[0:00] him. All right, so find in your Bible Ephesians chapter 4. Just do a real brief review before we continue forward and with what we started last Sunday morning in Sunday school. Ephesians chapter 4. And we'll peek at just the two verses that we read here and I won't turn you to the others. But in verse number 12, the Bible says, for the perfecting of the saints. That little phrase there is what we keyed in on, that the saints need perfecting and that God gave some offices to the body of Christ, some gifts he calls them, for that one particular reason, for the perfecting of the saints. And in verse 15, we read, but speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head even Christ. There's some things we need to grow up into him and the word that I pointed out last week was all things, all things. God is seeking for us to be perfected and to grow spiritually in all things, in all areas. And we ran into a few other passages here. 1 Thessalonians 3, where Paul described that he's going to attempt to perfect that which is lacking. And he wanted them to be unblameable in holiness. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul writes that we perfect, or that we cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness. And that's something that the Lord Jesus Christ is interested in, you and I, is cleaning our lives up and directing them to something that's acceptable to God. And in Christ, we're complete.
[1:54] In Christ, we're sanctified. In Christ, we're justified and forgiven. And we have the righteousness of Jesus Christ. But in these shoes, and in these clothes, and these hands and feet, and these eyes and ears, they have a lust for other things. And there's things inside this old man that God would much rather they be gone so that they wouldn't hold me back from giving him glory and perfecting that which is lacking. So I'm going to do a series here, a little study on some areas that maybe are lesser, some common, but some lesser addressed things. And the idea, as I said, is to just expose some things that you may need perfected in. And it's not to be nitpicky. I promise you I'm not going to be just pick, pick, pick about the little this and that. But rather just try to bring the light from maybe a different angle over the next few weeks. Some things that could be some tendencies in your life that you just allow, or you excuse, or you just imagine that's just the way it is, that's the way it's always been, that's the way I am. Whatever the case, if God's satisfied with it, fine. But if he's not, and if it's not holiness before him, then let's work on perfecting it and addressing it. And so last week we began comparing these two words. The word was isolation versus unification. And we spent the time, a portion of the time on isolation last week. And what was that? The idea was that you're not, not just getting off the grid and disappearing from the human race, but rather that you're present, you're in church, but you're just not given to the church. You're not exposing yourself. You're just staying kind of hidden, out of sight. You're keeping everybody at arm's reach. You're staying isolated and not getting in. And it's not good for you and it's not good for the church for you to be like that, just riding the fence, just hanging out to where you can make the decision whether you will or whether you won't. Whether you get involved, whether you won't. Whether you give, whether you won't. Whether you attend, whether you don't. You make those decisions, you keep yourself away. And I said a few things about this term that I'm calling isolation. And the main thought is that isolation is easy. It is absolutely the easiest thing and the easiest way for you to live your Christian life or to be present in a church is just to kind of keep everybody at a distance, but still be there.
[4:22] And nobody can say that you don't go to a good church and nobody can say that you don't read your Bible and nobody can say that you're not a Christian. And so you can kind of check those boxes and yet you can still kind of keep your life the way you want it, never really giving yourself over to what the Lord may want from you. And so isolation is easy, but it's dangerous. And a couple thoughts last week, and I'll just review these briefly. Isolation is easy because you don't have to be accountable. You don't have to be accountable to anybody in the local church. You always make that choice to just take it or leave it. You don't have to be responsible when you're isolated, when you keep the church at a distance, when you keep your Christians and friends at a distance. You don't have to, nobody can count on you. Nobody can really give you something to do because, oh, I just can't make it because I've got other things going on. And then thirdly, isolation is easy because you don't have to be vulnerable. And that's where we closed it down last week when the Lord has given so many things to you that are needs that are met within the corporation, within the body, and you keep yourself out of it. You're not going to get those needs met. And people want to be vulnerable or don't want to be vulnerable because they don't want to let everybody know their problems or they don't want people to perceive the truth about them. And if they could just keep themselves at a distance, nobody knows and it's none of their business. And it's easy. It's easy to keep yourself isolated, but it's wrong. It's absolutely wrong. And God has something better for you.
[5:56] And so in conclusion from last week, isolation is easy. You can put up a wall. You can stay out of sight. You can stay out of reach and refuse to be accountable, responsible, vulnerable. You can come to church and smile. You can sing, but never connect with the people that God has placed in your Christian life. People that God has put here, not to judge you, not to belittle you, not to rule over you, not to attack you, but to help you, to help you. This church is here to help you. And maybe you don't believe that. Maybe you think it's just none of their business. Well, let's take a look at the Bible this morning about some things. So isolation is easy, but now on the second side, it's dangerous.
[6:40] Come back to Genesis chapter 2. You're in a dangerous place if you keep the people that God put in your life at a distance. If you stay reserved, if you stay away, if you just get in just close enough, but not in, you're putting yourself in a bad spot. Genesis chapter 2.
[7:07] And notice verse number 18, this first thought about somebody being isolated or alone. In Genesis 2.18, the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone. Amen. It is not good.
[7:27] I will make him and help. God did not say, I will make him a slave. He did not say, I will make him a boss.
[7:38] I will make him and help. It doesn't even say, I'll make him a friend or a companion. He said, I'll make him and help. A little bit later, he says the same thing. Is that later in the passage?
[7:53] A little bit later, he says the same thing. A little bit later, he says the same thing. He said, I will make him a slave. Oh, verse 20. At the end of the verse, there was not found and help. Meet for him.
[8:05] I always have to point this out. Those are two words, help, meet. Not one. Never is it one word. No matter who writes a book about it. Okay, so if you're isolated, if you're alone, if you're staying at a distance, you know what you don't have? You don't have the help. And help is necessary in the Christian life.
[8:25] Turn over to Ecclesiastes. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and find chapter 4. It's easy to isolate. It's easy to stay away or to keep your distance.
[8:43] But it's dangerous. And here's one of the dangers I'd like to point out. Ecclesiastes 4. And let's read together two verses here. Verses 9 and 10.
[9:01] Because we understand it's not good that man should be alone. Verse number 9. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow.
[9:16] But woe to him that is alone when he falleth. For he hath not another to help him up. This is, I mean, just a principle in life, in hiking, in work, in your spiritual warfare just as much.
[9:35] Because isolation is dangerous because you don't have anybody to help you up when you fall. You struggle with things. I know you struggle with things.
[9:48] You know how I know? Because everybody struggles with things. I struggle with things. You struggle with things. And if you're alone and you're hidden and you're just keeping everybody away, when you fall, chances are you're not showing up that Sunday because you're not accountable.
[10:08] You've already kept yourself at a distance. And now that you've fallen and now that you're not staying, you're not responsible and showing yourself to be vulnerable or as all those things we've covered, you don't have anybody to help you.
[10:22] And you can pretend that you can handle it and you can even just be content to just keep on falling just so long as you can keep up this facade around others that everything's okay and I'm fine and everything's good, just a little longer.
[10:35] But the truth is if you're in a battle with a sin, you're more likely to lose if you fight by yourself. And isolation's dangerous because you don't have anybody to help you up. You don't have anybody that even knows how to pray for you because you don't let them know.
[10:49] Because you stay away. You won't open up. You won't be vulnerable. And it's not good for you. You don't have to turn, but remember in Galatians 6, verses 1 and 2, where if a man be overtaken in a fault, you remember that passage?
[11:06] If you don't know it, look it up. Galatians 6, 1 and 2. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
[11:18] Bear ye one another's burdens. That's a verse we read last week about helping each other out and being vulnerable and letting the body of Christ be an assistance to you to bear your burdens with you.
[11:31] But the thought here about a believer that's overtaken in a fault, it may not be some egregious sin. It may not be some cause to kick him out of the church. But what it could be is just a mistake, some bad judgment.
[11:46] That is, through the fault of your own, you've gotten yourself into a predicament. And the Bible says that a spiritual believer that can see it and discern it and understand it is supposed to come alongside of you and be a help to you and to try to lift you up and to restore you.
[12:02] Restoration is the goal. And they're to be restored by spiritual believers as they bear the burden with them. But an isolator, somebody who withdraws, who stays back, who won't be vulnerable, who won't let the church pray for their needs and help them through their problems, an isolator is going to just fall and never get up, never be restored, because they're cutting off access to the lifeline of help and the lifeline of care that God has placed in your life.
[12:34] When I was a young man, I got myself into a mess. And my mom and dad were overseas. They were over in Poland. And I was here in the States, living by myself with some friends, air quotes around friends.
[12:49] And my sisters, they were down in Florida at Bible school, and one was in college at nursing and all of that. So I had just kind of moved away and gotten myself back to where I wanted to be and living the life I wanted to live.
[13:02] And, of course, the way of transgressors is hard, and it was hard. It fell apart. And thank God Almighty, He did not allow me to succeed in that lifestyle.
[13:13] And things just, they just totally went to pot. It was just a bad spot I found myself in. And I didn't have anybody to turn to.
[13:25] And it would have been embarrassing to call the church, call the pastor, and to kind of reach out to him. I hadn't seen him for probably a year, just totally rebellious, living away from God.
[13:37] And I didn't have any parents that I could really reach out to, nobody in the area. I mean, the only people I knew that I could reach out to were Christians that I grew up around in that church.
[13:47] And I'd been, you know, living about 30 minutes away and staying away purposely. But I was in a place, I needed help. I absolutely was fallen, and I needed help to get back up.
[14:01] And it was humbling to me, but I needed somebody to do something. And so I called the pastor. And he was happy to hear my voice. He said, sure, I'll be over in like two hours I can be there.
[14:15] He came over with a pickup truck, and we loaded up some stuff and took it to his house and stored it in his basement. And I shockingly found myself living with him in his basement for about two weeks until I could get myself back on my feet and figure it out and get moving in the right direction.
[14:36] And that was such a, I mean, two weeks, such a small blip in my life that I can hardly remember. When I think about it, I can't even believe that that actually happened. Looking at the 45 years and just think, I can't believe I actually slept in a bed, lived in his basement for two weeks of my life with stuff just in boxes around me.
[14:57] But I did, and then I got an apartment, and it got me back in church. And it got me back around spiritual believers. And although six months later I started slipping again, I still, I never got out of church.
[15:12] I never got back to where I was in that mess. I stayed kind of close enough that the Lord was still dealing with me and was able to get me past that hurdle in my life of the issues that I was dealing with and the faults and the sins.
[15:27] But it was reaching out. And it never would have happened if I said, you know what, I'm too proud. I'm just going to figure this out on my own. Or I'm too embarrassed to let them people know what I've been doing or what's been going on and what I've done, the way I was raised in church, parents are missionaries now, and how bad that looks on them.
[15:46] I could have just shamed myself into a corner and said, I'll figure it out. I'll find a way. I'll just find some other friends to leech off of them for a while or something like that.
[15:56] But getting vulnerable and just not isolating anymore, reaching out made all the difference in my life. And what I found out, that Christians are the best people in the world.
[16:13] The ones that love God, they care about me. They care about you. You'd be surprised. Like I said earlier, they're not, God didn't put us in your life to judge you and to condemn you and to cast stones at you.
[16:27] If you're struggling, there may be some idiots that would mock. You may have to deal with somebody. But overall, God's people care about you.
[16:39] They care about what God cares about. And since he cares about you and you're a brother or sister, then we're going to care. And we're going to want to see you get restored and see you get help and see you get it right and get victory.
[16:53] And of course, in your mind and in your flesh, the devil and the fear and all of that's going to say, stay away, stay away, don't let them know, don't get involved, keep your distance.
[17:03] But isolation is dangerous because you don't have anybody to help you when you fall. And if you've been around long enough, you know you'll fall. You'll have a place. So secondly, isolation is dangerous because you don't have anybody to help you grow.
[17:18] And that's what we're called to do in Ephesians is to grow up into him and all things. And if you just keep your distance and keep to yourself, you're not going to have anybody and the people God placed in your life to help you grow.
[17:31] YouTube was not designed by God to help you grow. That's just not the way it was. He put people in your life. Born again Christians that you can touch and talk to and see eye to eye and pray with and cry with and mourn with and rejoice with.
[17:49] He put them in your life. Not a screen to where you can just isolate in your room and get all the help you need supposedly and get on a forum and text.
[18:00] Forget that. That is not the working of God and his spirit drawing you to that. Remember our brother Greg, I mentioned him last week. I just think of him again on this because when he was here, when he kind of just showed up in this church, he was really a babe in Christ and knew very little and struggled with some things.
[18:22] And as a few months went by, he began to open up and began to talk more. And before long, he was calling me almost every day with just questions, like simple questions that new believers have about the Bible or about sin or about what to do when you do this.
[18:40] And feeling guilty about that and struggling with this. And just talk through stuff. And he was willing to be vulnerable. And he's willing to be open and honest and just ask the questions to display his ignorance.
[18:56] And he didn't care because he wanted to grow. He wanted to help. And so we spent so much time on the phone and probably that, I don't know what phase of his time here, maybe after six months, a full year of him just calling all the time and talking things through and figuring some things out.
[19:14] And his transparency and his honesty were the perfect ingredients for him to grow. The perfect ingredients. He sought the truth.
[19:25] He sought an answer. He sought help. And he got it. And he, I mean, you can't deny it. That guy grew like a weed in this church. And in those two years, he was here. His growth in those two years is like uncommon today.
[19:41] Uncommon. So, isolation is dangerous because you don't have anybody to help you grow. And God gave gifts to the church, as we read in Ephesians 4, to assist in your spiritual growth.
[19:59] I wonder if you see it. I wonder if it makes sense to you. It ought to make sense to you that, do you see that when you isolate or withdraw yourself or refuse to be open and vulnerable to the institution God put in your life to help you grow, do you see that you're resisting?
[20:18] And do you see that you're rejecting what God has placed in your life? What God has designed for believers? Do you see that? That you are resisting Him and His will and His way.
[20:33] In Acts 7, Stephen preached and he said, You do always resist the Holy Ghost. And that's what you're doing when you refuse to commit to the church and to get things fixed and open and just be right.
[20:47] Look, understand when I say these kind of things generically, I'm not talking about you just pouring out your filth, your private filth in front of people. Like, things that are private, confess them.
[20:57] Get them right. And if you need to talk, then give me a call. And we'll talk it out and pray about it and seek something. But I'm not talking about standing up in the middle of a service and confessing all of your guilty sins before the church.
[21:10] That's not the statement here at all. But don't quench the spirit and don't grieve the spirit by backing away and resisting the work that God put in your life.
[21:20] He's seeking to grow you. So isolation can be dangerous. And if that's you, and if you've got tendencies to isolate to some degree, then the truth is you're not all in.
[21:34] You're holding back and reserved, and you haven't given yourself to this congregation. And I would contend that you haven't given yourself fully to the Lord. Amen.
[21:45] Just let that sink in. You haven't surrendered yourself to God fully. Lord, I'm yours. I'm wide open before you. Because he'll direct you to getting in to the local church, both feet, 100%.
[21:59] But if you're not showing signs of that, then I can tell you, you haven't fully surrendered to him. You're holding out on him. You're staying reserved.
[22:10] And you probably have an excuse for me, and an excuse for others, and an excuse for yourself. You probably have that figured out. Those are plenteous. But could you take that honestly before the throne of God and say, Lord, this is why I want such and such.
[22:25] Would it hold up to prayer, to an honest, open before the throne of God? Chances are you won't pray about that if you're afraid to let go of it, if you're an isolator.
[22:38] Now, if this is you, then we're seeking to perfect this in you. And the solution is, the word I used earlier, unification. The solution is unification.
[22:50] And so let's talk about that for a little bit here and see how far we can get into this side of it. This is the solution. This is what you need to consider to open your heart to. Unification is, I would say, that's just God's design for each believer.
[23:05] It is connecting with other believers. It is all the children of the same father as a family together, united in his name, united under his word as our authority, conducting ourselves according to his guidelines in the word of God and doing this and following this.
[23:28] All of this is pleasing to God. It's absolutely pleasing to God and it's helpful to us. Consider this for a moment. This will be, I think you can all consider it, but you won't be able to truly relate to it maybe.
[23:41] I don't think you realize how necessary the existence of the local church is. I mean, necessary to you, to you. How necessary this is to you and other believers.
[23:57] Imagine you drive Sunday morning, sun's out, it's a nice, warm day, what a wonderful day, I'm happy I'm going to church and you pull up and you get close and there's no cars anywhere, but there's two bulldozers sitting here and there's no building because what in the world happened?
[24:16] The building's been totally flattened, down to nothing. And there's no parking lot, it's all dirt. They've been working all week and what's going on? And it turns out this place is being subdivided for three or four houses here and you look online like, where did Bible Baptist Church move to?
[24:35] And I'm unaware and it just keeps sending you back to this address and start texting and calling, nobody's answering. What in the world? What happened to my church? I'm not talking about the rapture.
[24:46] Hopefully that doesn't take place with you down here. And so you think, well, huh, I guess I'm not going to church here today, but it's early, so I can find someplace else.
[24:58] Surely there's another place to worship, at least salvage the day I got up and got dressed, right? So you look around for some kind of Bible believing church. Well, that's not really very close by, but I can find somewhere else to go, somewhere where they're preaching the gospel and they love Jesus Christ.
[25:14] And so you find somewhere else on your phone and you go there and there's nobody in the parking lot there. And you go to the next one. There's nobody even over here at the Mormon church.
[25:27] What are you going to do? So, oh, I know, I have a Christian friend that I work with. I'll give him a call. I'll just say, you know, maybe I can go to church with them and you'd call him and nobody answers.
[25:40] And could you just try to imagine, consider for a moment what it would be like to have no connection to any believer in the world, just you.
[25:53] Your church is gone. Your Christian friends can't touch them. You don't even know what that's like. I can tell you with certainty, I have never experienced a day in my life where I did not have access to another born-again Christian.
[26:09] I couldn't place myself in a time or place where I did not have access to finding, to getting to, and communing with, and fellowshipping with, or worshipping with another believer.
[26:20] I've not lived on this planet and experienced that. I'm sure some have. I'm sure it happens even. But for the most part, every believer has somebody.
[26:32] Somebody that led them to Christ. Somebody they can reach out to. Somebody they can talk to. Could you imagine what it would be like not to have access? I didn't say not to know, but not even to be accessible.
[26:43] You don't know what that's like. And I don't think you realize how necessary and how helpful the existence of the local church is for you.
[26:54] I don't think you understand that because some Christians today, it's just they could take it or leave it. It's not that important to them. They don't know what it's like not to have it. Because in their mind, well, if I want it, I can go.
[27:06] If I get in a bind, I can reach out. If I really fall into a mess, I know that's still there and the Lord's still merciful and I can get her. But you can just keep yourself distant. But this is the wrong side.
[27:19] Unification is the way. Getting yourself in and jumping in with two feet is the right way. Unification. Let me say two things about unification. Number one, it is a giving of yourself to the local church that God has placed you in.
[27:38] giving yourself to that body of believers. Not holding out, but getting in. And Christian, you have to choose to do this.
[27:50] This has to be in your heart to want to do this. You have to purpose to be present. It's an offering of yourself. That's what it is.
[28:04] How do you do that? Well, you do it by attending. By showing up. You do it by showing up early and staying late. Not slipping in during the first and second song and then bouncing as soon as the word amen hits.
[28:21] There's a fellow that comes around here, I don't know, maybe once every six months. He shows up on a Wednesday night. Now, I'm not judging him.
[28:32] I don't know why and what the story is. My assumption is that he comes into town on business and this is just me being with a gracious assessment of the situation. I have no idea. I've never, I've only seen him from right here.
[28:45] Comes in, like usually partway in, he comes in, sits down, dressed in a suit, tie, and when I close in prayer, when I look up after amen, he is gone.
[28:56] He's already out the door. Matter of fact, when I'm praying, I can hear the door shut. And it's just his choice and I just assume maybe he's coming from the East Coast, maybe he needs to get, you know, call his wife or, I'm just, I have no idea.
[29:09] I'm trying to figure out a reason why a guy would dress well, come in here on a Wednesday night and stay for the service and then disappear so quick. I have no interest in saying a word to anybody, not even letting his name be known to the pastor, not even, nothing, you know?
[29:23] That's strange to me. And so I'm not attacking him as like he should be a member here. That's not the case. But that's odd that somebody would not even be interested in saying hi to anybody else.
[29:37] Unification believer, church, is giving yourself to the local church and doing it in your attendance and in your fellowship and in your personality and showing up with time to fellowship and get some face time with other Christians and leaving before, not leaving before you say goodbye and know what's going on in somebody's life and what you can be part of.
[30:03] Just this in and out, in and out, quickly, got to get home, get back to my life. That's not giving yourself to the local church and being part of it. Let me put some scripture on this so it's not just my words.
[30:13] Look at 2 Corinthians 8. 2 Corinthians 8. I'm going to give you two verses here. I'll let you find that and then save time.
[30:29] Also grab Romans chapter 12. You give yourself to your local church by your attendance, by your presence, by your personality, by being here and being part of it.
[30:53] Another way you can give yourself is by your financial support. Amen. That's where, you'll find out if you care about the local church, if you're involved, is if you give your money.
[31:07] And I'm not calling for your money. I'm telling you it's the right thing to do. And if you're not, I can tell you why because you're isolated. It's because you're staying away and you haven't given yourself to the Lord and to His people.
[31:21] You can do it by your support. You can do it by your skills and abilities and what you have to offer desiring that God uses what you have to offer for His glory here.
[31:35] All right. 2 Corinthians 8. Look at verse number 5. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.
[31:54] You know, in this passage, they're taking up a collection. They're taking up a collection to take care of some other believers who are in need. And these guys maybe don't even have all that much to give.
[32:06] But before any of that, they gave themselves to the Lord. They gave themselves unto us. They're giving themselves. They're wide open. And when it comes to a collection, they're not holding back on that either if they have the ability.
[32:22] Now, the point's not money here. The point is opening up and giving yourself and unifying and connecting with your brothers and sisters. Look at Romans chapter 12 now. Romans chapter 12.
[32:33] And I want to point out that God's talking about a body in verses 4, 5, 6.
[32:51] You see in verse 4, for we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office. So we, being many, are one body in Christ. and everyone members one of another.
[33:05] Now, before that ever happens, look what has to happen first. Verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.
[33:23] You see the connection here. I hope you see it. In both places, you give yourself to the Lord and then you give yourself to the body and your members one of another.
[33:35] A connection to your local church. It's easy to submit. It's easy to comply with what God would have for you when you first surrender yourself to Him.
[33:48] When you surrender to God, you're wide open to do whatever He tells you to do and obey and fulfill His commands and He's going to direct you to your faithfulness and your responsibility and to a commitment to the local church.
[34:02] He's going to direct you to being vulnerable, to being open, to being honest, to being pure and to seeking Him and doing it here. So, unification is giving of yourself to your local church, the one God has placed you in.
[34:19] And the Bible says, being ready to every good work. Just being here with your hands open and ready, your gloves on, so to speak. So, invest yourself.
[34:30] That little, those three T's, your time, your talents and your treasures. That is you. Invest your time. Invest your treasures. Invest your talents into the work of God.
[34:42] Give yourself to the local church. Secondly, look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and I'll be quick here. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And let's read a few verses here.
[34:59] The second thing I want to say about unification, about getting in, of giving yourself, is being part of a body that cares one for another. Part of a body that cares one for another.
[35:12] And you're a part of that body that cares one for another instead of just being on the outside. Chapter 12, let's read a few verses here. Look at verse 20. Here's an analogy of the human body comparing it to the body of Christ.
[35:28] Verse 20 says, But now are they many members yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you.
[35:40] Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable upon these we bestow more abundant honor and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness for our comely parts have no need but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked.
[36:10] Why? That there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another.
[36:21] One for another. An isolated person doesn't truly care about the body or the other members. More likely cares or she cares about himself or herself reputation and what she or he wants to be doing instead instead of the body and the command is to have the care of the body and I believe all members of a body and of a church that God places in a church are necessary for the function of that local church and when one member or many members are withdrawn and not in it's going to hurt the church.
[36:58] The church will absolutely suffer. In chapter 12 verse 25 that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another.
[37:11] When Brother Pilkington was here he mentioned this he didn't really go down the road but he mentioned this thought about one for another about the individuals in the church caring for another and having a fellowship together and he made some comments and I looked up that phrase and just put a few verses together here and just listen to what the scripture says about these commands to believers in regards to our relationship with each other.
[37:39] Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another be of the same mind one toward another owe no man anything but to love one another receive ye one another admonish one another salute greet one another be kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another by love serve one another bear ye one another's burdens submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs comfort one another edify one another exhort one another consider one another for we are members one of another are you is your
[38:40] Christian life in this local church showing any of these signs exhorting and edifying and comforting and loving and serving any of them because these are commands for us to follow together a unified person is being part of a body that cares for one another I have a few more things to say here but I need to close when I was in Pennsylvania we were doing a complete renovation of the church and the last phase was the sanctuary and behind the back wall we had like a baptismal and we had some things and we ended up ripping down a lot of the wall and putting a whole new flat long wall up and on the face of that was going to be this manufactured stone that you kind of you parge the wall and then you put the stone on and cement it in and so this is the first time I've ever done anything like this and there was a guy that kind of knew what he was doing and so together three of us did it it's beautiful we did a great job it really looks good but one thing I found out was to wear the specific gloves for this job because I didn't think nothing of it we've been working construction on that church and just you know callous tans strong muscles everything was just going the way of a hard day's labor for weeks and weeks and weeks and so when it came to this stone thing we just tackled it like anything else what I found out though is in handling these stones and placing them and just digging in and pushing in the way it was all what I found out was I was nicking the tips of my fingers and I think four if I no I think it was nine out of ten fingers had a cut just small but somewhere like little scrapes and nicks and it was nothing that happened every day that was nothing but the kicker was if I recall correctly the grout that we mixed up in the wheelbarrow had a specific kind of red dye in it that was to make the grout like a maroon color in between the stones and we were excited about this brand new beautiful look in our church sanctuary we thought this was the coolest thing we voted for not the gray but the red and so while we're mixing this grout up
[41:03] I think it was the dye if I'm if I'm right that whatever it was it would get into those little cuts and it would sting it would sting and you just kind of just shake it off and deal with it but I remember the next morning after doing this for a day with all these little nicks from the stones and the dye that had done something my fingertips in the morning I woke up they were absolutely on fire like so overly sensitive and tender and hurt I could do nothing I mean I'm carrying stuff with my hands like I had two stumps there for arms it just it hurt and I couldn't get dressed I couldn't eat with you know I usually would slam something before I went down and I went back to the church at six in the morning and me and the other guy that had been doing all this mixing and these stones things the two of us were like both of our hands were on fire and we thought I said to him
[42:07] I was like I can't do anything I don't know what I'm going to be able to do today and he said let's just get some bandages let's try to wrap it up and so we did and so we together it was a sight it was literally a sight to see us with our mouths and with my one good finger and trying to together we bandaged up each other's fingers like several times over and then put these gloves that had the rubber coating on and once that was on it felt like you know what they don't hurt so bad nothing's really touching the skin and we were able to get back to work but boy was that ever a mess and I realized in that moment I can almost do nothing without these finger tips not the muscles not the chest and the shoulders and the legs but the tips of my fingers were so valuable to being productive to getting anything done and when they hurt my whole body hurt you know how much I complained about my fingertips to my wife that morning trying to get dressed and get ready it was pathetic you know what that Bible said about those comely parts and the uncomely parts and the ones that we think are less honorable but we bestow more honor on them because they need it I find that to be true and I learned to wear gloves and cover up those fingers when I deal with that grout but what I also see is how important every member of the body is to the body being healthy and functioning and getting something done because it can cripple the body when the members are hurting or when they're not showing up to work that day and so
[43:47] I got to close there there's a little bit more to say about this thought of unification but comparing the two isolation it's not of the Lord it's probably your flesh just not wanting to be honest and open but unification is the command of God the will of God for you to get in all in and it starts with you surrendering to him all right let's let's take a break there and we'll come you