<p> Place: Lurgan Baptist 5:2:2017 about 2700 feet in elevation for the three annual feasts. ( Ex 23:14-19 ) Coming from whatever distant town they Reading: Psalm 133 called home, the pilgrims would make the long journey by foot, walking with their family and friends and UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL enjoying their holiday travel. They were eager for good times in the Holy City seeing friends again over the An old story tells of a father who had a family of feast and making sacrifices to the Lord. Now as they quarrelsome sons. One day he called his sons before journeyed together to Jerusalem they would sing these him and picking out the strongest of them, handed him a psalms together. I wonder has your family ever enjoyed stick. “ Snap it,” he said. The son did so with a gesture a sing along during a holiday journey in the car ? And of contempt. The man handed him two sticks. I wonder has that sing along ever been made marred “ Snap them,” he said. Again the son did so. The old by quarrels ? I mean, can you see them going up to man handed him ever increasing numbers of sticks. Jerusalem for one of the feast days in little family “ Snap them,” he said …. A bundle of four, five, six. groups and they are singing this Psalm ? ( Lk 2:41-52 ) Soon the young man was having to strain to snap the sticks, and finally he had to admit defeat. “ Unity is You say ‘ But does this Psalm apply to us ?’ Of course it strength,” the old man cautioned his sons. “ A house does. For we also have our ‘ family quarrels,’ and we divided cannot stand. Anyone can overthrow you one need to learn to walk together in love. Is this not what by one. But stand together, in unity, and your united God desperately desires for His people ? Is this not the strength will give your enemies second thoughts.” This one thing that Satan fears and works to undo ? My …. little psalm is about true unity, the unity of the Spirit, a this is what the Holy Spirit came to achieve in His unity that gives strength, and on which God pours His baptising work. It is what the Jews saw so convincingly blessing. ( Matt 12:25 ) displayed in the infant church at Jerusalem church …. a church where one and all, rich and poor, bond and free, David was King of Judah and Benjamin and ruled in great and small, young and old, gifted and retarded, had Hebron for seven-and-a-half years. He inherited a all things in common. My …. the unity God wants for divided kingdom, and almost a civil war, but then the His people is not a false ecumenism, it is not a unity Lord gave him a united kingdom. ( 2 Sam 5:1 1 Chron brought about by doctrinal compromise, political 12:38-40 ) David could have well written this psalm expediency, or organizational efficiency. No. For of the when he began his reign in Jerusalem. This is one of the early church we read that they “ continued steadfastly Ascent Psalms. ( 120-134 ) The Hebrew word in the apostles doctrine as well as fellowship.” “ Degrees or Ascents,” comes from a root that means ( Acts 2:42 ) My …. when we think about unity we’re ‘ to go up,’ as ascending a stairway. You see, in those thinking about a Scriptural, Spiritual Unity that is ancient days, the Israelites would travel to Jerusalem expressed through the local church. Did you know that Satan’s strategy for this church is “ to divide and should we work together ? How can we stay together ? conquer “? Satan’s motive is division, Satan’s What is the basis of unity in the church ? Can I suggest method is deception. Satan’s mission is destruction. to you that it is, I heard about a man one time who went on a boat deep- sea fishing, but he couldn’t swim. He caught an (a)THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST: enormous fish, and in his excitement to pull it into the boat, he fell overboard. He cried out, “ save me, I As seen in Aaron. Do you recall some time ago I told cannot swim.” Well, the captain of the boat very calmly you the story of Daddy Long Legs ? Our kids and reached out, grabbed the man by the arm, and gave a big grandchildren all know about Daddy Long Legs. Well, pull, but he didn’t know it was an artificial arm, and the Daddy Long Legs was originally a book by Jean arm came off. Well, the man, continued to kick and Webster it’s now a film. It is the story of a little girl in splash around crying for help. The captain reached out an orphanage and she knows that there is a wealthy man again, this time he grabbed his leg and gave a who provides for the orphanage. One days she sees his tremendous pull, but the leg came off because it was a shadow on a wall and because it’s an elongated shadow wooden leg. with tremendously long legs due to the position of the light she calls the shadow “ Daddy long legs.” For The man in the water went under again and he came up years she dreams of this shadow. But one day she meets yelling for help. The captain, still calm, this time him, and falls in love with him. He also falls for her and grabbed the man by the hair of his head, and gave a their relationship blossoms. Now what do you think gigantic pull. But the man was wearing a toupee and it happened when she got him ? Well, she stopped came off. At that point the captain looked at the man in thinking about the shadow because she had got the the water and said, “ Mister, if you won’t stick together substance. ( Unlocking the Bible David Pawson I can’t help you.” My …. if we are going to be p, 1120 ) victorious as a church and accomplish all that God wants us to accomplish, and be all that God wants us to Now in the Old Testament there are many “ shadows,” be, we must come together, we must work together, and or “ types,” or ‘ pictures,’ of the Lord Jesus. And we must stay together. So I want to talk to you this …. although Aaron was not Christ, during Christ’s absence on ‘ United we Stand, Divide we Fall.’ Notice, and during his own lifetime Aaron represented Christ. He reminded people of Christ. He was Israel’s first high (1) THE BASIS OF TRUE UNITY priest ( Ex 28:1 ) and of course Christ is our great high priest. ( Heb 4:4 ) To the Ephesian believers Paul said Somebody has said, ‘ Coming together is a beginning; three things about the church of our Lord. He compared keeping together is progress; but working together is the church to a building which has to do with the success.’ Well, why should we come together ? Why foundation of the church. He compared the church to a bride which has to do with the fidelity of the church. He had a Calvary ministry and He has a continuing ministry compared the church to a body which has to do with the at God’s right hand. The ointment went down to the function of the church. You see, you and I as believers skirts of his garment. It speaks of Christ in His Mercy: are ‘ brethren,’ because we are part of the body of For our Lord has a down to earth ministry, not just a Christ, of which Christ is the head. The word ‘ head,’ remote distant ministry in heaven, but a ministry that gives the sense of origin and source as well as leader touches us. That reaches down to where we are. My …. and ruler. My …. God gave His Son to be the head of He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. We the church which is His body and Christ is the Sole and can come to Him and find ‘ grace to help in time of Only Head of His Church. And just as my head ( brain ) need.’ ( Heb 4:16 ) controls my body so Christ is control of His body, the church. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if every member Standing somewhere in the shadow’s we’ll find Jesus was in subjection to the head ? He’s the One who cares and understands Standing somewhere in the shadows yes we’ll find You would never have a split, you would never have Him any shame on your church, you would never have And we’ll know Him by the nail prints in His hands members not speaking to one another. You would never have just a handful of saints at the prayer meeting. (b)THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS: Every member would be sensitive to the Head of the Church. Obeying His Word, seeking His face, and As seen in “ brethren.” “ Behold how good and exalting His name. Now if you look closely at this pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Psalm you’ll see Christ. John Phillips reminds us that ( 133:1 ) Of course the word ‘ brethren’ here refers to the oil was poured on Aaron’s head. It speaks of Christ the people of God. You see, the basis of true unity is not in His Majesty: We have anointed head in heaven. His only the headship of Christ but the fellowship of fragrance fills all heaven. Then the ointment went over Christians. Remember the church is not an organization Aaron’s beard. It speaks of Christ in His Manliness: but an organism. Its symbol for this age is a body not a for Christ was a true man, He was every inch a man, business. And this body comprises all who are born God’s man. Yet at the same time He was loving, again, born of God, born from above. Now we hear a lot gracious, kind and forgiving. He was never effeminate, today about unity and what unity is, so I want us to turn never weak, never anything less than a perfect man. for a moment to ( Jn 17: 20-21 ) Christ is praying for the Then the ointment ran down on Aaron’s garments. It unity of this church ? Now His prayer must have been speaks of Christ in His Ministry: For Aaron’s garments answered for Christ could not pray in vain. And if this is were the garments of a ministering priest. The Lord so, then it is a divine fact, a blessed reality that His Jesus came ‘ not to be ministered unto but to minister people are one. Marcus Rainford says ‘ Christ’s prayer and to give His life a ransom for many.’ ( Mk 10:45 ) He did not make this union a fact but it was the divinely appointed means of communicating the enjoyment of unity. this fact to His believing people, that in apprehending For to dwell above with saints in love their union, they might manifest it.” That’s why Paul That will indeed be glory says ‘ there is one body,’ ( Eph 4:4 ) This unity is a fact, To dwell below with saints we know it exists here and now. We are not called to create some Well, that’s another story ecumenical union, we are already one in Christ. Now do you notice here some of the features of this unity ? It is (2) THE BEAUTY OF TRUE UNITY</p><p>Organic not Organisational: ‘ That they all may be Do you see how David puts it in ( 133:1 ) ? “ Behold,” one as thou Father art in me and I in Thee.’ The Lord Now the word ‘ behold,’ in the Hebrew language would never meant for believers to be in a one world church. be our way of saying ‘ stop, look and listen.’ David is telling us that a fellowship that is united is a sight to Christian and not Christless: ‘ that they,’ who are the behold. Is there a more beautiful sight anywhere on the ‘ they, ? ( 14:2 ) those who have been given to Christ by earth, when God’s people are truly and Scripturally the Father: ( 14:6 ) those who have been given out of the united under the banner of the Lord Jesus, and under the world. ( 14:6 ) those who keep God’s Word, that could umbrella of his authority ? David tells how beautiful not be the World Council of Churches for they devalue true unity is, he brings before us two illustrations, one the Scriptures, decry the creation account, and write off from the sacred realm, and one from the secular realm, the Virgin Birth as a myth. one having to do with a ministering priest, the other with a mountain pasture. He tells us that there is, Doctrinal and not Dictatorial: Do you see that its unity in the truth for Christ prayed ? ( 17:17 ) It’s truth that (a) A FRAGRANCE ABOUT THIS UNITY: determines the bounds of unity. How can we have unity with those who Devalue the Scriptures, Deify the Saints Look if you will at ( 133:2 ) You see, at his ordination and Dishonour the Saviour ? Those who tell us that the the High Priest, Aaron was anointed with special oil that Son of the living God was the child of a German soldier. was compounded according to the directions God gave Now do you see the basis of this unity ? My …. to Moses. ( Ex 30:22-33 ) Now why is unity like oil ? ‘ the unity of the Spirit,’ ( Eph 4:4 ) is not a unity Well, in Scripture oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit brought about by some Charismatic, extra Biblical ( Is 61:1-3 Lk 4:17 Acts 10:38 ) The Holy Spirit is not experience indulged at the expense of sound doctrine, only the source of our unction, but He is the source of for the early church continued steadfastly in doctrine as our unity. ( 1 Cor 12:13 ) Now Aaron was charged with well as in fellowship. You see, what David was entering into the Holy of holies, but before he could concerned about, and what Christ is concerned about is enter he would be anointed with this fragrant oil. He the outworking of this unity, the manifestation of this was never to enter into God’s presence with the odour of the flesh clinging to him. He had to be washed and But we shall still be joined in heart, anointed so that the fragrance of God’s Spirit would be And hope to meet again clinging to him. My …. there is a sweetness, a freshness, a harmony about this unity. I wonder does (b) A FRUITFULNESS ABOUT THIS UNITY: that fragrance permeate your life ? Moreover did you notice that this anointing was diffusive ? I mean once “ As the dew of Hermon …. Zion,” ( 133:3 ) Hermon in this anointing was set in motion the oil did not cease the north was the highest of their mountains, and Zion flowing until the whole of Aaron’s body was covered. in the south was one of the lesser mounts in the land, but God sent His dew to both of them or if you prefer to My …. let me ask you a simple question. Has brotherly leave out the words in italic’s and read ‘ as the dew of love ceased to flow among us ? Has it ceased to flow Hermon descended on the mountains of Zion.’ Now why from your life ? Or is it only flowing in certain is dew so special ? Well, back in the days of David, directions, to certain Christians, in certain churches ? there was no irrigation and very little rain. Farmers were Dr. John Fawcett ( 1739-1817 ) was the pastor of a totally dependent on the morning dew to water their small but poor congregation at Wainsgate Yorkshire. His crops. I tell you, there was not a more beautiful sight to salary of £25-00 per year made life very difficult for a Hebrew farmer than that morning dew that he knew him and his wife. In 1772 he received a call to a larger was sent from God to water his crops. That dew meant church in London. He preached his farewell sermon. food for his table, clothing for his back, a home for his The wagons were loaded with his books and furniture, family. You see, the dew makes the land green, its and all was ready for his departure when his makes it fertile, it makes it fruitful, it increases congregation gathered around him and with tears in productivity. My …. what dew does for the land unity their eyes begged him to stay. His wife said “ Oh, John does for the church. Does this not reveal at least one John, I cannot bear this.” “ Neither can I,” said the reason why cause God’s fructifying blessing is preacher, ‘ we will not go. Unload the wagons and put withheld ? There is no biblical, true, God glorifying, everything as it was before.’ His decision was hailed Christ-centred, Spirit-empowered local based unity. with great joy by his people and he wrote these words to Sure, there is a false ecumenism, which dethrones commemorate the event. Christ, dishonours God, exalts popery, but this has nothing to do with Biblical unity. I am thinking about a Blest be the tie that binds practical demonstration of unity and love among the Our hearts in Christian love; Lord’s people. Do we know anything of it ? Or are we The fellowship of kindred minds marked by disgruntlement, division, dissention, and Is like to that above. disagreement ? “ Behold how good and pleasant it is When we asunder part, ….,” Out in California there are hugh redwood trees. It gives us inward pain; Some of them are 300 feet high and 2,500 years old. The inside of some of the trunks are so big that two or to get it ? “ There,” Where ? In the church where love three people, can stand inside of them. Now you would abounds, in the fellowship where unity reigns, there think that these trees have a tremendous root system that God commands the blessing. Now, reaches down hundreds of feet into the ground, but not so. The redwoods have a very shallow root system, (a) IN TERMS OF THE OLD TESTMENT: unlike the palm tree, whose taproot goes down into the ground as deep as the tree is tall. But the redwood has What did this mean ? What does the key word “ there,” no taproot at all. refer to in ( 133:3 ) Probably two things. It meant Zion and Jerusalem, for it is there God commanded His You see, a redwood never stands alone …. they are blessing. ( 132:13-18 Lev 25:21 Deut 28:8 ) And of always in clusters, groups and groves. Do you know course, where there is unity among His people. Now, why the might of the redwood tree is not in itself ? The secret of its strength is this. For every foot in height, the (b) IN TERMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: redwood sends its roots not down, but three times that distance out. In other words, if a tree is 300 feet tall, its What does this mean ? It means God’s blessing rests on roots go out 900 feet. If you could under the ground you a united church. Do you know something ? The Holy would find all of the roots of all those trees intertwined Spirit is grieved by a squabbling church. ( Eph 5:25 ) It so that one tree is not holding up itself, but every tree is is not where quarrels abound that souls are saved, and holding up the other. These trees are literally locked to that newborn babes grow. Do you what the keyword in each other so there is no way that one tree can fall the Book of Acts was ? “ With one accord.” ( Acts 1:13 down, it is held up by the strength of the other trees. 2:1 2:46 4:24 5:12 15:25 ) Do you know what that My …. is this not the real secret of the strength of a means ? ‘ Together in unity.’ Do you know something ? local church ? My …. the greatest advertisement for the Because they were united, “ there the Lord commanded gospel of Christ is not a billboard, a newspaper advert, the blessing.” They knew, or even a television programme, the greatest advertisement for the gospel is a church united under 1. The Blessing of EFFECTIVE PREACHING: the Lordship of Christ. ( Jn 17:21 ) Indeed if you look at ( 133:3 ) you’ll discover that David not only talks about For how powerfully, clearly, boldly, directly, Peter (1) (2) but, preached on the Day of Pentecost. No wonder the crowd were disturbed “ they were pricked in their heart,” (3) THE BLESSING OF TRUE UNITY ( Acts 2:37 ) Do you know what happened ? Three thousand were saved. Do you want to see souls saved ? “ For there, …. for evermore.” ( 133:3 ) Where ? I want Well, is it not time you made it right with your fellow- to know where God’s blessing is ? I want to know how believer ? Is it not time you stopped squabbling and slacking off other Christians in the meeting ? Are you, through a united witness. (1) (2) (3) am I the reason the dew of heaven is being withheld from this assembly ? D. L. Moody said, “ I have never Someone has said, “ the world at its worst needs the known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord’s church at its best.” The church at its best is one that is people were divided.” 1. filled with humility and love. And love and humility will promote harmony within the church. The pastor of 2. The Blessing of ATTRACTIVE LIVING: a large and growing church in the U.S.A. was asked the secret of the growth of the church that he ministered to. There was a joy about them. “ They did eat their meat Do you know how he responded ? He said, “ It rests on with gladness and singleness of heart,” ( Acts 2:46 ) My three things, our people love God, they love each other, …. have we lost the joy of the Lord ? The joy of Him and they love the lost.” It is there that the Lord is who said, “ these things have I spoken unto you that commanding “ the blessing, even life for evermore.” your joy might be full.” ( Jn 15:11 ) 1, 2, This is what the world is waiting for, …. for this church to show signs that we are one in Christ, for this believer 3. The Blessing of INSTINCTIVE SHARING: here, and that brother there, and that sister over there to reveal their oneness. When God see that, He will bless. “ And all the believed were together and had all things So let me leave you with this question, are we such common.” ( Acts 2:44-45 ) This was the body of Christ that God can bless us ? at work. This was the hand caring for the foot, this was the eye looking out for ear, this was love not law, this was compassion not compulsion. These believers were in love with the Lord and with each other. Are we ? Do we really care when another believer suffers physically, materially, financially, spiritually ? </p><p>4. The Blessing of CORRECTIVE TEACHING :</p><p>For this was no wishy washy, superficial, frothy, assembly for “ they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.” ( Acts 2:42 ) The sad commentary that is used of many local churches today is, “ anything goes there.” Well, anything did not go in the Early Church, and anything does not go here. But my …. do you see where this blessing flowed from ? It came from God</p>