"WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER?"

July 12       “ What Brings Us Together?”  1 Corinthians 12:13

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… We all have different likes and dislikes. Some folks like coffee, and others don’t. Some folks prefer Coca Cola, others like Pepsi products. Some like “active” vacations (skiing, motorcycle touring, camping; others prefer more rest and relaxation. Some prefer fruit as a treat for their palate, while others want chocolate. Some like yogurt, others think even its name sounds nasty. We have different backgrounds. Some grew up in permissive households; others were raised in more restrictive environments. Some were raised in Christian homes, others were not.  Some grew up on farms or in rural settings, others were city dwellers. Some were born in the U.S.A., others came here from other countries. And we’ve had different experiences that have helped in shaping us. Some were raised in one house or in one town, others moved around a lot. Some had the benefit of wealth, others have experienced poverty. Some have served in the military, some have remained civilians. Some have had reasonably few medical challenges, others have had repeated surgeries or have battled physical handicaps. Therefore, as a people, we have a choice to make... We can choose to focus on that which separates us or how we’re different from one another or we can choose to focus on that which brings us together.
What brings us together is pretty simple... It’s all around the cross of Jesus...and the grace of God. “For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)… WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER...WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON WITH ONE ANOTHER...WE’RE ALL LOVED BY GOD!  John 3:16 -- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not -perish, but have eternal life.” 1 John 4:19 -- “We love, because He first loved us.” We’re not loved by Him because of anything we’ve done, but because Who He is...God is love. We’re not loved by God because we’ve chosen to love Him...He loves us all, regardless of how we treat Him. He loves us with agape love, “warts and all” kind of love. God loves us for WHO we are, not for WHAT we are or WHAT we’ve done.  Another thing that brings us together is that WE’VE ALL SINNED. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sin simply means we’ve “missed the mark”...we’ve failed to hit the target of perfection. Your sin is no worse than anyone else’s sin, and your sin is no better than anyone else’s sin either. But what we have in common is that we’ve ALL sinned...we’ve ALL disobeyed, disappointed God. Our sin placed God in a real dilemma. He’s holy and our sin had to be punished, but He loves us and doesn’t wish that any of us would perish (pay the penalty for our sin). So, He provided the remedy out of His grace... Another fact that brings us together is that JESUS DIED FOR US ALL. Romans 5:8 “For God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Another fact that brings us together is that SALVATION IS OFFERED TO ALL. Romans 10:13 “For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” There are some who teach that salvation is NOT offered to all, that Jesus died for an elected few. I know where they get that idea, but it just doesn’t “match up” to Scripture’s “whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Salvation, forgiveness of sin, is available to, was purchased for, and is offered to every person who will receive Jesus by faith. But the good news is that just like God loves us all, Jesus died for us all, salvation is offered to us all. And there are other things we have in common, like... ALL THE PENALTY OF OUR SIN HAS BEEN PAID. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...” If we’ve received Jesus by faith as Lord and Savior, we are completely pardoned and are no longer under condemnation. THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN ALL WHO HAVE RECEIVED JESUS, AND WE HAVE HEAVEN AWAITING ALL CHRISTIANS.  So, as we see the chaos around us and we look at others acting out, we must remember that we have a lot in common and that we need to stay true to what we know and live to share Jesus and to witness to the facts that bring us together instead of the “Satanic Lies” that attempt to divide us! Believer, remember that God has promised to sustain us as we walk in HIM!  Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the “Popular Thought,” we are to remain obedient to God’s call and embrace the fact that we are “JUST PASSING THROUGH!”  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!  What God does with you, depends upon what you do!  It Always has; It Always will!! Be sure, be productive and continue to share the Love of God with others!   Stay Strong, Stay Focused…Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!