Philippians 4:1

Some of you may remember a gentleman by the name of Ray Harkey, who used to sit right over here for many, many years. Ray went to be with the Lord just a short time ago. This next Saturday, we will be having a memorial service for Ray. If you're interested in coming to that, it's this next Saturday, June 20th, at 11 a.m. here in the sanctuary. If you remember Ray and would like to be a part of that memorial service, please come on out next Saturday as we gather with some of his family members to remember him.

When you get out your Bibles, we're going to be in the book of Philippians in just a moment. As we do, we remember and recognize that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Because it has been inspired and given to us by God, we are told that it is useful. It is useful to teach us what is true. When we begin to understand and recognize what is true and what is real, it helps us realize what is wrong. We see very quickly, in light of the truth of Scripture, the areas where we have fallen short and where we are wrong.

The awesome thing about the Bible is that it doesn't leave us in a place of despair, realizing how wrong we are. It also corrects us when we are wrong and provides further instruction to show us how to walk in righteousness. All of this is written for us in the New Testament, specifically in Second Timothy, chapter three, verses 16 and 17. The Apostle Paul goes on to say, after he speaks about the truth that Scripture gives, the correction it brings, and the way it instructs us in righteousness, that these things are given so we would be mature, that we would become complete, as he used the word, ready for every good work.

God has given us this inspired Scripture, the Word of God, the Bible, to make us mature and to make us more like Him.

We recognize that when we open the Scriptures, everything in these 66 books compiled for us is useful. It is all useful. Every page is important. I am convinced that in every verse, God wants to teach and instruct us, giving us insight about Him, who He is, who we are in light of who He is, and how we are to live.

We are also told in the Scriptures, in Hebrews chapter four, that the word of God is living and powerful. Because it is a living word to us, there are certain times, due to specific circumstances in our lives, when certain passages of Scripture are more applicable than others. God has an awesome way of directing us to those passages, the perfectly right passage at the perfectly right time.

As I have been reading through and studying this passage this week, I believe we are at one of those passages that is the right word for us at the right time for our church. Frankly, as I was putting together the teaching schedule earlier in the year, I looked out over the year to determine where we would be in certain passages of Scripture. My plan today was to go through Philippians chapter four, verses one through nine, covering nine verses and looking primarily at what it has to say about a life without anxiety.

How many of you would like to live a life without anxiety? Good. Come back next week because we are going to talk about that then. However, as I was reading through that and focusing on it, I got stuck. I became hung up on verses one through three because I believe it is the right word for us at the right time.

A few weeks ago, on a Wednesday night, I gathered with a friend of mine. Some of you may know him; his name is Victor Marks. He has been a friend of our church and has a ministry that God has led him to, both here in the U.S. and in many other parts of the world. We got together for a time of prayer, and all I can say is that it was clearly a time of genuine spiritual warfare. I really appreciated the opportunity to pray with my friend Victor, who is not only skilled in physical warfare—being a sixth-degree black belt in Kei Chido martial arts—but also possesses spiritual strength, I believe.

The next day after that, I shared this with the church a few weeks ago.

The day following that time of prayer with Victor, some of our staff members found a package. I shared this with you in our parking lot; it was a basket with a dead chicken inside of it, its head cut off. The head was in there too, along with a couple of dead fish and some other miscellaneous weird things. I thought, "OK, that's strange."

Then, the following Saturday, just a couple of days later, I had to call the Escondido Police Department to file an incident report about some wild accusations that were made against me on an online social media platform. In the last three weeks, as I reflect on the things that have been happening here at our church, it has become very clear that we are in a very real spiritual battle.

Now, I'm not a hyper-spiritual kind of person, but I do recognize, as we studied not too long ago in the book of Ephesians, specifically Ephesians chapter six, verse twelve, that we are indeed in a spiritual battle. The Apostle Paul writes that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you understand this reality: there is a spiritual dynamic to the walk we are in, the life we are living. There is a spiritual battle that we face. You did not experience this before you were a Christian, but now that you are, you understand it to a greater extent. We wrestle not against flesh and blood; there are spiritual things happening around us.

This spiritual battle is always occurring. I often describe it as a cold war, always going on under the surface, manifesting in various ways. However, there are times when that cold war rises to the surface and becomes more intense for a period of time. Over the last three weeks, I have seen this in a significant way through these spiritual attacks.

The Apostle Paul also tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians that we are not ignorant of the ways of the enemy. He refers to them as the devices or schemes of the devil. We are not unaware of his tactics; they tend to be the same over and over again. He uses the same basic weapons against the church, the body of Christ, as he comes against us. They are well-worn tools, instruments, and weapons.

The problem is that sometimes we arrogantly let down our guard, thinking, "Oh, you know..."

We can handle this. That's when we take heed, thinking we stand, lest we fall. His well-worn tactics come against us, and one of the most effective tools, one of the most effective weapons that the enemy has in his arsenal, is the weapon of division. Our leadership has seen this in a greater way over the last three weeks. It is very clear that the enemy has been seeking to divide us, the body of Christ, this church, this local church.

Only a church, over the last 2,000 years of church history, has been rendered useless and ineffective, and some even destroyed, by the weapon of division. Therefore, we as a church, as the people of God, need to be on guard. We need to be aware and not be ignorant of the schemes, the devices, the tactics, and the weapons of the enemy. I am absolutely convinced that God, by His sovereign direction, had it be that we would be in this text that we are going to be looking at today: Philippians chapter four. You can open your Bibles there if you'd like, Philippians chapter four, only the first three verses.

I am convinced that God placed us here for such a time as this because all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is useful; it is living and powerful. Before we even read the text, I want to give you point number one on your outline for your sermon guide in your bulletin this morning: Point number one, division destroys joy.

After you've written that down, Philippians chapter four, would you stand with me? We will begin at verse one. The Apostle Paul, 2,000 years ago, was inspired by God, by His Spirit, to write this: "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my dearly beloved, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life."

Father, would You speak to us today? Would You open our hearts and our ears?

Our minds to hear and receive from Your Word and by Your Spirit. Would You help us to glean application from this text that would be relevant to where each of us is? Lord, I pray against division. I pray against the deceptive and divisive work of the enemy that seeks to destroy the unity You have brought to Your church, to Your people.

I pray that You would enable us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, because in You there is one body and one Spirit, just as we were called in one hope of our calling. You are one Lord, one faith, and one baptism for the glory of one God, the Father of all, who is above all and through us all and in us all. God, we pray against the deception and division that the enemy would love to bring to Your people, who are called to bring glory to Your name.

So would You help us to be aware, to be on guard, and to put on the whole armor of God? May we be those who have the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, and the helmet of salvation. May our feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and may we have the shield of faith with which we will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. Lord, may we wield the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word, and be those who are praying always.

God, work in us, Your church, for Your glory and for Your namesake. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, Amen. You can be seated.

In the previous 82 verses that we've studied together over the last nine weeks here in Philippians chapters one, two, and three, we have seen a lot of great encouragement that the Apostle Paul has written to the gathering of Christians who lived in a city called Philippi 2,000 years ago. He has spoken a lot about joy, rejoicing, peace, and contentment. That's why this book has often been referred to as the letter of joy or the epistle of happiness. This is also why our series has been called "Happy," and you know it.

And this letter, among Paul's other letters of the New Testament, is unique in that it is primarily joyful. There is not a lot of caution, challenge, rebuke, or correction in this letter. Many of Paul's letters were corrective because he was writing to people who are imperfect, and from time to time, we need correction. Amen. However, this letter stands out. In the previous 82 verses, there has been really no correction, and after the verses we will look at today, there will be no correction.

Nestled in this little opening passage of Philippians chapter four, there is one, maybe two if you read verse three into it as well, words of corrective rebuke. Notice how Paul begins Philippians chapter four, verse one: "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord."

In this first verse of Philippians chapter four, Paul uses five different terms of endearment to refer to the Christians in the city of Philippi, which reveals his heart for this group of people that occupied that church in that city. Paul had a close relationship with them. He calls them his beloved and refers to them as his longed-for brothers and sisters. He truly desired to be with them.

We have already seen that back in Philippians chapter one, he expressed his hope to be released from his current situation in Rome so that he could visit them again. He says, "You are my beloved and longed-for brothers and sisters." He adds, "You are my joy." When Paul thought of the Christians that made up the church in the city of Philippi, he was filled with joy. They were, to him, his joy. Not only that, they were his crown. They were, if you will, like a prize in his ministry—someone he pointed to when he talked about all the great things that God had done in and through his life over two and a half decades of ministry. This would be the group that he would say...

Those are the ones that every time he would share it, he just goes, "I can't tell you about the church of Philippi, how wonderful they are. They're my joy. They're my crown." A second time, he calls them his beloved, revealing the heart that he had for them. Paul genuinely loved the church at Philippi.

Not that he didn't love the other Christians in the city of Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, or Galatia, where Paul had been. But quite frankly, when Paul ministered in Corinth, he had nearly nothing but trouble. In Ephesus, he was constantly in a place of contention with the people. In Galatia, he was in one city in a region called Galatia, specifically Lystra, where they dragged him outside of the city, stoned him with rocks, and left him for dead. You can see why he might have some animosity, maybe just a little, as he thought about Galatia.

However, there was something about the Philippian church that whenever he thought about them, he would say, "They are my joy. They are my crown, my longed-for brothers and sisters." If he could go anywhere, he would want to go to Philippi. That would be Paul's remark. He is the only one he writes to while he is in prison, saying, "If I get out of this, I'm coming to see you guys." You can sense the special place that the Philippian church had in Paul's heart. There was a deep relational connection between Paul and the Philippians.

Point number two on your outline: There is no joy without connection. I have shared this many times before because this is a part of who we are as a church. We were created to live life in connection with God and one another. When God originally designed us, as described in the Bible in the book of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, the book of origins, He fashioned us in His image. He created you and me to live in an unhindered relational connection with Him. He made us to be united with Him. That's why He created us in His image. Humanity is unique among all of God's creation because He actually took the time to make us in His image, connected with Him. But not only did He intend for us to live life in connection with Him,

But He intended that we would live life in connection with one another. This was true thousands of years ago, it is true now, and it will be true until the Lord returns and takes us to be with Him. It is not good that man should be alone. In Genesis chapter two, verse 17, as God beheld His creation, there in the midst of His creation was man, whom He had made in His image. He said, "It is not good that man should be alone."

Now, Adam didn't realize that yet. He was the first man described in the book of Genesis. God, by a very unique way, revealed to Adam that it was not good for him to be alone. The book of Genesis describes how God caused all of the animals that He had created to pass before Adam. It was committed into Adam's care to give them names. As these animals passed by, Adam observed something rather interesting: there was a part and a counterpart. There would be a lion and a lioness, a bull and a cow, a stallion and a mare. But the Bible says there was not found a helper comparable to Adam.

Adam came to the same conclusion that God had spoken of previously: it is not good that man should be alone. The Bible describes that God caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and from his side, God took something. Most English translations say a rib, but that is not the best translation. God fashioned a woman from that and brought her to man. From one, God made two, with the intent that He would join them together as one. As they were joined together as one, they would multiply and create more, fostering connection and the experience of this oneness relationship. That is how God intended it.

However, if you've read through the Bible before, when you get to chapter three of Genesis, you know that things change. In chapter three, the deception of the deceiver, who causes division, comes in the form of the serpent. Through the deceptive work of the devil, we see that something new entered into the realm of man: sin. Through sin came death, and death means separation and division. Thus, in the very early words of Scripture, Genesis chapter three, we see that there was a division; connection was lost because of the fall. Connection with God was severed, and immediately following that, God came down into the garden.

To commune with, to fellowship with Adam and Eve, God asks, "Adam, where are you?" This question highlights a separation, a division where the connection was lost. It is not just the connection between God and man that was severed, but also the connection among humanity. There was shame and fear, and ever since that point, there has been a loss of connection. All humanity is born into a broken world, and we all recognize this at the deepest core. Whether a person believes in God or the Bible or not, there is a recognition that we are broken and that this brokenness involves division.

We see division throughout the world. We observe it in our own country, whether it is racial division, economic division, or educational division. All these divisions exist in the fallen world in which we live. This is the reality of what we see around us. However, we were created for connection, and there is joy in that connection. This understanding is part of why our name is called Cross Connection. It also informs our vision of life in connection with God, one another, and the world through Jesus.

Much of this comes from a passage of Scripture in the book of Ephesians. If you turn one book to the left from Philippians, you will find Ephesians, specifically chapter two. In Ephesians chapter two, verse 13, the Apostle Paul, the same author of the book of Philippians, writes, "But now in Christ Jesus," which describes the experience of the Christian. If you are a Christian today, you are in Christ Jesus.

Paul continues, "You who once were far off, you once were disconnected and separated, have been brought near by the blood of Christ." You were alienated and separated, but He has brought you near. In verse 14, Paul states, "For He, Jesus Himself, is our peace." There once was enmity; there was warring and division between God and man because of sin. We see the reality and manifestation of this division and warring constantly, but He, Jesus Himself, is our peace.

And what has He done? He has made both those who were divided one, and He has broken down the middle wall of separation—the division that was created because of sin and death. Jesus has broken that down. Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, the warring, the division, He destroyed it in His flesh, the law of commandments contained in ordinances. Thus, He created in Himself one new man from the two, making peace.

That He, Jesus, might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the warring entity. He came and preached this good news, this gospel. Jesus came and preached this peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Now, look at this verse 19. Therefore, you Christians who are in Christ, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. We were once far off; we were once disconnected from God and from one another because of sin and death, as described in Genesis chapter three at the time of the fall.

But Jesus Christ came to this earth to bring us near, to bring us back together. He does this as He takes all of that sin that brings division and takes it upon Himself. The Bible describes in the Gospels, Luke and John, that Jesus took all of that sin upon Himself. On the cross, He bore the judgment upon that sin that was causing separation and death. He died on the cross, was buried in the tomb, and three days later, He rose from the dead.

Through His resurrection, He claims victory over sin and death, making it possible for those warring, far-apart ones to be brought back together once again. The Bible describes Him, 700 years before He came, as the Prince of Peace—the Prince of Peace who has made warring and separated parties one by destroying the very thing that caused the separation in the first place: sin and death.

He did this by dying for our sins on the cross 2,000 years ago, and then He Himself restores. He reconciles us back to God and back to one another.

Now look around this room real quick. Just look around at all the different people that are in this room: different races, different nations of origin, different languages of origin, different socioeconomic categories, and different educational backgrounds. This is what happens within the body of Christ. What Jesus does is reconcile people. This is the only place where you see this.

In fact, as you look around, there are people in this room that, if it weren't for what Jesus has done in His church, you might see them walking down the street and choose to walk on the other side. It's just a reality. There are people within the body of Christ, and I've said this to people before: it's a miracle that we're friends. Apart from Jesus, we would never interact with each other, but He reconciles us. This is the very thing that the world is desiring and looking for.

People are constantly trying to develop community. They are trying to bring people together to have this and to destroy all the things that divide. Our nation is really committed to this. They are trying to find ways to restore and bring that sort of unity back. Most of the time, it just causes more trouble because Jesus is the one who reconciles.

Beyond that, He who came and preached this good news of peace has now given you, if you're a Christian today, the ministry of reconciliation. You have been reconciled to God and reconciled to one another. He has given you this ministry and the message that brings restoration and reconnection—the very thing that humanity is desiring. You have that message. I have that message. It has been committed to us.

In fact, you're in Ephesians chapter two. Again, turn two books to the left. You will pass Galatians and then Second Corinthians. Look at Second Corinthians chapter five. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse 18, written by the same author, the Apostle Paul, the same guy who wrote Philippians and Ephesians, writes this: "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself." He has restored us back to relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ.

Given to us who have been reconciled is the ministry of reconciliation. That is, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, in verse 20, we Christians are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us to the world. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God. Our mission, our vision here at Cross Connection Church, is life in connection with God, one another, and the world through Jesus. We have been brought back into connection with God and one another through the cross of Christ. Cross Connection—that's where that comes from. That's what it's all about. That is the gospel message summed up in a simple statement: life in connection with God, one another, and the world through Jesus.

Point number three on our outline is that we were created for connection. We were created for this. God made us to experience this oneness, this unity, and relationship with Him and with one another. This is why Jesus, on the last night that He was alive, in John chapter 17, prays to God the Father and says, "Father, I pray that you would make them one as I am one with You. Make them one." That was His last prayer for the church.

What do you think the enemy, our adversary, the devil, wants to do? He wants to come back in and divide to bring destruction. This connection comes through the cross of Christ. It is found only in the Lord. It is interesting that Paul, back in Philippians chapter four, as he addresses his beloved, longed-for brothers and sisters, his joy and his crown, says to them, "Stand fast in the Lord." This joy of connection is found only in Christ.

So Paul says, "Stand fast, stand firm on the foundation in the Lord. Don't be moved from that place." This is a reoccurring theme throughout Paul's letters. He is constantly calling out to and exhorting Christians to stand firm in Christ. Don't be moved from that position, because that is the only place where this kind of connection and joy are found. He says that to his brothers and sisters whom he loved there in Philippi, but the enemy wants to come in and disrupt and destroy this connection.

Bring division. That's what he did in Genesis chapter three. That's what he's been trying to do for thousands of years, and he's very effective at it. Look at the fracturing in what is called the church. There are 2 billion Christians in the church throughout the world, yet there is a lot of fracturing within the church because the enemy is very good at causing division. Division causes ineffectiveness; it causes the work of God to cease to be effective.

Look at what Paul does as he exhorts the Christians whom he loved, his joy and his crown, his beloved, there in the city of Philippi. In Philippians chapter four, verse two, he implores, begs, and beseeches them to be of the same mind in the Lord. He calls out to them to be, as he would say, reunited. He uses the term "reunited" because in the very next verse, Philippians chapter four, verse three, Paul mentions two individuals, these ladies, Euodia and Syntyche. They used to be co-laborers with Paul, but something has changed, and now there is division between them. He says, "I beg you that you would be restored to each other, that you would be of the same mind."

In 82 verses, Paul has done nothing but speak of great things like joy, rejoicing, contentment, and peace—no challenge, no correction, no rebuke. Now he comes down to this and says, "Listen, I’m going to use your names, Euodia and Syntyche. I'm going to call you out and immortalize your names in Scripture for all time. You need to stop it." You might think that this could have made some people uncomfortable in the church of Philippi. You would hope to have your name written in one of the Apostle Paul's letters, but not like that.

Why does Paul do this? Well, point number four on your outline: division must be corrected. Division must be corrected because it destroys connection. It destroys joy.

And so Paul says, "I beg you that you would be reunited, that you would be of the same mind. You'd be restored to one another and that this division would stop." The enemy is very good at creating division. We don't know what the division was between these two ladies. We know they are women because he refers to them as "these women" in the church. We have no clue what the problem was, but the church in Philippi knew about it. Paul heard about it, even though they didn't have text messages or Twitter, and he was 800 miles away. He heard about what was going on there. It was significant enough to cause disruption.

As members of a church, we can use our imaginations about what might cause division between two women in the church, but we won't speculate. At the core of this, you can be guaranteed that this was the work of the enemy, trying to destroy the work of God and the church. It was a big enough deal that Paul said this needs to be dealt with. In the New Living Translation, Paul says, "I appeal to you, please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. Deal with it, whatever it is." In the New King James Version, we read, "Be of the same mind."

It is very interesting because prior to this point, Paul has exhorted the Christians at Philippi eight times in the previous 82 verses to be like-minded, to be of the same mind, and to be unified in mind. In Philippians chapter one, verse 27, he says, "With one mind, work together for the faith of the gospel." In Philippians chapter two, verse two, he said, "Make me happy by being like-minded." In Philippians chapter two, verse three, he said, "In lowliness of mind, esteem others better than yourself." In Philippians chapter two, verse five, he said, "Be like-minded with Jesus." In Philippians chapter two, verse 20, he said, "Timothy is like-minded with me."

In Philippians chapter three, verse 15, he said, "A mature-minded Christian leaves the past behind, forgets the past and all the issues and all the things that have hurt you, and they press on toward the future." In Philippians chapter three, verse 16, he said, "Let us therefore be of the same mind." In Philippians chapter three, verse 19, he says, "Carnally minded people set their mind on the things of this world."

Now, here in Philippians four, verse two, he says, "I beg you, be of the same mind." This points in a specific direction, and I think that this might be the case. Many commentators have noted on this passage.

Philippians chapter four, verse two, reveals the purpose for why Paul wrote this letter. He makes eight references, encouraging the believers to be like-minded, to be unified in their work. Then he addresses two women directly, urging them to straighten up and settle their disagreement. We don't know the specifics of the problem between them, but one great preacher, L. R. Deadman, referred to these two ladies as odious and soon touchy. There might be some wisdom in that observation.

In another one of Paul's letters, he emphasizes that there should be no schism, no division within the body of Christ. Division and schisms within the body are like cancer; they will destroy the body of Christ. Therefore, point number five on your outline is that division must be eradicated at all costs. Why? Because Jesus, in Matthew chapter 12, states in verse 25, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided will not stand."

Paul, working by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, calls out to the church. The Greek word "parakaleo" is used when he says, "I implore you." He is coming alongside them, urging them to be restored to one another. In Philippians four, verse three, he continues, "I urge you also." Here, he is directing his letter away from the two women and addressing an individual in the church at Philippi. This person is referred to as a true companion, a fellow yoke-fellow in the ministry. We do not know who this individual is; he or she remains unnamed.

Paul instructs this true companion to help the women who labored with him in the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of his fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Paul emphasizes the need for this individual to reach out and assist in resolving the issue. Sometimes, there is a need for a mediator.

When you have two warring parties, a mediator comes in to help mediate and fix the problem. That's exactly what happened between us and God. The conflict was so difficult on our end against God, with us fighting against Him, that God sent a mediator to deal with that. Who is the mediator? We find in First Timothy, chapter two, verse five, that there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the mediator.

Paul calls out to a person at the church at Philippi, saying, "Listen, help these women fix this." These women used to be co-laborers, which implies that they are no longer working together. It suggests that the work has ceased. Division causes the ministry and work of God to stop. Therefore, Paul emphasizes the need to deal with this issue. Uodia and Syntyche must work it out and settle their dispute, whatever it may be.

Why is this important? Look at the last eight verses of verse three. I think they are significant. These verses remind us that the divisions, disagreements, and disputes within the body of Christ occur among people whose names are in the book of life. This means we must deal with these issues because we will be with them for eternity. The enemy would love to disrupt this church and every church through division.

I have found that nine times out of ten, or maybe even ten times out of ten, when division happens in the church, gossip is at its core. Titus chapter two, verse three states that gossip destroys. The Greek word translated as gossip is "Diabolos," which means it is the work of the devil. Paul calls out to this church because it is crucial for the work of the ministry at this great church in Philippi. He insists that this needs to be settled and urges them to be of the same mind. He has already shared with them eight times the importance of being like-minded, to be like-minded with Jesus, to be like-minded with one another, and to follow the pattern of the Apostle or of Timothy.

Who was like-minded with the Apostle Paul to not be carnally minded? Like those who are of the world, who set their minds on earthly things, you are citizens of heaven. Your names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. If you're a Christian today, there ought not to be any schism. There ought not to be any division within the body.

She asked, "How do I deal with it?" Jesus gives us some great information, and this is actually in the Sermon on the Mount. You could turn there if you'd like. Matthew chapter five, right before Mark, Luke, and John, and right after the Book of Malachi. In Matthew chapter five, Jesus is teaching His disciples. He says this in verse 23: "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, or you have something against your brother, leave your gift before the altar, go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

If you come to church to serve in children's ministry, to sing worship songs, to give an offering, or to study the Bible together, and there you remember that there's an issue between you and a brother within the body of Christ, go, leave your gift at the altar, and deal with it. Be reconciled, because God created us to live life in connection. There is no joy apart from it. There is no joy where division is, so division must be corrected. It must be eradicated at all costs. Amen.

Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father God, thank You for Your Word and for this short three-verse exhortation. Lord, I pray that we would receive the word of exhortation, even if it is small, and that our lives would be affected for the better because of it. Lord, transform us as we prepare to go from this place today. And God, would You bring restoration of relationships? If there is any division here, let there be no root of bitterness that springs up and defiles many. And God, may we not see the work of this fellowship...

This church has come to a halt because of the sand of division getting in the gears of what is going on. Would you pour out the oil of your Holy Spirit to free any of that up? Lord, may we be a church that brings glory to your name. Help us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We desire that you would be honored and glorified by the light that shines from this body. Tomorrow, each person in this room will carry your light into places of darkness, becoming bright shining lights of your glory. We aim to extend this life and connection that we have with you and with one another to those in the world.

We thank you and praise you in Jesus' name. And all those that agreed said, Amen.