Notes to Download: Fire of Unity - Moravians
Thank you for the participation, in this weekly Bible Study. They intend to reduce the population of McNeil Prison and scatter us as a group. What will our meetings over these recent years count for? What will we take with us to our new facility?
You men have been such a blessing to me – in teaching me how to teach and you have shown me my prejudice and short sightedness. I had to come to a prison to be cheered up and prayed for, by men like you. Through you, I have come to realize how big God is and how far-reaching His plan for all people is, as diverse as we are.
There was another congregation that found itself (scattered through no fault of its own) many years ago – and look what came out of it.
Acts 8 v 3 But Saul was burning with hate against the church, going into every house and taking men and women and putting them in prison. 8 v 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.
Notice it was not the pastors preaching the word….The congregation was filled with God. Can we set our face to God – with only one request –that we also be empowered to make a difference for the Kingdom and for His Glory?
What else are our lives worth and what else will matter when you and I are gone – worm food. We know this prayer, is planted squarely in God’s plan for His church and is obedient to His Word, to make disciples of men.
The very first fire God poured on an altar for the people of Israel was in Leviticus 9 v 21. Moses had returned after the golden calf incident and the tabernacle was now complete. On the eighth day (after the seven days of ordination) Moses told Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel to bring offerings for the first services in use of the altar. All the people were also told to be present. After the first carcasses were placed on the altar, Moses, Aaron and his sons went out to stand before the people while Moses informed the crowd that God was pleased with the offerings.
Lev 9 v 22 Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Yet no fire fell and the glory of the Lord was still absent.
Then Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
It took Moses and Aaron together in unity going before God into the tent of meeting and then they blessing the people as a unified leadership. It was only after that the fire fell.
Let us look at that early group of disciples…another new beginning of a new leadership in the assembly of God’s people. Acts was not written to mock us, but to show us what can be. Reading it just fills me with the “heartbreak of God” as He looks over His church and what could be. Like a parent weeping, as their child wastes their life on drugs and bad decisions. We could be Kings, yet we struggle as paupers, while Heaven’s power is untapped and unused.
The only thing God tells us about that group, is that they met in one accord. They had come together in unity on the things that God felt was important. Matthew was a tax collector and in a former life he extorted money, to serve Rome. Simon the Zealot would have viewed Matthew as a traitor as he fought against Rome and her oppression. Peter ran a fishing business up north, far from the politics of Jerusalem.
Yet as disciples, politics was not what joined them, or separated them. What made them disciples was that Jesus had called them. He unified them. He was the common denominator. They were people with no uniformity in career, temperament, education or some pre-existing theology.
They came together in obedience to Yeshua and waited, knowing only they had been given a task and had no power or leadership to carry out it.
That is all God tells us about them — He did not tell us any more about them. The answer lies in the one fact God thought we needed to know. They were of one accord.
Ac 2:1 ¶ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Ac 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Ac 5:12 ¶ And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
Ac 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (Describing the Revival in Samaria a gentile mission field.) The Revival was maintained by being in one accord— and was so continued in one accord.)
There is only one adjective – Only one description that God uses to describe this early group – This band of brothers that rocked their world. One Accord – One purpose – One group – One Unity.
Yet we come from Sunday and Sabbath keeping backgrounds and we are as different in our understanding and our maturity – as we are different in DNA and fingerprints. So what can we agree on?
We believe that we are saved and indwelt by God – that is how we are His sons….but surely we are not changing our world as they did in Acts. Can we honestly say that our meetings and prayers on Mc Neil have left a mark on the Island and Gods Name and Word was again feared and respected by the unbelievers?
It comes down to we are God’s kids because He made us so. No Creed did so. We, like children, have to go back and ask our Father who made us family – Do with us, what pleases You.
We are living at the close of all time. The world was never more in need of God. Our little band of brothers on the Island is going to be scattered, as they close this prison. But surely God still answers prayer.
So I urge you to attend the Prayer meeting Friday night. Come together without regard to whether we are from the S.D.A, Messianic or Protestant tribe. None of that matters….but are we children of God and did He make us so?
Act 13 v 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as 1) Barnabas, and 2) Simeon that was called Niger, and 3) Lucius of Cyrene, and 4) Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and 5) Saul. {which…: or, Herod’s foster-brother} 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them.
Again 5 different men from different cultures – Three prophets and two teachers, Romans Greeks and Jews – All very different in language and culture and upbringing yet coming together in prayer. Again God starts a great work in Asia out of that Unity. They came together in ministering to God in prayer – children worshiping a common Father.
So in the few months we have left, is there any better way we can spend our time than to Ministering to God with our prayers and our lives, in unity.
Ps 133 — How good and how pleasant it is, that brothers dwell together in Unity. Unity is like the Oil of anointing of Aaron the High Priest poured out on him and runs down in abundance.
Two words need to be carefully understood in their original text.
“Pleasant”: This Hebrew word for “pleasant” is a musical synonym for harmony. I like most kinds of music, but when it just doesn’t come together, I will quickly turn the radio station.
“Dwell”: This Hebrew word means residency, a continuation, and a perpetuating harmony. In other words, unity is to dwell among us, not be an occasional visitor.
