Generated Transcript:
one of the terms that we are hearing a
lot of and it’s a new term relatively to
me is social distancing with the virus
and with the panic with the fear that
has settled over many places there’s
caution that ought to be advised and one
of the things because the virus is
contagious is the need at times to stay
apart at least until we can get past
this epidemic social distancing and as
children of God that’s not a term that
we necessarily are fond of because we
like to be together one of the things
that the first century church was known
farlis spending time together often on a
daily basis they enjoyed fellowship and
they enjoyed company so it’s so what a
strain for us and this hopefully very
temporary time of social distancing to
maintain our spiritual fellowship and
our spiritual well-being with each other
so I want to think about five things
that I hope will help us while or when
we are apart well then when we are apart
physically there are some ways that
we’re still together and I want to think
about and share with us these things and
hopefully that will encourage you I said
while the social distancing may be an
issue for a little while our spiritual
closeness will maintain and even grow
stronger while we’re apart physically
we’re together number one in heart Acts
chapter four that time that we talked
about for those Christians those early
Christians the church had just
gun and it speaks of them as a large
group and it said the multitude of those
that believed were of one heart and one
soul and they didn’t say that anything
they possessed was their own but they
had all things in common one of the
things that we like to watch on
sonograms is we like to watch the little
heartbeat of a baby and and and to see
that pulse and there see that beat and
have it that we come together as the
church we come together as the people of
God with one heart and as they’re
described in Acts chapter 4 what we have
we may have a piece of paper that shows
the title for it but it ultimately all
belongs to God because we’re stewards
and and we would never withhold from
others that needed it because we have
that one hard mentality in Colossians
chapter 3 in verse 22 there were those
at that time that were slaves and they
were instructed to be obedient to their
masters according to the flesh and all
things not doing things with eyeservice
as men pleasers
but in singleness of heart fearing God
there’s just something special about
being a Christian there’s something
special about being in Christ there’s
something special about being brought
together by the blood of Jesus Christ
with a common decision with a common
commitment and with a common goal and
with a common purpose and with a common
lifestyle and with a common learning
process and it’s as if we together
though different ages different
backgrounds different vocations have a
singular heartbeat together isn’t it
just a little bit interesting that the
Bible so often uses the word
or when it’s not talking about the
physical heart but we think about the
physical heart as being that central
part in our body and that central part
from which everything else flows
generally speaking when the Bible talks
about the heart it’s really talking
about the mind it’s really talking about
our mental comprehension it’s really
talking about those feelings that come
from our mind and those emotion but it
uses so often that word hard and while
we may be apart physically we are
together in hard secondly while we’re
apart physically we’re together in mind
and that was kind of the reference we
made about the heart and how that it
really wasn’t the physical heart in
Philippians chapter 1 in verse 27 the
Apostle says only let your conduct be as
it becomes the gospel of Christ one
translation says your conversation the
way you live he said let it be like the
gospel of Christ he said whether I come
and see you or not I’m absent he said I
can hear what’s going on with you that
you stand fast in one spirit striving
together with one mind for the faith of
the gospel now it would be very easy to
talk about the fact well all of us have
different minds and all of us think
about different things and we’ve all put
different things into our minds but as
Christians there’s there’s a single
focus as Christians there’s a a single
mindset you remember that verse let this
mind flip Ian’s chapter to be in you
which also was he
Christ Jesus so am i striving to have
what are you striving to have I’m
striving to have the mind of Jesus I’m
striving to think like Jesus I’m
striving to think like God and in that
thinking like Jesus I’m thinking about
doing the will of the Father
aren’t you in that combined set that we
have I’m thinking about embracing
righteousness aren’t you I’m thinking
about doing good for others aren’t you
I’m thinking about sharing Jesus the
gospel the good news with others aren’t
you
I’m thinking about opposing sin and
unrighteousness and that which is
hurtful and harmful both physically and
spiritually
aren’t you you see that’s the point
isn’t it that our mindset is similar we
love the same things we like the same
things we hate the same things we
disparage the same things
long ago Solomon said these things that
particular passage he said six things
God hates yet seven or an abomination
those are things that we have the same
mind city he talked about the proud look
and the lying tongue hands that shed
innocent blood those that sow discord
among the brother we have a singular
mindset and just because we’re
physically separated for a period of
time we still have we still are of one
mind in first Peter chapter 3 and verse
8 Paul or Peters concluding some
thoughts here and he said finally B of 1
but he said all of you be of one mind
well what kind of mind is that Peter
having compassion on one another loving
the brothers tender-hearted and friendly
that’s our mindset and while we may be
apart physically we’re of one mind in
loving one
having compassion you’re doing things
for other people and helping other
people even through this present
distress through this present difficult
that we’re dealing with we didn’t stop
being tender hard and we have stopped
being friendly
when stops showing care and compassion
to others just because we may not be
within 16 of them so we continue we
continue though we’re a part to have one
month early while we are apart we are
together in unity we’re together in
unity it’s a measure it’s also an area
it’s one of those things that you can
use as a distinguishing mark of the
people of God the fact that that we’re
bound together by unity we’ve talked
about unity of hard and unity of mind
we’re bound together by the unity of the
gospel of doctrine in Ephesians chapter
4 verse 3 after Paul had beseech those
people to walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith their call lola’s mind
considering each other he said
endeavoring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace even though
we bring together sinful people we all
have struggles and battles and sins and
shortcomings and faults and areas where
we need to grow in areas where we
stumble in areas where we can improve we
come together united as sinners saved by
the grace of Jesus Christ by the grace
of God and by the blood of Jesus Christ
and faithful obedience to his will and
we’re United in Christ endeavoring to
keep the unity of the Spirit he goes on
a few words later it’s in verse 13 as we
have the verses divided up to say this
till we all come to the unity of the
faith and the knowledge of the Son of
God took
all grown man to the measure the statue
of the fullness of God notice the
language here together we are coming we
are in the process of the unity of the
faith she also talks about the platform
of unity in Philippians chapter 4 what
one Lord one faith one God went baptism
one body one spirit one God and Father
of all that’s above all and through you
all that unity doesn’t change just
because we may be physically apart just
because we may be physically separated
for some period of time they’ll know
we’re Christians by our love they’ll
know we’re Christians by our unity it
was long before the church ever began
that the words of the psalmist rang true
and rang true today in Psalm 133 and
verse 1 behold how good and how pleasant
it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity you said we can be united even if
we’re not sitting or standing very close
together equally we can be two body we
can be divisive if we can we can be
separated even if we are physically
close but while we’re a part if we’re
truly followers of Jesus Christ we are
united number four even though or while
we’re apart
we’re united in love we use that word a
lot we talk about loving ballgames and
loving vacations and loving food and
loving shopping and all kinds of things
and that’s not necessarily an abuse of
the word it’s just how we use it but
there’s a special love that’s reserved
that’s found in the word and then the
will of God and that love is the love
that God has for us that we have for one
another that we have for the Lost
and that we have to do the will of God
in Ephesians chapter 4 we’ve made
several references
to that chapter its verse 16 that talks
about the body fitting together and
compacted by every joint that supplies
that means every member is important
every member plays bar according to the
effectual working in the measure of each
part producing the growing or the growth
of the body to the edifying of itself in
love
it’s the glue love is the glue that
brings it all together it’s no wonder
then that in Colossians chapter 3 in
verse 14 you hear these words above oh
they even say the other was bad he
didn’t say this other stuff’s not
important but he says I want you to
really get this point above all these
things he’s been talking about some good
things but he said above all these
things put on love which is the bond to
perfection
it’s the glue it’s the cement
it’s that that ultimately brings us
together it holds us together it
motivates us to forgive each other when
we do harm to each other or sin against
each other it helps us when we’re
unworthy to bring together our
unworthiness before God to find his love
and his compassion and then to seek to
have that among others even though or
when we may be apart we’re together love
and then finally even though we may be
apart or while we’re apart we’re
together in purpose just because we’re
separated just because we may not be in
the same room we’re in the same building
we haven’t lost our purpose what is our
purpose well you may be thinking about a
passage like the one in the Old
Testament where Solomon said you’re the
conclusion the whole matter fear God and
keep his commands for this is the hole
of man our purpose to fear God and keep
his Commandments where did I come from
why am I here where am I going what’s my
purpose in life Barnabas is one of my
favorite care
because he was a great encourage and in
Acts chapter 11 and verse 23 who was
glad when he had come and seen the grace
of God and he encouraged with all
purpose of heart to remain near to the
Lord see what’s that thing called
purpose purpose is intention purposes
what we’re trying to do purpose is not
just accidental purpose has not come
what mad purpose is not reactional
purpose is intentional I realize that is
a part of our purpose we can react
positively to other things but purpose
means doing it on purpose I’ve got a
reason I’ve got a motive and we remain
together in purpose business chapter 3
talks about the fact that the church was
in the eternal purpose of God that he
purposed in Jesus Christ our Lord the
church was an accident
I realize here some that teach some
things today that are not true about the
coming of Jesus and try to try to make
that Jesus setting up the church was
just kind of a spare tire because he was
surprised than rejected by the Jews I
think could be further from the truth
the church was in the eternal purpose
and plan of God we’re a part of that
church we in God’s plan we in God’s
purpose and so while we may be a part
we’re together purpose I hope that the
times that we are separated will be few
and far between I hope that they’re able
to find some things that will cure the
virus or help with a virus just because
we’re a partner why are we apart when we
are we are part we’re still together
we’re still together in heart and in
mind and in unity and in love and in
purpose let’s pray together our God our
Father and as times transpire and
conditions and situations occur we may
not be together as often as we would
like to be but we’re thankful that we
can be together in your love and in your
heart and then your purpose and your
in unity bless us to do good in Jesus
name Amen