The Blessings Of Unity

Temple Baptist Church - 2-3-2019

Psalms 133

Introduction: 

A.  What a joy to be in God’s house this morning.  I love the church!  What a joy it is to be the pastor of Temple Baptist Church.  What a privilege it is to walk through these doors and worship the Lord.  How good, how pleasant, how wonderful. 

B.  Our people enjoy each other’s company and many remain after the services.  They stand around and talk to each other, not about each other.  I often leave before many of you and let you lock up and turn out the lights.  It is good to see the smile, hear the laughter, and experience the love found here.

C.  The travesty of church division is too often found in many churches.  As a general rule, churches with division sitting on the pews implode.  I have often said that the enemy from within the church is the greatest one of all.  “United we stand; divided we fall,” is often quoted and comes from the Bible.

Mark 3:25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

D.  When I read this little Psalm, I think of Temple Baptist Church.  In these these verses, we see the results of unity:

1.  The Benefit - "good"  - 1 - Of great benefit, valuable, prosperity.  Coming to church gets me ready for the week.  Wednesday night gets me over the hump.

2.  The Bliss - "pleasant" – 1 - Sweet, agreeable, delightful, musical.  I always leave church better than I came.  I go home at the end of the day and, as I reflect back, rejoice in the day.

3.  The Binding - "together in unity" - 1-2 - Alike, in one accord, harmony.  No fussing, no fighting, no backbiting, no complaining, just sweet fellowship.

4.  The Blessing - "life forever more" – 3 – It is an intricate part of my life that I never want to do without.

E.  I want to look at the last result for a few minutes: “The Blessing.”

1.  The Blessing of Fellowship with God’s People - Romans 15:32  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

2.  The Blessing of Encouraging God’s People - 2 Corinthians 2:1-2  But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 

3.  The Blessing of Bearing The Burdens of God’s People - 2 Corinthians 7:4  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

4.  The Blessing of Hearing That God’s People Are Steadfastly Serving  - 2 Corinthians 7:13-16  Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.  I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

a.  Colossians 2:5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

b.  1 Thessalonians 3:6-10  But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:  For now we live,if ye stand fast in the Lord.  For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;  Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

5.  The Blessing of Sharing The Ministry With God’s People - Philippians 1:3-6  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:   (Workers, visitation, teachers, choir - get involved!!)

6.  The Blessing of Seeing God’s People Unified - Philippians 2:1-4  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  (Greatest heartache - bickering children!)

7.  The Blessing of A Godly Testimony of God’s People - Philippians 2:14-15   Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  (So much said about hypocrites – it is refreshing to hear good about God’s people!)

8.  The Blessing of An Inner Witness With God’s People - Philippians 4:1  Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

9.   The Blessing of Leading Others To Christ - 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.  (Some of you were came to Christ under my ministry.  Not that I am anything, but what a joy.  Just think of Tracy!)

10.  The Blessing of Giving Account For God’s Faithful People - Hebrews 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.