders do. They always begin with solutions and not to disdain or demean and to bring down.
Because you think of this he the Apostle could have done that he could say well you're not as holy as I am. I'm suffering for the sake of the gospel. I'm in chains and I'm in this dungeon and I'm suffering for Jesus Christ and there was no complaints there.
He thanked God that he had the privilege of being chained up for Jesus Christ in the Word of God. And then here he is in this dungeon in this cell. Keep that in back in your in your mind in the background there and he's suffering for the sake of the gospel.
Gladly.
With no complaints and murmuring and Then he gives this exhortation to the believers of Philippi. This is what you do to maintain the unity of the truth. And why does he do this? He's a father of the faith.
He's like a father to him. He has such a concern and an affection for the people of God to maintain that unity because he believes that Jesus Christ is building the church and he had a part with that and there Was a privilege as an apostle.
And he suffered gladly. Think of that. There's great affection in this in this letter beloved. The positive side is that the Lord desires to see His people together in truth and Unified in truth. And how is that done through humility?
Through humility.
Humility.
For motives, let's look at verse 1. Verse 1 gives us the first one.
Therefore there's.
Any consolation your translation may see encouragement means the same thing any consolation or encouragement in Christ if any comfort of love. If any fellowship of the Spirit if any affection and mercy the first one is The consolation in Christ consolation in Christ.
Now the Philippian believers biggest battle again was not with their external circumstances as We so often Say there is there we do have battles on the outside and in the Apostle Peter Wrote first Peter because of that same situation He was encouraging the believers because they suffered for Christ and it was external suffering.
But then he goes in in Second Peter and he addresses the internal struggles within which was false teachers. So that's in the similar situation Paul is Addressing the Philippian believers that their biggest battle was not their external circumstances, but the internal attitudes Mainly within their own hearts first, but also within the body of Christ that causes the division see So in verse 1 chapter 2, he says this therefore there therefore if There is any consolation in Christ the word therefore is one of my Mentor said to me many years ago.
Therefore is therefore for a reason Therefore draws back to what Paul has built on in Philippians chapter 1 verse 27 through 30 Telling the Philippians the believers how to stand strong for the Lord as we looked at.
Against.
External conflict, but now here he tells them how to act against internal conflicts within the body of Christ. So notice that little word by the way, if you know how many times if is put within those four times amen.
If if if if. Why is that little word if important I'll tell you why. These are clauses. These are clauses that indicate Certainties not maybes. Don't you love that? It's certainties here. And if each if here expresses the idea of sense you can put the word sense there.
Same thing since each following clause may be considered to be true and absolute. True and absolute. No, no maybes. And the first one is beautiful. He begins by saying this if there's any Encouragement, don't you love that?
Encouragement consolation in Christ. Keep in mind Paul's not speaking of doctrinal abstractions here. He's not speaking. He's he's not speaking of this.
High.
Doctrine which he adorned the gospel of God and doctrine is very important, but he brings it down to practical levels. He's speaking of the present.
Practical.
Spiritual spiritual experiences in the faith. Now we could read it this way since or because there's consolation in Christ Encouragement in Christ because there's fellowship of the Spirit because There's affection and compassion make my joy complete and be in at the same mind.
That's basically what he's saying. But because of all these things there there's these are driving motives. These are the driving motives. So these are the truths that should compel us to unity and truth beloved.
This is what should motivate us to unity. In other words, these are the things in Which he's about to unpack that should motivate us to spiritual unity within the church. And what would it be the consolation in Christ is the first one?
That's a great. That's a great great.
Truth.
The consolation in Christ. Luke 2 25 says this it gives one of the titles of Jesus as the Messiah is the anointed one that Jesus himself is the consolation of.
Israel.
He's the consolation of Israel the encouragement of Israel. Paul could say in 2nd Corinthians 1 5 4 as the sufferings of Christ abound in us. So our consolation also abounds through Christ. Our consolation is always in Christ.
And if we try to draw Encouragement from people you're gonna be very disappointed. And even though we are to encourage one another. But ultimately our encouragement comes from God. David even said this he says I encourage myself in the Lord.
I Encourage myself in God. Don't you find yourself doing that in this dark world? And which we live in as a believer and that's why we come together. It is to hear the Word of God to encourage our souls that convicts us it corrects us it rebukes us.
But ultimately it builds us up. It encourages us to go on in Jesus Christ. 2nd Thessalonians 2 16. Paul says this God has loved us and given us an everlasting Consolation and good. Hope by grace. Did you get that?
This encouragement in Christ is not Passing or just here and now it is forever. It is Everlasting it's an everlasting consolation. Spurgeon once again says it like this and he talks about the consolation of Christ and I love Spurgeon.
You hear me quote him quite often. He says quote the Holy Spirit consoles us. But Christ is the consolation. If I may use the figure and I love this the Holy Spirit is the physician but Christ is the medicine.
Oh in that beautiful and Jesus told the Pharisees about the sinners that were seeking salvation and Jesus was a friend of sinners and he called them to repent by the way but the Pharisees murmured against them and says you eat with sinners and Jesus said Gave a beautiful metaphor, you know.
He says it like this. He says I'm like the physician. Physician someone that is sick needs a physician. They come to me because they're sick and they realize their sickness and Jesus is the healer of the soul.
That's what he's saying. And that consolation is in Christ and he is that medicine as Spurgeon says and the Holy Spirit applies Christ to our heart if there's any consolation in Christ. The next phrase is if any comfort of love any comfort of love now Paul gives affirmation of the great Comfort of a goth a love.
This is not like our love beloved. We should never measure our love with God's love as we should met as we should measure Our righteousness with God's righteousness because it's on a completely different level.
Because God's righteousness is a perfect righteousness. And by the way, God's love is a perfect love and that love is a Perfect love it is a goth a love and it's a love that gives and gives and gives with great sacrifice.
Every child of God should know what it means to be loved of God to know God to experience the love of God. The love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He loved us with an everlasting love.
Second Corinthians 1 3 says this that God is the God of all comfort and There's no circumstances by the way beloved. That's so bad if you're going through a very terrible time today that there's no circumstance.
That is so bad that you could be overcome by it beyond the love of God in the comfort of God. You know why? Because God cares. God cares, especially for his own, but God cares. Peter says casting all your care upon him for he cares for you.
He cares for you. But this is just more there's more here than just mere comfort. It's the comfort of love. You get that it's the comfort of the love of God. You know when I'm at the lowest at times and I'm struggling within my spiritual wall.
You know you want the comfort of the Holy Spirit, but the comfort of God's love and read Romans 8. Oh my goodness it's a hymn of faith and love and You get nothing shall separate you from the love of God that's in Christ Jesus.
Had a person one time told me This was years ago. He was part of a very legalistic Church denomination that came to my door and he quoted that Wonderful verse from Romans about nothing shall separate you From the love of God that which is in Christ Jesus and he said except for one thing yourself I said, I don't see that in Scripture friend.
I Said nothing shall separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus period. I Said you put the claws yourself. God's love will encourage your soul. The word comfort here is a wonderful passage. Actually, it comes from the ancient Greek word pericle.
Pericle.
The idea that is behind this word in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy, by the way. What's the idea of strength? Strengthening. Helping. You know what the helping means that's the Holy Spirit.
He comes alongside us. Because Jesus says to his disciples. I will not leave you as orphans. I will go to the Father and When I go to the Father I will send another helper, you notice that another help.
Jesus is actually the pericle. The helper, but he said I want to send another helper the third person of the Trinity for the church to empower the church and.
To give you courage.
And make you strong. That's what he's saying. The idea behind this word is communicated. By the Latin word comfort. The Latin word is fortis fortis, which also means to be brave to have courage. The love of God in Christ Jesus makes us courageous.
The love of God in Christ Jesus makes us strong. Don't you see that in early church that was strong that was so strong they turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ.
Praise God.
Excuse me, Jude this reminds me of Jude 20 and 21. But you beloved building up yourselves upon upon your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
So the first is consolation in Christ. The second is comfort of love. The third is Fellowship of the Spirit fellowship of the Spirit. Paul knew the great value of the fellowship of the Spirit. Commentator trap says this.
This is about the fellowship of the Spirit. The Lord doth usually and graciously water the Holy fellowship of the of his people with the dues of many sweet and glorious refreshments. So that they have Very heaven upon earth in quote, and that's so true.
And that's what the church is about. It's a little taste of heaven. It's a foretaste of heaven on earth. I like what pastor John MacArthur said about this. He said actually it's the only place you can find heaven on earth is in the body of Christ.
That loves the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart and loves the Father and the Son the Son and the Holy Spirit. His brother Keith brought this out. Not today, but last week was it Psalm 133 Verse 1 through 3 one of the shortest Psalms.
What does it say? Behold how good how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in what? Unity in unity and. Then he says it is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard. The beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing life forevermore and His brother Keith brought this out. Don't you love it? It is always.
Descending.
Coming down because every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. It comes down to us. And that's Christianity. Christ has condescended down to us to reach us to call us to himself to. Pull us aside and love us with a special love and everlasting love and set us apart.
And then he puts us back into the world. He makes us holy keeps us holy and then we go forward to tell other people about the Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderful in it. The foundation must always be spiritual unity and that source is God himself and it descends from him and it comes down from him.
Well, the next phrase is any affection and mercy. Any affection and mercy the communicated to us both in a direct spiritual way from our Lord Jesus Christ to his people. God Has extended his deep affection affection and compassion to every one of his children.
Compassion to every believer by his grace Through the Lord Jesus Christ and has always founded upon the grace of God because grace is nothing that we deserve. Or nothing we can earn. It is freely given to us unmerited.
No strings attached to it. Philippians 1 8. Paul says this to the believers for God is my witness. How greatly I long for you all with the affection. Listen to that with the affection of Jesus Christ.
This is these people were his affection. What a statement such love such great love now. Affection here is this literally means in the Greek refers to internal organs the internal organs of the body. Which are the part of the body that reacts to intense emotions?
It it's like it became the strongest Greek word to express Compassionate love a love so deep and wide that it involves one's entire being. That wonderful.
Affection.
The affection of Jesus Christ. Very quickly. Go with me to Colossians chapter 3. And let's look at this Colossians chapter 3. Look at verse beginning at verse 12.
There's the therefore again, right as the elect of God God's elect God's people.
Holy and beloved.
Put on just like you put your clothes on spiritually you put on tender mercies. Every day, that's what he's saying. This is the way you should live. Put on tender mercies kindness humility neatness long-suffering.
Bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against one another even as Christ forgave you. So you also must do. Wow, doesn't that just pierce your heart. Even if somebody has crossed you bear with them forgive them.
And if anyone has a complaint against one another even as Christ forgave you so you must also do. And above all these things put on love. There it is the agape love. Which is the bond of?
Perfection.
The bond. And just like our brother Randy Smith spoke of last week look at verse 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body and.
Be thankful and be thankful. Be thankful for that.
Wonderful. Well, this tells us how to apply this virtue. Now back to Philippians verse 2 through 4 the Apostle Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives us in his exhortation and application. He tells us how to apply in a very practical way by the help of the Holy Spirit regarding the agape love humility and This love to one another this humility toward one another within the body of Christ.
We had the marks of spiritual unity. The marks and I want to go through this very quickly and probably pick up on it later on Lord willing. But let me just touch on it. The motives of Unity answers the question why.
But the marks of unity answers the question what?
What?
What does it look like? What does it look like this is good application? At this point there would give this application and I got one more application to give right alongside with and then we'll conclude.
Verse 2. Paul says fulfill my joy By being like-minded having the same love being of one accord in one mind. We see this oneness among the early church, don't we? And I got more to say about that later on.
But the early church demonstrated this so beautifully. You don't have to turn there, but this is exactly what it says in verse 32 chapter 4. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul.
Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own. But they had all things in common. Now listen to this and with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them.
All.
Great power great grace. And later on you see in Acts 5 after you had Ananias and Sapphira That was trying to copy Barnabas and what he was Sacrificing as a child of God if anyone lacked and all who they sold their possessions and their houses and Sold everything that they had to help the others.
I would say that's a pretty good sacrifice. But they did it gladly because they realized all that they had Belonged to the Lord. And then Ananias and Sapphira tried to do this and they kept back part of the proceeds.
And you know the story.
God.
Killed both of them because they lied to the Holy Spirit and because of this It says it twice in verse 5. Then Ananias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last of great fear. Came upon all those who heard these things.
Then verse 11. It says. So great fear came upon all the church.
Upon all who heard these things.
Twice.
Great fear.
Was the result of the great grace and the great power. Don't lie to the Holy Spirit. There's consequences and I've even had people come to me I. But God didn't do that kind of stuff in the in the New Testament.
He only killed like.
Ha.
Bay about you and Azza and these guys in the Old Testament, but God is the same. God of the old is the new. He hasn't changed. Christ fulfilled the law. Christ came. The New Testament came into play because all that was happening that happened in the Old Testament.
Types and shadows and Jesus is the reality, but there was a demonstration of the power and the holiness of God here. And there was a judgment. And these people lied to the Holy Spirit and they were within the church folks.
What has happened to the fear of God? You don't see it anymore. Do you. And because there's a lack of great power and great grace Lord bring it back right? Bring it back. No one's going to escape it. Even though God is so gracious today.
There's still a judgment because the Bible says in Hebrews is appointed for once man to die and after that judgment. So one day every one of us is going to answer before the Lord. Those who are outside of Christ will be condemned to condemnation, but those are in Christ.
We're going to give an account to our works to Christ. Well, there's much that's beast to be said about the application here and John 17. I like to pick up on that later but Jesus actually prays for himself and he prays for his disciples and he also prays for all the believers to be one as the Father in him is one and He prays for all the believers.
That is us and that is those that within the body of Christ to be one. So the priority is on spiritual unity within the body of Christ and. This is the unity of in the church and the spirit. In truth.
Which is the key to the church's overall?
Effectiveness.
Don't you want to be effective? For God don't you want to be useful. I do. Lord take this weak person here and help me to be effective. But I must show myself and I must be genuine in my love and my heart Toward my brothers and this is how this is demonstrated.
Brother Keith again, he mentioned this this morning. How is this demonstrated by our love toward one another. The world will see it because they don't know the Bible. You are the written epistle. That we are to demonstrate and be a living Testament and a living Bible you are the Bible.
JC Rao says you your life speaks far more than this sermon and then any sermon preaches and By giving obedience to it is a good way to say amen to the sermon is living that life. Isn't it? Our lives is it the people that's outside of Christ.
They don't they don't read the Bible. They don't know about the Bible. You're the Bible. You're the salt of the earth. You're the light of the world.
You shine you preserve.
Salt preserves light shines and darkness and by the way light up a candle in a dark room and everybody in you. Everybody sees that light and it lights the whole room even a small candle. It's the way we are.
Jesus says you don't put it underneath the bushel. It's just like on a hilltop and everybody sees. And that's the way we're to be. Let me close with a devotion. I read from Pastor John MacArthur concerning this.
And it's based upon Matthew chapter 10 you could go there very quickly, but Matthew chapter 10 verse 1 through 4. Chapter 10 1 through 4. The speaks about the 12 Apostles and by the way, there's an order here.
The order is God's order of from the head Apostle to Judas. To the one that betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver notice what it says in verse 1 and when he had called his 12 disciples to him He gave them power over the unclean spirits to cast him out and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases.
Now the names of the 12 Apostles of these first Simon who is called Peter Andrew his brother James the son of Zebedee John his brother Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the tax collector James the son Alpheus the son of Alpheus and Levinus whose surname was Thaddeus Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot who also betrayed notice that Peter is always first.
He's a head Apostle. Judas is always last now this is what MacArthur says from his book draw and near as I close with this, please.
Please.
Be engaged and hear this because this is so important for us as a church. He says this unity Is a crucial element in the life of the church Especially among its leadership. A Unified Church can accomplish great things for Christ, but But disunity can cripple or destroy it.
But disunity can cripple and destroy but even the most Orthodox churches aren't immune to disunity subtle attacks because of its often arises from personality clashes or pride rather than doctrinal issues.
God often brings together and Congregations and ministry teams of people who vastly diff are different have different backgrounds and temperaments that mix produces a variety of skills.
Ministries, but It also produces the potential for disunity and strife. That was certainly true. The disciples which included an impetuous fisherman named Peter two passionate and ambitious sons of thunder James and John an analytical pragmatic and pessimistic man by the name of Philip a racially prejudiced man Bartholomew and.
A.
Despised tax collector Matthew and a political zealot Simon and a traitor by the name of Judas who was in it only for the money and eventually sold out for 30 pieces of silver. He goes on to say this Imagine the potential for that disaster in a group like that.
Wow. Yet their common purpose transcended their individual difference. And by his grace the Lord accomplished through them what they never could accomplished on their own. That's the power of spiritual unity as a Christian he says.
You're part. I'm part of a select team that is accomplishing the world's greatest task. Finishing the work Jesus our Lord began. That requires unity of purpose and effort. And Satan will try to sow seeds of discord.
Discord, but you must do everything possible.
To heed.
Paul's admonition To be of the same mind Maintaining the same love united in spirit intent on one Purpose in quote. Hey man that all the way how. We're not going to look at it today, but he tells us how in Verse three and four let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others.
Better.
Than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others. And then verse 5 says this let.
This mind.
Be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
Amen. Amen.
May it be so with us at redeeming grace Church. Please bow with me in prayer our Father and our great God Lord. This truth is so great It's beyond any words That I can even utter the greatness. How you can use such frail people like us?
Lord I.
Think about the Apostles and how you taught them and Developed them and trained them and rebuked them and loved them and poured your life into them. Oh Lord that shows you this hope for us.
They turned the world upside down in their generation. Oh God do it again. I pray Use us who are so weak for this great Great purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank you Lord for your eternal word From everlasting to everlasting.
It's it's forever settled in heaven. Lord, we thank you how your word sanctifies us and cleanses us and and it modishes it teaches us it corrects us and How it shows us and demonstrates to us how That how we can be more like the Lord Jesus Christ and come and how the Holy Spirit can conform us more into the image his image His beauties his likeness.
So father, I pray for each and every one of us today That we would apply by your help these great truths to our everyday living. Forgive us Oh God for being so unlike Christ and being selfish no wonder our Lord Jesus Christ said the first thing in following him is to deny ourself and Take up our cross and follow him.
May it be so Continually with us by your grace. Make us more like the master father That this lost world would see his beauties in us. And we realize father without Jesus we can do nothing. But through Jesus Christ, we could do all things and that means we can go through the hardest of times and hardships and sufferings for Jesus sake.
Help us. I pray Lord in this day. We need your grace to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling To sanctify as holy to be more like Jesus and I pray this in his name. Amen and amen.