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Unity and Division: The Blessing and a Curse (Part Two)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerGod is the wellspring of unity and peace, yet there exists a distinctive sort of division that originates primarily from Him. This godly division results inexorably from His judgment, often separating His seemingly unified people into two groups based on their level of commitment to Him. In this act, He treats each group differently, blessing one and cursing the other. Examples of this divine division are evident in various accounts. In Matthew 24 and 25, Christ speaks of judgment resulting in a fifty-fifty split among God's servants, where one is found faithful and blessed, while the other is deemed wicked and cursed. Similarly, in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, five are wise and ready for the bridegroom, while five are foolish and shut out. The Parable of the Talents further illustrates this division, distinguishing between those who grow their responsibilities and those who refuse. In the Old Testament, the vision of the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24 portrays God apportioning His people Judah into two groups, one with good figs and the other with bad, judged in opposite ways. Across these instances, a common pattern emerges: God evaluates a superficially unified group, detects an essential disunion in commitment, and divides them, often with an element of surprise or unexpected lines of division. His judgment reconfigures along lines unfamiliar to human expectation, consistently revealing that His act of division aligns with His purpose to distinguish the approved from the unfaithful.
Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part Three)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerGod instructed the Israelites to divide themselves by tribes on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal to pronounce blessings and curses, providing lessons for us.
Fear is a Double-edged Sword
Sermonette by John W. RitenbaughIf discomfort leads to repentance and positive change, fear is positive. Fear is a double edged sword, a source of anguish or a motivation to repent.
Understanding Unity
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe must separate ourselves from the world, sacrificing ourselves to God's purpose to become at one with God, waiting for Him to unify us to others.
Jesus and the Feast (Part Two): Belief in the Spirit
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOn the last day of the Feast, Jesus proclaimed Himself as the One who will dispense God's Spirit, amplifying the promise He had made to the woman at the well.
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part Ten)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe three parables in Matthew 25 (The Ten Virgins, The Talents and The Sheep and Goats) all focus on the importance of spiritual preparedness.
The Unleavened Vanguard with Christ
Sermon by Mark SchindlerChrist's warnings to His disciples in Luke 12 may have been given during the Unleavened Bread season, giving us additional forms of leaven to guard against.