Let's turn to John chapter 7. I was thinking what Tommy, you
said back there in the prayer in the men's meeting. It's not
that he would hate one. That certainly could be understood
how he could with His holiness, but how He could love, how He
could love any, how He could be merciful unto us, and how,
brother, how thankful we are that He didn't pass us by, that
He didn't pass us by. Turn with me to John chapter
7, verse 43. John 7 verse 43. So there was a division among
the people because of him. Because of him. I was thinking while studying
and preparing this message, I can't think I can't think of a time
in my lifetime, and that's been a short amount of time, but I
can't think of a time when there has been as much division in
our country and really around the world as there is what seems
to be right now at this very minute. And it would certainly be easy
to get caught up in those things. It would be so easy to devote
our time and spend a whole lot of time on the division that's
in this world. But this division that we read
of here, it was because of Him. It was because of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Because of who He is. Because
of what He said. I believe that most division
in this world, it's a result of us insisting on our own way. I suspect just about all division
could probably be tracked back to that. I want it this way. Somebody else wants it a different
way. in marriage. Isn't that true?
Just in about any situation. You know the scriptures declare
in marriage the two shall be one. And that's a great mystery. What a mystery that truly is.
The two shall be one. Two separate people. How they can live together in
harmony. But that's the result of not
always having my way. There's no doubt some compromising. Children and parents, business,
just any aspect of our life. Think about all the way back
there in the garden. How did Adam start this whole mess? It
was, he wanted, God said, this is the way it will be, and Adam
basically said, no, I want it my way. I want to eat. I want
to eat of that tree. And it wouldn't have mattered
what it was. God told him not to. Adam would have wanted the
opposite of whatever God told him. And though division is common
in this world, it should not be common among believers. It should not be common among
his people. You know, in our homes, the Scriptures
declare wives, Submit yourselves unto your own husbands." It's
in the Lord. It says this, the word says,
Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave
himself for it. You know, if we could get, if
we could just, if we could just do those two things right, I
can't imagine there would be any, any, there'd be no debate
over who took the garbage out. I mean, those little things,
there would be no debate over anything, would there? If we
could just get those two things, those two things down. How about this? Children, children,
obey your parents. Obey your parents in the Lord,
for this This is right. It's right to obey your parents
in the Lord. If our children were to do that,
wouldn't our homes be a much more peaceful place? It says, Fathers, provoke not
your children to wrath. Don't be overly harsh. You know, I can definitely Speak
that one from experience. How often, how often do we think
of our children as little adults? We expect them to be little adults. Don't be overly harsh on our
children. In the home, in the home, God's
word says this, that the husband and wife are heirs together. heirs together of the grace of
life. You know, there shouldn't be
any division. And as long as we live on this
earth and as long as sin dwells in this body, there will be. But as a believer, there's no
reason for there to be division in our homes. What about in the
church? What about when God's people
meet together? Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter
12. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 25. Paul writing to the church at
Corinth in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 25, he says this. He says
that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members
should have the same care one for another. That word schism,
it means division. There should be no division.
And though members of the church differ in gifts, and in personality,
and in honor, and in so many different ways, we should all
have the same love and care for each other. When one member suffers,
we suffer with them. When another member, when they're
honored, we rejoice with them. We're members of His body. You know, when you break your
arm, you don't cut it off and throw it over the hill, do you?
I mean, you nurture it. You hold it in close to the rest
of your body. And that's what God's Word says.
One body joined together. No, no division. Well, turn to
John chapter 13. Look at verse 34. John 13 verse
34. This is our Lord speaking. He says, A new commandment I
give unto you. that ye love one another." How much? Because I have loved
you. That you also love one another. By this, by this, not by a bumper
sticker, not by posting the Ten Commandments out in your front
yard. By this, he says, shall all men know that you're my disciples. How? That you love one another. That's what God's Word says here.
No schism. No division among God's people. No division in our homes. And
what about in this world? What about our walk in this world? Our day-to-day walk in this world?
Romans 12, 18 says this, If it be possible, if it be possible,
as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." You know the fruit of the Spirit,
the fruit, not the fruits, but the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. We're to live peaceably with
all men. He says, as much as lies in you.
But you know, we can only walk so far with this world, can't
we? Isaac was telling us a story
about a little encounter down at the park and some woman came
up and started asking him some questions. And he said, we kind
of debated back and forth a little bit about what the gospel really
was. And she was talking a whole lot
about works. Isaac was talking a whole lot
about grace. And he finally said, he looked at her and he said,
you know what, she was from Ohio. But he said, finally I had to
just look at her and say, look, I think about the only thing
we're going to be able to agree on is we're both from Ohio. Have a good day. We can walk
with this world so far, but there's a point in which that division
is clear. Turn back to John 7. John chapter 7. Look beginning
with verse 37. In the last day, in the last
day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth
on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water, But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy
Ghost was not yet given." Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Many, it says many, many of the people, therefore, when they
heard that saying, they said, of a truth, this is a prophet.
Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, shall Christ come
out of Galilee? Hath not the Scripture said,
Christ cometh of the seed of David? and out of the town of
Bethlehem where David was, which leads us again to our text here,
so there was a division. A division because of him. Make it very clear, this division,
it was because of him. It was because of him. And it's
a division that can be seen throughout God's Word. Starting back in
the Old Testament, Wasn't there a difference? Wasn't
there a clear division back there in the days of Noah? Now think
about that. Those who rebelled, those who
rebelled and had no refuge during that great flood, when God's
judgment was upon the earth, but yet we read Noah, Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah and his family, eight souls
saved by water. Outside of that ark, the only
thing that divided Noah and the rest of humanity was that ark.
Outside that ark was death and destruction and judgment. What about in the ark? What was
the difference in that ark? In the ark was peace, safety,
refuge, life. Life in Christ. That ark pictured
Christ. How about Cain and Abel? Pretty
clear division there, wasn't there? Cain brought the fruits
of his labor. He brought the works of his hands.
I imagine he held those potatoes or whatever he had up and, boy,
look at these. Look at what I have done. But not Abel. Abel brought that
blood sacrifice. Abel brought a blood sacrifice.
A sacrifice, why was that so meaningful? It pointed to Christ.
It pointed to Christ, our sacrifice. Christ, our substitute. Without
the shedding of blood, there is no remission. And Cain, Cain
rose up and slew his brother. Clearly, clearly a division there,
wasn't there? He slew his brother. Turn to
Exodus chapter 11. Exodus chapter 11. Exodus 11,
7. You know, God put a difference.
He put a difference between His people. He put a difference between
Israel and the people of Egypt. He said this, he said, against
the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue. Against man or beast that ye
may know that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians
and Israel. God's chosen people, God's elect,
Israel. You know, God sent those plagues
on the Egyptians. And over and over again, He said,
I'll put a division between My people and thy people. He sent that grievous moraine,
that disease, upon the cattle. And all of the cattle in Egypt
died. What about in Goshen? What about
the children of Israel? of the cattle of the children
of Israel died not one." He put a difference. God sent hail. He sent the hail and it destroyed
everything in the field, man, beast, herb. Everything that
it smoked was broken. But in Goshen, there were the
children of Israel were not a drop of hail, not one. God sent darkness
for three days. Three days in the land of Egypt. Darkness, it's so dark that you
couldn't even see your hand in front of your face. Darkness
that could be felt. I don't know how dark that is.
I imagine that's dark though, isn't it? But what about in Goshen? In Goshen, we read that, listen,
in all those houses, in all those houses where the children of
Israel dwelt, there was light. There was light. Isn't that true
today? There's darkness throughout this
world. But God's people, there's light. There's light to reveal His Word. Light revealed to His people. And that final plague that He
sent, death of the firstborn, You know among the Egyptians,
there was a great cry that went out. There wasn't a house in
Egypt where there wasn't death. But the children of Israel, God
passed over them. What was the difference? What
made the difference? It was the blood. He said, take
a lamb, slay it, put the blood on the door. And when God saw
that blood, He passed by every one of those houses. Aren't we
thankful? Aren't we thankful that we're
under the blood, under the blood of Jesus? And He passes over. A division,
a difference because of Him. In Mark chapter 10, Peter's speaking,
he spoke to the Lord. He said, Lo, we've left all and
we've followed Thee. And the Lord Jesus answered him.
He said, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left
house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or
children or lands. Why? For my sake. For the sake of the gospel. And this gospel This gospel,
it divides. It divides. Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter
12, verse 51. Now this is the words of the
Lord Himself. He says, suppose you that I've
come to give peace on earth. I tell you, I tell you nay. Rather,
division. Division. You know, to one it's
a savor of death. This gospel, to one it's a savor
of death unto death. but to others. Oh, how thankful
we are. It's a savor of life unto life. One hears and rejoices. One hears and falls at his feet
and begs for mercy. Another hears and raises his
fist to God and says, I'll not have this man reign over me. It's a gospel that divides, God's
work. Now quickly, just real quickly,
I want us to look at four scriptures. Four scriptures that divide men
in our Lord's time when He walked this earth and continue to divide
men in our day. Turn first to John chapter 10.
John chapter 10. Look at verse 31. Here we read, Then the Jews took
up stones again to stone him. That sounds like division to
me, right? That sounds like pretty clear division. Why? Why? Why did they do that? Well, let's
read on. Look at verse 32. Why would these
so-called... These were religious folks, right?
Why would these so-called religious men seek... If you're going to
throw stones at somebody, it's not to change their mind about
something. It's to kill them, isn't it? Why would they do that? Look at verse 32. Jesus answered
them. He said, Many good works have
I showed you from my Father. For which of these works? For
which of these works do you stone me? Was it his good works? He went about healing the sick,
giving sight to the blind. He made lepers whole. He made
the deaf to hear. He turned water to wine. He fed
thousands with five loaves and two fishes. He raised the dead.
For which of these good works are you stoning me?" Do you still
have John 10? Look back at verse 22. It was at Jerusalem, the Feast
of the Dedication. It was winter. Jesus walked into
the temple, Solomon's Porch. He came to the Jews around about
Him. They said to Him, How long do
you make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them. And He said, I told you, and
you believe not. The works that I do in My Father's name, they
bear witness of Me. But you believe not, because
you're not My sheep. As I said unto you, My sheep hear My voice.
I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me is greater than
all. No man is able to pluck them
out of My Father's hand." Look at verse 30. He said, I and My
Father are one. That's when the Jews took up
stones to stone him, wasn't it? What's he saying here? Why the
division? Why were these so-called religious
leaders going to stone the Lord Jesus Christ? They said, we stone
you not for a good work, but thou being a man, make us thyself
God. That's why they wanted to stone
him. Jesus Christ is God. The Lord Jesus Christ is God.
He is God in human flesh. His name declares who He is. Immanuel being interpreted. What
is that? It said, Behold, a virgin shall
be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call
His name Immanuel, which is being interpreted as God with us. God with us. They wanted to see
Him as just a man. Oh, but He's so much, He's the
God-man. He's God in human flesh. In the
beginning, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He said this, He said, He that
hath seen Me hath seen the Father. He's God Almighty in human flesh. The world, the world will have
Him as a man. You know, they have no trouble
putting him in a little plastic manger over the holidays and
carrying him around and having little statues that they can
do what they want with. They'll not have him as God,
who reigns and rules in all things. They'll have him as a reformer,
a frustrated reformer. They'll have him as an example.
They'll have him as one who went about doing good, a worker of
miracles. but they will not have Him as
God Almighty. They will not bow to Him for
who He is. Listen to 1 Timothy 3. I'll just
read this without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. He was justified in the spirit,
seen of angels, believed on in the world, received up in glory. Great is the mystery of godliness. Jesus Christ is God. There was a division. And you
know, if we read on, some sought to stone Him. That was their
desire, to stone Him, to kill Him, to get rid of Him. But if
we read on, in John 10, we'll see this. Many, many believed on Him. Do you believe that statement?
Do you believe that truth? Jesus Christ is God. The second point. Look at Luke
4 verse 29. Here in verse 29 of Luke 4 we
read that they rose up, thrust him out of the city, led him
unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they
might cast him down headlong. Sounds like they were divided
there. They wanted to not just throw him over a hill, but throw
him over a hill headfirst. Why would they do that? What
had He said that would get them stirred up that much? Look back
at verse 25. Our Lord speaking, He said, I
tell you the truth, many widows, many widows were in Israel in
the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years
and six months, when great famine was throughout the land. Many,
many widows. but unto none of them was Eli's sin, save unto Sarepta,
city of Sidon, unto a woman, to that one little widow woman. One. Let's read on. He said many lepers were in Israel
in the time of Elisha the prophet. None of them was cleansed, save
in Naaman the Syrian. And all they, all day in the
synagogue. Think about where they're at
here, okay? In the synagogue. When they heard these things,
they were filled with wrath. And rose up, thrust him out of
the city, led him to the brow of the hill whereon the city
was built, that they might cast him down headlong. Why the division? What stirred
that crowd to such an awful thing? Well, the same thing then that
stirs him, stirs him today. His sovereign, electing, distinguishing
grace. His right to say, I'll save this
one and I'll pass these by. Back in the Old Testament, Moses
asked God, he said, show me your glory. Show me your chief glory. And God told Moses, he said,
I'm going to make all my goodness pass before thee. I'm going to
proclaim the name of the Lord before thee. And he said this,
I'll be gracious. I'll be gracious to whom I'll
be gracious. And I'll show mercy to whom I
will show mercy. What does God owe us? What does
God owe any of us? The only wage I read of in His
Word is the wages of sin, and that's death. That's what He
owes man. If we're going to be perfectly
honest about it. That's not what this religious world thinks.
Oh, they're building mansions in glory. He said, I'll be merciful unto
whom I'll be merciful. that offends the natural man's
pride, that goes against his pride. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. If God's pleased
to save me, it's by His sovereign grace. It's all of Him. And that, that causes division. It caused division when our Lord
walked this earth, and it causes division today. These folks heard
this, and they were going to cast Him over the cliff. But
if you read on in verse 32 of Luke 4, it says, He came to Capernaum. Just shortly after that, He came
to Capernaum, the city of Galilee, and He taught on the Sabbath.
Those folks, they didn't desire to throw Him over. They were
astonished at His doctrine, for He spoke as one with power. How could He do that? Because
He is all-powerful. He's sovereign. He's sovereign. Turn back with me to John chapter
6. John chapter 6. Look beginning with verse 60
and 61. John 6. Verse 60 and 61. Many, therefore, of his disciples,
when they heard this, said, this is a hard saying. This is a hard
saying. Who can hear it? When Jesus knew
in himself that the disciples murmured, he said unto them,
does this offend you? Does this offend you? What had he said? What had he
said? Look back at verse 53 of John
6. Verily, verily, John 6 verse
53. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood,
you have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood hath eternal life, and I'll raise him up at the last
day. For my flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father
has sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me
Even He shall live by me. This is the bread which came
down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna
and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall
live forever." What was he saying here? What was he saying? Eating his flesh, drinking his
blood. This is union with Christ. This is union with... This is
Christ dwelling in us. This is Christ in you, the hope
of glory, a living vital union that the believer has with Christ. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood dwelleth in me and I in him. That union, that communion,
that fellowship we have with Christ, I am completely, I am
totally and completely dependent upon Him. You know, if a fellow
doesn't have anything to eat or drink, he's going to die.
He said, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood. That man's
going to live. I'm completely dependent on Him. And as the Father and Son, I
can't wrap my head around this, but as the Father and the Son
are one, what He has, what the Lord Jesus Christ has, we have. His righteousness. We have the
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Where He is? Where He
is? He's seated in glory. That's
where we are. What does the Scripture say?
It says this, as He is, as He is, so are we. Right now. Right now. And we constantly
feed on Him and look to Him. What was the division? Union. Union with Christ. You know,
some said this. Some said this. They said, this
is a hard saying. This is a hard saying. Who can
hear it? Who can hear it? The Scriptures, if we read on,
it says this. It says that many of His disciples,
they went back and they walked with Him no more. No more. Do you still have John 6? Look
at verse 67. Our Lord, he looked to the twelve
and he said this, he said, will you go away? Will you go away? Does that offend you? Will you
go away? Simon Peter answered him, he
said, Lord, to whom shall we go? To whom shalt thou hast the
words of eternal life? And we believe and are sure thou
art Christ. the Son of the Living God. To
whom, to whom shall we go? To whom shall we go? Well, my
fourth point. What divides men? What divided
men in Christ's day and continues to divide men in our day? Look
at John chapter 8 in verse 59. Then took they up stones to cast
at him. But Jesus hid himself and went
out of the temple. Again, this is in the temple.
Religious people, right? Went out of the temple, going
through the midst of them, and so passed by. Why? Why did they on this occasion
want to stone him? Look at verse 41. Back at verse
41. Our Lord said this, He said, you, you do the deeds of your
father. You do the deeds of your father.
Now, they were a little confused about who their father was here.
Your father the devil, right? And they said to him, we be not
a fornication. We have one father, even God.
We be not a fornication. We're not sinners. We're not
sinners. That's what they said. We're
not sinners. He told these men that they were
sinners. And it upset him. It upset him. Does that offend
you? Does that offend you? Tom, does
that offend you? You're a sinner. You know at one time, at one
time it did. It did. There was a time when
I didn't think I was a sinner. Right? When the Lord's pleased
to reveal that to us. I remember Brother Henry telling
me one time, he said he was preaching on the TV and he was telling
people they were sinners. And I picture him there pointing
out, he was pointing out into the TV, you know, so here he
is in front of the camera and there's all these people staring
at the TV. And he said this, he said, I'm a sinner. And then
he turned his finger and he said, you're a sinner. And he said,
a fella, I don't know if he called him or wrote him a letter or
showed up at the church, and he was mad. He was mad. And Henry said, what are you
mad about? He said, well, he said, I wasn't upset. I wasn't upset
at all when you said you were a sinner. But he said, when you
said I was a sinner, he said, that upset me. That's no different
in this day, is it? No different then. What do the
Scriptures declare? All, all have sinned. What's
so hard to understand about a small three-letter word? All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. Well, look here at John
chapter 8. Look back at verse 42. Jesus said unto them, if God
were your Father, if God were your Father, you'd love me. You'd
love me for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came
I of myself, but He sent me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. The natural man
cannot hear. He said, you're your father the
devil, and the lust of your father you'll do. By nature, by nature,
were all the children of wrath. He was a murderer from the beginning
that bode not the truth, because there's no truth in him. When
he speaketh, he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he's
a liar and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth,
you believe me not. The natural man cannot and will
not hear the truth. Verse 46, Which of you convinceth
me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do
you not believe me? Man is utterly without excuse. He that is of God, heareth God's
word. Isn't that what the Scripture
says? He said, My sheep, my sheep hear my voice. He that is of
God, heareth God's word. Ye therefore hear. You hear them
not, because you're not my sheep. John chapter 7 verse 43 There was a division There was
a division because of him because of him Jesus Christ is God. That statement divides men. His sovereign, electing, distinguishing
grace. That divides men. Union with Christ, being completely
dependent upon Him. That divides men. Man is a sinner. Apart from Christ, man's a sinner. Does that offend you? Will you
go away being told those things? I hope we can all say what Peter
said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. We believe and are sure that
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. I pray God would bless his word
to our hearts today. Let's go to our Lord in prayer.