I'd like to ask you to turn to
the 17th chapter of John, if you would. I'd like to talk to you this
morning about one mind, one gospel. There are many subjects, many
things that bring men to a different opinion all around us in the
world that we live in. We all come from one thing or
another. We're all influenced in and by our own surroundings. Allow me to use my wife for an
example. She comes from a family that
was mostly Jehovah Witness. And one of her biggest troubles,
when the Lord first called me into the light of His precious
love for His people, one of His biggest troubles with what I
was hearing here in this church, was that Jesus, God the Son,
God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are one. Her trouble with
that was in her upbringing. There are many, many things in
the world around us that men will argue about. Even things right here. in this
very building among this very people that sit right here this
morning. Maybe not argue in a heated, downright punch you out type
of argument. That's not what I'm talking about.
And I'm talking about disagreement. I don't agree with everything
Pastor Gene believed. How do you like that? But it's true, Darryl. I appreciate your honesty in
answer. But it's true. And if you say that you believe
in everything I get up here and talk about, every exact point,
you need to ask yourself, is that really true? We're human. We all come from different backgrounds.
We all come from different points. I was a truck driver. A truck driver who was raised
as a Baptist. I come from a family that was
destroyed by a father who was... Let's just leave it at that.
But God brought in another man, another preacher, into my life. At that point I was nothing more
than a rebellious punk kid. You understand what I'm trying
to say? I'm trying to tell you that we all come from something
different. We don't always all agree on every little point. But God's people will agree on
one point. Salvation is of the Lord. There's nothing we can do to
earn it. We don't make a decision that we're just going to, oh,
you know what? I'm going to start being a little smarter today.
I think it's probably better for me if I just, you know, pull
my pants up and stop being that little turkey jerk person that
I was. And then I'll just walk down the aisle and I'm going
to accept Jesus in my heart. We know the Bible doesn't teach
us that, don't we? No. The Bible teaches that salvation
is of the Lord and of Him alone. It is not by our will But His
will that brings His people to Him. Some of us come from different
backgrounds. Some come from this. Some come from that. Some have
an understanding of this. And others have an understanding
of that. You see, it all started way back when, when all mankind. I know this is probably hard
for you to picture. But there was a time when all
mankind spoke the same language. And just as all mankind would
do, they began to rebel against God and say, you know what? We're
not going to wait for God. We're going to build a tower
to Him. We're going to go to Him. We're
not going to wait for Him to bring us to Himself. We're going
to go to Him. It's going to be our works. And
they built this tower and the Lord looked down and said, no,
I'm not going to have any of that. And so He caused. Do you notice that? He caused.
He caused men to speak different languages. He caused men to be
different. To start living different ways.
Different rituals. He miraculously caused some to
speak this way and others to speak that. And from that time on, Men have
argued about this, and they've argued about that. And men have
had their differences, and they don't always see eye to eye.
Sometimes these differences can cause quite an uproar. Opinions
can get crossed, and passions get riled up. It's no different
than today. Men still get riled up and argue.
Well, this means this. This means it's got to be this
year and this alone. No, it means that. And they'll
get all riled up and argue about it. The Word of God is probably
the most argued about book ever written. Men can find many things to say,
what does that mean? And I'm sure you know as well
as I, some men search for such things just so they can discuss,
just so that they can argue, just so that they can show how
intellectual that they are, and so on and so on. Look what I've
learned. I've learned all about this thing
here. Have you seen this? Let me tell you about it. No,
it's not that way at all. It's this way. The earth was filled with water
at one time. Well, how can that be? See how an argument could come
up about that? How about this one? The sun stood
still. It raised up into the sky and
it didn't move. Well, how could that be? Can any of you explain that? How about this one? There was
a bush one time on the top of a mountain. And it burnt with
fire coming out of it. And yet the bush was not consumed. How can you explain that? Here's another one, the parting
of the Red Sea. How often have we looked at that
and seen how the Bible describes the wall of water on each side
of Israel and how they walked on dry ground? Yet when the Egyptians
came in and went after them, it turned to mud again. What
in the world? How can you explain that? You see what I'm getting
about the opinions of men here? How opinions of men can get to
be this and get to be that? How about this one? Four men
were in a fire. They were seen in the fire. A
fire that was so hot, it was seven times hotter than the normal
fire. It was so hot. That when these
men who were setting the fire, who were to burn these four men,
when they even got close to it, they were incinerated. They didn't
even have to get into it. It was so hot it incinerated
them. Yet four men were seen inside that fire. And when they
came out, not even their clothes smelt of smoke. Well, how can
that be, John? This is stuff that can't be.
See where I'm going with this? See where all this can go to?
With people arguing about this, and how this, and how that. What
about the virgin birth? How about this? God in the flesh. How can that be? How about the man who knew no
sin, but was made sin for his people? How about this? This is the hardest one for me. How is it that a man so full
of sin, how is it that this man who stands
before you, could be made righteous. Pick your poison, folks. Any
one of these subjects have caused great contention at one time
or another. And if you think that you're
too smart to fall into that trap, then
you are sadly mistaken. In Jeremiah 17, 9, we read, the
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,
who could know it? When men lose sight of that verse,
when we start thinking that our heart is not desperately wicked, Sin creeps in and contention
takes over. Folks, this should not be with
the brethren of God. Are you with me in John chapter
17? This should not be with those
who are one with Christ. And for their sakes, our Lord
says, this is the Lord's prayer. This is the true prayer. That
other one that the world calls the Lord's Prayer, Our Father
which art in Heaven. That's how we should pray. The
true Lord's Prayer is when He got down and He prayed to the
Father for His people. He said, I don't pray for the
world, I pray for those that Thou hast given Me. The Lord
Jesus Christ, God Almighty, prayed for you and I, to the Father.
And he says, for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also
might be sanctified through the truth. Not some false gospel,
not some made up man's religion that says man must do something
for it. But the gospel of truth. There's
one... What was that again? One mind. One forgetful mind, okay? Just
a little bit. I'm 60, I can... Oh, quit it
little sister. There's one mind. There's one
gospel and it's the truth. There's only two things in this
world. There's truth and there's a lie. And what is not the truth
is a lie, and what is a lie is not the truth. And the will of
men is not the truth, it's the will of God about everything,
otherwise your God is a false God. The only reason we call Him God
is because everything is by His will. He deserves, He is earned,
He is God. He is sovereign ruler over everything.
The very first things that I heard sitting in this pew was about
a God who does rule, who deserves to be called God. And I said,
now that's a God that I could worship. That's a God, and the
reason I said it was because He had already moved into my
heart, just as He did with Lazarus. Lazarus heard the Lord Jesus
say, Lazarus come forth, and he heard it because Christ had
already moved into his heart and given him life to hear it.
He was dead before, just as John was. "...that they also might be sanctified
through the truth." Verse 20, "...neither pray I for these
alone." Not just for you and I. Not just for those that were
walking the earth that very time. But for them also which shall
believe on Me through their word. Those that were at that time
would go out and preach the Gospel. That was the Lord's Word. Go
out and preach the Gospel to all the earth. Not go out and
tell people this is what you must do, this is how you must
act, this is how you must be good to the poor, but go out
and preach the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him
crucified for His people. I pray not for these alone, but
for them also which shall believe on Me through their word, that
they all may be one. as thou, Father, art in me, and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them, and that they may be one even
as we are one, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
three distinct persons absolutely, but all one God. And our Lord
is praying that we would be one as He is. One of mind. Obviously, I'm not one physically
with Christ, but spiritually, spiritually all of God's people
are. Oh, my spirit wants to be so
much like my Savior. And I so want my flesh to be
also, but it won't be. And if you think yours will,
God help you. We'll have to fight this body
of flesh until the Lord takes us home. To be one with the Father and
one with the Son. He says in verse 23, I in them
and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. And that
the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them
as thou hast loved me. Father, Father, he prays on,
I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where
I am. That they may behold my glory
which thou hast given me. Folks, we can see our Lord Jesus
Christ right here in His Word. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was made flesh. That's what this book is all
about. It's about our Lord and Savior. It's about the One who
is God in the flesh who came here to this earth to be crucified
by His own will. He laid down His life and He
took it up again. Yes, He was slayed by crooked
hands and wicked hands. But it was by the predetermined
counsel of God that he came to this earth to do so. He had to. Otherwise we'd still be in our
sins. Father, I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory which thou hast given me. For thou lovest me
before the foundation of the world. Oh, righteous Father,
the world hath not known me. How are you going to know about
somebody unless that somebody is preached
about? How are you going to call upon
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ if you don't know who He is?
He's God. How are you going to call on
the Lord Jesus Christ if you don't know what He did? He came
to this earth to save His people. And He did. No empty seats. All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me. You are here this day hearing
the Word of God because He has brought you here. He's the one... You got your bulletins with you? He's the one who puts it in your
heart. Look at this article at the top
there, from Luke 24, 32. Did not our hearts burn within
us? Oh, reader, these words pertain to all of God's elect. Does not
your heart burn when Christ our Lord opens the Scriptures to
you? Does it not bring joy to your heart to see Christ Jesus,
the God-man in Scripture? Does not your heart burn with
joy when you see in the Scripture the Lord's mercy expressed for
His chosen blood-bought children? Does not your heart burn when
you see in the Scriptures the peace God's people have in His
sovereign, loving grace? I've got to tell you, I said
it in the Bible study this morning, that's the only peace I have
in this day's world. There's so much craziness going
on out there around us, folks. I'm sure I would be just an absolute
insane lunatic nut if I'd have kept on the path that I was on
before. But yet my Lord has shown me, He's shown me that all things
work to the good for those who love Him, to those who are called
by Him. Even the craziness that is out there in our world around
us. Even those who killed all those thousands of people on
9-11 back in 2001. All those things are for our
good. Don't know how yet, but there's coming a day when we
will know all things. And we'll know exactly how that
all worked out for our good. And we'll sing that word that
we sing right now, to God be the glory. The hearts of those two men on
the road to Emmaus burned. burned within them when Christ
the Lord expounded, explained, brought out in the Scriptures
all the things concerning Himself. Oh, how I pray that the Lord
Jesus would give you a heart that burns with joy spending
time in the Holy Word of God. O righteous Father, the world
hath not known Thee, verse 25, again, but I have known Thee
that these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared
unto them Thy Name and will declare it, that the love wherewith Thou
hast loved Me may be in them and I in them." One mind. One Gospel. There's all kinds of stuff in
this world that we could discuss. And I'm not saying not to. Don't
take that wrong, what I said a little bit ago about we should
avoid those with all utterance. There's a way to discuss differences
and a way not to. Bill and I have been talking
for 20 years now about the Lord. We used to spend every day before
the Lord took his tongue. Every day I'd call him for 15,
20 minutes and we talked about all kinds of things. Some things
that I would not discuss with anyone else. Not even my own wife. Not because
I'm trying to hide anything from you, sweetie. But they might cause contention. She came from a different background. Paul sat down and ate meat with
the Greeks so that he wouldn't offend them. You'll recall, Peter got up and
walked out on it and went back to be with the Jews. And Paul
and Peter got into it over that. Paul called him out on it. He
says, wait a minute, you're saying that you're okay with this and
that you're not supposed to be of works, but then all of a sudden
you get up and show how your works lead you not to eat meat
with these people anymore? Turn over to Philippians, if
you would, Philippians chapter 2. If we belong to Christ, if we
are the elect, if we are the chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world, and that's what Scripture
said, if our names were written in the book of life before a
star ever twinkled in the sky, if the blood of the Son of the
living God was shed for us, then should we not be of one mind?
What can we be of one mind on? That's my whole point for today's
message. What can bring you and I together right here, right
now, and bring us to one mind? Is there something that we can
all agree on without contention? Are you with me in Philippians
chapter 2? If there be any consolation in Christ, Is there something we can be
without contention on? If there be any consolation,
any comfort in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies, fulfill ye my joy
that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord,
of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other
better than themselves." When Paul spoke of the other disciples,
the other apostles, this is a man who God used to
write eight books of Holy Scriptures. to start church after church
after church, true gospel churches. A man obviously God was with,
and yet he thought of himself lowlier than anyone else. Do you get the picture of what
it's saying here? You are so much more worthy than
me in anything. And those aren't just words. I don't see your sin, but I see
mine. And when I see my sin, there's
nobody here, nobody who can compare. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery, to be equal with God, but made Himself
of no reputation. He wasn't calmly looking at all.
This pretty picture that people put up of a long-haired guy they
think is Jesus, that's not Jesus. Scripture describes Him as one
nobody wants to even look upon. He took upon Himself the form
of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. God became
flesh. And being found in a fashion,
verse 8, as a man, He humbled Himself and He became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow
of things in heaven, and things of earth, and things under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord." Many things. can be and will
be curious and tickle our imaginations. We can't help it. We're human. How can that be? How could the
sun stand still? It's a miracle. It's a miracle. How could I be born again? It's a miracle. I can't go into my mother's womb. And I can't decide to be born
again myself. I didn't have any decision in
the first one. Only foolishness would think
that I'd have anything to do with the second one. It was a
miracle. What about this? What about that? But folks, we are of one mind.
We are of the mind of Christ. In Hebrews 10, 9 it says, Then
said He, Then said He, the Lord Jesus Christ, I come to do Thy
will, O God. That's our mind. Lord, help me
to do Thy will, not mine. That's what my Spirit wants.
Lord, help me to do what You would have me to do. Don't let
me wander off like You did Jonah. I know that was needful, and
Jonah needed to do that, and it was purposeful. He had to
do it so that he could learn in death through the whale, salvation
is of the Lord. But what a painful lesson that
had to be. And I don't like pain. Lord, don't leave me to myself. Show me what Your will would
be and allow me to walk that way. We're not perfect as He is, but
is it not our desire? Is not our desire along the same
line? I come to do Thy will, O God.
We say, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be
done, as in heaven, so in earth. Lord, I believe. Help Thou my
unbelief. Now, I cannot explain how God
the man created all that is, but I know He did. I believe. I cannot explain how God the
Man cleansed me from all my sin, yet I believe. I cannot explain how God the
Man is sitting right now, a risen Savior, risen from the dead,
sitting on His throne, making all things for my good, yet I
believe. I cannot explain all the details
of just how Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the
Father, yet I believe. Turn back a couple of pages,
if you would, to Romans chapter 15. Romans chapter 15, look at verses
4 through 7 with me. For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience
and comfort of scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience
and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another
according to Christ Jesus. that ye may be with one mind
and one mouth. Let me read that again. That ye may with one mind and
one mouth do what? Read it aloud with me, folks.
Glorify God. That's the rule of life for a
believer. Glory in the cross of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Glorify Him. He will not share
His glory with another. Walking down the aisle and saying,
I accept Christ, is taking glory away from God because God says,
it's not your will, it's Mine that brings you to Me. Wherefore receive ye one another
as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Folks, the
gospel is simple. Brother Daryl mentioned it a
moment ago in his prayer. Lord, that even I can understand
it. Me too, Daryl. I've never graduated high school,
let alone gone to college. I'm not a learned man. I need simple things. Simple is easy to understand.
You want to go making stuff all complicated and trying to make
it this and make it that? Well, go do that, but just don't
bother me with it. I like the end results. I'm not
quite sure how it all got there, but this is how it got there.
Salvation is of the Lord. And He saved me. And this flesh that I have will
someday be put off and I will stand with Him for eternity and
glory. A child can understand that. A simple minded person can hear
the gospel and understand it. One of my other fellow workers
joined us one day for the conference. And he has a special needs son. And from what I heard, that special
needs boy knows the Lord. My wife has a sister who has
a special needs boy. And from what I've heard from
confession from that boy, he knows the Lord. I've heard Him say, oh, He's
the Lord of everything. And He does. And He points it
out. He's the Lord of this. He's the Lord of that. He's not
just the Lord of this. He's the Lord of it all. Yeah, the Holy Spirit must reveal
such truths to those who know it. But God uses the gospel,
the foolishness of preaching to call people to Himself. Turn
a few more pages back to Romans 12, if you would. Here's the simplicity of the
Gospel. The simplicity of the Good News. Christ came to save
sinners. He shall be called Jesus, for
He shall save His people. All that the Father giveth Him
shall come to Him. Salvation is of the Lord. And here's my favorite part of
it. I shall never leave you, he says,
nor forsake you. That's hard to believe at times.
Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief. These
are simple words of good news to one who is a sinner. If the grace of God has come
to a poor, lost, broke, depraved sinner, if God has shown one
as to what they justly deserve in the carnal flesh, then do you not see the wonder
of His grace? That's what we come here to do. To praise Him and thank Him for
His grace and His mercy upon us. We see ourselves for what
we deserve. We see the One who took what
we deserve on the cross, who by His own blood, the power of
God, was shed to pay for all of our sins. We see that, and
that's what we're here to do, is to praise and worship the
One who loved us from before the world began. The awe of His mercy. When one
has had these truths revealed to their heart, then the words
here in verse 16 of Romans 12 should ring out to our souls.
Be of the same mind, one toward another. If you know you're a sinner, And you know you're saved by
the grace of God. Should we not treat anyone else
the same way? My wife was a sinner. And I know that. And because
I love her, I do the best I can to take care of her and treat
her the best I can. And she looks at me the same
way. I am nothing more than a sinner. And sometimes we don't get along.
She's Italian-Irish. That's the reason why. Oh, I'm sorry. No, this is the reason why. This is the reason why. But she
looks at me knowing that I'm a sinner. And she sees herself
as the same, and so she can say, I forgive you. And she has to
say that a lot. I forgive you because my Lord
forgave me. Should we not say that to our
brothers and sisters in Christ? This is how people know us. This is how people know God's
children. How do I know that that man is
God's child? Because he forgave that man for
what he did. Because he believes the Lord
Jesus Christ is his Savior and has forgiven him for all of his
sins. Mind not high things. but condescend to men of low
estate. And here's what I want to close
with this morning. This will cause contrition between
brothers and sisters, even brothers and sisters in Christ, when you
start thinking more highly of yourself than what you are. I've
been studying the Word of God for 45 years and I've heard that. I've been to seminary. I know
this and I know that. What does John know? What could
you know more than me? I know more about this than you
do, John. I've had people tell me that I'm not fit. to be in
this position as your pastor, even though you're the ones who
decided that I should be here. And here's why I'm not fit, because
I've never read through the entire book of God from cover to cover. This is what was said. Why, John,
I've written through five times. And here's what I responded to
him. I said, well, then I guess I'm not fit to be your pastor. But I know what the Lord has
done for me, just as you know what the Lord has done for you.
You see, you can share that with anybody just as I can, huh? Be not wise in your own conceit. Don't let proud notions of yourself
be puffed up to where you stand before another and say, you're
not, because you don't. Our great Lord speaks through
the Apostle Paul here in chapter 12, giving instructions on godly
living. And I highly recommend that you
spend some private time reading and praying for understanding
in your walk before God. But for our subject this day,
we seek to be like-minded, not wise in our own conceits. Our Lord says in Isaiah 55.8,
He says, for My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways My ways, saith the Lord. In another section of Scripture,
great is the mystery of godliness. His ways are beyond our ways
of understanding. Just the other day, I had a man
who had been preaching for many years turn to me and say, you
know John, You can go along for a long time and then all of a
sudden the Lord will reveal to you something else. It's always
been there in Scripture. You'll read it over a thousand
times, but all of a sudden, boom, a light will come on and you'll
know what it means. You weren't ready to know what
that means yet. The Lord's got a whole lot to
reveal to me still, doesn't He? And that's okay. But even a child of God can understand
love. For God so loved the world. For God so loved those that had belonged to Him. throughout all the world from
the beginning of time till the last day before He comes. For God so loved all of them
that He gave His only begotten Son. And here's the key to that
verse. The world wants to use the very
thing for God to love the world. And they say that's the key.
No, that's not the key. The key is this. Whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Whosoever
should believeth. Whosoever should have faith.
Let's close with Ephesians chapter 2. This is a good verse to close
with because it reminds us, it reminds us of something that
we need to be reminded all the time. It's not of ourselves. It's not of your works. It's
not of what John does. It's not of what Kathy does.