Undivided: Living as One Body in a Divided World
Sermon by Ed Anderson
Reader’s Version
Good morning. If you’re new here, welcome. My name is Ed. Pastor Gene, Heather, and Sophie are away on vacation, getting some much, much needed rest and relaxation. So let’s pray that they come back renewed, motivated, and ready to keep teaching us.
I heard a story. A man who lived a Christian life dies and goes to heaven. When he gets there, he’s greeted by Jesus. Jesus says to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Let me show you around heaven.”
So Jesus walks him to one group of people, and they wave, and he waves back. The man asks, “Who is that?” Jesus says, “Oh, that’s the Pentecostals.”
They go to another group, they wave, he waves back. “Who’s that?” “That’s the Presbyterians.”
They go to another group, they wave, Jesus waves back. “Who’s that?” “Oh, that’s the Methodists.”
And this happens denomination after denomination after denomination. Finally, they get to one group, and this time Jesus quietly motions for him to sneak by. They slip past, and the man whispers, “What was that about, Jesus? Why did we have to sneak by?”
Jesus says, “Those were the Baptists. They think they’re the only ones here.”
Now, I don’t mean to pick on Baptists. You can pick any denomination you want. It’s just that I’m a recovering Baptist.
Today we’re going to talk about things that divide us.
What are the things that typically divide people? I have my own list, and it’s four things.
First: ice cream versus yogurt. I don’t get yogurt at all. It comes in funny little containers. It tastes funny. It kind of looks like ice cream, but it’s not quite the same thing. I just don’t get the yogurt thing.
Second: dogs versus cats. I’m a dog person. When I had my family dog, I’d get home and the dog would be happy to see me. It would be going nuts. I’d tell it to sit, it sits. I’d tell it to stay, it stays. I’d tell it to come, it comes. Wonderful.
Cats? You get home, you tell your cat, “Come here,” and it looks at you like, “Are you crazy? I’m a cat.” I don’t get it.
Third: old-school video games versus the new stuff. The new stuff, I don’t understand. The new stuff is like a movie that you’re in — you’re a character in the movie. See, I don’t want to be a character in the movie. I just want to play video games. So the new stuff doesn’t work for me.
And last: all the fruit that Jesus created versus coconuts. I don’t understand coconuts at all. They’re not very attractive from the outside. You open them up, they’re funny looking on the inside. They’ve got all this milk, water, oil — whatever you call it — inside of them. It’s a messy mess. I don’t understand.
The first question I have for Jesus when I get to heaven is, “Why coconuts? I just don’t get it. Why coconuts?”
Now, if you’re new here, I’m allergic to coconut.
Let’s talk about what divides our country.
Democrats and Republicans. Politics plays a very big, very divisive role in our culture.
People of similar education tend to stick together. Educational attainment creates its own kind of bubble.
Then you have what’s called a social media bubble — collections of people with similar beliefs or political views who gather together primarily to get affirmation of what they already believe.
You have cultural and religious differences. America is a melting pot, so we have a lot of different types of people with different cultural and religious beliefs.
And then there is social media misinformation — divisions based on perceived wrongdoing or on things that simply aren’t true.
I’m about to create my own social media misinformation group. I’m just confessing. It’s going to be people against coconuts, because they make your hair fall out. So everybody join my group. We’re going to create a whole bunch of misinformation about coconuts and hair loss, and hopefully God will stop making coconuts.
But I probably doubt it.
Now, these are generalities from a lot of different sources — except for the coconut part. But this is what typically divides Americans.
Now what divides people from other countries?
You have cultural differences, such as food and sports. For example, soccer — or football in the UK — can be very divisive by communities. Rugby in Australia can divide communities, just as cricket in India can divide communities.
You have gender differences. Women still do not have equal rights or opportunities in many countries. In a lot of places, women still cannot vote, still cannot drive cars, and still do not have a lot of basic rights. Very divisive.
You have race and ethnicity — the one that overlaps with Americans. I want to highlight this because of the conflict in Ukraine and the conflict in Syria. Many refugees have fled into parts of Europe and the Middle East. So now you have refugees in communities or in pockets where they tend to be somewhat isolated or divided.
Then there is neighborhood segregation. This is because people in most other countries tend to be less mobile than Americans. Multiple generations tend to live in one place. You have uncles and cousins and sisters and brothers and others living in the same communities generation after generation.
And then social class and wealth. In most countries, you have very wealthy neighborhoods and very poor neighborhoods, and the two rarely meet.
Now, what causes division in the church?
You have theological disagreement, which can be doctrine, interpretation of Scripture, or practices.
You also have personal conflict, which is often fueled by pride or jealousy. Someone says, “I want to start this ministry,” and they get into conflict with either other members of the congregation or the leadership. That creates personal conflict.
You have ministry philosophy — worship styles, church governance, outreach to people — all of these tend to divide churches.
And then there are denominational differences. We have so many different denominations, and there are just too many choices for people to make. That causes division.
Now, these issues are not new in the church.
Let’s talk about inclusion of different people.
James 2:1–4 says:
“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor,’ well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?”
We also have personal conflict and pastor worship in the church. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 3:3–5:
“For you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, ‘I am a follower of Paul,’ and another says, ‘I follow Apollos,’ aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.”
This reminds me of a story. I was interviewing a young man for a job once. At that time, I kept a Bible on my desk. During the interview, I noticed he kept glancing at it. Toward the end, he finally asked, “Are you a Christian?”
I said, “Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus Christ.”
He said, “Me too. I go to Pastor So-and-So’s church. We have a big building, and we have two airplanes, and Pastor So-and-So says this, and Pastor says that, and Pastor said this in his sermon…”
I stopped him and said, “Does your church say anything about Jesus? Is anything there about Jesus at all, or is everything about your pastor?”
He stopped. He looked at me. For a split second, I thought he might have heard me.
But then he started right back up again: “Pastor says this… and Pastor says this…” He just continued as before.
Clearly — pastor worship.
Now, how should we respond?
Ephesians 4:2–4 says:
“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”
Romans 15:5–6 says:
“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
And Philippians 2:2 says:
“Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.”
It has been said that there are over 40,000 Christian denominations today — and by some counts, over 45,000. But it wasn’t always this way.
In the first century, we have the birth of Christ, His ministry, His crucifixion and resurrection, and the formation of the early church. At this point, there is one church.
In the fourth century, we have Emperor Constantine’s Edict of Milan, which legalizes Christianity. We also have the First Council of Constantinople. Three hundred years after Christ, there is still one church.
In the eleventh century, the Great Schism occurs, creating the formal split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. So one thousand years from Jesus, we now have two denominations.
In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther posts his Ninety-Five Theses. The Protestant Reformation begins. The Church of England emerges. About 1,500 years after Jesus, we now have nine-ish denominations.
In the seventeenth century, the Baptist tradition begins to form. Sixteen hundred years after Jesus, we have around eleven-ish denominations.
In the nineteenth century, the Restoration Movement arises, leading to the Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and other Restorationist groups. At this point, we have hundreds of denominations.
Now, the numbers aren’t exact. They’re meant to capture the major branches — because many groups began, branched, split, faded, or changed names along the way. Some were honestly short-lived and strange.
One example is the Agapemonites, also known as “The Abode of Love.” They were founded in the 1840s in England by Reverend Henry James Prince, a former Anglican priest who believed that he was the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Not to be outdone, his successor — John Hugh Smyth-Pygott — declared himself to be the reincarnated Jesus Christ. They closed in 1956.
The next chart simply shows the major branches of Christianity. (Pause for reflection.)
And for those of you who like timelines — Doug, I know you do — the next chart lays out everything I just summarized. Up until the sixteenth century, there are very few denominations. After the sixteenth century, the number of denominational divisions grows rapidly, eventually exploding into the thousands.
Now, why is division bad?
First of all, if you’ve ever been in a church while it’s dividing, you know division can cause a great amount of stress — and stress is not good.
Second, division dehumanizes people. You’re no longer individuals; you become a group, a label, or a box someone puts you in. That is dehumanizing.
Next, division splits the body of Christ — and the body of Christ should never, ever be divided.
It also takes the focus off Jesus and puts it onto people. Our focus as Christians should always be on Jesus.
Division encourages consumerism in the church. Each denomination needs something to differentiate itself, so they create distinctives to attract consumers. That mindset works against unity.
And finally, division is a poor witness to non-believers.
I came to a church once while it was dividing, and it was really, really bad. There were questions about who owned the church building. Who owned the parking lot? Who owned the church assets? Was it the denomination we were leaving? The denomination we were going to? Or the local congregation? With disputes about money and assets, you can be sure there were a lot of lawyers involved — and there were.
People were running around the church, trying to influence others to either stay in the denomination or leave it for another one. It was not good. And it was a terrible witness — to the people in the church, to the surrounding community, and even to the lawyers who were watching this unfold.
But what does the Bible say about believers having disputes?
1 Corinthians 6:1–7 says:
“When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? But instead, one believer sues another — right in front of unbelievers! Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?”
Well, instead of being holy, I think we want to be right. Instead of being servants, we want to be heroes. Instead of being loving, we want to be argumentative. Instead of being giving, we want to manage our money the way the world does.
Why not be cheated?
Hypocrisy is one of the main reasons people reject Christianity.
My daughter Lily, who has come to church before — and some of you have met her — always says, “Dad, Christians are one way on Sunday and a completely different way the rest of the week.”
That’s hypocrisy.
This is the cover of a book that was written recently. It’s the author’s view of Christianity today. As we head into the holidays, think about this. It’s a great time to be a witness — with friends, family, and strangers. Be a faithful witness.
Okay, so for me, that means I’m going to have to eat some yogurt. I’m probably going to have to pet the cat. I’m going to have to play Xbox. But I’m not eating the coconut.
Now, we live in what’s been termed a postdenominational world. Churches are dividing, renaming, and rebranding, but most people don’t really care.
A few weeks ago, I told you a story about traveling from the United States to Latin America. I was on a plane with a bunch of missionaries. I said to one of them — especially the gentleman sitting next to me — “Aren’t we going to a country that’s seventy-five to eighty percent Christian?”
Without hesitating, he looked at me and said, “They’re not our kind of Christians.”
All division is Paul’s worst nightmare. Denominations and divisions are not what we should do.
1 Corinthians 1:10 says:
“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
Ephesians 4:3–6 says:
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”
Now, C3 Church — if you’re new here — we’re an Acts 2–based church. We believe in teaching the Word, fellowship, prayer, and the breaking of bread. I’ll tell you more about that a little bit later.
We support a number of area ministries, including several connected to recovery, mental health, and emergency housing. We advocate for those seeking God’s love and purpose in their lives. Here, we are all equal in Christ. Here, you are all welcomed.
As I was preparing this message, I came across an interesting article in my newsfeed titled “15 Lessons Jesus Taught That Most Christians Forget to Live By.” I thought it was fascinating. I’m going to let you look at the list, and then I’ll pick a few to talk about. If I went through all fifteen, we’d be here all afternoon.
So let me highlight a few and tell you some stories.
When I was a young consultant, I worked on a project in Jacksonville, Florida. The woman I worked with had a reputation — everyone said, “She is mean. She hates the world. The world hates her. She is just a prickly person.”
I said, “Okay, I’m going out of my way to show this woman the love of Jesus Christ.”
Every morning I said, “Good morning.” Nothing. During the day: “How are you?” Nothing. “How’s your day been?” Nothing. “Have a good night.” Nothing.
I found out when her birthday was, so I bought her a gift. I found out she liked golf, so I bought her golf balls with her name on them. I gave them to her.
Nothing.
This went on month after month after month.
Finally, at the end of the project, it was time for me to leave. As I was packing my things, she came in and said, “You can’t leave.”
I said, “What?” “You can’t leave.” “Why not?” She said, “You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met, and I’ve been horrible to you. Why have you been so nice to me?”
I said, “Because I’m filled with the love of Jesus Christ. And because He loves me and I love Him, it allows me to love everybody around me.”
We ended up having a conversation about Jesus.
2. “Don’t judge people when your own life is a mess.”
I was an elder at a church in Maryland. We had been ministering to a man whose life was truly a mess. This man had a plank in his eye.
We spent hours counseling him one Thursday night. His life was full of issues. Hours and hours.
That Sunday, we returned to church, and as I walked down the hallway, that same man — the man with the plank — was gossiping about another man who had only a speck of sawdust in his.
I had to pull him aside and say, “Look, what you’re doing is wrong. First of all, we should never gossip. Second, you have a plank in your eye, and you’re gossiping about a man with sawdust in his.”
Shape
3. “Being important means serving people.”
I once worked for a big company in Maryland and got promoted. A man named George came in, closed the door, and said, “Ed, you have a decision to make.”
I said, “What’s that?” He said, “You need to decide whether you want to be successful or significant. You can pick only one.”
I said, “What does that mean?”
He said, “Ed, you can be successful. You’re young, talented, and you can have everything this world offers — the big house, the cars, the fancy clothes — but it’ll all be about you. Or you can choose significance, which means you use your gifts and talents to transform the people around you and the communities around you. It won’t look as good for you, but you’ll change lives. You must pick success or significance.”
Shape
4. “Take care of people who have nothing.”
As little as you think you have, someone is praying for what you have right now.
When I was preparing this message, I thought about Lon. If you’re new here, Lon was a man who attended our church for years and went to be with the Lord last year. Lon had been homeless, then at St. Matt’s House, and eventually — through a county program — he got his own apartment.
The way the church loved and cared for him was remarkable. He had no car, so people drove him here weekly. We provided food when he needed it. When he needed furniture, people stepped in and donated.
And Lon tithed. Once upstairs in the café, he said, “Are you going downstairs?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Will you take this and put it in the offering box?” It was his tithe.
He didn’t have much, but he was grateful. I’ll never forget it.
Shape
5. “Stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.”
This past summer, there was a South African pastor who predicted that Jesus Christ would return on September 23rd. People were losing their minds. They sold their houses, their cars, their possessions, quit their jobs — and yet here we are.
You would be surprised how many people call or text or reach out about worldly things that haven’t even happened yet.
Shape
6. “Turn the other cheek instead of hitting back.”
Social media makes it easy to hit back. Don’t be one person in real life and a different person online. If you can turn the other cheek in real life, turn the other cheek on social media.
The world is looking for hypocrites. Don’t let them find one in you.
Shape
7. “Treat people the way you want to be treated.”
I once worked for a ministry and had a man on my team named Govi. He was Malaysian and wonderful. But every time there was a conflict or disagreement, Govi would come to me with a smile and say, “Ed, I want justice for them… but mercy for me.”
Justice for them. Mercy for me.
That’s how many of us live. But we should want mercy for everyone.
Scriptures Jesus Gave on These Teachings
Love difficult people — Matthew 5:44: “But I say, love your enemies!”
Don’t judge — Matthew 7:1–5: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged… First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Serve — Mark 10:42–45: “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant… For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Care for the needy — Matthew 25:31–40: (Full passage - see next section.)
Stop worrying — Matthew 6:34: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Turn the other cheek — Matthew 5:39: “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
Golden Rule — Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Now let’s look at the next one in detail.
Take care of people who have nothing — Matthew 25:31–40.
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’
Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
*And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these
…and the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me.”
Next one:
Stop worrying about things that haven't happened yet — Matthew 6:34
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Next one:
Turn the other cheek instead of hitting back — Matthew 5:39
“But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
And finally:
Treat people the way you want to be treated — Luke 6:31
“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Now, Jesus calls us to even more difficult things.
He calls us to repentance — Matthew 4:17: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
He calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross — Mark 8:34: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.”
He calls us to obedience — John 14:15: “If you love Me, obey My commandments.”
He calls us to become a new person — John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
He tells us to seek His Kingdom — Matthew 6:33: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”
And He says that no one comes to the Father except through Him — John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus calls us to weightier things that are more personal and more difficult.
Beginning of Practical Application
Now, a little bit more practical application for us.
If you are in conflict with someone — especially during the holidays — let grace abound. Do your best to reconcile and forgive.
Be true to your faith all the time, both in person and on social media, because everyone is looking for hypocrites. If you’re one way in real life and another way online, you are a hypocrite.
If you’re in sin, stop sinning. If you need help, let someone know.
Last year, I told you this story. I was invited to go rock climbing. Now, why someone would invite me to go rock climbing, I still don’t know. This does not look like a rock-climbing body to me — but what do I know?
There happened to be another gentleman at our church who was in the military, and he loved rock climbing. So I called him and said, “Can we get together? I need some tips on rock climbing.”
So I went to his house. Sure enough, he started giving me all this advice: always have three points of contact, keep your weight centered — all of that. Finally, he said, “Oh, the most important thing — the rule of 20. If you fall, you need to grab onto anything you possibly can, because between the weight of your body and the stiffness of the rope, when you fall twenty feet and the rope snatches you — bad things happen. You can break your back. You can break all kinds of bones. It’s generally not good. So you have to do whatever you can to grab something before you hit twenty.”
We both looked at each other. We go to the same church, so we immediately connected the dots.
I said, “Isn’t that exactly like sin? When you start falling into sin, grab onto anything you can — Jesus, His Word, your church leaders, your brothers and sisters — before you fall so far that it’s incredibly hard to recover.”
Now, don’t get me wrong — Jesus can restore us and save us from anything. But the longer you fall, the harder it gets.
Grab onto anything before you hit your twenty feet.
Be generous. Tithe no matter what you have — because someone is praying for what you have right now.
Be generous with your mercy, because someone could be hurting more than you are. Be generous with your love, because someone around you needs it just as much as you do.
Do not divide the church of Jesus Christ. Love one another as Christ loves you.
Now, I want to encourage you to search your hearts and ask yourself: Are we doing what Jesus called us to do?
Don’t let the world shape your mind, but be transformed by the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Always remember: Jesus is Lord of all, and we all belong to the body of Christ.
My closing thoughts come from 1 Corinthians 12:12–13:
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”
Let me pray for you.
“Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, knowing that You have called us to be one family in Christ. Lord, remove every wall of division, every root of pride, and every misunderstanding that keeps us apart. Fill us with Your Spirit of love, humility, and grace so that we may see one another through Your eyes. Teach us to listen with compassion, to speak with kindness, and to serve with joy.
May our unity reflect the beauty of Your kingdom, drawing others to the hope we have in Jesus. Bind us together in truth and peace, so that the world may know that we are Yours.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray.”
And God’s people said, “Amen.”
Sermon by Ed Anderson
Reader’s Version
Good morning. If you’re new here, welcome. My name is Ed. Pastor Gene, Heather, and Sophie are away on vacation, getting some much, much needed rest and relaxation. So let’s pray that they come back renewed, motivated, and ready to keep teaching us.
I heard a story. A man who lived a Christian life dies and goes to heaven. When he gets there, he’s greeted by Jesus. Jesus says to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Let me show you around heaven.”
So Jesus walks him to one group of people, and they wave, and he waves back. The man asks, “Who is that?” Jesus says, “Oh, that’s the Pentecostals.”
They go to another group, they wave, he waves back. “Who’s that?” “That’s the Presbyterians.”
They go to another group, they wave, Jesus waves back. “Who’s that?” “Oh, that’s the Methodists.”
And this happens denomination after denomination after denomination. Finally, they get to one group, and this time Jesus quietly motions for him to sneak by. They slip past, and the man whispers, “What was that about, Jesus? Why did we have to sneak by?”
Jesus says, “Those were the Baptists. They think they’re the only ones here.”
Now, I don’t mean to pick on Baptists. You can pick any denomination you want. It’s just that I’m a recovering Baptist.
Today we’re going to talk about things that divide us.
What are the things that typically divide people? I have my own list, and it’s four things.
First: ice cream versus yogurt. I don’t get yogurt at all. It comes in funny little containers. It tastes funny. It kind of looks like ice cream, but it’s not quite the same thing. I just don’t get the yogurt thing.
Second: dogs versus cats. I’m a dog person. When I had my family dog, I’d get home and the dog would be happy to see me. It would be going nuts. I’d tell it to sit, it sits. I’d tell it to stay, it stays. I’d tell it to come, it comes. Wonderful.
Cats? You get home, you tell your cat, “Come here,” and it looks at you like, “Are you crazy? I’m a cat.” I don’t get it.
Third: old-school video games versus the new stuff. The new stuff, I don’t understand. The new stuff is like a movie that you’re in — you’re a character in the movie. See, I don’t want to be a character in the movie. I just want to play video games. So the new stuff doesn’t work for me.
And last: all the fruit that Jesus created versus coconuts. I don’t understand coconuts at all. They’re not very attractive from the outside. You open them up, they’re funny looking on the inside. They’ve got all this milk, water, oil — whatever you call it — inside of them. It’s a messy mess. I don’t understand.
The first question I have for Jesus when I get to heaven is, “Why coconuts? I just don’t get it. Why coconuts?”
Now, if you’re new here, I’m allergic to coconut.
Let’s talk about what divides our country.
Democrats and Republicans. Politics plays a very big, very divisive role in our culture.
People of similar education tend to stick together. Educational attainment creates its own kind of bubble.
Then you have what’s called a social media bubble — collections of people with similar beliefs or political views who gather together primarily to get affirmation of what they already believe.
You have cultural and religious differences. America is a melting pot, so we have a lot of different types of people with different cultural and religious beliefs.
And then there is social media misinformation — divisions based on perceived wrongdoing or on things that simply aren’t true.
I’m about to create my own social media misinformation group. I’m just confessing. It’s going to be people against coconuts, because they make your hair fall out. So everybody join my group. We’re going to create a whole bunch of misinformation about coconuts and hair loss, and hopefully God will stop making coconuts.
But I probably doubt it.
Now, these are generalities from a lot of different sources — except for the coconut part. But this is what typically divides Americans.
Now what divides people from other countries?
You have cultural differences, such as food and sports. For example, soccer — or football in the UK — can be very divisive by communities. Rugby in Australia can divide communities, just as cricket in India can divide communities.
You have gender differences. Women still do not have equal rights or opportunities in many countries. In a lot of places, women still cannot vote, still cannot drive cars, and still do not have a lot of basic rights. Very divisive.
You have race and ethnicity — the one that overlaps with Americans. I want to highlight this because of the conflict in Ukraine and the conflict in Syria. Many refugees have fled into parts of Europe and the Middle East. So now you have refugees in communities or in pockets where they tend to be somewhat isolated or divided.
Then there is neighborhood segregation. This is because people in most other countries tend to be less mobile than Americans. Multiple generations tend to live in one place. You have uncles and cousins and sisters and brothers and others living in the same communities generation after generation.
And then social class and wealth. In most countries, you have very wealthy neighborhoods and very poor neighborhoods, and the two rarely meet.
Now, what causes division in the church?
You have theological disagreement, which can be doctrine, interpretation of Scripture, or practices.
You also have personal conflict, which is often fueled by pride or jealousy. Someone says, “I want to start this ministry,” and they get into conflict with either other members of the congregation or the leadership. That creates personal conflict.
You have ministry philosophy — worship styles, church governance, outreach to people — all of these tend to divide churches.
And then there are denominational differences. We have so many different denominations, and there are just too many choices for people to make. That causes division.
Now, these issues are not new in the church.
Let’s talk about inclusion of different people.
James 2:1–4 says:
“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor,’ well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?”
We also have personal conflict and pastor worship in the church. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 3:3–5:
“For you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, ‘I am a follower of Paul,’ and another says, ‘I follow Apollos,’ aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.”
This reminds me of a story. I was interviewing a young man for a job once. At that time, I kept a Bible on my desk. During the interview, I noticed he kept glancing at it. Toward the end, he finally asked, “Are you a Christian?”
I said, “Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus Christ.”
He said, “Me too. I go to Pastor So-and-So’s church. We have a big building, and we have two airplanes, and Pastor So-and-So says this, and Pastor says that, and Pastor said this in his sermon…”
I stopped him and said, “Does your church say anything about Jesus? Is anything there about Jesus at all, or is everything about your pastor?”
He stopped. He looked at me. For a split second, I thought he might have heard me.
But then he started right back up again: “Pastor says this… and Pastor says this…” He just continued as before.
Clearly — pastor worship.
Now, how should we respond?
Ephesians 4:2–4 says:
“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”
Romans 15:5–6 says:
“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
And Philippians 2:2 says:
“Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.”
It has been said that there are over 40,000 Christian denominations today — and by some counts, over 45,000. But it wasn’t always this way.
In the first century, we have the birth of Christ, His ministry, His crucifixion and resurrection, and the formation of the early church. At this point, there is one church.
In the fourth century, we have Emperor Constantine’s Edict of Milan, which legalizes Christianity. We also have the First Council of Constantinople. Three hundred years after Christ, there is still one church.
In the eleventh century, the Great Schism occurs, creating the formal split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. So one thousand years from Jesus, we now have two denominations.
In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther posts his Ninety-Five Theses. The Protestant Reformation begins. The Church of England emerges. About 1,500 years after Jesus, we now have nine-ish denominations.
In the seventeenth century, the Baptist tradition begins to form. Sixteen hundred years after Jesus, we have around eleven-ish denominations.
In the nineteenth century, the Restoration Movement arises, leading to the Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and other Restorationist groups. At this point, we have hundreds of denominations.
Now, the numbers aren’t exact. They’re meant to capture the major branches — because many groups began, branched, split, faded, or changed names along the way. Some were honestly short-lived and strange.
One example is the Agapemonites, also known as “The Abode of Love.” They were founded in the 1840s in England by Reverend Henry James Prince, a former Anglican priest who believed that he was the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Not to be outdone, his successor — John Hugh Smyth-Pygott — declared himself to be the reincarnated Jesus Christ. They closed in 1956.
The next chart simply shows the major branches of Christianity. (Pause for reflection.)
And for those of you who like timelines — Doug, I know you do — the next chart lays out everything I just summarized. Up until the sixteenth century, there are very few denominations. After the sixteenth century, the number of denominational divisions grows rapidly, eventually exploding into the thousands.
Now, why is division bad?
First of all, if you’ve ever been in a church while it’s dividing, you know division can cause a great amount of stress — and stress is not good.
Second, division dehumanizes people. You’re no longer individuals; you become a group, a label, or a box someone puts you in. That is dehumanizing.
Next, division splits the body of Christ — and the body of Christ should never, ever be divided.
It also takes the focus off Jesus and puts it onto people. Our focus as Christians should always be on Jesus.
Division encourages consumerism in the church. Each denomination needs something to differentiate itself, so they create distinctives to attract consumers. That mindset works against unity.
And finally, division is a poor witness to non-believers.
I came to a church once while it was dividing, and it was really, really bad. There were questions about who owned the church building. Who owned the parking lot? Who owned the church assets? Was it the denomination we were leaving? The denomination we were going to? Or the local congregation? With disputes about money and assets, you can be sure there were a lot of lawyers involved — and there were.
People were running around the church, trying to influence others to either stay in the denomination or leave it for another one. It was not good. And it was a terrible witness — to the people in the church, to the surrounding community, and even to the lawyers who were watching this unfold.
But what does the Bible say about believers having disputes?
1 Corinthians 6:1–7 says:
“When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? But instead, one believer sues another — right in front of unbelievers! Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?”
Well, instead of being holy, I think we want to be right. Instead of being servants, we want to be heroes. Instead of being loving, we want to be argumentative. Instead of being giving, we want to manage our money the way the world does.
Why not be cheated?
Hypocrisy is one of the main reasons people reject Christianity.
My daughter Lily, who has come to church before — and some of you have met her — always says, “Dad, Christians are one way on Sunday and a completely different way the rest of the week.”
That’s hypocrisy.
This is the cover of a book that was written recently. It’s the author’s view of Christianity today. As we head into the holidays, think about this. It’s a great time to be a witness — with friends, family, and strangers. Be a faithful witness.
Okay, so for me, that means I’m going to have to eat some yogurt. I’m probably going to have to pet the cat. I’m going to have to play Xbox. But I’m not eating the coconut.
Now, we live in what’s been termed a postdenominational world. Churches are dividing, renaming, and rebranding, but most people don’t really care.
A few weeks ago, I told you a story about traveling from the United States to Latin America. I was on a plane with a bunch of missionaries. I said to one of them — especially the gentleman sitting next to me — “Aren’t we going to a country that’s seventy-five to eighty percent Christian?”
Without hesitating, he looked at me and said, “They’re not our kind of Christians.”
All division is Paul’s worst nightmare. Denominations and divisions are not what we should do.
1 Corinthians 1:10 says:
“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
Ephesians 4:3–6 says:
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”
Now, C3 Church — if you’re new here — we’re an Acts 2–based church. We believe in teaching the Word, fellowship, prayer, and the breaking of bread. I’ll tell you more about that a little bit later.
We support a number of area ministries, including several connected to recovery, mental health, and emergency housing. We advocate for those seeking God’s love and purpose in their lives. Here, we are all equal in Christ. Here, you are all welcomed.
As I was preparing this message, I came across an interesting article in my newsfeed titled “15 Lessons Jesus Taught That Most Christians Forget to Live By.” I thought it was fascinating. I’m going to let you look at the list, and then I’ll pick a few to talk about. If I went through all fifteen, we’d be here all afternoon.
So let me highlight a few and tell you some stories.
When I was a young consultant, I worked on a project in Jacksonville, Florida. The woman I worked with had a reputation — everyone said, “She is mean. She hates the world. The world hates her. She is just a prickly person.”
I said, “Okay, I’m going out of my way to show this woman the love of Jesus Christ.”
Every morning I said, “Good morning.” Nothing. During the day: “How are you?” Nothing. “How’s your day been?” Nothing. “Have a good night.” Nothing.
I found out when her birthday was, so I bought her a gift. I found out she liked golf, so I bought her golf balls with her name on them. I gave them to her.
Nothing.
This went on month after month after month.
Finally, at the end of the project, it was time for me to leave. As I was packing my things, she came in and said, “You can’t leave.”
I said, “What?” “You can’t leave.” “Why not?” She said, “You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met, and I’ve been horrible to you. Why have you been so nice to me?”
I said, “Because I’m filled with the love of Jesus Christ. And because He loves me and I love Him, it allows me to love everybody around me.”
We ended up having a conversation about Jesus.
2. “Don’t judge people when your own life is a mess.”
I was an elder at a church in Maryland. We had been ministering to a man whose life was truly a mess. This man had a plank in his eye.
We spent hours counseling him one Thursday night. His life was full of issues. Hours and hours.
That Sunday, we returned to church, and as I walked down the hallway, that same man — the man with the plank — was gossiping about another man who had only a speck of sawdust in his.
I had to pull him aside and say, “Look, what you’re doing is wrong. First of all, we should never gossip. Second, you have a plank in your eye, and you’re gossiping about a man with sawdust in his.”
Shape
3. “Being important means serving people.”
I once worked for a big company in Maryland and got promoted. A man named George came in, closed the door, and said, “Ed, you have a decision to make.”
I said, “What’s that?” He said, “You need to decide whether you want to be successful or significant. You can pick only one.”
I said, “What does that mean?”
He said, “Ed, you can be successful. You’re young, talented, and you can have everything this world offers — the big house, the cars, the fancy clothes — but it’ll all be about you. Or you can choose significance, which means you use your gifts and talents to transform the people around you and the communities around you. It won’t look as good for you, but you’ll change lives. You must pick success or significance.”
Shape
4. “Take care of people who have nothing.”
As little as you think you have, someone is praying for what you have right now.
When I was preparing this message, I thought about Lon. If you’re new here, Lon was a man who attended our church for years and went to be with the Lord last year. Lon had been homeless, then at St. Matt’s House, and eventually — through a county program — he got his own apartment.
The way the church loved and cared for him was remarkable. He had no car, so people drove him here weekly. We provided food when he needed it. When he needed furniture, people stepped in and donated.
And Lon tithed. Once upstairs in the café, he said, “Are you going downstairs?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Will you take this and put it in the offering box?” It was his tithe.
He didn’t have much, but he was grateful. I’ll never forget it.
Shape
5. “Stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.”
This past summer, there was a South African pastor who predicted that Jesus Christ would return on September 23rd. People were losing their minds. They sold their houses, their cars, their possessions, quit their jobs — and yet here we are.
You would be surprised how many people call or text or reach out about worldly things that haven’t even happened yet.
Shape
6. “Turn the other cheek instead of hitting back.”
Social media makes it easy to hit back. Don’t be one person in real life and a different person online. If you can turn the other cheek in real life, turn the other cheek on social media.
The world is looking for hypocrites. Don’t let them find one in you.
Shape
7. “Treat people the way you want to be treated.”
I once worked for a ministry and had a man on my team named Govi. He was Malaysian and wonderful. But every time there was a conflict or disagreement, Govi would come to me with a smile and say, “Ed, I want justice for them… but mercy for me.”
Justice for them. Mercy for me.
That’s how many of us live. But we should want mercy for everyone.
Scriptures Jesus Gave on These Teachings
Love difficult people — Matthew 5:44: “But I say, love your enemies!”
Don’t judge — Matthew 7:1–5: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged… First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Serve — Mark 10:42–45: “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant… For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Care for the needy — Matthew 25:31–40: (Full passage - see next section.)
Stop worrying — Matthew 6:34: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Turn the other cheek — Matthew 5:39: “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
Golden Rule — Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Now let’s look at the next one in detail.
Take care of people who have nothing — Matthew 25:31–40.
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’
Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
*And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these
…and the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me.”
Next one:
Stop worrying about things that haven't happened yet — Matthew 6:34
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Next one:
Turn the other cheek instead of hitting back — Matthew 5:39
“But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
And finally:
Treat people the way you want to be treated — Luke 6:31
“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Now, Jesus calls us to even more difficult things.
He calls us to repentance — Matthew 4:17: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
He calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross — Mark 8:34: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.”
He calls us to obedience — John 14:15: “If you love Me, obey My commandments.”
He calls us to become a new person — John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
He tells us to seek His Kingdom — Matthew 6:33: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”
And He says that no one comes to the Father except through Him — John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus calls us to weightier things that are more personal and more difficult.
Beginning of Practical Application
Now, a little bit more practical application for us.
If you are in conflict with someone — especially during the holidays — let grace abound. Do your best to reconcile and forgive.
Be true to your faith all the time, both in person and on social media, because everyone is looking for hypocrites. If you’re one way in real life and another way online, you are a hypocrite.
If you’re in sin, stop sinning. If you need help, let someone know.
Last year, I told you this story. I was invited to go rock climbing. Now, why someone would invite me to go rock climbing, I still don’t know. This does not look like a rock-climbing body to me — but what do I know?
There happened to be another gentleman at our church who was in the military, and he loved rock climbing. So I called him and said, “Can we get together? I need some tips on rock climbing.”
So I went to his house. Sure enough, he started giving me all this advice: always have three points of contact, keep your weight centered — all of that. Finally, he said, “Oh, the most important thing — the rule of 20. If you fall, you need to grab onto anything you possibly can, because between the weight of your body and the stiffness of the rope, when you fall twenty feet and the rope snatches you — bad things happen. You can break your back. You can break all kinds of bones. It’s generally not good. So you have to do whatever you can to grab something before you hit twenty.”
We both looked at each other. We go to the same church, so we immediately connected the dots.
I said, “Isn’t that exactly like sin? When you start falling into sin, grab onto anything you can — Jesus, His Word, your church leaders, your brothers and sisters — before you fall so far that it’s incredibly hard to recover.”
Now, don’t get me wrong — Jesus can restore us and save us from anything. But the longer you fall, the harder it gets.
Grab onto anything before you hit your twenty feet.
Be generous. Tithe no matter what you have — because someone is praying for what you have right now.
Be generous with your mercy, because someone could be hurting more than you are. Be generous with your love, because someone around you needs it just as much as you do.
Do not divide the church of Jesus Christ. Love one another as Christ loves you.
Now, I want to encourage you to search your hearts and ask yourself: Are we doing what Jesus called us to do?
Don’t let the world shape your mind, but be transformed by the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Always remember: Jesus is Lord of all, and we all belong to the body of Christ.
My closing thoughts come from 1 Corinthians 12:12–13:
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”
Let me pray for you.
“Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, knowing that You have called us to be one family in Christ. Lord, remove every wall of division, every root of pride, and every misunderstanding that keeps us apart. Fill us with Your Spirit of love, humility, and grace so that we may see one another through Your eyes. Teach us to listen with compassion, to speak with kindness, and to serve with joy.
May our unity reflect the beauty of Your kingdom, drawing others to the hope we have in Jesus. Bind us together in truth and peace, so that the world may know that we are Yours.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray.”
And God’s people said, “Amen.”