Mt. 16:18: KW—02.28.10
Intro:
A. Illust: Five friends pooled their money one Spring and decided to purchase one large bag of seed at a discount co-op store.
1. They divided up the seed and then planted their respective gardens with only the seed that came from this one particular bag.
2. The seed was supposed to have been pure and unmixed.
a. After several weeks had elapsed, the gardeners met one morning over breakfast and talked about how their gardens were progressing.
b. Each gardener gave his report:
1) The first man said, "That seed that I took from that bag produced some of the finest sweet corn that I have ever seen."
2) Somewhat chagrined, the second man said, "That's odd, because the seed that I took out of that bag produced yellow squash."
3) The third man replied, "This is really strange—the seed I took from the bag produced a good crop of yellow bell peppers."
4) The fourth chimed in, "My seed yielded yellow onions."
5) Finally, the fifth man reported, "The seed that I took from the bag produced yellow tomatoes."
B. We have this same predicament in the religious world today.
1. Different men claim to be reading and studying from the same Bible.
2. They, in essence, plant "seed" into the heart-soil of their listeners in worship assemblies around the world.
a. Ironically, when we start looking at their crops, it is obvious that different seed is being sown, because different crops are being produced. Ex: Christians, Episcopalians, Catholics, Baptists, and Methodists
b. Seeds produce after their own kind. "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth'; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Gen. 1:11-12; cf. Gal. 6:7
1) Corn seed doesn't produce corn, squash, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes!
2) The seed of the word of Christ can't produce Christians, Episcopalians, Catholics, Baptists, and Methodists because these different groups teach different, and contradictory, doctrines. Lk. 8:11
C. Today we want to look briefly at what the Bible says about religious division.
1. I want to be careful about my attitude that I don't manifest the "I'm right, you're wrong, and I'm tickled" philosophy. (Some preachers have hindered the cause of Christ not because they didn't have the truth, but because they didn't have the right touch).
2. Having said that, I am not embarrassed about preaching what the Bible says about this subject. "For I am not ashamed of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation..." Rom. 1:16a
a. Some of my brethren experience feelings of shame whenever any religious group is named or mentioned. ("You should never call names, because that offends people").
b. My experience has been that at least some members of the body of Christ are more upset than my religious friends who perhaps are hearing the truth for the very first time.
I. Jesus' PRAYER
A. Passage: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." Jn. 17:20
B. Observations:
1. Jesus prayed for unity.
2. Would Jesus pray for unity ("...that they also may be one..."), and yet accept and endorse division?
a. In harmony with this idea, Jesus—through Paul, taught that baptism is the believer's wedding ceremony. "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." Rom. 7:4
1) When a woman marries a man, she takes his last name. Ex: Lanore gave up Claiborne to be Benson
2) Since we are married to Christ, whose name should we wear? "And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." Acts 11:26
a) Should we wear the name of a man, like (Martin) Luther or John (the Baptizer)?
b) When I wear any other name than that of Christ, I do not honor Him and I'm guilty of division.
b. If Jesus prayed for unity and yet endorses religious division, He is guilty of polygamy.
II. Paul's PLEA
A. Passage: 10 "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe' household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ.' 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul" 1 Cor. 1:10-13
B. Observations:
1. Contentions, cχtcpcx, is sometimes translated "schisms". (The word was originally used of a tear in a garment or political factions).
2. Did Paul endorse tears and factions in the church? No. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not carnal?" 1 Cor. 3:1-4
a) Carnal, ccxpKtvos, "fleshly" as opposed to spiritual.
b) Review:
1) Jesus prayed for unity, not division.
2) Paul pleaded for unity, not schisms and said that schisms were indicative of carnality and spiritual immaturity.
III. Paul's POINT
A. Passages: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling." Eph. 4:4; "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Eph. 1:22-23
B. Observations:
1. What is the body? (The church).
a. Who is the head of the body—the church? (Christ).
b. Does the Head have one body or many bodies? (One).
2. Review:
a. Jesus prayed for unity.
b. Paul pleaded for unity.
c. Paul pointed to unity by noting that the one Head (Christ) is over the one body (church). "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Col. 1:18
IV. Jesus' PROMISE
A. Passage: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Mt. 16:18
B. Observations:
1. Did Jesus promise to build many churches or one?
a. Would Jesus pray for one church and then contradict Himself by building many?
b. Watch the illustrations:
. Seed
. Marriage
. Body
. Church
c. Can you read of any approved denomination anywhere in the Bible?
2. Can you read of the church of Christ in the Bible? "Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of
Christ greet you. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them." Rom. 16:16-17
a. What could be more contrary to the doctrine of Christ than the idea that He wants the body to be divided?!
b. You can't plant corn seed and get five different kinds of plants; Jesus planted just one!
Concl:
A. Someone asks, "If the NT teaches unity, then why do we have religious division today?"
B. Answer:
1. Because men have incrementally departed from the faith.
2. Passages:
. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Tim. 4:3-4
. "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanks- giving by those who believe and know the truth." 1 Tim. 4:1
C. Observation and common sense tell us that what we plant we will reap.
1. If we plant the seed of Christ, we will reap "Christians" and Christians only—not anything else. Ex: Bob Samples
2. When Jesus returns for the church, He'll only take the church. "But He answered and said, 'Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted." Mt. 15:13
a. Good friend, are you angry with me for sharing the truth with you?
b. Would you rather that I compromise the truth, plant a different seed, and then lose both of our souls?
--Mike Benson
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