Sermon Tone Analysis

Unity in the Godhead and in the Church

 

What would happen if the Redwings played hockey like this.

Every time any player got the puck, they would shoot for the goal.

Over here, over here, I’m open, I’m open.

There would be such frenzy, each time the Redwings got the puck: but unfortunately there would be very little scoring, if any.

They would be defeated.

Yes, any time there is disunity, a lack of team spirit, there is failure to accomplish the goal set before us.

The result of any team playing like this is failure.

This is the way some children play, when they are first introduced to team play.

But as we grow up and mature, we see that “team play” wins and self-centered players weaken teams to the point that they cannot maintain a winning attitude.

And when fights break out on the field of play, that is bad enough, but what would we say about a team that was fighting amongst itself?

What craziness; what madness; what utter foolishness.

No team, no company, no marriage and no church can survive with an attitude or a plan like this.

Unity of purpose must  be active in order to be a winner.

The Triune God is a prime example of unity.

God the Father, God the Son and God the HS are in complete unity as to their goals and actions.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were united in the creation of the universe and all that is in it.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

(Elohim, the triune God was the author of all that we see).

Elohim is the plural form of the word for God.

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Genesis 1:2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

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In the NT, we see that the Word of God, the very Son of God, Himself was also involved in the creation of the universe.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

\\ John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

\\ John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

\\ John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

\\ John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Then going down to verse 14, we get a better glimpse of who this is:

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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We also learn that all things visible and invisible were created by Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ in Col 1:16-17.

Colossians 1:16 For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

\\ Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

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Yes, all creation was formed in unity, and all was good.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are in complete agreement.

That is their nature, God is good, God is light: God is never darkness, nor is He the author of darkness.

Adam and Eve were created and enjoyed fellowship with God and each other.

They were in unity.

Adam was responsible for the upkeep of the Garden of Eden; Eve was Adam’s helper.

They were in unity, all was well, life was good.

But then Satan rebelled and wanted to be his own god, his own boss, make his own destiny.

We learn in the book of Genesis, chapter 3, that Satan tempted Eve by placing doubts into her mind: “Has God really said?”  Eve was tempted and eventually fell into sin.

Adam soon willingly followed Eve: and as a result this, all creation has been corrupted with sin.

Adam and Eve’s fellowship with God was broken.

Their unity is broken.

They were cast out of the Garden.

Now Adam and Eve bring children into the world with Adam’s fallen nature.

Now there is No more unity in Adam’s children.

Originally, God created Adam and Eve in His own image, but after the fall, Adam and Eve brought children into the world in Adam’s nature.

Now there was sin in the world.

-                     Adam accused God of giving him an inferior helper.

-                     Eve blamed the serpent for her sin, not taking the blame herself.

-                     Adam no longer accepted his servant role under God.

-                     Eve no longer accepted her helper role under Adam.

-                     Cain killed Abel.

-                     Later, Tribe rises up against tribe.

-                     Nation wars against nation.

-                     And the world continues its spiraling course, down, down, down.

(This side)  Satan divides, his theme “I did it my way, for me”.

I do not want God in my life.

(That side) God unites, His theme “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son….”.

Now Adam and Eve do know the difference between good and evil, but are powerless to overcome evil; sin has brought disunity, death, corruption.

The unity they had with God is gone.

Nature is no longer perfect.

We see that nature also suffers because of Adam’s sin.

The ground no longer gives its full produce of good fruit.

Thorns and thistles begin to grow quickly.

This is the world we live in, corrupt, sinful, rejecting God’s guidance.

Just as Satan refuses to obey God and rejects His guidance; so our world, as the domain of Satan, rejects God and refuses to obey Him.

This is where we live today.

Whatever God touches, He unites.

Whatever Satan touches, he divides and destroys.

No longer will Adam look forward to communing with God each day.

No longer will the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve respect life.

Cain killed Abel.

Arabs want to kill Jews.

Nations fight against nations; ethnic group hates other ethnic group.

Wherever there is *disunity*, there is the influence of Satan or an influence of our old nature coming from Adam - which ultimately comes from Satan himself.

Satan never unites.

Satan always destroys: Satan always disrupts.

As Satan disrupted God’s creation, he also disrupts God’s plan for marriage, God’s plan for Israel, God’s plan for the Church of Christ, and God’s plan for you.

Wherever there is disunity, there is Satan and his influence.

*Thank God that we do not have to stop here*.

The triune Godhead, the 3-in-1, were in complete agreement with creation and were not taken by surprise by what happened with Satan or Adam or Eve.

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit had already agreed to the plan of salvation before this act of rebellion happened.

And so the struggle of Satan against God continues, it continued in the garden, it continued as God selected Abraham to bring in the nation Israel, it continues in this Church age.

I want us to look at the Church age, now, because that is where we live.

I want us to see God’s vision for His Church, and our responsibility, as Christians in His Church – all based on unity.

On one side is the Triune God, working in unity, to bring about their promise of a Messiah, who would deliver the children of Adam and Eve from their ruined state.

On the other side we have Satan, trying to stop the plan of God.

On one side we have darkness, on the other side we have light.

On one side we have good, and on the other we have evil.

On one side we have those who are called by God to do His will to proclaim the good news; on the other we have those who refuse the call of God and team up with Satan to stop the plan of God.

So here we are, in this world still run by Satan; still trying to stop God’s plan.

At this time, God’s plan is to continue spreading the Gospel of His Son from His Church.

We have the Father Son and HS intimately involved in the Church.

We see the Son and Father activated the Church in Matt 16:15-18

Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” \\ Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” \\ Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

\\ Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.