From Calvary Chapel of Roswell
Pastor Jim Suttle
Msg #514 Wed, July 09, 2008
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There is one body … one God and Father of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4-6)
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. (1 Co 1:10)
It is all in your mind
Do you recognize that phrase? It speaks of a reality that we have all dealt with in one way or another. Perhaps your parents sitting with you and explaining that the monster under your bed does not really exist – it is all in your mind. The fears you feel are not based in reality. The feelings are real…but what is behind the fears is not. If you are tracking with me – then consider this:
There is only one body. That is what it tells us in Eph 4 above. The church or as we often and rightly call it: the Body of Christ – is one, there is only one. Sometimes Christians champion calls to unity, and rightly so – but one of the key issues is to recognize that the unity actually exists. There is only one body. All Christians are a part of that one body. The unity we want…actually exists.
The problem – it is all in our minds. We don’t realize, understand or even reject the truth. Now our rejection of the truth – does not change the reality.
It is again, like sitting with a child and explaining the truth that there are no monsters under the bed. If that child rejects that truth – the truth is still true – there are no monsters there. The problem is just in the child’s thinking.
Biblically, the truth for us is that there is only one body. Problems with that are not problems with reality…but problems in our thinking. That is why when Paul calls for unity in the church in Corinth – he says we need to be perfectly joined together in the same mind. The reality of unity is still there – it is just not grasped. Are you with me so far? If not, read the above again.
So, let us make this a little more personal. If you are a Christian – understand this – you are a part of the body of Christ. Right now you have a unity with every Christian in this world…every Christian in the past and in the future! Wow! There is only one body…and you are a part of it! You are called to recognize it. Your recognizing this unity does not create it…it is already there. Again, are you with me? It is important that you see this.
Lets us go even deeper. One of satan’s tactics that he uses consistently in Christians is to seek to isolate them. He seeks to make them feel alone, cut off, distant and more. Christians are created for unity – so in feelings of isolation satan has grounds of huge lies. But here is where I want you to understand – they are lies. If you are a Christian – you are one with the body of Christ. If you feel alone, if you feel cut off, if you feel separate, if you feel isolated – those are feelings…not reality – they are lies – not the truth. There is one body – nothing you do will change that reality.
A child who won’t accept the reality that there are no monsters under the bed – lives in fear, dread wrongly. His fears don’t change the truth – they just impact him in miserable ways.
Christian, if you persist in feeling you are alone – your feelings don’t change the reality….they just impact you in miserable ways.
Christian…if you feel alone…the problem is only in your mind. It is not real.
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. (1 Co 1:10)
Jim
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