Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I've Lost My Disagreeable Mind

The "Cha Cha Slide" is a song by DJ Casper that is frequently played at dances, parties, and weddings.   When the “Cha Cha Slide” is played a group of individuals dance and move in simultaneous unison.  Individuals listen for directions from the song, and as a result a group of 5, 10, 100, or 1,000,000 individuals can be simultaneously united together doing the same movements.  This song displays the unity a group of individuals can experience if they are all individually listening to a single voice.  Similarly, if a group of individuals are led by Christ, they will experience unity in their thinking, in their beliefs, and in the things they do together!
           
READ: 2 Cor. 13:11

Believers are able to AGREE with one another by being of ONE MIND!  Jesus made it clear when He departed from the earth that He wanted believers to be unified.  John 17:23 says that the desire of Jesus Christ was that we be, “perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”  When Christians are individually willing to “lose their minds” we have the ability to have sameness is thinking.  When we are led by ONE voice, the thoughts and ideas that exist inside our mind will become similar if not identical.  Why is it important for believers to have unity?  How do we get and maintain unity?

Unity results in AGREEMENT and not DIVISION (1 Cor. 1:10)Have you ever been to a meeting and tried to decide something very simple?  It can take forever because everyone has a different opinion.  But as soon as someone with authority intervenes and makes a decision everyone can be on the same page.  God is our authority concerning all issues in life.  By listening to His voice as individuals we can avoid disagreement as a whole.  We do not need to come to conclusions together but simply obey His direction.  Divisions can only occur among Christians when individuals disagree with God.  It is extremely important that we individually be seeking God’s will so we can be in agreement and united together.

Unity compels people to meet one another’s NEEDS (Acts 4:32-35) – In the U.S. we are not so much in material need as emotional and social need.  We may not be around people lacking in material wealth, but we are surrounded by people who are poor in meaningful relationships.  What an opportunity to meet the needs of those we come in contact with . . . especially other believers.  When we identify a need that someone has we must offer whatever resources we have (money, time, a listening ear) to help meet that need.  To withhold ourselves from someone in need is to break the bond of unity that exists between us as believers.

God GIFTS everyone in order to progress one another toward unity (Eph. 4:11-13)One of our goals in this life is maturity of faith.  We are each uniquely gifted so that we can mature each other to the same amount of faith. We must use our giftedness to mature others in their faith.  As we each mature together we become more and more united in our thinking and our purposes as a group.  It is much easier to accomplish something as a united whole than a small group of independent individuals.

Perfect unity is bound together by LOVE (Col. 3:14)The one common thought that unites all believers is LOVE!  There will always be differences in opinion, conflicts are destined to arise, and opposition may never disappear.  The only thing that allows us to remain united and fills in the gaps of disagreement is love.  1 Cor. 3:8 says that, “love never fails”.  What a gracious character quality God has displayed for us so we can remain united.           

Conclusion:
Psalm 133:1 says, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”  It is evident that God loves to see His people live in harmony in accordance with His law.  The only way to gain the unity that is described in the Bible is if we as individuals are willing to “lose our disagreeable mind” and let God lead us individually and corporately.  Are you listening to God’s voice?  If not, you are probably experiencing conflict and division.  But, if you are, you are probably experiencing unity, harmony, and agreement with other believers! 

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