The Blessing of Unity

We live in Taiwan, so recently my wife and I stayed up late to watch the inauguration of the forty-fifth president of the United States of America.  The United States is the most divided it has been since the Civil War.  It has been growing more polarized for the last eight years. 

President Trump has vowed to “Make America Great Again,” but in order to do that he will have to unify America again.  President Lincoln, who stepped into the White House during that first time of great division, quoted the Bible, “A house divided against itself cannot stand…”  He went on to say:

“I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided.  It will become all one thing or all the other” – Abraham Lincoln

I believe that that the greatness of a nation is rooted in the unity of its people.  I believe that this is also true of the local church.  We make the greatest impact, when we are of one accord.  That’s what I want to post about today:

Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
^2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Do You Want Something to Happen?

I usually use this scripture to preach about the Holy Spirit, but I want to look at it in a different light this week.  In fact, I want to focus on one phrase, “with one accord in one place…”  It isn’t just that they were filled with the Holy Spirit, but my purpose is to show you that movement in the church comes from unity of thought and unity of action.  Things happen when we’re together:  Not just in one place but in a spiritual and mental sense, as well.

The disciples about one hundred twenty of them are together in one place.  They’ve gathered; they’re there together.  Everyone is in their place.  Well, at least no one who is completely in agreement with what they’re doing is missing.  It may not be every disciple that was made at that time, but it was those that were of one accord.

These are the ones who’ve caught “the vision” of the early church; the vision of the apostles; the vision of Christ.  They believe in the same thing, but in addition to that, there is camaraderie between them.  They’re not fragmented – They don’t have personal agendas, separate from each other.  They aren’t in cliques – They are of one accord spiritually, mentally, and physically.  They’re united.

It’s when they’re like this that there’s movement in the church.  This is when things begin to take off in the early church.  They’re not all doing different things; they’re together, working toward the same goal, and caring about each other.  It’s when they are in this condition that the Holy Spirit drops into that congregation and revival breaks out.  They’re empowered as a body, not as individuals.

Do you want to see something happen in your church?  Be of one accord.  When we are in one accord that’s when things happen.

Acts 2:46-47 (NKJV)
^2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Look at what “one accord” means:

“Breaking bread from house to house” – They spend time together outside of the temple – As a group.  It’s not fragmented: “I’m going with this one person, only!”  “I don’t want to do what the others are doing, so I’m going off by myself.”  Some of them were willing to put aside what they wanted in order to stay with the group. 

“Ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” – They were happy just to be together – They had fun together.  It wasn’t complicated.

“What’s your relationship with that person?”

“It’s complicated…” 

They weren’t looking at each other with mixed emotions. 

“I like this person today, yesterday, not so much.”

“I don’t like what they said, so I’m mad at them.”

It was simple; they accepted each other’s offenses. 

You know, there’s going to be offenses.  People can be irritating.  People will say things you don’t want to hear, but which may be good for you to hear.  People may say something to the pastor so that he can help you but you see it as getting you into trouble.  That’s inwardly-focused thinking:  It’s all about me.  Instead of outwardly focused thinking: It’s all about others.  Some of you are guilty of that – That isn’t holiness. 

The problem with not being of one accord is that the Holy Spirit cannot drop into an unholy place.  When they were of one accord, the Holy Spirit fell.  When they were together, enjoying each other, caring for each other, that’s when the early church exploded into revival.

We need the Holy Spirit.  Look at what Pastor Harold Warner has said when writing on Twitter of the Holy Spirit:

God’s enabling gift to us today: the “indwelling, convicting, sight-giving, desire-producing, strength-affording presence of the Spirit” – Pastor Harold Warner

That’s the gift of the Holy Spirit, look at what we receive:  That Spirit is the Spirit that produces fruit:  Presence of God, conviction, vision, desire and strength.  That’s the power that makes something happen.  It doesn’t come from us alone, it comes from being of one accord, so the Spirit can fall.  Our power is in our unity.

Getting Back to Relationship

I want to look at relationships for a moment, because relationships within the church indicate unity.  Relationships demonstrate a kind of holiness.  Look at this scripture:

Matthew 5:23-24 (NKJV)
^5:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

This scripture shows us how important relationships are to God.  That word brother is talking about, “your brother from another mother,”  not necessarily your blood brother, but your brother and sister in Christ.

You’ve come before God with an offering, a gift for God and you think of some issue between you and someone in the church.  There’s anger, there’s some division; you are not of one accord.  There’s distance growing between you, then:

Leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Don’t give that offering until you have come back together with that person that you have an issue with, then come and give the offering.  Do you know what that says?  It says that if you’re not right with your brothers and sisters in Christ, then you’re not right with God.

In Romans 12, Paul shows us what the relationship should be like:

Romans 12:10 (NKJV)
^12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

“Be affectionate with one another”; care for each other.  Let each other know how much you care about each other.

Jesus said, “They will know you are my disciples by your love one for another.”  Can people see that in your relationships, or do they see squabbling, backbiting and distance?  Do they see God’s love in your relationships, or do they see the same thing they see outside of the church?

“Giving preference to one another” – Have each other’s back.  Stand together.  Hang out with each other.  Wouldn’t you rather be around the people of God?  Is it better to be around people who are opposed to what God is trying to do in your life?  Your sinner friends don’t care whether you remained saved or not.  It’s the brothers and sisters that care about that.

Our relationships are important because they show the world what Jesus can do to change people.  People are naturally self-centered; naturally concerned for their own welfare. 

“I’ve got to get what’s mine, first.”

You don’t have to drive in Taiwan too long to see that.  Nobody can wait for anyone else – I’m first.  If you don’t believe me try crossing the street in front of a taxi.  It’s human nature to think that whatever “important” thing you’re doing, it’s more important than everyone else’s.

Sinners are blown away by people who put others first.  Jesus put all of mankind’s needs before His own.  The Bible says, “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”  He put our need for salvation before His own life, can’t we just put other people’s needs first, sometimes.  Here’s a truth of life for you, “It’s not always all about you.”

The Blessing of a United Front

Being together, being of one accord, being united is a blessing.  God can use a church that’s united in their vision.  I want to go back to my illustration for a moment.

During the civil war, when the nation was divided there was only turmoil and destruction.  America was being destroyed, millions died, families were torn apart.  Men fought against their own brothers in that war.

Land and livelihoods were stolen and destroyed.  America had lost its greatness.  After the war, after a time of unification, huge things were accomplished:  Huge engineering feats like the Transcontinental Railroad.  There was increased westward expansion – The taming of the west.  There was growth, and economic prosperity.  America came to be viewed as the land of opportunity.  Millions of people emigrated from their homelands because of the promise America held.  That’s the blessing of unity.

If our church is unified, if we’re of one accord, the Bible promises that we will see that same blessing:

Acts 2:47 (NKJV)
^2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Do you want to see things happen in your church:  Miracles, financial breakthrough, revival?  That’s the blessing of unity.  The Holy Spirit can fall in a place where the people are of one accord.  When we’re together that’s when things can happen:

John 20:19 (NKJV)
^20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

They’re together, in the same place, for the same reason and Jesus, the risen Jesus, the glorified Jesus walks in and says, “Peace be with you.”

That word peace is interesting in this case.  The Greek word translated as peace comes from a root that means “to join,” as in put together.  Peace comes from being together.  It can also be translated as prosperity – not financial but by being joined together we prosper in the things of God.  I believe that means revival, miracles, financial breakthrough, and growth:  The blessing of unity.  Do you want to see things happen in your church?  Be of one accord.

Burn Baby; Burn!

We always talk about Revival as if it’s a fire:  A burning, all-consuming fire.  That’s the image isn't it? 

There’s a legend that travels throughout fellowship.  I've heard about it.  I know some people who claim to have been there, but to me, it’s one of those legends that you hear sometimes.  Here’s the story, Evangelist Harry Hills was preaching a revival somewhere.  I’m not sure what the city was where he was preaching, but the revival was marked with a number of powerful miracles, words of knowledge and other things.  The church was rocking. It was a very powerful time.  All of a sudden the fire department shows up, because people had called them that the church was burning.  They saw flames rising out of the roof of the church, and so they called the fire department.  When they arrived there was no fire, it was Holy Ghost revival. 

Like I said, to me, this is the stuff of legends.  I don’t know whether or not this is true, but I've heard it a number of times.  The point is that revival is always associated with fire.  Look at our songs, Revival Fire; Burn in Me; It’s that Holy Ghost and fire; The Word of God is Like a Fire, popular worship songs.  That’s as good a description as any, because it does feel like a fire.  It’s a burning desire to see the will of God play out through people coming to Jesus.

In this post, I want to look at that image of revival as a fire burning out of control.  A fire, a forest fire burns in three stages.  The first is ignition; a spark ignites the dry grass.  The second stage is a blaze; the fire begins to grow in intensity.  The third stage of a forest fire is conflagration; the fire is burning out of control.  I want to apply this to the pioneer church or the church that is on the edge of revival.

Acts 9:32-35 (NKJV)
^9:32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. ³³ There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately. ³⁵ So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

The Ignition Point

When a fire has burned, the investigators come out and try to understand what caused the fire.  How did it start?  Was it arson?  The first thing they look for is the ignition point:  The place where the fire started.  The fire will ignite and begin to burn in one direction, widening out as it burns.  So there is literally a “V” that grows out from the ignition point.  The firemen follow the “V” back to the ignition point, in order to look for evidence about the way the fire ignited.

In our text it may seem like a little thing that Peter has done.  We see him dealing only with one lame man:  A man who has been bedridden for eight years, but this is the ignition point.  This is the place where the fire began to burn.  This is the beginning of the fire in that place.  Look at the last line in our text, “So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” 

This is where revival started in Lydda.  Lydda was approximately twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem.  It’s located on the crossroads of the highway that leads from Egypt to Syria, and the highway that leads from Jerusalem to Joppa.  This is a key place.  There were many people who traveled those highways engaged in trade and other things.  It’s key because revival could easily travel to other places from this location. 

Here it is… It starts with one man healed.  It starts like a huge forest fire at one small ignition point.  If you had been there, it would have seemed to be one small thing; a guy gets healed.  That's it, one man is healed of an affliction, but it is the beginning of a city turning to the Lord. 

In the beginning of revival, it’s unseen.  It’s working in the hearts of people.  I've read about the second Great Awakening, this is a revival that took place in the United States between 1820 and 1840.  According to Wikipedia, this revival “enrolled millions of people in existing evangelical denominations and led to the formation of new denominations.”  In other words, millions of people were saved.

Look at this from Christianity.com

“The second Great Awakening had a greater affect on society than any other revival in America.”

It started quietly as a movement in 1790, thirty years before it exploded into revival.  It was unseen; it was a quiet movement that existed mostly in the prayers of the people. 

A preacher named John Erskine published a fervent plea for prayer, and a man named Isaac Backus answered that plea.  John Erskine and Isaac Backus were the ignition point for the greatest revival in American history.  In 1792, they began to pray.  They started this revival, but it was unseen.  It wasn't a huge burning fire, it wasn't even a small blaze; it was a spark in these two men’s hearts.  That’s how revival starts.

If you were to look at Taiwan right now, it doesn't look like a revival.  There’s no huge burning fire, carrying revival across this nation.  No, there’s only one small congregation in Taoyuan City and another in a small city called Pingzhen:  Two pastors praying for growth and impact in their cities.  In 1792, that was the ignition of powerful change in one nation, and in 2014 it can be the same thing  in your city.  Our congregation can be the ignition point.  In Lydda, it was one man praying for another man that started a fire burning there. 

There’s one other aspect that’s need for fire to ignite, and that’s fuel – dry grass, ready to be ignited. In Southern California, there’s very little rain.  Most of the rain that does fall, falls in the months of January and February.  By August grass that grew up in the rains of January and February is dead and dry.  It will easily ignite from a spark, a match, or a cigarette butt casually thrown on the ground. 

Fire usually ignites in the dry areas.  It doesn't ignite near the water.  It takes place in the areas that are dried out:  The areas where the ground thirsts.  It’s the same for revival fire.  Revival fire ignites in hearts that are dry and thirsty.  Look at something David says:

Psalms 63:1-2 (NKJV)
^63:1 A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. ² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.

Look at what he’s saying.  He’s painting a picture of a dry place.  His soul is thirsting for God.  A dry and thirsty land where there’s no water.  It’s the same as the image of a land before a fire takes place.  His heart is dry; it’s missing the water of life.  It’s a perfect picture of the place where a fire would ignite.

What does he do?  He goes looking for God.  He goes into the sanctuary to find God, to find His power and glory.  Is your heart full of God or are you thirsty for God?  Is your heart a dry place, or is it a river of God’s living water?  Are you seeking God’s power and glory…the igniters of fire in dry places?  Those things are the things that will bring revival. 

In our text people saw a man healed:  A man that they knew.  They could see all that had transpired.  They found God’s power.

When Jesus’ friend Lazarus died, his sisters sent for Him, but Jesus tarried.  He told His disciples:

John 11:4 (NKJV)
^11:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

They witnessed the glory of God and the fire of revival ignited in that place.

John 11:45 (NKJV)
^11:45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

The same thing happened in Lydda.  A man was healed by the power of God.  The people witnessed the glory of God.  “All who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord.”  One healing was an ignition point.

The Blaze

There’s a point in any forest fire where the fire can still be easily contained.  I once watched a fire that had started in some dry grass; it quickly got past one person’s ability to contain it.  The wind was blowing a little and the fire grew quickly.  It began to blaze along the side of the road and the fire department showed up.  Within 45 minutes the fire was surrounded and put out.  If the fire department hadn't shown up when they did, the fire would have gotten out of control and started to really burn, but there was a time that the fire department could come and extinguish the fire while it was still a small blaze.

In a revival this is a critical moment.  The fire is a manageable size, and guess what, there are people who don’t want to see a great fire of revival begin to burn.  They want to put it out while it’s still manageable.  Have you seen this?  These are people who want to control what God is doing.  They’re looking to keep things small.  We see them all the time.  They don’t want to get too much of God.  They resist His calling on their lives. 

“I don’t want to be in church, too much.”

“I don’t wan to give a full tithe.”

I don’t want to be prayed for…to be healed.”

I don’t want to let anyone too close.”

We try to contain it when it’s small.  When it’s just starting to grow in our heart.  We worry we can’t control it.  We’re afraid things might get out of our control.  Can I tell you something?  Some people need to get a little out of control.  Some people are worried about what would happen if they got turned on for God. 

When I first got saved I thought it was an intellectual exercise.  I was the great analytical personality.  I looked at everything like this, “Hmmm, how does that work?”   If there was something I didn't understand I had to figure it out, according to what I already knew.  Things were happening to me that I couldn't explain, though.  Things were happening that didn't fit into my experience.

I couldn't analyze it all.  I saw people get healed, I mean really healed.  I saw people give up careers to serve God.  I saw people gladly leave their homes and their jobs and their friends to move to other nations.  None of it fit my frame of reference.  I couldn't come up with an answer for why.  That’s always the big question of the truly analytical…why?  The search for that answer is like dropping a big, wet blanket over revival.  The blaze gets smothered and the fire goes out.

Why do some people get healed, but others don’t?  I don’t know.  Why does God want us to speak in tongues?  I don’t know.  Wouldn't it be easier if we knew what we were saying?  Maybe it would, I don’t know.  Why does God think like He does?  I don’t know.  Why did God rig it so that Jesus had to die in order for us to be forgiven?  I.  Don’t.  Know.  What I do know, though, is that that word "why" kills faith, because you’re looking for answers within you that you don’t have.  Why does God let bad things happen to good people?   I don’t know, but I believe that God loves us.  I believe that God has our best interest in mind.  I believe the best answer for all of mankind’s problems is Jesus.

You need to let the fire grow in you.  Revival changed the course of history in the first century:  That fire started in some hearts in Jerusalem, then spread to Lydda and Sharon, then Joppa, all the way to Rome and finally, around the world.  That revival could have easily been snuffed out as a small blaze that had begun in Jerusalem.

Acts 8:2-3 (NKJV)
^8:2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

In fact that’s the devil’s strategy.  That’s what he tries to do, but it can backfire on him.  Saul was tormenting the church; people were forced to scatter for their own safety.  That could have extinguished the blaze right there.  It could have killed the revival, but people went to other places and began to preach the Gospel showing God’s power and glory and others came to Jesus in those places.  Samaria was one place:

Acts 8:4-6 (NKJV)
^8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Antioch was another:

Acts 11:20-21 (NKJV)
^11:20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

The power and glory of God built into a blaze.  It could have easily been controlled at this point, but it went out of control, because people didn't keep wondering why; they just believed and let God move them.

Conflagration

The third stage of a fire is conflagration.  In this stage the fire is burning out of control.  It consumes everything in its path.  What’s really interesting about forest fires is that they can create their own weather systems.  Winds begin to blow out from the center of the fire from the rising heat and expanding air.  The winds blow out from the center and push the fire out farther out.  It actually causes the fire to spread faster than it was. 

Revival is the same way.  If we allow it to ignite and burn, and it gets away from us, it will grow out of control and revival will push itself.  The first century revival spread around the world.  It became something that powered itself.  It grew on its own, that’s how it could continue to grow long after the leaders of the early revival had all died off.  Nobody can strategize that type of growth.  Revival just takes off. 

That first revival started with one hundred-twenty people praying in an upstairs room, hiding for fear of the Jews, and it spread into a worldwide revival.  The Gospel has been heard in every country of the world, today.  It exploded like a raging forest fire. 

Taiwan is a crossroad.  We can reach the whole world from here.  Your city can be a crossroad, too. I believe that this revival can start, right now.  I believe that any church service or outreach could be the ignition point for revival.  We can be ignited today, or maybe revival can begin to blaze in more hearts this very week.  Take time today, to fervently pray for revival in your heart; in your church; in your city.  Purpose it in your heart to come to every service and seek God.  Don’t throw a wet blanket on the flames; let it build in your heart.  Invite someone to church and let it build in his or her heart, too.  Get out of control and let revival burn out of control.  Let’s steal the cry of 1968’s revolution, “Burn, baby; Burn!”

Disclaimer:  Recently, a woman saw our flyer, looked shocked and said, "You're trying to burn the world up."  Obviously, I'm not advocating that we start a huge fire and let it destroy things.  The call isn't for destruction, its for Revival!