WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:00.260 you. 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:08.590 The last time that I was with you all, there were only two services. 00:00:08.590 --> 00:00:13.002 And now what have we here? 00:00:13.002 --> 00:00:26.094 Grateful to God for the growth of First Christian Church, and I think you guys ought to give your pastor and staff and volunteers a big hand for following God and going through the ups and downs. 00:00:26.094 --> 00:00:36.064 Because I'm going to tell you right now, as a church consultant, not every church is growing, but this one is. 00:00:36.064 --> 00:00:38.204 That says a lot. 00:00:38.204 --> 00:00:45.210 For churches to be growing in 2024 is way different than a church growing in 1994. 00:00:45.210 --> 00:00:59.335 A lot of different challenges and so but I also want to say this, in addition to Pastor Nate and the staff and those of you service volunteers, a big part of what people are looking for is a place that they can call home. 00:00:59.335 --> 00:01:06.614 People aren't looking for just nice smiles, but genuine acceptance and belonging. 00:01:06.614 --> 00:01:09.629 So that would be you guys. 00:01:09.629 --> 00:01:22.599 So give yourselves a hand for being the kind of church that people are coming to and saying this is a place I feel like I can fit, I feel like I can grow and I feel like I belong. 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:32.451 So hats off to you for that the last time that you all gathered last Sunday. 00:01:33.682 --> 00:01:35.188 A few things have changed since then. 00:01:35.188 --> 00:01:40.930 I don't know if you've noticed, but there's been some news since last Sunday. 00:01:40.930 --> 00:01:46.594 Maybe Fabio paying attention to the news since last Sunday Maybe Fabio paying attention to the news. 00:01:46.594 --> 00:01:50.537 There's with the election results, with President-elect Donald Trump. 00:01:50.537 --> 00:02:06.650 There are friends and family of mine who voted red and are celebrating that, and there are friends and family of mine who voted blue and are grieved at that. 00:02:06.650 --> 00:02:24.961 There are Jesus-loving, jesus-following people who voted red and are hopeful, and there are Jesus-loving, jesus-following people who voted blue and are fearful, who voted blue and are fearful. 00:02:24.961 --> 00:02:33.467 That's the reality we find ourselves in, not just in our country, but in the American church. 00:02:33.467 --> 00:02:40.570 So today I want to talk about how do we become a united church in a divided world. 00:02:40.570 --> 00:02:42.372 How do we become a united church in a divided world? 00:02:42.372 --> 00:02:48.056 How do we become a united church in a divided world? 00:02:48.056 --> 00:03:04.026 Because I want you to know, no matter how you voted in this election or previous elections, it doesn't matter, no matter how you voted Jesus when he comes back, he's not coming back for America, he's coming back for his church. 00:03:04.026 --> 00:03:20.889 Jesus is not coming back for America, he's coming back for his church, and some of his church is in America and some are all around the world. 00:03:20.889 --> 00:03:24.311 Most of them are all around the entire world. 00:03:24.311 --> 00:03:28.965 Jesus is coming back for his church and for his bride. 00:03:28.965 --> 00:03:32.912 That should not have a spot or a wrinkle. 00:03:32.912 --> 00:03:39.909 The word of God says but how do we become a united church in a divided world? 00:03:40.270 --> 00:03:48.193 In John, chapter 17, jesus was praying to his father and he said I'm praying that they, who's they? 00:03:48.193 --> 00:03:49.681 We are the they. 00:03:49.681 --> 00:03:55.293 I'm praying that they would be one as you and I, father, are one. 00:03:55.293 --> 00:04:02.774 Now why would Jesus, the Son of God, have to pray for unity? 00:04:02.774 --> 00:04:07.808 Because it's not natural. 00:04:07.808 --> 00:04:13.471 There's all kinds of challenges that come with that. 00:04:15.443 --> 00:04:27.372 Just among the 12 disciples alone, jesus recruited people who in the natural were arch rivals and enemies. 00:04:27.372 --> 00:04:35.209 If you don't know, tax collectors were not on the popular list, but he recruited one. 00:04:35.209 --> 00:04:42.446 Simon the Zealot was wanting to overthrow the Roman government with violence. 00:04:42.446 --> 00:04:43.827 He recruited him. 00:04:43.827 --> 00:04:54.069 Judas had a problem with keeping his hands to himself and not stealing out of the money bag, but Jesus still made him the treasurer. 00:04:59.980 --> 00:05:02.988 The 12 disciples, don't misunderstand. 00:05:02.988 --> 00:05:10.175 In the natural they were not people who would get along. 00:05:10.175 --> 00:05:18.112 Fishermen, considered dirty and unclean because of how they work, would not connect with a tax collector at all. 00:05:18.112 --> 00:05:42.819 But he brought them all together and he found a way to help them be united in him and his purpose and his cause, so much so that they put aside all those other differences social, economic differences, social norms, ways that they've been taught to view each other different than how Jesus would teach them how to view each other. 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:52.129 They put all that aside and, for the glory of God, laid down their lives to spread the gospel of Jesus and change the world. 00:05:55.581 --> 00:06:01.788 This same Jesus is the one that you put your faith in, and I put my faith in for salvation. 00:06:01.788 --> 00:06:06.735 We realize that, as we stand before God, none of us have a good enough speech to excuse ourselves. 00:06:06.735 --> 00:06:07.357 Put my faith in for salvation. 00:06:07.357 --> 00:06:16.807 We realize that, as we stand before God, none of us have a good enough speech to excuse ourselves from the sins that we've committed in our lives and to explain ourselves to a holy and just God of why we deserve to be in heaven. 00:06:16.807 --> 00:06:25.666 All of us realize that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we by our faith in Christ. 00:06:25.666 --> 00:06:28.052 That's what gets us in. 00:06:28.052 --> 00:06:45.019 If we are not given the righteousness of Christ as a gift, none of us get in, and so our faith in Christ causes us to receive that gift and you become saved and I become saved, and you become a child of God and I become a child of God and I become a child of God. 00:06:45.019 --> 00:06:51.040 And all of your sins, thoughts, words, actions, past, present, future are forgiven. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:00.175 And all of my sins, past, present, future, all those kind of the private ones and the public ones, all of those sins are forgiven in Christ. 00:07:00.175 --> 00:07:08.230 That is an eternal truth, that gives us an eternal identity. 00:07:08.230 --> 00:07:14.612 That is what unites us now and for eternity. 00:07:16.341 --> 00:07:19.651 In the middle of all that, we have different ideas. 00:07:19.651 --> 00:07:28.807 We have different life experiences that shape our view of reality, that shape our view of how we even understand the scripture. 00:07:28.807 --> 00:07:38.076 We have different things that we're taught, different messages that are coming our way, different opinions, different values. 00:07:38.076 --> 00:07:45.976 All of us in here right now, we come from different families and we still value things differently. 00:07:45.976 --> 00:07:52.105 Even in your own biological family, you can still have a different value than your brother or sister or mom or dad, because God created us to be different. 00:07:52.105 --> 00:08:06.454 He created diversity, he created variety, and the way that the world has looked at that diversity is that they have used it to create power structures. 00:08:06.454 --> 00:08:15.113 They have used the differences to create hate and separation and isolation and labels and division. 00:08:15.113 --> 00:08:35.433 They've used the otherness to isolate and divide us, and the danger that the church finds itself in today is that it is being discipled by the world on how to view people instead of being influenced by the word on how to view people. 00:08:35.433 --> 00:08:55.552 And so anytime that you and I start looking at each other differently because of what the world tells me to how to view you and what the world tells me to how to view you and what the world tells you on how to view me, because of my difference and because of your difference, we are going down a slippery demonic division slope. 00:08:55.552 --> 00:08:58.868 We've gotten away from what the Word of God says. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:21.793 I was fortunate enough this past Saturday to wake up at 4.30 am so that I could be ready and log on at 5 am to talk with brothers and sisters in Christ in Pakistan, and the title of my talk was the Purpose and the Person of Jesus. 00:09:21.793 --> 00:09:50.509 And as I talk with these brothers and sisters in Pakistan and I'm looking at their faces on the screen and I'm seeing them and they're seeing me we're talking about the person who saved us all, the person who forgave us all, and even though I had a translator that I just have faith that he was translating what I was saying exactly the way I was saying it. 00:09:50.509 --> 00:10:01.741 There was still a unity present through this video chat with only because of what I know to be true about them and what they know to be true about me. 00:10:01.741 --> 00:10:03.424 They don't know anything else about me. 00:10:03.424 --> 00:10:08.354 They don't know what my positions are on different political issues. 00:10:08.354 --> 00:10:10.126 They don't know what my favorite food is. 00:10:10.126 --> 00:10:11.645 They don't know what I like and dislike. 00:10:11.645 --> 00:10:21.027 What they do know is that I'm a brother in Christ, and what I do know about them is that they are brothers and sisters in Christ, and in that moment we were united. 00:10:21.027 --> 00:10:40.288 If we don't agree with anything else, we do agree with who the person and purpose of Jesus Christ is, what his blood does for us and how we become children of God, brothers and sisters that will one day all gather around the throne together, from every nation, tribe tongue and worship the Lamb of God, who has taken all of our sins away. 00:10:40.288 --> 00:10:41.913 That's what the call was about. 00:10:41.913 --> 00:10:43.485 That's what our unity is about. 00:10:43.485 --> 00:10:45.520 All these other things don't matter. 00:10:45.520 --> 00:10:51.347 Now. 00:10:51.388 --> 00:10:54.611 It is also true that on this call, we did not discuss abortion. 00:10:54.611 --> 00:10:57.780 It is also true that on this call. 00:10:57.780 --> 00:11:06.562 We did not discuss what America should do with the border, who should be allowed in and who should not be allowed in, what laws there should be in and who should not be allowed in, what laws there should be, what laws there should not be. 00:11:06.562 --> 00:11:11.322 We did not discuss what should happen in Middle East or international relationships. 00:11:11.322 --> 00:11:16.043 We did not discuss the right way to deal with what's going on in our country economically. 00:11:16.043 --> 00:11:26.001 All we talked about was Jesus, and the fact of the matter is that in this room today, some of you voted red and some of you voted blue, but that wasn't on your mind when we're singing songs. 00:11:26.001 --> 00:11:32.701 That wasn't on your mind when we're worshiping, because it didn't matter when you're worshiping Jesus. 00:11:34.384 --> 00:11:58.842 That's where the unity the unity in our voices, the unity in our songs, the unity in how we all agree on this eternal truth about the goodness of God, for example, this eternal truth about the goodness of God, for example so there is so much glue for the church to stick together. 00:11:58.842 --> 00:12:09.522 Then how is it that we find ourselves here, where long-time relationships are being breached and destroyed over political discussions? 00:12:09.522 --> 00:12:19.846 How do we find ourselves here when now we're isolating ourselves from other brothers and sisters because of our differences on political views. 00:12:19.846 --> 00:12:22.033 How do we find ourselves here? 00:12:22.033 --> 00:12:27.219 How do we find ourselves here? 00:12:27.219 --> 00:12:34.039 Well, now I look at you more based off how you voted than based off where your faith is. 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:38.317 How did we end up here? 00:12:38.317 --> 00:13:03.677 Well, I'll tell you in the next couple hours that I've been afforded to share I'm kidding, but that is my heart though I will tell you part of what I've seen and part of what I've seen that has been revealed by God to me in my own heart, on how and where I also got caught up. 00:13:03.677 --> 00:13:07.902 Y'all want to hear that part. 00:13:07.902 --> 00:13:10.311 Well, maybe if I come back next time I'll share it with you. 00:13:10.311 --> 00:13:10.672 But I'll share it. 00:13:10.692 --> 00:13:14.283 But I want to share this verse first, because this is not new. 00:13:14.283 --> 00:13:21.562 The division in the church, the division in the world, this kind of stuff is not new. 00:13:21.562 --> 00:13:25.010 When the church first started I want you to think about this. 00:13:25.010 --> 00:13:34.495 Just historically, when the church first started, people, before they got saved, were in groups, just like they are now. 00:13:34.495 --> 00:13:38.279 You have the Pharisees and the Sadducees arguing. 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:44.734 There were Jewish religious groups arguing over oh, is the resurrection of the body possible or not? 00:13:44.734 --> 00:13:49.607 You have the Essenes, which was another religious group, and all of them disagreed with each other. 00:13:50.822 --> 00:14:01.028 You have those who were for the Roman government and those who were opposing the Roman government, those who were okay with the Roman oppression of the government and those who were trying to resist. 00:14:01.028 --> 00:14:02.923 All along. 00:14:02.923 --> 00:14:08.647 You had people in socioeconomic statuses, like I explained, that the tax collectors were really hated by people. 00:14:08.647 --> 00:14:13.225 You had issues with the Jews hating the Gentiles and Gentiles hating the Jews. 00:14:13.225 --> 00:14:17.162 We see some of that come up in Jesus's conversation with the Samaritan woman. 00:14:17.162 --> 00:14:28.198 The Samaritans were a mixed race of people, so you had the Jews over here, gentiles over here, and amongst the Gentiles you had those mixed with Jews and Gentiles, and so people were hating each other, rejecting each other. 00:14:28.198 --> 00:14:32.860 There's all kinds of segregation on a whole lot of different reasons and in a whole lot of different ways. 00:14:33.160 --> 00:14:43.769 And in that culture people were getting saved and as they were getting saved and saying I'm choosing to follow Jesus, christ himself and the apostles had to teach the church. 00:14:43.769 --> 00:14:57.883 We understand how those social issues, religious issues, were dividing you before, but now the church, you leave that foolishness out there. 00:14:57.883 --> 00:15:03.261 Now the church, we're united in Christ. 00:15:03.261 --> 00:15:10.515 Now in the church, paul is not writing letters to the world, he's writing letters to the church. 00:15:10.515 --> 00:15:20.058 People are still wrestling with all their lives believing something about the other group and now that they're saved, they got to change their perspective of the other group. 00:15:20.058 --> 00:15:26.993 And the other group, when they get saved, has to change their perspective of you in the church, not the world. 00:15:26.993 --> 00:15:33.020 The church and we are going to become a united church in a divided world. 00:15:33.020 --> 00:15:40.321 We've got to treat each other differently in the church than how the world treats each other, and we can't let the world teach the church how the church should treat the church. 00:15:40.321 --> 00:15:44.633 We're buying into some foolishness. 00:15:44.633 --> 00:15:46.397 Now. 00:15:46.417 --> 00:15:56.972 There are some very real issues and very real concerns and very real worries about not just the results of this past most recent election, but elections in the past. 00:15:56.972 --> 00:15:57.596 And guess what? 00:15:57.596 --> 00:15:59.035 The church has made it through. 00:15:59.035 --> 00:16:00.875 God's people have made it through. 00:16:00.875 --> 00:16:05.498 God's people are making it in China, under a very difficult regime. 00:16:05.498 --> 00:16:09.500 God's people are multiplying in Iran, under a Muslim regime. 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:11.817 God's people are multiplying in Rwanda. 00:16:11.817 --> 00:16:21.100 They're multiplying all around the world, whether the government is for or against them, and they've learned to be united nonetheless. 00:16:23.270 --> 00:16:35.336 So, whether you are celebrating the results of this election, let me tell you be careful how much faith you put in a person, whether you're celebrating the results of this election. 00:16:35.336 --> 00:16:37.341 Let me just tell you he's still a person. 00:16:37.341 --> 00:16:44.941 Things might not be as great as you think they're going to be, and if you're grieving the results of this election, he's still a person. 00:16:44.941 --> 00:16:47.437 Things might not be as bad as you think they're going to be. 00:16:47.437 --> 00:16:56.562 Whatever the case is, let's guard our hearts about what exactly we are expecting for better or for worse. 00:16:56.562 --> 00:17:11.419 Let's guard our hearts and anchor ourselves back into the truth of God's word that tells us that God's plans for us are always good, that he has faithfulness with us to move us forward, no matter what happens in government or in our nation or wherever else. 00:17:11.419 --> 00:17:19.278 Our faith is in God and God can move through this kind of government and that kind of government and that kind of government and this kind of leader and that kind of leader. 00:17:19.278 --> 00:17:20.261 He moves through all of it. 00:17:20.261 --> 00:17:32.625 We cannot lose our faith in God and his sovereignty and his providence, because when we do, we start to get afraid, we start to get angry, and we start to get afraid and angry. 00:17:32.625 --> 00:17:34.352 That's when we start mistreating each other. 00:17:34.352 --> 00:17:40.877 That's when our hearts are vulnerable to being spiteful and condemning of each other. 00:17:40.877 --> 00:17:47.372 That's where our hearts are vulnerable Listen to me to the lies, deception and manipulation of your favorite media group. 00:17:48.737 --> 00:17:49.778 Everybody's been lied to. 00:17:49.778 --> 00:17:54.955 I don't care how much you love your news source, they've been telling you some lies. 00:17:54.955 --> 00:17:58.154 Why half of y'all look shocked. 00:17:58.154 --> 00:17:58.829 Are you for real? 00:17:58.829 --> 00:18:01.355 Don't you understand? 00:18:01.355 --> 00:18:02.538 This is the world. 00:18:02.538 --> 00:18:04.481 This is the world. 00:18:04.481 --> 00:18:05.723 This is how they do stuff. 00:18:05.723 --> 00:18:13.711 This is how they gain your trust and your loyalty by saying we are the heroes and they are the villains. 00:18:13.711 --> 00:18:15.332 That's how the world does it. 00:18:15.553 --> 00:18:28.467 And the problem is this that if I'm drinking from the red fountain, the red fountain is telling me that not only is the blue candidate the worst candidate, but the people supporting the blue candidate are the worst kind of people. 00:18:28.467 --> 00:18:42.465 And if I'm drinking from the blue fountain, the blue fountain is also telling me that not only is the blue candidate the best candidate and the red candidate is the worst candidate, but the people supporting the red candidate are horrible people. 00:18:42.465 --> 00:18:48.173 And the problem with that? 00:18:48.173 --> 00:18:49.999 We've got to sit back. 00:18:49.999 --> 00:18:51.102 You've heard it. 00:18:51.102 --> 00:18:58.383 Whatever news source you watch, whatever influence you watch, you've heard them call the other people names, haven't you not? 00:18:58.383 --> 00:19:03.259 You've heard them denigrate those people and dehumanize those people. 00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:04.423 You've heard it. 00:19:04.690 --> 00:19:07.076 And here is my warning to you, brothers and sisters. 00:19:07.076 --> 00:19:10.257 Some of it has entered your heart and you started to agree with it. 00:19:10.257 --> 00:19:22.337 You started to agree with the name calling the world labeled people and in our hearts we agreed with that. 00:19:22.337 --> 00:19:32.602 We can't agree with that because the issue is this If I'm voted red, I got brothers and sisters who voted blue. 00:19:32.602 --> 00:19:45.023 If I voted blue, I got brothers and sisters who voted red, and I can't let the world tell me how to view my other brothers and sisters when the word of God tells me something different. 00:19:46.431 --> 00:19:50.018 So the world's division and divisiveness creeps into the church. 00:19:50.018 --> 00:19:59.099 When the church in the hearts believes what the world is saying About our brothers and sisters on the other aisle. 00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:01.471 That's the mess we got to get out of here. 00:20:01.471 --> 00:20:11.553 You can disagree passionately about your political issues and concerns and perspectives. 00:20:11.553 --> 00:20:21.066 You can disagree passionately, but you can disagree with dignity, you can disagree with honor and respect. 00:20:23.270 --> 00:20:42.710 So the word of God tells us here, as Paul is writing to the Ephesians, he's dealing with people who have deep differences political differences, religious differences, social differences, people who were taught to treat other people negatively. 00:20:42.710 --> 00:20:54.902 They were taught that from the kids to adults and now they're in the same church and Paul says this to them in Ephesians, chapter 4. 00:20:54.902 --> 00:21:13.218 He says therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in love, making every effort. 00:21:13.218 --> 00:21:22.002 Somebody say effort, effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. 00:21:22.002 --> 00:21:30.117 We have to make an effort, because unity is not passive. 00:21:30.117 --> 00:21:32.823 Unity is always a pursuit. 00:21:32.823 --> 00:21:35.814 Hear me, unity is not passive. 00:21:35.814 --> 00:21:41.325 If we don't fight for unity and pursue unity, it will just be a fantasy. 00:21:41.325 --> 00:21:45.358 It'll just be some unmet expectation. 00:21:45.358 --> 00:21:48.578 You know we're supposed to be united, but we're not fighting for it. 00:21:48.578 --> 00:21:53.996 So we're not Even as members of the body of Christ. 00:21:53.996 --> 00:22:05.778 Unity is something we must fight for, and sometimes that means rejecting media narratives that try to tell me something about you that's not true about you, according to God's word. 00:22:09.631 --> 00:22:12.299 Well, I don't see how a Christian can vote Republican. 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:14.936 I don't see how a Christian can vote Democrat. 00:22:14.936 --> 00:22:15.818 That's the problem. 00:22:15.818 --> 00:22:16.662 You don't see. 00:22:16.662 --> 00:22:21.574 Hear what you just said. 00:22:21.574 --> 00:22:22.577 You don't see. 00:22:22.577 --> 00:22:26.337 You don't see people's stories. 00:22:26.337 --> 00:22:28.176 You don't see people's experiences. 00:22:28.176 --> 00:22:29.756 You don't see people's histories. 00:22:29.756 --> 00:22:30.994 You don't see their ideas. 00:22:30.994 --> 00:22:32.375 You don't see. 00:22:32.375 --> 00:22:36.480 But what you ought to see is that you're judging people because of what you don't see. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:39.815 But what you ought to see is are you judging people because of what you don't see? 00:22:39.815 --> 00:22:42.799 If you supported this, you can't be saved. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.300 No, no, no. 00:22:43.300 --> 00:22:51.693 My salvation is based on Christ, not what I believe about abortion, the border or economics. 00:22:51.693 --> 00:22:52.355 Are y'all hearing me? 00:22:52.355 --> 00:23:04.069 If we're going to make an effort to keep the unity of the Spirit, it's something we have got to fight for Now. 00:23:04.089 --> 00:23:09.349 The way that we do that, we see right there, in the very first part of this verse, paul mentions a few things that are also part of his list of the fruit of the Spirit. 00:23:09.349 --> 00:23:23.326 When he was talking to the Galatian church, he says with all humility and gentleness and patience, bear with one another in love, fruit of the Spirit. 00:23:23.326 --> 00:23:33.558 So maybe I need to talk to God about humility, and there are a couple of things about humility that I want to share. 00:23:33.558 --> 00:23:46.315 One side of humility is this I don't know if you noticed or not, but I have a few very strong opinions and convictions, right, and I have a whole lot of things that are my opinions. 00:23:46.315 --> 00:23:48.644 I'm not talking about things based on scripture. 00:23:48.644 --> 00:23:50.990 I mean just the way I think about some stuff. 00:23:50.990 --> 00:23:55.718 It's my opinions and I think they're true because they're my opinions. 00:23:55.718 --> 00:24:00.105 They wouldn't be my opinions if I didn't believe that that's what is right. 00:24:01.330 --> 00:24:16.920 But when I come to talk to you about a topic and I share my opinion, humility means I've got to be open to the possibility, small as it might be, but the possibility that I could be wrong. 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:24.057 Maybe not here. 00:24:24.057 --> 00:24:25.122 Maybe here there's a possibility. 00:24:25.122 --> 00:24:29.314 Have you considered you might be wrong about something? 00:24:29.314 --> 00:24:30.578 Have you considered that you could be wrong? 00:24:30.578 --> 00:24:31.161 Have you considered that? 00:24:31.161 --> 00:24:33.569 What you've been believing about ABC, that you could be wrong? 00:24:33.569 --> 00:24:36.599 Humility is where we come to the conversation, open to the possibility that I could be wrong. 00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:40.065 Humility is where we come to a conversation, open to the possibility that I could be wrong. 00:24:40.065 --> 00:24:43.153 And in order for me to find that out, I've got to listen to you. 00:24:43.153 --> 00:24:52.376 I've got to try to understand you and not try to just berate you with my ideas and my condemnation about how stupid you are because you believe what I don't believe. 00:24:52.376 --> 00:24:54.773 That's not how we do things. 00:24:55.616 --> 00:24:57.654 Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers. 00:24:57.654 --> 00:25:00.058 He didn't say blessed are those who win every argument. 00:25:00.058 --> 00:25:07.137 These are very sensitive issues. 00:25:07.137 --> 00:25:10.838 Our views on abortion that's a very sensitive issue. 00:25:10.838 --> 00:25:14.640 What should happen with immigrants that's a sensitive issue. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:16.637 How we should show up in the world stage as a nation? 00:25:16.637 --> 00:25:17.201 That's a sensitive issue. 00:25:17.201 --> 00:25:19.792 How we should show up in the world stage as a nation, that's a sensitive issue. 00:25:19.792 --> 00:25:23.400 This isn't just Mickey Mouse stuff. 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:29.336 These are really important things, but each one of those issues are also temporary issues. 00:25:29.336 --> 00:25:33.992 Each one of those things are also American issues. 00:25:35.194 --> 00:25:54.756 Each one of those things are also things that should be inferior to our grasp on the eternal truth that, no matter how we might disagree on a political issue, I am united with you in Christ, and I might not understand why you believe what you believe, how you came to that conclusion, how you got the conviction that you have. 00:25:54.756 --> 00:26:03.180 I might not understand it, I might not get it, but I sure don't have the right, through scripture, to judge you, label you and divide myself from you. 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:13.042 That's not how we do it, not in the kingdom, not in the kingdom. 00:26:13.042 --> 00:26:17.075 We have to work things out a little differently in the kingdom. 00:26:17.075 --> 00:26:18.786 Paul have to work things out a little differently in the kingdom. 00:26:18.786 --> 00:26:20.913 Paul says make every effort. 00:26:20.913 --> 00:26:25.309 And then he says a similar thing to the Romans in chapter 14, verse 19. 00:26:25.691 --> 00:26:30.362 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 00:26:30.362 --> 00:26:36.801 Pursue what promotes peace, what our conversations need to be like if we're going to pursue peace. 00:26:36.801 --> 00:26:38.105 Promotes peace. 00:26:38.105 --> 00:26:40.349 What do our conversations need to be like if we're going to pursue peace? 00:26:40.349 --> 00:26:43.752 I'm not talking about modeling what the world is doing. 00:26:43.752 --> 00:26:44.674 I'm talking about being a model for the world. 00:26:44.674 --> 00:26:47.541 We're being too influenced by them instead of them being influenced by us. 00:26:49.849 --> 00:26:58.026 So, no matter what, if you catch yourself drinking from the red fountain or drinking from the blue fountain, I'm going to tell you right now, both of them from the red fountain or drinking from the blue fountain. 00:26:58.026 --> 00:27:00.316 I'm going to tell you right now, both of them are the wrong fountain. 00:27:00.316 --> 00:27:07.474 They're the wrong fountain. 00:27:07.474 --> 00:27:18.295 We can have our beliefs about stuff, but the fountain is God's word, it's his spirit, it's his truth. 00:27:18.295 --> 00:27:20.575 I can still honor you. 00:27:21.016 --> 00:27:35.117 Let me show you this when there's a difference between having disagreements and having division, disagreements are okay, division is a problem and division is demonic. 00:27:35.117 --> 00:27:37.470 Here's the disagreement. 00:27:37.470 --> 00:27:38.701 The disagreement happens with our head. 00:27:38.701 --> 00:27:39.790 The disagreement happens with our head. 00:27:39.790 --> 00:27:42.276 The division happens in our hearts. 00:27:42.276 --> 00:27:48.243 The disagreement is I think we should paint the church white and you go no, I think we should paint it brown. 00:27:48.243 --> 00:27:49.550 Well, why do you want to paint it white? 00:27:49.550 --> 00:27:51.637 Well, here are all the different benefits of it being painted white. 00:27:51.637 --> 00:27:54.273 Well, and here are all the benefits of it being painted brown. 00:27:54.394 --> 00:27:55.576 I still think we should paint it brown. 00:27:55.576 --> 00:27:56.698 I still think we should paint it white. 00:27:56.698 --> 00:28:04.736 Okay, well, maybe we should just mix it and paint it beige, or let's just take some time to pray about it and come back. 00:28:04.736 --> 00:28:05.598 But here's the thing. 00:28:05.598 --> 00:28:06.101 Here's the thing. 00:28:06.101 --> 00:28:07.575 What if we don't agree? 00:28:07.575 --> 00:28:14.458 What if, after we talk about it and I'm not sold on you wanting to paint it white, you're not sold on me wanting to paint it brown? 00:28:14.458 --> 00:28:17.742 What if we're not, we're not, we don't come to an agreement. 00:28:17.742 --> 00:28:19.084 Right, here's what the world will do. 00:28:19.084 --> 00:28:19.684 The world goes. 00:28:27.650 --> 00:28:28.773 See, they're just dumb, they're fools, they're ignorant. 00:28:28.773 --> 00:28:30.559 They don't care nothing about the church. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:31.080 Want to paint it white? 00:28:31.080 --> 00:28:32.346 We got all these kids around here. 00:28:32.346 --> 00:28:34.613 You're going to put the little dirty hands on it. 00:28:34.613 --> 00:28:37.862 Right, they must be idiots. 00:28:37.862 --> 00:28:40.057 Nobody in their right mind wants to paint it white. 00:28:40.057 --> 00:28:43.737 See, now I'm labeling people and judging them based on their right. 00:28:43.737 --> 00:28:45.000 You could do the same thing over here. 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:46.522 Paint the church brown. 00:28:46.522 --> 00:28:47.715 Who paints the church brown? 00:28:47.715 --> 00:28:50.836 What kind of fools would paint a church brown? 00:28:50.836 --> 00:28:54.336 Fools, now, they're fools because they want to paint it brown. 00:28:54.336 --> 00:28:57.153 See, in our media. 00:28:57.153 --> 00:29:00.761 They're calling each other names, names. 00:29:00.761 --> 00:29:04.855 We don't do that, y'all we don't do that. 00:29:05.911 --> 00:29:14.616 And, if you're honest, some of that stuff has crept into your own heart and it has created this kind of fear or anger or anxiety, especially before the election. 00:29:14.616 --> 00:29:15.775 No one was really celebrating. 00:29:15.775 --> 00:29:16.955 People were like we don't know what's going to happen. 00:29:16.955 --> 00:29:18.356 All this anxiety and fear, anxiety, especially before the election, I know, when we were really celebrating, people were like we don't know what's going to happen and all kind of stuff right. 00:29:18.356 --> 00:29:22.915 All this anxiety and fear, what could happen if this person wins or that person wins, and it creates all these emotions. 00:29:23.250 --> 00:29:27.277 Most of us, we weren't responding to people in our conversations out of our time in prayer. 00:29:27.277 --> 00:29:29.625 We weren't doing that. 00:29:29.625 --> 00:29:31.451 We were reacting. 00:29:31.451 --> 00:29:34.628 We were reacting to different videos and clips that we saw. 00:29:34.628 --> 00:29:36.646 We were reacting to this speech and that speech. 00:29:36.646 --> 00:29:41.119 We were reacting to what this news media said about Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:43.247 We were reacting and reacting and reacting and reacting. 00:29:43.247 --> 00:29:43.930 We weren't praying. 00:29:43.930 --> 00:29:46.326 We were expressing our fear. 00:29:46.326 --> 00:29:49.229 If he wins, if she wins, this is what's going to happen. 00:29:49.229 --> 00:29:50.525 We were expressing our anger. 00:29:50.525 --> 00:29:51.449 I can't believe you're going to support this. 00:29:51.449 --> 00:29:51.990 We're expressing our anger. 00:29:51.990 --> 00:29:52.775 I can't believe you're supporting this. 00:29:52.775 --> 00:29:53.217 We're expressing that. 00:29:53.217 --> 00:29:55.646 I'll tell you right now folks were coming out of the prayer closet with that. 00:30:02.260 --> 00:30:04.248 The faith and anxiety don't work together like that. 00:30:04.248 --> 00:30:19.691 If we are going to have unity, we're going to have to pray for ourselves, our own humility, our own gentleness, our own peace, and then we'll be agents of humility and gentleness and peace. 00:30:19.691 --> 00:30:30.126 And then in our discussions, even if we disagree with logic and the rationale and different opinions from our head, we can still be united. 00:30:30.126 --> 00:30:34.050 I still love you, honor you, respect you, and we're united in our hearts. 00:30:34.050 --> 00:30:44.246 But when I begin to label you as this, this, this, this, this, and I distance myself from you in relationship, that's division and that's in the heart and that's what the word is saying. 00:30:44.246 --> 00:30:46.993 We've got to fight against, we've got to fight against. 00:30:46.993 --> 00:30:53.653 We've got to fight against, we got to fight against. 00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:05.561 I mentioned two things and then I'll think about wrapping up. 00:31:05.561 --> 00:31:28.619 When we take our stand on what we believe is the morally right choice, right, this position is the righteous position, this position is God's position on this issue, and the other person is like no, this position is God's position on this issue. 00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:32.778 One of the reasons why I think we're trying to fight so hard, for that is because we feel like we're right and it's an issue of morality. 00:31:32.778 --> 00:31:34.061 Right, we feel like we are right. 00:31:34.061 --> 00:31:36.929 But here's one thing I want to offer up to you. 00:31:36.929 --> 00:31:40.632 Jesus said they'll know you're my disciples if you have love for one another. 00:31:40.632 --> 00:31:42.820 That means even during election season. 00:31:42.820 --> 00:31:47.548 Right, if you have love for one another. 00:31:48.089 --> 00:31:52.683 How we are treating each other is a witness to the world about our faith in Christ. 00:31:52.683 --> 00:31:57.513 All right, so I'm going to present an idea called spiritual immorality. 00:31:57.513 --> 00:32:05.059 I just made it up on the way down here, so don't try to look it up. 00:32:05.059 --> 00:32:06.682 We're standing on. 00:32:06.682 --> 00:32:08.050 What's morally right about how we treat immigrants? 00:32:08.050 --> 00:32:09.420 What's morally right about how we treat the unborn? 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:15.478 What's morally right about how we respond to racism and bigotry? 00:32:15.478 --> 00:32:21.113 What's morally right about how we respond to what's happening in the Middle East the Israelis, the Palestinians? 00:32:21.113 --> 00:32:22.281 What's morally right? 00:32:22.281 --> 00:32:23.023 What's morally right? 00:32:23.585 --> 00:32:29.040 And we are damaging relationships and the way we are fighting as a church. 00:32:29.040 --> 00:32:33.807 It can hinder people from believing in Jesus. 00:32:33.807 --> 00:32:38.092 That fight is not worth it. 00:32:38.092 --> 00:32:48.411 If I convince you to believe my view on immigration, does that have eternal consequences? 00:32:48.411 --> 00:32:58.491 No, if us arguing and fighting dissuades someone from putting their faith in Jesus, does that have eternal consequences? 00:32:58.491 --> 00:33:00.861 Absolutely so. 00:33:00.881 --> 00:33:16.825 While we're trying to fight for morality and doing the right thing, having the right position, we are violating something and committing something that is spiritually immoral by causing somebody to stumble through a bad witness as a Christian. 00:33:16.825 --> 00:33:19.671 That has eternal consequences. 00:33:19.671 --> 00:33:25.152 That has got to be taken into consideration and sometimes we got to take a step back and go. 00:33:25.152 --> 00:33:26.182 You know it's not even worth it. 00:33:26.182 --> 00:33:32.545 If I'm talking to you and I see that the conversation is going south, I need to take a timeout and say this is not even worth it. 00:33:32.545 --> 00:33:36.232 Not because I think you're dumb, but because I love you so much. 00:33:36.232 --> 00:33:41.460 I don't want this to get us into division. 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:46.480 It's not worth division, trying to get you to see my side. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:47.102 It's not worth division. 00:33:47.142 --> 00:33:58.056 And here's the other thing I would say is that if you're so passionate about these particular topics, then how about you get involved in that issue locally, in your neighborhood and in your city? 00:33:58.056 --> 00:34:04.900 Most people are fighting to the death about a topic and arguing on Facebook, but aren't doing squat about that issue locally. 00:34:04.900 --> 00:34:08.670 If you want to make a difference, it's not going to happen in a Facebook news feed. 00:34:08.670 --> 00:34:13.766 It's going to make a difference when you're engaging people's lives in your city, in your church and in your community. 00:34:13.766 --> 00:34:19.125 If you're that concerned about immigration, how is it impacting people in your community? 00:34:19.125 --> 00:34:23.684 Get involved and do something and help people go through whatever process they need to go through, or whatever. 00:34:23.684 --> 00:34:28.364 If you're that concerned about the unborn or this or that, then what are you doing in the city you're in? 00:34:28.364 --> 00:34:32.594 Don't be so passionate on Facebook and you're not doing anything in the city. 00:34:32.594 --> 00:34:35.320 If you're that passionate, get involved and be part of the solution. 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:43.005 That's what actually brings change, not trying to vent and get something off your chest on social media for the whole world to watch. 00:34:43.005 --> 00:34:44.960 Now we're. 00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.947 We have Thanksgiving coming up. 00:34:46.947 --> 00:34:53.807 Some folks aren't going to be there this year, some because they didn't make it, they passed away, and some because of the election. 00:34:53.807 --> 00:34:58.565 Seriously, no, we got to take a step back and go. 00:34:58.565 --> 00:34:59.547 That's not worth it. 00:34:59.547 --> 00:35:00.871 That's not worth it. 00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:29.208 In December of 1914, during World War I World War I the British were entrenched in a deep, muddy trench with barbed wire on one side, and the Germans were entrenched in a deep, muddy trench with barbed wire on another side and in the middle of this area, where they had been charging at each other and shooting and fighting and dying, they called it no man's land. 00:35:29.208 --> 00:35:32.244 No man's land. 00:35:32.244 --> 00:35:42.568 They've been shooting each other for hours, but something happened on Christmas Eve. 00:35:42.568 --> 00:35:46.016 The Germans started singing Christmas songs. 00:35:46.016 --> 00:35:51.987 In the evening, when the fighting had stopped, they started singing Christmas songs, and one of those Christmas songs was Silent Night. 00:35:51.987 --> 00:35:56.347 And even though the British didn't understand German, they understood a tune. 00:35:56.347 --> 00:36:02.063 And they were singing Silent Night on the German side and the British started humming a little bit. 00:36:02.063 --> 00:36:13.188 They started singing a little bit Silent Night and before long, white flags were raised on both sides of the battlefield. 00:36:13.188 --> 00:36:33.472 As they began to come together and talk, as they began to share gifts with each other here are some buttons, or here is some tobacco, here is some chocolate they began to give gifts to each other hours before they were killing each other British trained to kill Germans and Germans trained to kill British. 00:36:33.492 --> 00:36:39.009 But right now, on Christmas Eve, it's not just singing about a random song. 00:36:39.009 --> 00:36:40.992 What are they singing about with Silent Night? 00:36:40.992 --> 00:36:44.929 Come on, those of you who grew up in Christmas plays, you know what I'm talking about. 00:36:44.929 --> 00:36:47.621 Can you imagine that? 00:36:47.621 --> 00:36:49.827 Singing Silent Night in the middle of a war? 00:36:49.827 --> 00:36:51.391 And they brought them together. 00:36:51.391 --> 00:37:18.409 They're exchanging gifts, they're helping each other bury the dead from each other's side and right there in the middle of no man's land broke out an impromptu game of soccer, christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and when that whole thing was over and it was time to fight, neither side took a shot and the generals were upset. 00:37:18.409 --> 00:37:27.826 Both sides had to replace their army and bring in armies who didn't connect so that they could fight and continue killing each other. 00:37:27.826 --> 00:37:37.391 Because those who connected, those who met in no man's land, those who got united over singing Silent Night, could no longer shoot each other. 00:37:37.391 --> 00:37:54.094 And I just believe that if people trained to kill each other can learn to be united over the message of Christ, then certainly those who got saved to love each other should be able to do the very same thing. 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.507 So where do you need to repent? 00:37:57.507 --> 00:38:01.449 What's crept in your heart that you need out of your heart? 00:38:01.449 --> 00:38:05.150 What relationship do you need to reconcile? 00:38:05.150 --> 00:38:06.686 Who do you need to apologize to? 00:38:06.686 --> 00:38:16.608 Even if somebody needs to apologize to you, you make the first move and say listen, I'm sorry for what was said, I'm sorry for what I said, how it impacted you. 00:38:16.608 --> 00:38:21.327 I recognize that what I said was mean, it was rude, even though it was right. 00:38:21.327 --> 00:38:27.789 I'm just kidding, don't say that part, but I love you more than I love these issues. 00:38:27.789 --> 00:38:31.327 I want to see you at the Thanksgiving table. 00:38:31.327 --> 00:38:33.967 We've been through too much together. 00:38:33.967 --> 00:38:39.570 I babysat your kids, you babysat mine. 00:38:39.570 --> 00:38:40.152 We went to school. 00:38:40.152 --> 00:38:46.590 We're not going to lose over this or over what the media is telling me about you. 00:38:47.512 --> 00:38:57.943 Maybe you need to repent, maybe you need to reconcile, but if for certain, whatever you do for Christ's sake, stop drinking out of those fountains. 00:38:57.943 --> 00:39:00.931 Stop drinking out of those fountains. 00:39:00.931 --> 00:39:02.862 Be careful. 00:39:02.862 --> 00:39:04.106 What you're sharing on social media. 00:39:04.106 --> 00:39:07.567 Is it impacting and endorsing a fountain? 00:39:07.567 --> 00:39:11.907 How is it you share more political views than you do about Jesus? 00:39:11.907 --> 00:39:15.007 How come you're so passionate and outspoken about that? 00:39:15.007 --> 00:39:17.967 No, let's get back right. 00:39:17.967 --> 00:39:27.052 Church Paul would write us a letter and say make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 00:39:27.052 --> 00:39:36.009