Made One

As we walk through Psalm 133, we  see three truths about the unity God gives His people. And ultimately what that unity calls us to do. Psalm 133

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And if you were with us last week, you'll know that we we looked at a very intentional type of psalm. Last week, as I preached on Psalm 131, we were in the middle of the Psalms of Ascent. And if you remember, these Psalms were given for a specific purpose. The nation of Israel used these songs as then they would sing them as they ascended the hill to Jerusalem, as they made their pilgrimage there for various festivals and things throughout their year. For the nation of Israel from the known world coming together ultimately to their holy city so that they could all be together. And last week, as we we talked about what Psalm 131 is, this fight for contentment in a lot of ways, you know, I think it was obvious. It was obvious for me that it is a journey. You know, it's nothing that ultimately I wake up and I do in the midst of a moment, but rather it's something that I have to choose to do, time and time again. It's a journey, it is truly a pilgrimage. Because as we talked about, like it's easy for our minds, our hearts, our souls to be full of noise. And in that noise, it's easy for us to become restless. And I think almost in ways of building off of last week, is that I feel like oftentimes in the midst of restlessness, it's easy for us to become divided and ultimately isolated. Because in the midst of uneasiness, seldom do we actually come to one another. Seldom do we look to one another, yet too often we try to do it our own. Too often we just try to pull up the bootstraps or white knuckle and just go on our own. Whenever we see in Psalm 133, that's that's not what's prescribed. See, our culture pushes us to some type of isolation and division. I mean, if we look at social media for about two seconds, we can see that division is something that permeates in our culture. I mean, we're divided by political stands, we're divided over preferences, we're divided over personalities, we're divided over generations, we're divided over people groups, whatever it may be. We divide things all the time, and most of the time, we're divided over things that don't ultimately matter. What's sad is too often we we think that a division is just outside of these walls, but regularly it seems to find itself in here. I mean, there's the reason we have the common saying of the church split over the carpet color. Because it seems to be our nature, at least what we're pushed to, to be divided. But again, Psalm 133 gives us a different picture. David shows us something completely the opposite. And in it, we're gonna see the beauty of what a united people is. We're gonna see what does it look like for a people who are different to dwell together in unity. What I want us to see this morning is ultimately how does that happen? How does a divided people become united? How do a people so different dwell together? I think what's shown to us through this psalm, and what I want us to see is that this is ultimately possible because it is Jesus who makes us one. Which is the title of our sermon this morning. Made one. And as we walk through Psalm 133, we're gonna see three truths concerning the unity that God gives his people, and then we're gonna see what you what that unity calls us to do. So, what I'm gonna do is read the entire psalm. It's only three verses. Again, I kind of feel like I'm shortchanged lately on the amount of scripture, but we will walk through it, I think, in a very intentional way, and hopefully in a very life-giving way. So if you read with me in Psalm 131, or 133, um starting in verse 1, the Psalm of David. Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It's like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes. It's like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there has the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore. The first thing that I think this text shows us is that unity is something we need. Unity is something we need. He begins this psalm with the word behold. And it's an interesting word. It's a word that comes up regularly throughout Scripture, but in a lot of places that are a little bit different, even than this psalm. We see it regularly in the Gospels, as Jesus is doing something miraculous. Behold, here he is doing something extraordinary. It's a regular term used throughout the book of Revelation, which is in itself miraculous. I mean, there's a lot of times that I read the book of Revelation and I'm like, what is happening right now? Like, it is something to behold in a lot of ways. Whenever we see that word, it often pushes us to think and to look for something extraordinary, something out of the norm, something that's incredible. And I think as we read and we start with this psalm, it's easy for us to read, behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity, and almost to think in some ways that this is just kind of normal. This is mundane. This is no person that's been lame for their entire life, now standing and walking. This is no like eight-winged cherubim with thousands of eyes talking to a man. Like, is this really worth beholding? But I think as we walk through this text, David's intentional with his word choice. He's intentional to command his people to look and to see that something rare is about to come into view. Something incredible is on its way. Because he says how good and pleasant it is whenever brothers dwell in unity. I think first, remember what this psalm is used for. It was a song of ascent. So is the nation of Israel gathered together from all parts of the nation, but even in parts of the known world, gathering to their holy city for their festivals. They're singing this as one. Take a moment to imagine that. Thousands of people singing in unison the need and the beauty of the unity that is amongst them. I mean, they're being an object lesson in some ways as they're they're reciting this psalm to themselves in one accord, in one voice. There's a people becoming unified, singing about the beauty of being unified. But we see this a lot. I think there's something special in a live event because it often does this for us, right? If you've ever been to a live concert, you know, you know that whenever you're walking into the venue, whatever it may be, you might not have a lot in common with the people that you're walking in next to. You come from different ways of life, different backgrounds, you come from different classes or different race or whatever it may be. Like all of this, it's it's a pretty, just not uniform group of people, but yet there's one common denominator among amongst them all. They like the same type of artist. But I think what's extremely interesting is the second the first chord is hit on a song, what happens? They all become one. There's no words on the screen. They know how to sing the words in unison. There's this beauty, there's this oneness of the picture that we get. We see it too in sports. Oftentimes, people that you're walking in that you don't trust, you're constantly checking your wallet to make sure it hasn't been stolen from your back pocket. But yet you come and the whistle blows to begin the game, and in an instant, the entire crowd can gasp in unison whenever the team scores, or whenever a player falls. In unison, the entire crowd can scream out the same expletive as the ref makes a bad call. Like there's this oneness. But see what's lacking whenever in both of those things, eventually the final whistle blows, and eventually the concert ends after what seemingly is like 15 encores, and you walk away. And with the dispersion of people, so goes the dispersion of unity. But what if there was something that was lasting? Friends, even for us, like, do you realize the need and the reason why we sing together on a Sunday morning? Yes, it's got multiple reasons. Yes, I think in a lot of ways it does. Attune our hearts towards the Lord. It does help us remove the distraction of the things out there and help us focus on the important thing of Christ and what he has done for us. It's why we choose intentional songs that elevate the Lord. But do we realize in the same way we're creating a unity amongst the body? That we, as in one voice, we sing. Not just listening to the people who have talent on a stage, but collectively singing with one another, it binds us together. See, it's instinctual, our desire for oneness, our desire for unity with other people, because ultimately we were made for it. God tells us as much in Genesis 2, 18. He says, Then the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone. So I will make a helper fit for him. It's not good the isolation that man has found himself in. It's not good that he is by himself, that he is removed from all other people. That is not good. See, the Creator in the beginning knew that isolation was not good for us, and we see in direct contrast in our Psalm this morning, what is good for us. Again in verse 1, how good it is when brothers dwell in unity. See, he calls unity good. It's the same Hebrew word that is used in the Genesis creation account, the Hebrew word tov, which means it's the word that God used whenever he created and with his voice made the light and made the stars that made the expanses of the water and the land and the animals. He looks at it at the end of the day and he says, it's good, it's right, it's healthy, it's what it is, it's the way that it is supposed to be. And again we see it here. See, unity is something good. It's right. It's healthy for us, it's something that we need. And why so often do we not see good in the world around us is because it's a world that so often pushes us to division and isolation. I mean, think. We think maybe in any history of our existence, know what this feels like in a post-pandemic population. Who knows what it's like to be able to be completely removed from all people in the midst of a week. We place a premium on privacy. It is a boast of neighborhoods whenever we have gates that keep people from getting within it. It's a boast whenever you live or work in an office complex that you have to be buzzed in or you have to be pushed away. Like we boast and brag on the things that create separation between us and the outside world. And I'm not just saying for safety's concerns, but it is something that we constantly prize in our culture. But even apart from that, friends, we have the opportunity now to be so far removed from everyone else in our world. We don't even have to feel the shame of going through a McDonald's drive-thru to get a Big Mac. Like they bring it to our doorstep now. Like it's just doesn't seem fair. And we talk about the nostalgia of, oh, what if we went back to the way that things were? I think of Blockbuster whenever I was a kid. Like there's a certain joy of taking your report card to Blockbuster, knowing that you get a free video game rental for a week, and you get to search the aisles and all of the things or date nights, whatever you go out to eat, and then on the way home, you you pull into the parking lot and find a movie. And like we say, oh, we longed for that to be back, oh, we wish that that could happen. But in reality, it wouldn't get used. Like, there are reasons they went bankrupt because we want to rent movies without having to put on our pants. Like, it just is what it is. If I have to get up off of my couch to find some form of entertainment, then ultimately it's just not worth it. But it's not just in the fun, I mean, our lives can be completely isolated. Probably all of you have some sort of way in which you can work remote. Students can get an entire degree without ever meeting a professor face to face. See, we can live our lives completely removed from one another. And it's even found its way into the midst of the church. Don't get me wrong, I think having a live stream is a blessing at times for those who are homebound, for those who are sick, for those who it's not wise, or traveling and still feeling apart. Like I'm not here to put shame on those people, but also think it's a dangerous thing to be tempted with. I can still feel the weight of a sermon or hear the music, but not be amongst the people. Friends, unity is something that is good for us, something that is healthy for us, something that is right for us, but it even goes beyond that. He says how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It's not just good, but it's enjoyable, it's satisfying, it's fulfilling. You know, the Lord doesn't desire that you're miserable, contrary to popular belief. Like, he is a good God. As we sing a whole song about how good and gracious he is, he desires to give good gifts to his children. He desires to give us what is ultimately best for us and is ultimately what we need, but something that we want. There's no spiritual gift that's grumpiness, that's anger, that's disdain. Rather, the beauty of unity is that it's not only good for you, but it's desirable. Because there's a lot of things in this world that are good for you that really aren't desirable. Broccoli, colonoscopies, planks, like all of these things. Like, sure. I mean, why would I ever put my arms on the ground and not put my knees down? Like, that just doesn't make sense. And I can do it for hours, and yet there's no change to the flab there. Like, these things may be good, yes, but they are far from desirable. They're far from something pleasant. But this is what's different here of what God is saying. This not only is good for you, needed for you, but ultimately it satisfies you. There is something that is good for us and something that we crave in the midst of unity. Even what I talked about earlier in singing with your congregation. You know, there's been studies that have been done that talk about the benefit of congregational singing? That your body, whenever you're singing in unison with other people around you, your body does, it begins to create a couple hormones. It creates serotonin and oxytocin. It begins to synchronize the heartbeats of the crowd at large to where you're all beating in one rhythm in unison with the music. You know, those same hormones are what is used to treat depression, those same hormones are what people have run to drugs to be to think to manipulate. It's produced whenever a people and our group come together and sing alongside one another. It's almost like the God of all creation knew what he was doing whenever he created a people to be in oneness, to be in unity with one another. But too often, guys, we forsake it. Julie kind of stole my thunder a little bit earlier in our welcome, but there's a reason we we push small groups. There's a reason we we seek and to push and want you to be involved here. Because we realize and we know that unity is something that you ultimately need. It's why we invite you into membership at West Side, because we want you to be a part of the fold, so that you can be in community, in unity with us. Every family meeting we have quarterly, you know how we begin, everyone? We sing together. So that even before we do church business or handle things that need to happen, we're reminded of the oneness that we are meant to have together. Singing with one another, giving praise to a God who deserves it. Unity is something that we need. But if that's the case, then ultimately where does it come from? That's where David gets to. As we continue on in his psalm. He says in verses 2 in the beginning of verse 3, he says this it is like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. Unity is something we need, but unity is something that God provides. Unity is something that God provides. We see two intentional similes given to us in this Psalm. And they show what unity is like for us. It's like an oil coming down on Aaron's head. It's like a dew falling on Mount Hermon. But notice first the similarities before we look at the differences. Whenever there is common terminology used in Scripture, it's always there for an intentional purpose. And we see a regular theme, even shown to us in this verse and a half. It's like precious oil on the head running down on the beard, running down on the collars of the robe. It's like the dew that comes down on the Mount Hermon, which falls down on the mountains of Zion. We see in both instances that what is being given is coming down from above. See, unity amongst believers isn't something that ultimately we manufacture. Rather, it is something that God gives. He gives it to us. The oil. The oil that David is talking about is an oil that was used for anointing in the Old Testament. We see it explained in Leviticus 8, where it says this, then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was within it and consecrated them. That means he set them apart for an intentional purpose. And he sprinkled some of it, being the oil on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils and the basin and its stand to consecrate them, to set them apart. And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head, and he anointed him to consecrate him, to set him apart. See, Moses is very intentional to show that Aaron is being set apart for God's purposes. And it's not just Aaron. Aaron is now used synonymous for all of the priesthood. Which be reminded, the nation of Israel was meant to be a nation of priests. All of the nation of Israel was meant to be set apart for God's purpose. As the oil flows down from his head, to his beard, to his robes, it's giving us the picture that it is completely covering the person, covering his entire body. So as he writes of unity here, he is trying to show that for the people of God, the anointing oil for the priesthood, he's saying that is meant to be the same as unity amongst the body. Enveloping all of us and setting all of us apart and consecrating us for the purpose that the Lord has for us. Friends, as we are unified, as the local body of Jesus' church is unified, that is what allows us to be properly used by Him. That is what sets us apart ultimately to be what God has called us to be. And it's in unity that we are covered and that we are bound together for its purposes. But he even goes deeper than this as he talks about the dew of Hermon. Mount Hermon is a mountain that sits in the northern part of Israel, and it sits about 9,000 feet above sea level. It's the only mountain in Israel that remains snow capped for the majority of the year. And with it, and the vast difference of elevation, but also just in temperature, it's the only place where dew will stay on the ground all year round. So it's a picture of lush. It's a picture of green, which to a people who've lived in a dry and arid land, it's immediately, whenever they think of Mount Hermon, they think of something different than the majority of the land that they live in. Even the melting of the snow cap from Hermon is what allows the Jordan to rise and all of these things. Like it's giving life and sustenance and provision to a nation that needs it. It's a picture of the Lord's provision, but it shows us that the nation will be refreshed. Again, do we see that this is what unity does for the church? It's a picture of the Lord's provision for us. It's the picture of the Lord's refreshment for us. And for us, the New Testament church, thankfully, we have another incredible picture of something that came down to set us apart for his purpose and to refles refresh us by his provision. In Acts 2, we see the picture where he starts, and suddenly there came ahead come from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind. And it filled the entire house where they were seating, where they were sitting, and divided tongues of fire appeared to them and rested. It came down on each of them. As the Spirit came down and rested on them, what did this spirit do for the church? It empowered them, it set them apart. It refreshed them. It gave them a means in which they could finally go out and make the gospel known, but it unified them. Peter was able to preach to thousands of different people with different language and different dialect, yet they were unified under the Spirit. And thousands came to know, came to know the Lord that day. Like they were brought and created a oneness amongst them. This is what it does. This is how it unifies us. Paul expands on this idea in Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 6, as he talks about I, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling in which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience and bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. See, there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all. See, there is a difference. That is the reason why we as a church can come together with different backgrounds, with different races, with different socioeconomic status, with different reasons and ways in which we've all found ourselves in the midst of this room, but yet we can come together as one because of what Christ has done for his church. Even the nation of Israel, as they've spread apart from just the nation to come into Jerusalem, but even the parts of the known world with different dialects, different habits, different practices, different cultures, but being unified as they come to worship their Lord in the midst of their festivals. And we know that the church ultimately, one day, will be a grand picture of the unity of all of mankind. As John shows us in Revelation 7, that every tribe and every tongue will be represented in a great multitude as we give praise to the Lamb. See, God has provided for us a unity. Because, friends, as a world that is increasingly divided and noisy, friends, the church should be something different. But too often that's not what we're known for. Too often we're just a divided people that sit in the same room. But friends, what the unity of the church does is it makes the outside world behold something that is different, that is abnormal. And it gives us something to offer to the world that is around. How? Because ultimately it shows us a picture of something that was done for us. Which is our third point that I think this text shows us that unity is something that Jesus purchased. Unity is something that Jesus purchased. The latter half of verse 3. He says, for there, meaning the place of unity. For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, which is life forevermore. See, there is a place, this place of unity where life and life abundant is found. But how do we get to that place? We know it's something that ultimately the Lord provides for us, but ultimately, how do we get there? See, the beauty of us is we get the full entirety of God's word. We get that the story without any cliffhangers of what God's gonna do, how he redeems his people, how he unites his people. Because ultimately what the Lord sent down wasn't just anointing oil. Ultimately, what came down on the people wasn't just dew that nourished their lands and refreshed their lives. But ultimately there was a man. There was God Himself, who, though he sat on his throne with all things at his fingertips, he came down. He left the royalties of heaven and came down into our midst, ultimately to purchase the unity that we need, to bring us together as one. Ephesians 2 talks about this. As Paul writes, but now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off, you have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of the commandments expressed in the ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in the place of two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who are far off, and peace to you who are near. For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. See, Jesus, in Jesus, God was reconciling us to himself. Romans 5 tells us plainly that we were enemies of God in need of reconciliation. Enemies means we stood against him by nature. Ephesians 2, starting in the first half of it, it talks about that by nature we are children of wrath, intentionally choosing to follow after the ways of the Prince of the power of this world. We set ourselves against God. But what Jesus did by coming down into the midst of our filth, he bought us, he bought the reconciliation by Jesus' blood, unity and reconciliation with the Father has been purchased. But he doesn't just bring us to God, he brings us together. Note in verse 14, like I read just now, for he himself bore our peace and made us both one. There's this uniting. This is what Psalm 133 is trying to show us. That there is a uniting that God has done, not just to bring his people to himself, but to bring his people together. The cross doesn't merely create a vertical relationship between sinners and God. It creates a horizontal family amongst people who otherwise would have nothing in common. It's why we regularly say that you have more in common with a believer who lives on the other side of the world than a non-believer who lives in your same household. And in the reality of some of you sitting in this room now know what it's like to be in isolation in the midst of a home where no one else cares for the things of the Lord like you do, where no one else has surrendered their life to the Lord like you have. And the need for unity, the need for a church family, the need for a community to love you, to have this oneness amongst you. This is why Christianity is so beautiful, because it gives the church a place that is home. It gives them a place that unity happens. Because in all of us we have the commonality to know that Jesus has done the work to choose and redeem us all. My line of work lets me share the gospel a lot, which I love. And oftentimes I find college students in the midst of isolation and pain, and they just don't know where to go. And as I share the gospel with them, I never end my conversation saying, if you just repent and believe you're good, you're done, everything will change. No, I tell them the next step of being involved in the life of a church. The crossing, the walking with Jesus isn't just crossing a line and staying there. No, it's walking. It's finding people to come alongside you. I tell them regularly, and probably the majority of the college students in the room have probably heard me say it before. Jesus, yes, will always leave the 99 to go seek out the one, but he always brings that one back into the 99. His desire is not to shepherd you in isolation, but to shepherd you amongst the flock. This is what the beauty of the church and what unity is meant to be. And whenever we have this type of unity, friends, it is a testimony to what God can do. It validates his gospel. It's why Jesus, whenever literally death was before him. As he prayed in the midst of the garden, what did he ask for? In John 17, in verse 20, he says this, I do not just ask for these, meaning the apostles with him, but for everyone who follows them, everyone who believes in me through their word, meaning that Jesus in this moment is praying for us who sits in this room. He says this, that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us. For what reason? So that the world may believe that you have sent me. Friends, do you realize what our unity does? Our unity brings validation to the gospel. Our unity makes the world behold something different. This isn't just a choice not to bicker. It's more than that. That is an application of this text, I will say, like we should not be splitting churches over carpet color. We should seek to not grumble. But ultimately, we're ought to give the world a true picture of what community is, of what life is in the midst of God's people. Like I said earlier, why do we push small groups so much? Because if I've heard it once, I've probably heard it a hundred times. That sure sermons at Westside are great on a Sunday morning, maybe a little less great here recently, but you know, it's me. You know what really got me to stay and plant roots here? It's because I found my people. I tell students all the time, I think you only go to college for one reason, and it's to find your people. A degree is just a happen bonus. But you go to the BCM, you join a fraternity, a sorority, you you join a club, you do whatever it is because you're longing for people that you get to live life with. I think for a lot of you in this room, you found your life here at Westside because you found your people here. Or your kids found their people here, or your students found their people here. Why do we say that a core value of ours is to multiply? Because we know that unless we multiply, we're creating caps to where people can be apart. Yes, it's easy for small groups to stay as one. Yes, it's easy for small groups to just stay in the unity, but reality is that's selfish on behalf of membership. Because what's needed by the outside world is opportunity to come in and find people, to find the flock that will walk along with them as they follow their shepherd. Why are we, why do we start new equip classes? Why are we pushing it over the next couple weeks? Because what I've heard from the beginning of our college ministry growing is that people have the desire to meet new people. And you know what's one of the best ways to do that is to collectively join a class that has no age restriction, that has no life stage, that it's seeking to target, but rather the church at large, so that you can come together and find new people. Find a community, find people that have nothing to do with you, like what Julie said earlier, people that you can share life with, mistakes that you've made to give guidance to people who are making the same ones in the moment. Friends, we do all of this because we realize the need for people to have the opportunity to find biblical community. Friends, that's what's best for you. Believer, it's easy for us to isolate ourselves. It's easy for us to walk in on a Sunday morning and to leave and to never get to know a person around you. Because in that way, no one calls you on your sin. In that way you're never challenged to love God deeper. In that way you're never taught new ideals or new belief systems. In that way you can just go on existing. But the Lord has something better than just life, but life forevermore, life abundantly. This is the blessing that unity is meant to be. So, friends, for point of application, I think it's plain for us. Because Christ has made us one, we must live as one. This is a choice to continue. And in reality, this is a choice for some of us to actually start down this road. But how? Okay, you say that this is the application. What's the application? Well, friends, we've already read it. Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 3 again. He says, I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling in which you have been called. You know, that sounds a lot like a pilgrimage. That sounds a lot like an ascent. Not just a song we sing in a room, but a life that we we walk alongside one another, getting us to the place that ultimately the Lord desires for us to be. This is what unity is meant to do for us: a journey, a daily choice to pursue Christ and intentionally to pursue relationship with one another. How? Again, we see. Walk in a manner worthy in which you've been called, first with all humility and gentleness, knowing that there will be people on this journey that will mess up and more than likely hurt our feelings. But we meet them with gentleness, humility, and grace. With patience, bearing with one another in love. Meaning that sometimes people are just thick-headed. People just need to be reminded again and again that Christ calls us to something more. How does that happen whenever we walk together in life? Whenever we encourage one another in love, bearing those burdens with one another. Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bonds of peace. Basically, a wanting, a willingness to do this, an ultimate joy to live a life together. To willingly ask the person to come into your home, to willingly take a person to lunch as you walk out the doors, to willingly invite people into your life. Because while the world pushes us to isolation, church, what happens whenever we look like that? Behold something different that stands plain amongst our world. Behold. There are people that walk alongside one another, not just in the good times, but whenever death and cancer comes. Whenever pain and hardship arises, whenever animosity builds, whenever leaders leave. Yet they did not disperse, rather, they were unified, loving and caring and coming alongside one another. That's something vastly different than anything that the world has to offer. Whenever a people who together we see something that is good and is pleasant, and we get to be an aroma for the world around us, that we get to show the world what is truly desired by it, a people who want to dwell in unity. This is why we collectively as a church seek to serve parts of our community so that we can show that just like we want to be unified together, we want them to be unified with us. We do care about the vertical relationship with them and their Lord, and we care about the horizontal relationship with them and us. We want to bring them into our fold. This is why we seek to do things together, to love our community together, to come alongside one another together, because it helps the world see that God's church, that the bride of Christ, is something different. And in it you can find something more. First, for the person who sits in here in total isolation, away from your Lord. The one who sits and sees themself as the one far from the shepherd's gaze. Will you please see what Christ has done to bring you into his fold? The unity that he has purchased for you. No matter how far off you may steal, no matter how far away it may seem, no matter how many blemish or dirt that you may think you are carrying in, will you please see that Jesus has come down ultimately to reconcile you to your God? You need only turn to Him, cross the line into relationship with Him and then continue following after Him. Believer in the room, where do you find yourself? Isolating yourself? Removing yourselves from any sense of community. Think it's good enough to just come and be a part of a service and sing and listen to a sermon, but never really find yourself in the life of the church. Believer, will you please see that that is not good and that is not pleasant to you? That the Lord your God loves you and wants you in so much more. Believer, will you begin walking amongst the body, amongst the congregation? And church, will we be a people that makes the world behold? At West Side, we do whatever is necessary to invite people into the community, multiplying, sacrificing, intentionally bringing people in. Church. Do we reflect the oneness of Jesus? The unity that he made to have for his people. Father, how good and how pleasant it is whenever brothers dwell in unity. Lord, let that be said of us. Lord, please. For the one that feels far off, help them see that you have been pursuing them. And even in this moment, your desires that they see their need to turn to you. Lord, for us that have believed the lie of our world, that we can go at it alone. Lord, will you help us see that that is not healthy for us? That's not what satisfies us. And Lord, help us be. Help us be the place of your blessing. A place where we offer to the outside world life forevermore.