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7 June: UNITY in God’s Family
Crossway: 3 Ways We Are United with Each Other … 05/10/2026 Brad Wetherell
Unity Starts with Christ: Rom 6:5 “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [united] in the likeness of His resurrection.” …”. All united with Him means we are all united together WITH Him and so shall we be in heaven – all united together in the afterlife. 1 Cor 12:25,27 “so that there may be no divisions in the body …. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” 1 Cor 1:10 “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgement.” Remember the passage in Heb 5:12 where Paul accuses them of still needing milk when they should be teachers by this time. He is not talking to individuals but to the whole congregation, the whole church family. They are supposed to be growing up TOGETHER in the word of God.
Scriptures in various place illustrates how God has called us to grow in Christlikeness alongside Christ’s people. And when we work properly together, we will grow together in God’s love. That is why the exhortation that we have received in Heb 10:24 with regard to encouraging one another is so important. The Family that studies together and works together – stays together. Remember the unity which the Lord prayed for in John 17 – multiple times in that prayer He prays that we all be one together with each other and with the Father/Jesus.
So, what will help us work properly together? Let me suggest three answers. We will help each other in the pursuit of holiness when we remember that in Christ, we are (1) united by story, (2) united in purpose, and (3) united forever.
United by Story
Shared stories have a unique way of binding people together. And in the church, we have a shared story. As believers, we can each say, “I have been crucified with Christ,” and, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Unity with Christ is profoundly important as is OUR unity. Rom 6:1-4 makes this abundantly clear:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Do you see the shared story? Remembering this shared story will help us foster unity. We are not struggling alone in this world. Remember the armor of God that Ephesians speaks to us about? Armor is worn by soldiers – soldiers are a part of an army – we are part of this army here in Shafter. An army divided cannot be an army which stands/wins.
Writing to the believers in Corinth, Paul says with a heavy heart, “I hear that there are divisions among you” (1 Cor. 11:18). Our relationships within the church get strained—sometimes even severed—by pride, cruelty, impatience, and hostility. But God calls us to a more excellent way. He urges us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [we] 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” (Eph. 4:1–3).
As followers of Christ, we need to remember our shared story. Again, this is why assembling to sing, pray, read, and sit under the preached word of Christ is so essential. This is why coming around the Lord’s Table as a gathered body is so vital. This is why meeting in smaller groups to open the Scriptures and pray for one another is so helpful. As we fix our collective eyes on the Savior who unites us, we will maintain the unity of His Spirit and the bond of peace. And we will spur one another on in the pursuit of our shared purpose – Heb 10:24,25 “ Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another”. In order to share our Lord’s story we need to be in the presence of each other.
As second factor which unites us is our shared purpose:
Peter tells us “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pe 5:8). Our enemy has a way of creeping in and gaining a foothold in our lives. If we’re not careful, we can begin to believe the lie that we’re helpless to do anything about it. We can resign ourselves to the way things are and cease striving for a holy life. When that happens, we need someone to wake us up. We need someone who will say, “Wake from sleep. . . . The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness. . . . But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh” (Rom. 13:11–12, 14). We need people who will remind us to fight sin and pursue holiness. And that is why we need the church.
In the church, we all have the same purpose: We are aiming to grow into the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Since we are united with Him, we want to live like Him. That is exactly the message regarding taking up our cross and following Him. But Jesus never intended for us to do this on our own. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Eph. 4:15–16).
As believers in Christ, we must speak the truth in love. We must remind each other that sin’s reign is over, the King is on the throne, and in union with Him, we are dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:11). As we do this, we will build one another up. As we do this, we will fulfill the expectations of assembling together so that we might encourage and uplift.
Consider two additional ways in which our unity can be illustrated. First, when we see a brother caught in any transgression, because he is family and we care, we can seek to “restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1). We can say, “Friend, I love you, and I’m concerned for you. The way you’re living doesn’t line up with who you are. We are saints who sin, but we are saints nonetheless. You are in Christ. You are no longer enslaved to sin. You are a servant of the Lord. We are new creations. We have put on our Lord Jesus Christ, and with all the strength that He supplies, we can follow Him.”
Second, when someone comes full of shame and remorse and confesses sin, we can comfort them with this same comfort we have received: that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). When we confess our sins, God is “faithful and just to forgive us,” and He will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can reassure them that even when our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20). God is our Judge, and since He has pardoned us in Christ, we are justified fully. God is also our Father, and since He has adopted us in Christ, we are eternally loved (Rom. 8:38–39).
Our unity here in this place and during our time in this location is but a foreshadow of what awaits us in eternity. God calls us to exert real effort in the pursuit of a holy life which prepares us for the life to come. Col 3:1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Eph 2 4-6 tells us that God, because of His love for us has raised us from the dead (in sin) and has seated us in heaven next to Christ Jesus. One essential purpose of the church is to train us for heaven.
We in the church are to help each other toward that destination. We should feel a real responsibility to assist one another in making progress and to avoid anything that would put a hindrance in someone else’s way. And one day, when we arrive together, we will rejoice together. We will join with the multitude of God’s people and say,
Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give Him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure,
for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev. 19:6–8)
The bride has made herself ready. How? She received a gift. It was “granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.” From beginning to end, our holiness is a gift of God’s grace, enabled and empowered by our union with Christ. But she also “[clothed] herself with fine linen, bright and pure.” She accepted it and put it on. This Bride is the church and this church is you and me. It is God’s plan that we celebrate with and together praise our heavenly Father.
This will occur when we have joined the lamb wearing our fine linen. And what is this fine linen? It is “the righteous deeds of the saints”. Our righteous deeds could never pardon us from sin. But our righteous deeds do prepare us for heaven. And when we get there, the transformation will be complete. We will see our Savior face-to-face, and we will be like Him (1 John 3:2).
Remember this truth the next time you feel discouraged about your own progress. One day, you will shine like the sun in the kingdom of your Father (Matt. 13:43). Also remember this truth the next time you feel frustrated about someone else’s progress. That brother will get there, and that sister will be shining too. So the thought to focus on is to consider how can we help and encourage one another while on this journey.
We must run this race together. The author of Hebrews reminds us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1–2).
Do you have a strong connection to your local church? Are you there on the Lord’s Day to nourish your soul with the reality of your union with Christ? Are you receiving the strength and encouragement that God’s people provide? Are you offering the same to others? Do you continue this connection and fellowship throughout the rest of the week?
We don’t have to run this race alone. In fact, we can’t. But as we strive side by side, we will make progress. In Christ, we will grow together. In Christ we will be united with one another and the Father – Jesus spoke His prayer in John 17: (extracted and paraphrased) so that we might know what is on His heart and that of the Fathers with regard to you and me: “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said: all You have given Me I give eternal life. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
God desires a close and personal relationship with each and every one of us. He also desires that in our relationship with Him we also celebrate a relationship with one another. And in our love for the Father and our love for one another the world may come to believe just as we do. John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
I don’t think I can make any clearer the importance of our unity!!!
31 May: To COVET or NOT to COVET: 1 JOHN 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
And in the Big Ten: #10 “And you shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife … or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Ex 20:17
1. Covetousness Never Brings Satisfaction
Irish Proverb: “The covetous person is always in want.” Dutch Proverb: “Covetousness is always filling a bottomless vessel.” Scripture puts it this way: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Eccl. 5:10)..
Jesus puts it like this in Luke 12:15: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” If the word of the Lord needed confirming, there are enough miserable rich people in the world to prove that a satisfied life does not come from having things.
God’s word on money is that it does not satisfy those who love it. If we believe Him, we will turn away from the love of money. Jesus tells us this about the love of money: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, ore he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Mtt 6:24
2. Covetousness Chokes Off Spiritual Life
In continuation with serving one master or the other Jesus told the parable of the Sower and how some seed “fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it” (Mark 4:7). Then He interpreted the parable and said that the seed is the word of God. The thorns choking the seed are “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19).
Covetousness is the “desire for other things” in competition with the word of God. As John put it – the ‘lust of the eyes’ IS OF THE WORLD. The desire for other things” can be so strong that the beginnings of spiritual life can be choked out altogether. This is such a frightful warning that we should all be on our guard every time we hear the Word to receive it with faith and not to choke it with covetousness.
What does Paul tell us in Hebrews 5:12-13 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principle of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” Clearly his audience was not studying and growing but were instead distracted and focus on things other than God’s Word. Jesus concludes one parable this way: So take care how you listen” Luke 8:18
In other locations Jesus declares – “he who has ears let him listen.” We need to be sure that our hearts and minds are open/receptive to God’s Holy Word!
Paul writes to Timothy words which we would do well to heed: “15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15
3. Covetousness Spawns Many Other Sins
When Paul says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Tim. 6:10). He is telling us that the kind of heart that finds contentment in money and not in God is the kind of heart that produces all other kinds of evils. James warns us: “You covet and cannot obtain so you commit murder; you are envious and cannot obtain so you fight and quarrel”. Jas. 4:2
In other words, if we were content, like Paul, in hard times and easy times, (Phil 4:11 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.) we would not be driven to fight and wage war like this. Covetousness is a breeding ground for a thousand other sins. And that heightens the warning to flee from it and to fight for contentment in God with all our might.
4. Covetousness Destroys the Soul
In the end, covetousness can destroy the soul in hell – Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:12 that covetousness is to be resisted with the fight of faith, then adds, “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession.” What’s at stake in fleeing covetousness and fighting for contentment in future grace is eternal life. Jesus Himself tells us: Mtt 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? for what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” and again – Mtt 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
So when Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9 that the desire to be rich plunges people into ruin, he isn’t saying that greed can mess up your marriage or your business (which it certainly can!). He is saying that covetousness can mess up your eternity. Or, as 1 Timothy 6:10 says at the end, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” [lit., “impaled themselves with many pains”].”
God has gone the extra mile in the Bible to warn us mercifully that the idolatry of covetousness is a no-win situation. It’s a dead-end street in the worst sense of the word. It’s a trick and a trap. We are ALL going to end up in the ground. It is rumored that Steve Jobs once made the comment: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me.” Being happy according to this world’s philosophy is like chasing the wind. Paul continues in his comments to Timothy with regard to the love of money – “Flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.” 1 Tim 6:11 Instead, we need to place our hope and trust in our heavenly Father:
Phil. 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Mtt 6:25, 31-34 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; or for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [1 Cor 6:19 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?] . . . . Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
So our conclusion should be that we are to seek the kingdom of God and put Him first in our lives – “NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE!” Paul tells us Col 3 “5,10 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead …. And put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One”. We should be seeking to cultivate that soil/soul which is pleasing to the Lord so that we will receive that crown of life which we have been promised if we remain faithful unto death.
24 May: Lord’s Supper
Mtt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:14-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26
A few weeks back during one of Eddie’s readings for the Lord’s Supper the passage that he read caught my attention, so I want to look at that. The passage is 1 Cor 11:23-26 (paraphrased) “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that in the night which He was portrayed took the bread and broke it, and in the same way He took the cup and blessed it and proclaimed ‘as often as you do this – do this in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
First, I want to look at the last portion of the passage: “you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” In partaking of the Lord’s Supper, you can see that we are remembering and holding preeminent the death of Christ. And the reason that is so important is because that is the ultimate reason for His coming to this earth as man. He came to die for us in order to procure our salvation: Eph 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” Rom 6:3-5 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.
“To proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” means that every Communion service is a living sermon: believers, together, publicly proclaim the atoning death of Jesus as historic reality and with saving power; it proclaims the covenant we have with His risen life, and anticipate His visible return to claim us. The phrase declares Christ’s mission and His offer of salvation to all those who believe and follow Him.
Now when you look at the first part of the passage it says: “This is My body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of Me, …. This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, in remembrance of Me.”
You will notice that it does not tell us to remember His death or crucifixion but rather He tells us to remember Him. Chronologically speaking, Christ existed before anything and everything. John Chapter One: ‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made…. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Luke 1:30-32 “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will birth to a son and will call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” Luke 2:1-6 (paraphrased) “Now in those days a decree went out that a census must be taken, and everyone was to register from his own city. So, Joseph and Mary traveled to the city of David which is called Bethlehem. While they were there, the days were completed for Mary to give birth to her son. She gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped Him and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn.” Heb 2:17,18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Mark 16:19 “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven, and He sat at the right hand of God.”
So, we see in these verses the nature of Jesus Christ. He was God, became human with a purpose, fulfilled that purpose and then returned to His rightful place and is now sitting at the right hand of our heavenly Father. So, in our remembering – we should remember Christ’s deity as well as His humanity and what He accomplished for us in each aspect. We should have a grateful and appreciative attitude expressing thanksgiving for all that He gave, did and accomplished for us.
During Jesus’ time here on this earth, He encountered many different situations. In one instance He comes across a funeral service. Luke 7:11-15 “Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with Him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession — a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, His heart broke. He said to her, “Don’t cry.” Then He went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I tell you: Get up.” The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.” We also know of Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, who also died and who was also raised back to life. In this scenario “Jesus wept.”
Mark 8:1-3 “During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said. ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way because some have come a long distance.’” And we know what happens, as with the 5,000 earlier, He proceeds to feed them. Mark 1:40,41 “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." Mtt 20:30, 34 “Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they hear that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! … Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.” In Mark chapter 4 Jesus is asleep in the back of a boat when a storm comes up and the disciples are in fear of their lives and when called upon for help - Jesus calms the wind and the waves. And in chapter 19 of Luke, he records Jesus’ compassion and tears for the future of Jerusalem and its destruction.
Time and again Jesus responds to the suffering of the people so in our remembering of Jesus we should remember His compassion and love for all of God’s children – to include US!
In Jesus’ human form not only did He forego His deity and accept His human circumstances, He also accepted the mission which His heavenly Father sent Him on: Mtt 1:18ff Joseph is told that Mary, his fiancée’, is going to have a child and he is told – “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness’ of God in Him.” Eph 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”. 1 Peter 1:18,19 “know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Rom 6:4 “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Luke 22:42 ““Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Your will be done.”
So in our remembering Christ -- we remember the price He paid for us in order that we might receive eternal life.
A final aspect of Christ is where He is now: Mark 16:19 “So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” Heb 12:2 “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Rom 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
So, as we gather together each week, to praise, pray, commune and share in the Lord’s Supper, let us gladly proclaim all that the Lord accomplished on our behalf through His suffering, sacrifice, compassion, death and resurrection for each and everyone of us. We have so much to remember, praise and honor about our Savior and Mediator Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Supper is truly a feast and not a fast. The ‘bridegroom’ is with us in a special and personal way (cf. Mark 2:19). Tears of repentance speedily give way to tears of joy. ‘We also rejoice in God,’ says Paul, ‘through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation’. (Romans 5:11). Where in this world can there be greater joy for those whom Christ has saved, than at the Lord’s Table?
The Lord’s Supper, however, as a lively means of grace, calls the communicants to lives of continuing obedience and devotion. ‘As often’ as you eat the bread and drink the cup, believers are impelled, and empowered, to testify with heart and life to the Lord who has bought them with the price of His own blood. As we contemplate the cost of the cross, we surely see, emblazoned across its stark cruelty, the magnitude of God’s mercy, love and grace. And from that comes an easy decision to truly, daily, take up our cross and follow Him.