Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:05 Greetings and welcome to another edition of thinking it through. This is a podcast put out by village church East, and it is for the purpose of thinking it through all of the changes are cultural brings us on a regular basis and giving us the ability to think through all of them, with the mind of Christ. Well, in January of this year, president Biden was sworn in as our 46th president of the United States and he made unity the theme of his inaugural
Speaker 1 00:00:33 We'll address. He said to overcome our challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America requires more than words. It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy, it requires unity. We can see each other, not as adversaries. He said, but as neighbors, we can treat each other with dignity and respect, we can join forces, stop the shouting, lower the temperature for without unity. President Biden said there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. He said, this is the historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward. Some people hailed the speech because of his theme of unity. One media personality on Fox news called it the best inaugural address he has ever heard. It is a popular idea today in order to be a citizen, the citizens we need to be, we need to strive for unity, but what do we mean by that?
Speaker 1 00:01:29 While we want to think what I means we work together. I mean, we have phrases like that, that came out in the pandemic. We're all in this together. We want to see things from the other person's point of view and realize they have experiences and emotions just as valid as our own. And I have to tell you, I'm encouraged by this effort to unify. Unity is not a bad thing. If we're talking about how we live together, if we're talking about rallying around our neighbors in need, if we're talking about letting each person be and living with their own personal convictions, this is how we find common ground and still allow for individual thought. But the question is, what are we unifying around? Well, some people say we should unify around being good citizens of the United States. A nation will grow stronger through this. Others will say, we need to unify a Brown being good neighbors.
Speaker 1 00:02:18 Neighborhoods will grow strong through this. Others will say, we need to unify about, uh, around beating back the evil in our world, soldiers in the military, rallying around this thought. The problem is unity is taught to us as something that we all should try and move toward a center that gives us a common purpose. But unity that is spoken of today holds two meanings. Merriam Webster's dictionary. The older one would say a convict. A condition of harmony is what unity means that it's ordered parts that constitutes a whole or undivided effect. The modern dictionary changes that a little bit. The modern dictionary says unity is the absence of diversity, unmarried or uniform character. Now, did you catch the nuance changes? One, the older dictionary's definition of unity celebrates a different parts working together for a common end. It celebrates diversity like in like the instruments of an orchestra that worked together for one masterpiece of music.
Speaker 1 00:03:20 The other is better defined, not as unity, but as conformity, literally it says unity is the absence of diversity, not the celebration of it. When those who lead today, call for unity, I'm afraid. They usually mean the second definition and not the first unity. Today is a call to move those with strong convictions to yield unity today as a call to surrender rights for the common good. And what is the common good? What is the greater good? Well, that would be popular thought that is supposed to be a rallying point. Just last month, Michigan re redistricting commission got together, made up of four Republicans, four Democrats, and five independence. It is an independent commission that Michigan has. It's not a federal agency and their job is to work to reevaluate legislative districts across Michigan. They always started the meeting with the pledge of allegiance. However, the chair of that meeting this particular day said that pledge was contentious, took an immediate vote, and they all voted and decided not to do the pledge of allegiance anymore because of they decide it was quote too divisive.
Speaker 1 00:04:32 Unity. Today is a call to surrender diversity and uniqueness of thoughts at the alter of greater good. Any convictions that you might have might need to be sacrificed at that alter in order to find unity. Those with deep convictions are required to yield. I'm reminded of a story of a woman that was preparing to marry a man on her wedding day. And she was in the wedding room getting ready. Her mom knew she was nervous. She told her mom, she had butterflies in her stomach and she was petrified. And to calm her down, her mum just simply gave her a formula. She said, when you go to the back, just look for your dad, lock arms with him and remember three things. First of all, the doors will open and you'll see the aisle concentrate on the aisle. As you're walking down the aisle, lift your head up and you will see the altar move toward the alter.
Speaker 1 00:05:24 And once you get to the front right next to the altar, you look at him because he is, he is your groom. He'll be waiting for you. Your dad will put your hand in his and your pastor will take over from there. So the story goes that the doors flew open and the people in the, in the congregation could hear the brightest. She walked down this aisle, simply saying three words over and over again. I'll alter him. I'll alter him. Well, it's a great story. Turd show us that. Sometimes we have a tendency to S to, to, to define unity as an effort to alter the other person, popular culture has determined. Unity means we must alter personal convictions. You should know that Jesus never asks his followers to unify with popular thought. You might be under the false impression that everyone in Jesus' day loved them.
Speaker 1 00:06:21 You couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus dealt with people who hated him and showed it constantly. And these were the people who wielded power around Jesus. And it might also surprise you to know that wasn't Rome, the Romans didn't have much of an opinion on Jesus one way or another Rome only started having an opinion on Jesus. When those who wielded power over the Jews told Rome what their opinion should be. And those people hated Jesus. They played gotchu with Jesus all the time seeking to discredit him. And when they realized that they could not catch him in a situation where they could discredit him, that's when they set out to kill him. Jesus reveals something to all of us who follow him in John 15 verse 18. Jesus says, if the world hates, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
Speaker 1 00:07:10 If you were other world, the world would love you as its own, but because you're not of the world, but I chose you out of the world. Therefore, the world hates you in James four, four. It says, if anyone wants to be friends with the world, you will make yourself an enemy of God. Now, listen, I want to have unity in my home. What I never expect is in that effort to unity is that I will learn to live with the evil that tries to find its way into my home. Constantly. I will combat those things because those things divide my home. If I make allowances for sin to enter my home in an effort to be unified with my children or my wife or anyone who comes into my home, I'm seek simply opening the door to division, not unity. Satan seeks to divide and he'll bring all kinds of things into my spaces and your spaces to get our lives off.
Speaker 1 00:08:00 Track unity in God's realm is not learning to live with the brokenness and evil all around me. Unity means striving toward the same goal when we can. And when we cannot love covers a multitude of decisions, agreements, but wrongdoing must always be addressed. Unity is not conformity. The problem is when our leaders say we should be unified, they're really saying we should conform. This is exactly not what builds a strong nation. Conformity builds authoritative abuse. Conformity leads to dictatorships. Conformity is what North Korea is built on. Romans 12 two says, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. That by testing, you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect. As followers of Jesus, we had a fight against whenever the world is selling it to us, our lives are meant to be slowly transformed away from conformity.
Speaker 1 00:09:02 We are to test and see what God wants us to do. Not what the world declares we should do. We are often going to disagree with the views of our fellow citizens. We're often going to have a problem with what the politicians are declaring. We should agree on. Our measure is not unity with the nation. It's unity with God and his will for our lives. We are to respect those in authority over us. Don't get me wrong. John, the Baptist actually lost his head. However, for pointing out the sin and the authority figures his day. What about Jesus? Did Jesus ever point out that in congruencies in the leaders of his day? Well, sure he did in Luke 1331, Herod was trying to kill Jesus. And Jesus said, go tell that Fox, I'm staying to do miracles. As long as it takes me. You see the fine line is these guys respected the authority, but they called them out on where they fall short on giving God his rightful place in contrast unity is always identified as an agreed upon rallying point.
Speaker 1 00:10:06 Whatever that rallying point becomes is our foundation. Unity is all people drawing together to a center. The bottom line is without a foundation that we all agree to unity will always be fleeting. If you take it back to the orchestra metaphor, each instrument sounds different. Each instrument plays different notes, but they all work toward an agreed upon arrangement. This is why our world seems less and less unified while screaming for more and more unity. Those crying for unity are really crying for conformity to their particular views. They would like to fill the orchestra with instruments and notes. That sound just like theirs. What is the rallying point for a follower of Jesus? That's easy, John 17, 11, Holy father. Keep them in your name, which you have given to me. Jesus prays for us that they may be one, even as we are one, our rallying point, our unification purpose is God's will and holding up God's name in this world.
Speaker 1 00:11:10 But this rallying point will not take us to a place where the world wants to be unified with us. Jesus wants our rallying point to be around the world will of God in the word of God. So what if we cannot agree on a foundation or a center that we can rally around that we can strive toward while that happens all the time? I'm sure it happens in your life. I'm constantly surrounded by people who don't agree with the foundation that I build my life on. The difference is at the base of all of this foundation is love. Love. The Bible says covers a multitude of sins. You know what that means? That means love, agrees to disagree. Love lets the other person be who God is making them into. And we both realize we can grow through our, you telling me Craig, that you can be unified with someone and disagree with them.
Speaker 1 00:11:59 Hey, I'm not only telling you that I'm telling you, you can be unified with somebody and even correct them. Haven't you ever experienced this? You act in some unbecoming way and a friend corrects. You might say, Craig, you acted like a moron. You need to apologize. And a humble heart Wells up in you. And you say, you know what? You're right. I was wrong. And in the situation that you find yourself in, you go to apologize. You take their advice. And when the situation goes well, don't you feel closer to the friend who corrected you. The Bible calls us wounds of a friend. They are powerful tools to help us grow and make us more, more unified with those who point out where we need work. Is this confusing? Well, not really. It happens in our homes all the time. You love and respect your children.
Speaker 1 00:12:46 Even when they do dumb things. Even when they embarrass you, even when they disobey you, but you do not seek to unify with your children. When they're living in rebellion against your rules, sometimes you might seek a common ground. Sometimes you might learn to agree to disagree. Have I learned from my kids? You bet I have. Have they learned from me? I hope so. But our goal in the home is not some abstract unity. Our goal is to transform all of our shortcomings so that our house and our family looks more like Jesus. That is our rallying point. What's the rallying point for you? What's the rallying point for your home efforts to move the country toward unity? President Biden has made decisions that I simply don't agree with. He gives tax dollars to things I don't support. He supports causes. I don't support he's.
Speaker 1 00:13:35 He's a fallen individual operating from his own personal interests and the foundation of a party that he represents. He is like every other politician, but I'll stand for him. If he ever comes to my church, God's word says live at peace. As long as it depends on me, God says, respect those in authority over me. Like God installed those folks himself. I may respect a politician, but I don't have to agree with them. And I can call their actions out just like John, the Baptist did. And just like Jesus did. And if that authority declares that I'm too disobeyed God so that I can obey their rules. My foundational rallying point always trumps everything else in my life. My foundation is to do the will of God. The best that I can like Luther says, unless I'm convinced by scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of the Pope's or the councils or any other authority.
Speaker 1 00:14:25 My conscience is capital give to the word of God. President Biden said, unity is our path forward. It can stop the chaos, bitterness and fury perhaps, but it will only work if we can really love each other. In spite of our differences and our different opinions, it will only work. If we embrace diversity, not conformity, one struggles and yields moves back and forth. Trying to find a rallying point. Everyone can live with one demands concessions from the other through domination, intimidation, and aggression. These are simply two separate definitions. They are not the same thing. One is respecting the differences while working for change. The other is threatening and penalizing till they're forced to yield or be destroyed. Let God do what he needs to do. Because if unity for you means conformity, you will most definitely find chaos.
Speaker 2 00:15:26 Well, I
Speaker 1 00:15:27 Have enjoyed being with you today and I hope that you find your rallying point. Soon. If you don't have one, you need to find one soon. If you can find that center, be careful. Someone's always willing to sell you theirs. Everyone has an agenda, even Jesus. It's just that his agenda is really worth looking into as always, if you enjoyed this podcast, there's more where this came from. Join us at village church East this Sunday. If you live close to the lovely Carol stream, we are at fountain view recreational center on Gary Avenue and we meet at 10 30. We'd love to see you there. I hope you'll join us next time. As we spend time together thinking it through.
