Unity in Christ: A Call to Kingdom Action
Summary
In reflecting on the familiar nursery rhyme of Humpty Dumpty, we find a profound metaphor for the state of our society and the church's role within it. Humpty Dumpty's fall and the inability of the king's men to restore him symbolize the futility of relying solely on governmental or worldly solutions to mend the brokenness in our lives and communities. This narrative challenges us to reconsider where we place our trust and hope for restoration. Too often, we look to political systems and leaders to solve problems that are spiritual at their core. The true solution lies within the church, empowered by the kingdom of God, to bring about unity and healing across racial, cultural, and class divides.
The story of Joshua encountering the captain of the Lord's army in Joshua 5 serves as a powerful reminder that God does not take sides in our human political battles. Instead, He calls us to align with His kingdom, transcending partisan lines. Our allegiance should be to God's kingdom first, influencing how we engage with political systems without letting them dictate our faith or unity. The church must rise above political affiliations, focusing on kingdom values that promote justice, life, and unity.
Unity among believers is crucial for the church to fulfill its mission and for the nation to experience true revival. The racial and political divisions that have historically plagued the church must be overcome by prioritizing our identity in Christ above all else. When Christians unite under the banner of the cross, setting aside racial and political differences, we create an environment where God's glory can manifest powerfully, as seen in 2 Chronicles 5.
The call is for radical, unified action that places faith above politics, allowing the church to be a beacon of hope and restoration in a fractured world. As we embrace this unity, we become agents of change, bringing God's kingdom to bear on earth as it is in heaven.
Key Takeaways:
- The story of Humpty Dumpty illustrates the inadequacy of relying on worldly systems for solutions to spiritual problems. True restoration comes from the church, empowered by God's kingdom, to bring unity and healing. [01:25]
- God does not align with political parties; He calls us to align with His kingdom. Our primary allegiance should be to God's kingdom, influencing our political engagement without letting it dictate our faith. [05:01]
- Unity among believers is essential for the church's mission and the nation's revival. Overcoming racial and political divisions by prioritizing our identity in Christ is crucial for experiencing God's glory. [09:18]
- Christians must engage in politics with a kingdom mindset, voting and acting in ways that reflect God's values rather than party lines. This approach allows us to address issues like justice and life comprehensively. [07:06]
- The church must rise above mediocrity and embrace radical unity and righteous indignation to bring about God's kingdom on earth. This unity is the key to inviting God's presence and power into our culture. [10:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:16] - Humpty Dumpty's Fall
- [00:57] - Government's Limitations
- [01:39] - Church's Role in Unity
- [02:12] - Political Divisions in the Church
- [03:21] - Joshua's Encounter
- [04:26] - God's Kingdom Over Politics
- [05:29] - Voting with Kingdom Values
- [06:19] - Unity and Revival
- [07:21] - Identity in Christ
- [08:20] - Hope for Restoration
- [09:36] - Call to Action
- [10:33] - Story of the Guards
- [11:33] - Embracing Unity
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Joshua 5:13-15 - Joshua's encounter with the captain of the Lord's army.
2. 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 - The unity of the people and the manifestation of God's glory.
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#### Observation Questions
1. What was the significance of Joshua's encounter with the captain of the Lord's army, and how did it challenge Joshua's understanding of allegiance? [04:08]
2. How does the nursery rhyme of Humpty Dumpty serve as a metaphor for the limitations of worldly solutions to spiritual problems? [01:25]
3. What are the key differences between how Anglo Christians and minority Christians typically align politically, according to the sermon? [02:30]
4. How does the story in 2 Chronicles 5 illustrate the power of unity among believers? [09:18]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does the encounter between Joshua and the captain of the Lord's army illustrate the concept of God's kingdom transcending human political divisions? [04:26]
2. How does the sermon suggest that political affiliations can interfere with the church's mission, and what is the proposed solution? [05:29]
3. What does the sermon imply about the role of the church in addressing societal issues, and how does this differ from the role of government? [01:39]
4. How does the unity described in 2 Chronicles 5 relate to the potential for revival in the church and the nation? [09:36]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own political affiliations. How can you ensure that your primary allegiance is to God's kingdom rather than a political party? [05:16]
2. Consider the divisions within your own church or community. What steps can you take to promote unity and prioritize your identity in Christ over racial or political differences? [07:21]
3. How can you engage in political discussions or actions in a way that reflects kingdom values rather than party lines? [07:06]
4. Think about a time when you relied on worldly systems for solutions to spiritual problems. How can you shift your trust to the church and God's kingdom for true restoration? [01:25]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you can act as an agent of change, bringing God's kingdom to bear on earth. What practical steps can you take this week? [08:20]
6. How can you contribute to creating an environment in your church where God's glory can manifest powerfully, as described in 2 Chronicles 5? [09:18]
7. What is one action you can take to rise above mediocrity and embrace radical unity in your faith community? [10:15]
Devotional
Day 1: Trust Beyond Worldly Systems
In the story of Humpty Dumpty, we see a metaphor for the limitations of relying on worldly systems to solve spiritual problems. The nursery rhyme illustrates how governmental and worldly solutions often fall short in addressing the deeper issues of brokenness in our lives and communities. This calls for a shift in where we place our trust and hope for restoration. The church, empowered by God's kingdom, is uniquely positioned to bring about unity and healing across racial, cultural, and class divides. By focusing on spiritual solutions, the church can address the root causes of societal issues and offer true restoration. [01:25]
Jeremiah 17:5-8 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on worldly systems for solutions? How can you begin to trust God and His kingdom for restoration today?
Day 2: Aligning with God's Kingdom
The encounter of Joshua with the captain of the Lord's army in Joshua 5 reminds us that God does not take sides in human political battles. Instead, He calls us to align with His kingdom, which transcends partisan lines. Our primary allegiance should be to God's kingdom, influencing how we engage with political systems without letting them dictate our faith or unity. By prioritizing God's kingdom, we can engage in politics with a mindset that reflects His values, promoting justice, life, and unity. [05:01]
Joshua 5:13-14 (ESV): "When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, 'Are you for us, or for our adversaries?' And he said, 'No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, 'What does my lord say to his servant?'"
Reflection: How can you align your political engagement with God's kingdom values today? What steps can you take to ensure your faith remains undictated by political affiliations?
Day 3: Unity in Christ for Revival
Unity among believers is essential for the church's mission and the nation's revival. The racial and political divisions that have historically plagued the church must be overcome by prioritizing our identity in Christ above all else. When Christians unite under the banner of the cross, setting aside racial and political differences, we create an environment where God's glory can manifest powerfully. This unity is crucial for experiencing God's presence and power in our communities and nation. [09:18]
Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV): "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Reflection: What racial or political divisions do you need to set aside to prioritize your identity in Christ? How can you actively promote unity in your church and community today?
Day 4: Engaging Politics with a Kingdom Mindset
Christians are called to engage in politics with a kingdom mindset, voting and acting in ways that reflect God's values rather than party lines. This approach allows us to address issues like justice and life comprehensively, ensuring that our political engagement aligns with our faith. By focusing on kingdom values, we can influence political systems without compromising our allegiance to God. This requires discernment and a commitment to prioritize God's values in all aspects of our lives. [07:06]
Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Reflection: How can you ensure that your political actions and decisions reflect God's values today? What practical steps can you take to engage in politics with a kingdom mindset?
Day 5: Embracing Radical Unity
The church must rise above mediocrity and embrace radical unity and righteous indignation to bring about God's kingdom on earth. This unity is the key to inviting God's presence and power into our culture. By placing faith above politics and embracing unity, the church can become a beacon of hope and restoration in a fractured world. This requires a commitment to act in ways that reflect God's kingdom, promoting justice, life, and unity in all areas of life. [10:15]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: What steps can you take to embrace radical unity in your church and community today? How can you act as a beacon of hope and restoration in a fractured world?
Quotes
"Now the tragedy of the nursery rhyme is that all the king's horses and all the king's men could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again. They couldn't fix the problem. The best but the land had to offer was not able to resolve the problem. It is unfortunate today that far too many Christians think that the solutions to our problems are going to land on Air Force One." [00:01:17]
"From God's perspective, the solutions to our problem come out of the church house. But what is gone cataclysmically wrong is that Christians have looked to the government to do what the government was never designed to do and what the kingdom of God has been duly authorized to do, and that is bring God's people together for comprehensive Kingdom impact across racial, cultural, and class lines." [00:01:48]
"It is unfortunate that we've allowed the kingdoms of men to divide the kingdoms of God as though God rides the backs of donkeys or elephants. He doesn't. He's got his own Kingdom, and while politics has its place and government has its roles, it's not to usurp what the kingdom of God through God's people have been uniquely called, designed, designated to do." [00:02:48]
"You see, God is the consummate independent. He's not committed to Democrats or Republicans. He's committed to himself because he has his own Kingdom, and you must be the ultimate independent whether you associate with the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, a libertine party, because no party fully represents the values of the kingdom of God." [00:04:59]
"So people are going to have different preferences about party affiliation based on the focus of their issues, but when you walk into that voting booth and walk out, you're actually to be voting for the kingdom of God so that sometimes you're gonna function Democratic, sometimes you're gonna function Republican, but you're always gonna function Kingdom because you belong to a greater order." [00:05:23]
"Unity among God's people is critical for the well-being of the nation. For example, if you take the abortion issue, Christians ought to be against abortion because it is taking the life of the unborn, and even our Constitution calls for the right to life. But God is concerned about whole life in that term life from womb to life from cradle to grave." [00:06:27]
"So if Anglo Christians who are against abortion to fight for life and the safety of the unborn in the womb and then African-American Christians, for example, fight for justice to the tomb, those are not two separate issues. That's whole life. So they can join forces even though some may be on the Democratic side and some can be on the Republican side to represent the values of the kingdom of God." [00:06:52]
"God wants you to define you not ultimately by your complexion or party affiliation. He wants you to define you by his kingdom and by his word. You get Christians operating radically like this, Humpty Dumpty has hope because now he has something local to him who's gonna put him back together again." [00:08:11]
"Everybody's concerned about their need for a revival in the United States, but there would be no broad revival of the kind that we needed one if there's disunity among God's people. He will not revive at this unified church. Unity is too important to his nature. He's the triune God, one God composed of three co-equal persons who are distinctive personality while being simultaneously one in essence." [00:08:31]
"America needs the glory of God, not merely the votes of politicians or the votes of voters, because if God is not working for you, it really doesn't matter much who you elect. God is not operating on your behalf, then you're not going to see heaven open up and hell overrun." [00:09:29]
"It is time now for the church to come alive. It is time now for God's people to make their statement that their party is second to their faith, their political affiliation is second to their commitment to Christ, and while we do not negate them, we hold them in their proper place." [00:09:48]
"If we don't unite with crazy, if we don't come together under the banner of the cross, we've lost our minds because only that banner can bring God into this culture and this country to turn things around for the sake of his name and for the advancement of his kingdom." [00:11:27]
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