R sbc
Date: Aug 71th 2005
Sunday Morning
Series: Christ the Sum & The substance of The Bible
Subject: “Christ the Cause For The Plea of Unity”
Text: Php 2:1-1-4
Sermon # 53
Intro: I believe that all who hear me this morning would agree without exception that unity is necessary. I would say in the church, and in the home, it is necessary for the survival of both these institution.
David said that Psa 133-1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Unity can be said to be necessary because it pleases the LORD, and all that pleases the LORD mut be worked at: Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The reason for unity is stated: Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
I... “ THE CAUSE FOR UNITY”..VS 1
Paul uses the first class condition.. “IF” this word can and sometimes is translated “since” lets read it like that. He mentions four golden causes for his plea for unity...
(1.) The encouragement in Christ: vs 1
The word is translated “consolation, but better render and understood when we see that it means encouragement... When we see Christ in all things, and in all situation we begin to see how that is a great cause for unity.
We view his work and quickly our minds move to unity
a. we all agree this morning that Jesus Christ came, Luke 2-11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savor which is Christ the LORD.
b. We all agree this morning that Jesus Christ was actively working at an early age doing his fathers will... Luke 2:46-52
c. We all agree this morning that Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom, and we should likewise do the same...
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
D. We must all agree this morning that Christ died for his people, that he was buried and that he rose again...that should motivate us to unity.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
(2.) The Comfort of his love should motivate us to unity: vs 1
Nothing like knowing that someone really loves you, that they think about you, that they have your interest in mind. God has put that in us. We know our parents love us, our siblings sometimes love us, our preachers loves us, we love one another. But to know that GOD really loves us should move us to strive for unity above all things...
Eph 3-19 “ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
When there is a tendency to move away from what we have been called to, in this text unity, then think of the great benefits we have received from the love of God, and of Christ our saviour. That and that alone should drive us into a determination above all things to seek to please him who hath loved us and called us with a holy calling.
John 11: 36 “ Then said the Jews, behold how he loved him.” This was not just weeping over his death, for in his knowledge he knew that Lazarus was going to live again shortly. It was that internal everlasting love he had for him as one of his own.
(3.) The Fellowship of The Holy Spirit should move us to unity: vs 1
We know that we are quickened by the Holy Spirit Eph 2-1, We know that Christ promised not to leave us comfortless, but would send the Spirit in his name, and he did Acts 2-1. Therefore there is a fellowship of the Holy Spirit...
It is through the Holy Spirit of God that we fellowship with Christ... Paul said,
Phi 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
We know that he points us to Christ, he draws us, he enlightens us, he seals us, he comforts us, all these things should cause us to be determined to strive together for the unity of faith.
(4.) The affection he had for us and still has it: vs 1 “ bowels”
The Greeks believed that the internal organs of humans was their affection, so he is expressing it by using this word.
Psa 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. The affections that Paul had for these people at Philippi is so stated using this very word:
Php 1:8 “ For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. That is he longed for them in his affections.
It is the duty of Christians to put this type of affections on for each other. Listen to what he said in another text:
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
II... THE FRUIT IT PRODUCES ..VS 2
Paul in writing this epistle is telling them that when they do everything there is to do to accomplish this great task of unity, and then accomplish it to a certain degree it causes great joy in him.
The word “Fulfill” means to literally it means in the greek to cram to the very top, make my joy so full that it cannot be any fuller. It means also to execute it. What joy it is to see a church in unity...
John the Baptist said:
Joh 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Jesus Christ said:
John 15:11 “ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that my your joy might be full.
Same word Paul used, to be crammed to the top. What a joy it is to filled with the joy of the things of the LORD. What things had Christ spoken unto them that should cause great joy in their heart...
(1.) That without him we could do nothing: chapter 15:5
(2.) As the Father love him so he loved us: John 15:9
(3.) That he loved us so much that he would lay down his life for us: John 15:13
Christ gives us a privilege as he did his first disciples that will produce joy in our hearts, listen to what he said:
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full...
That beloved disciple and Apostle of Jesus Christ, said and I believe it: I John 1:4 “ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full...
There is a joy in:
(1.) Being saved this morning:
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
I can honestly tell you this morning that you can know that you are saved, not by your feelings, not by your doctrine, but by what the word of the LORD says...In the book of 1st John he list a number of things that can assure your hearts this morning that you are saved your name is written in heaven.
I John 2: 3- Keep his commandments
I John 2: 5-6 “ By walking as he walked”
I John 2:29 “ Living righteous
I John 3:14 “ Because we have passed from death to life”
I John 3:24 “ By the Holy Spirit that he has given us”
I John 5:1 “ If we believe”
I John 5:4-5 “ If we overcome
(2.) There is joy in knowing the truth:
What a joy it is to know all the truths that GOD has taught us here at this church, not that we know and have all truths...but a joy to have what we have. Many people don’t know what we know this morning.
Moses was told by God himself:
Ex. 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
(3.) There is joy in seeing people saved:
If there is joy in heaven then there should be joy in us...Luke 15: 7, verse 10 What a joy when someone acknowledges Christ. Maybe this is the day for someone here to come to Christ, to fall upon him, rather than have him fall on you, what must I do preacher believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
III... “THE HOW OF UNITY”..VS 3-4
How do we do it, how do we maintain it? Good questions, because of our nature it so easily removed from us...Paul gives simple solution to it.
(1.) The negative he shows: Strife and vain glory vs 3
(2.) By promoting one another over self: vs 3 & 4
What a challenge this morning, for us to do this...but we must work at, at all cost, to us and that we esteem others before ourselves and it will work...