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Dealing with Division

Dealing with Division

Words of Faith 7-24-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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           We have learned from the journey that begins with the transfiguration that the mountain top is wonderful but it leaves us vulnerable as we move through the valley of real life ministry. The first attack of the Enemy is to undermine our faith and confidence by reminding us of failures Luke 9:37-45. The answer is always to bring even our failures to the feet of Jesus. The second attack is to get our eyes off of God through spiritual pride (Luke 9:46-50). The answer is to remember that in the Kingdom the least among us is the greatest. The third attack comes so fast we can hardly believe it!

 

Luke 9

   [49] "Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."

   [50] "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

   [51] As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. [52] And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; [53] but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. [54] When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" [55] But Jesus turned and rebuked them, [56] and they went to another village.

 

 

           There is something about our human nature that likes to divide. In our flesh, we tend to be clannish and tribal. In our humanness, we like to paint our faces and wear team colors as we cheer against our rivals. While some of that can be the source of good fun, that human quality can also be exploited in the most destructive of ways. We hear just that in the words of John.

         Jesus had just pulled a child to his side in order to demonstrate the Kingdom principle that the least in the Kingdom is the greatest. The message should have been clear that when we get all puffed up with spiritual pride and think we are better than another person, we miss the Kingdom boat entirely.   But it is almost as if John was oblivious.

       John's response was-- "Whatever... Now Lord, there is a man driving out demons in your name. Should we stop him because he is not with us?" Hello! John? Is anyone home?

       The response of Jesus was so clear and concise that it set up a key definition within the Kingdom of God and how it is different from the world. Jesus responded to say: Whoever is not against you is for you. This definition is simple but piercing because of the contrast with the world's view. The world says: Whoever is not with you is... against you. John did not know it but he was operating with a worldly definition of alliance.

         The next incident illustrates this vividly, but the shoe is on the other foot. As they moved on their way toward Jerusalem, Jesus wanted to stop and minister in a Samaritan village. These barriers were extremely difficult. There was a division between the Jews and the Samaritans that went back about 600 years. It was division partly based on race, partly on religion, and greatly on culture.   There was a religious barrier because while the Jews and the Samaritans followed almost exactly the same Bible and worshiped the same God, they disagreed on the location where worship should take place.

           Jesus sent the disciples to go into town to prepare the way but they were rebuffed and rejected because they were headed toward Jerusalem. John was mad. Huffing and puffing at how offended he was, we can almost hear him say: "How dare these Samaritans rebuff us. How dare they reject us? Shall we call down fire from heaven to destroy them?"   But instead Jesus rebuked the disciples. This is not the Kingdom of God.

         So what is the third attack that the enemy brings against us in the valley? It is simply division. It comes in many forms and most of them are right here. Racial division. Cultural division. Religious division. It is related to spiritual pride which we talked about before but it is deeper and it is corporate.  

         Division operates by this simple worldly definition: Whoever is not with us is against us. This attack says: If you are not on our team then you are not on God's team. If you are not in our fold then you are not doing God's work. Division can manifest itself in a variety of ways. If you are not our race, you are against us. If you are not our theology, you are against us. If you are not our denomination, you are against us. If you are not in our neighborhood, you are against us. If you are not in our social class, you are against us.

         Division is in direct opposition to the Kingdom of God. Jesus makes it very clear that He does not draw such lines, "If they are not against me they are for me." As long as they are not working actively against me they are for me. In a sense, Jesus is saying-- I would rather have a hundred that I don't know that are not ordained or trained, working for the Kingdom in my name, than have religious people who are supposedly "with us" but are, in fact, against us!

       This is a stunning definition that we will have to deal with a little more.

       But it raises the question… Have I been snared by the enemy attack that divides? Have I defined myself by things that really have nothing to do with Jesus and failed to see that there are those from different traditions and backgrounds that are doing Kingdom work?

 

       Father, I desire to be an instrument of Your peace and of Your Kingdom. Give me the discernment of Your Spirit that I may recognize when You are at work in ways I did not anticipate and through people I would not have expected. In Jesus’ Name.