The Cost of Division

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. Matthew 12:25

This statement of Jesus is made after he is accused of casting out demons by the authority of Satan.  Jesus responds by showing the impossibility of such a claim.  Following this comparison, Jesus demonstrates the unity of the Triune God.  "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."  In Scripture, the Father was preparing the people for their Savior. In Jesus' ministry, he constantly points the people to the Father.  The Holy Spirit reminds us of the Father's and Jesus' teachings.  No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, accusations to the unity of God's work still occurs today.  It happens by well intended Christians. Like the Pharisees in Jesus' day, we do not always understand God's Word.  We do not always understand God's mission.  Sometimes we mistakenly put these two in opposition to one another.  Sometimes we forget to submit ourselves to one another and to the Word of God.  Sometimes the Church seems to be a kingdom divided against itself.

This Divine Unity is to be a mark of the church as well.  Praise God when this happens in the church.  Unfortunately, this is not a reality in many Christian churches.  God gives the Church what it needs: Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  God gives the church these gifts to unite us in His grace, mercy, and mission.  God gives us these gifts to be a witness in the community.  God gives us these gifts so that the people in the church and around the church may know that the Kingdom of God has come to them.

Jesus came to the city - Matthew 9:1-8

When Jesus came to the city, he made an impact.  First, people came to him with a need.  They had a paralytic friend and they hoped that Jesus could help.  When confronted with this need, Jesus pointed out that the paralytic had a greater need- the forgiveness of sins.  The scribes had their own need that they did not yet understand, unbelief in God's revealed plan of salvation.  To meet both of these needs, Jesus healed the paralytic.  What an impact this made to the people of the city.
Jesus is still coming to the city.  He does that through the ministry of His Church.  The church in the city is Christ in the city.  Many times people come to the church with their need.  This is a gift of God.  We may not always see it like that but that person has come through your doors because of what the church represents- God's representatives here and now.  Whatever need that persons comes with, he comes with the need of the forgiveness of sins.  Both needs must be addressed.  Sometimes we are not able to provide their need which brought them through the door.  We can always provide their need of forgiveness of sin for that ministry has been entrusted to us.
As the church, we can never lose sight of nor undermine the authority that God has given to men.  We can never forget that God has placed His church where He has placed it because there are sheep without a shepherd, who wander through life hungry, hurt, and lost.  We can never forget that the Lord has given us the message that alone brings the healing all people need.  We can never forget that these people will go back into the community and tell others how we ministered to them.  Hopefully the reaction will be similar to that of the people in Jesus' time.  They will praise God because such authority had been given to men.