"We Are One (Part 1)" | Pastor Henry Wright

Thank You Lori very much from time to time we receive emails Oh church is looking pretty good you all decided to show up on this gold day huh bless you time to time you receive emails this one caught my attention from Jennifer white in England she wishes us Happy New Year and blessings for the year to come then she writes it has been more than two years since I lost my faith in that time I have not attended church and have turned away from God interestingly I came to watch TPC online I guess all is not lost though I can't explain why I do believe that enough continued prayer by God's faithful is the only reason why I'm writing to you you mentioned the forty day fast I'm impressed to participate in that and I pray that God will do for me but he does for you sign jennifer white could you bow your head as we pray for Jennifer Jennifer if you are listening we lift you up that your quest to be reconnected with God in terms of your knowledge will be fulfilled but Jennifer we remind you in this prayer that he has never been disconnected from you or he would not have sent me the email embrace his presence O Lord help her to embrace your presence in Jesus name Amen we have placed the fasting guidelines now online so you can go there and check and be sure that you're keeping pace the main thing that I'm encouraging people to do is don't put anything in your mouth after 6:00 did you just do that the fast will benefit you physically we are seeking for the Holy Spirit I said we are seeking for the Holy Spirit to be poured out without measure upon this congregation as we seek to lift our level of participation in God's mission pastor Taylor gave us a good start this morning turning our attention to the New Testament church as recorded and revealed in the book of acts the second chapter he challenged us to take that template and to make it our own both he and I and others will be spending this month particularly stressing the challenges we face as a people to be one I pray the Lord will speak to you today as I deal with we are one part one that's pray talk now to your people Oh God in Christ's name Amen your leadership team did not come up with this theme we are one easily we wrestled back and forth until we felt God's presence literally coming to the room and we became one in our enthusiasm one in our enthusiasm listen to me that our church family needs to throw off the pretense that we are as close as we think we are think about it it's so simple how can you be close to someone and you don't even know their name seems kind of basic to me doesn't it we also face the fact that if this church is going to be a place of hugs remember that sermon and acceptance of people in all walks of life we must be sure that we are ready and know how to make people feel a part of us for societies have layers don't they layers of acceptance our person looks our person dresses what kind of car they drive just how they look and we layer them into a certain category but the grace of Christ is to remove all layers isn't that true I've been your pastor now 32 months and my observation is that most of us who attend this church don't know most other people who attend this church but I'm going to go further I'm gonna tweak you more I also have come to observe that most people who attend this church only show up on Sabbath if then and don't support anything else not even the fellowship dinner is that being family I am still meeting people s Q proudly proclaim to me pass I'm a member of the Takoma Park Church I've never seen it before in my life I've been here 32 months now my next four sermons gonna be very straight very straight I want this congregation to become real I don't want congregation to be just a title I want it to be who we are a group of congregants who know each other who feel each other who miss each other a place so embroiled and seasoned with knowing and caring and feeling and touching that that that when people visit here they know they'd experience something different come on somebody building a church community is more than keeping the same day of worship knowing the same hymns even having babies blessed by the same passenger church family is a unity a purchase of a participation and mission and an intentional effort to get to know one another so there's a spirit so that there is a spirit that sweeps through these pews who were together that is tangible and healing just all of you church has become sad you leave Glenn come on somebody come feeling alone you leave feeling like you belong for I say to you again as I said last fall that people are looking more for a place to belong and they're looking for things to believe if you can get people to feel they belong they'll pay attention to what you believe but if you only feed them belief you might convince them mentally you will lose them emotionally because they don't fit they don't fit the word congregation is a powerful word use to you sleep loosely by too many people [Music] Jesus was concerned about it prayed about it you're going with me to John 17 and verse 23 he prayed his heart out as his last and longest prayer found in scripture recorded in the book of John John heard the prayer John was there when he was praying John 17 and verse 23 and there the Bible declares I and them and you in me that they may be that that that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you would love me that that text NMR saying a lot it's saying that the oneness of the trade hey the oneness of the church can become proof that Jesus was sent try because this uncommon fellowship of oneness and love when people come here they'll say there must be a god somewhere for folks who are black and white and tall and short and skinny and fat getting along like this must be some God in this anymore understand the text hello Trevor that because of that then the church becomes proof watch it now I can hardly stand this text the church becomes proof that God loves the world Avondale that's a--that's a powerful thing because we got in this world in the you know I'm telling the truth in this world are people walking right now by this church who don't know anything about love and caring and belonging and they're looking and they stumble in here no they don't stumble they're led in here by the Holy Spirit but I don't think he's gonna lead many until he knows we can handle many the challenge we face is old you're going now to mark the 10th chapter in verse 37 the challenge we face is old it's an old challenge mark 10 and verse 37 and you begin to get to the roots the roots of the problem and they said to him wait a minute let's go to verse 35 then James and John the sons of Zebedee came to him saying teacher we want you to do for us whatsoever we ask that's a lot of gall right there so you know it's not gonna be a good request and he said to them what do you want me to do for you verse 37 they said the problem we have in the church is an old problem they said to him grant to us that we may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your glory sinners saved by grace having the nerve to walk up to God and say we have plans for our placement now the less ever read my Bible I don't know about you I'm just gonna be glad to get in come on somebody I looking for no place don't need no mansion I just want to get in I don't care calm down Henry if I go first or get in last just give me and I don't need a position I just want to be called saved and forgiven by the grace of God and these two Negroes these two people have the nerve to walk up did you say Lee we like the spot on this side and the spot on that side and Christ in kindness does not put them where they need to be he just says I you you you don't realize what you're asking but I said Sanjay that the problem of oneness is old here the church has not been formed yet the foundation has not been laid and two of the foundation layers are already showing a lack of oneness by trying to lift themselves above their brothers and have the top spot there are many people who keep Takoma Park Church from being one because they trying to use this church to lift themselves no be looking around look in the mirror they're using the church to boost their own sickened egos to find placement here they don't find out there but I've read and I've heard and I know that the ground that the cross is leveled and everybody stands on the same plane sinners saved by grace and sold that text Charles Thomas that you read so well that text speaks to us I see them to err it's the Holy Communion service you can read Luke 22 for yourself I see them there it's the Holy Communion service the Lord God Ellen White paints him a desire of Ages is so heavy with our sin now he's literally moaning he can barely sit up straight he moves heavily all of this gall of selfishness and self-centeredness weighs up on him and now the stench of self exaltation in the room almost chokes the Savior to death he who gives all and seeks nothing for himself can hardly stand the smell of their self-centeredness in that room and they have the nerve the communion table to be discussing who is the greatest as a wonder that Jesus is not vomit in their presence with the grape juice in one hand and the undigested bread in their belly they're discussing who shall be the greatest with the sacrificing Savior about to give all that he is for the salvation of them their only concern is not the nails he will bear or the Spirit he will have an aside the only concern is when it's all over which one of us shall be called the greatest the most stupid thing that happens in the church is comparisons evaluations based on background names clothes titles it is stupid it makes no sense and the person that does it immediately announces they've never experienced the grace of God for true grace humbles you and makes you realize you don't have the right to call the name of Jesus let alone be saved by Jesus how dare I compare myself with somebody else when both of us are lost except for the grace of God how dare I lift my sin above your sin oh you committed adultery you're worse than me I just lie all the time what text did you read that gave you the right to that kind of comparison how dare you insult my god for that kind of foolishness so the spirit of competition and the lack of Brotherhood began in a place even further away than Galilee and Jerusalem it is found and recorded and revealed in the Book of Isaiah the prophet tells the story you're going there with me to the 14th chapter of that book there we find the beginnings of a lack of oneness and we are shocked at where it takes place Isaiah the 14th chapter beginning in verse 12 how are you fallen from heaven o Lucifer son of the morning how are you cut down to the ground you have weakened the nations for you have said in your heart said where talk to me where did he say it see a lack of unity begins in individual Christians in their head when they self talk themselves into stupidity you let your mind think that you're better than somebody else the minute you left the disease of comparison come in fact Paul cries out in the book of first Corinthians he says how dare we compare ourselves among ourselves he says it's not wise so here is Satan and glory the perfect place that's the thing larger that leaves me speechless it's in the perfect place for nice to che it's in the place and the presence of God disunity began in the mind of an angel now listen to the next sentence carefully disunity in the universe and among humans is proof of the love of God you see he doesn't force it community and unity is a choice we Laurie Preston beautiful song thank you so much we we we get there as a congregation we're presenting ourselves in 2017 with a tremendous opportunity we can choose to be one or we continue we or we can continue our we can choose to continue the falsity of being something we aren't we can make a choice this year pastor Smith we can actually decide amongst ourselves we truly will be one we will not just go through these exercises that that brother Cecil leaves us through we will take advantage I'm gonna start the memory people's names I'm gonna I'm gonna give people the gift of belonging I have contended as I trained young pastors all over the world I've can still continue that the greatest gift a pastor gives a member is to call them by their name but don't just put it on me y'all have a pastor you have a gift you remember names ah ah it's now your turn yeah I remember names I work at it was your turn it was the pastor's one person but hey Soto helpful so food you walk in church one Sabbath and before you do you say twenty people call you by your name you'll be strutting you won't be able to sit down walk it on cloud hey hey they call mine you tell your friends I go to my church everybody knows me it will be a powerful force we're not just playing games here we're trying to be something extraordinary because this disease started in the very presence of God so lack of unity because of self thinking is a powerful force it disrupted heaven one third of the Holy Angels lost their place with God over this foolishness and then Europe with your you're going with me now to the book of Genesis this this insidious spirit was was transferred to this planet look at it Genesis 3 in verse 8 you read that story since chills up now my spine here they've just said they've eaten the fruit just two of them just two two two two two two two just two people not 40 not 22 not just two two two just two people and look at verse eight I've ever seen and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day Adam and his wife hid themselves in the Friends of the Lord God among the trees of the garden verse 9 and the Lord God called to Adam and said to him work thou verse 10 II said I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself and he said who told you that you were naked have you eaten of the tree from from the tree which I command you that you should not eat and the man said the woman to people it's over peace is over ladies you know it's over do you want to take one of them limbs and hit him upside his head he saw her out through under the bus right in front of God to people to people now you know if two people can't get along you know why we got problems I'm trying to tell you that this insidious disease of a lack of oneness goes way back in our history just two people but no no no note the power of it because in Genesis 2 and verse 25 it says and atwitter did and the twain shall be one flesh thirteen verses later they are not hardly speaking just when Adam went back behind that bush where she was you can be sure she was not smiling you smile but we throw each other into the bus all the time with attitudes of a lack of forgiveness somebody fails and fall short in church and becomes the gossip of the whole congregation rather than prayer and calling and making sure that person is healed and feels fine coming back to church we throw it under the bus all the time by acting life what somebody else has done it's worse than what we have done we throw people under the bus all the time by repeating over over again their faults on their failings forgetting that if God has a white the sin from the books of glory Charla you ought to keep your mouth shut about that same sell to people and it stays you to people not a nation not a family just two folks trying to show you how easy it is for folks not to get along but he did it to marriage breaking jessalyn he did it to marriage y'all act right now marriage mr. king you look brother King marriage do you know let's see don't y'all sit there oh I'll pass you know you know people were married you know it's some miracle think about what I'm saying now don't say they're all passed it's a miracle two people live together two different sexes hopefully two different sexes I'm just speaking the truth as it is in God's name two different two different backgrounds two different sets of DNA two different backgrounds and histories and you're gonna live together for 50 years you know that's a miracle in God's name he attacked marriage the groundwork of all human relationships smart man dad was a smart man he knew that if he could keep the basic human relationship from operating securely and safely he could mess up the whole human race and he has been successful I got some sermons for you in February you should have come in February you should have saved this visit in January and come in February because in February I got some sermons for you about folks getting along at home see see see see marriage is the test tube of the human family you know people people know p2p don't they they don't even squeeze the toothpaste tube alike one picks up stuff one doesn't am I telling the truth about it yeah one chews and smacks the other choose very petite ly and sweet I know what I'm talking about you know I'm telling the truth here yeah and you living together and the thing about marriages see what marriages the tester because in marriage you just can't get up and walk out the house so when you're dating you can drop them off god bless you see and see in the kingdom cuz we ain't going out again see in the kingdom sound preacher I'm in February stuff already seeing the kingdom but in marriage you got to go upstairs together pastors trying to say T and remember the marriage is the backbone of the church so if couples can't get along how much shirts gonna get alone sit next each other in church and not speak in trying to play Lucas you're an elder an elder so you only if I've know you anybody thing get along the other sit there to him don't want him to touch you don't want to feel their hips against your hips at all thought you upset man all right let me get back to January that's February sir I got caught up in that thing Chris I couldn't turn it loose I got some stuff to say to you because I understand the problem and challenge we have trying to be one God pray for the pastor so in Genesis 14 I got I got I got Genesis 3 Genesis 4 8 we say it again two brothers are you seeing our problem so you have relatives in church that's forgive our husbands and wives you have sisters in church and brothers in church and cousins in church and aunts and nieces in church and grandparents in church families come in to the same church and they're not getting along Church b1 Cygnus attacked us from all ends and yet I believe focus Jesus prays for something it could happen he prayed that they all may be one now Jesus believes it come on y'all let's believe it if Christ prayed for us then let's live the prayer of course then just as justice if 6011 by the time you get to the sixth chapter Genesis it says the earth was just corrupt violence nobody was getting along with anybody so the strife builds Jacob and he sawed Joseph and his brothers Kingdom against Kingdom tribe against tribe nation against nation and we all know because sin say the word any time you find yourself having trouble getting along with anybody sin it's just the fruits sin the spirit manifested in my key text in Luke for the argued about who would be the greatest the spirit in that room was so strong that even bread broken by the hands of the Savior and a worship service did not quiet this human up ceman ship and self-centeredness the quiet they were not even moved by the quiet broken spirit of the master they continued their dismissive attitudes to the point that when Christ needed them most the Bible embarrassingly says they all forsook him and fled and so Luke 22 paints it go there with me go there with me Luke 22 paints at Luke the astoria must to leave nothing out he he interviewed the disciples he wanted to be sure that this sad story was not missed verses 22 and 23 Luke reveals there was a betrayer in the room folk this is the church he's been working now for three and a half years for the Palmer trying to build himself a church now here he comes in his closing days Reggie Reggie with the church the Savior needs a boost maybe in these three and a half years I've at least taught them to get along you see what Satan was doing to Jesus he was trying to undermine his faith in the possibilities of the church that I got good news 3 this morning Christ has not given up he believes me can be one so there's betrayers there according to verses 22 and 23 evil ambition we've read that verse 24 the spirit of denial verse 31 he says to Peter you're going to you're going to deny me you're gonna betray me Peter says no way no way is that gonna happen and then in verse 45 we read and when he rose up from prayer he had come to disciples he found them sleeping with sorrow they didn't even have they didn't they didn't even have unity in their spiritual stamina I smiled I got a I got an email from a person saying pastor why have you chosen such a trivial thing as as oneness as the goal for the church in 2017 oh yeah I got that email [Music] there's a file thirteen or but I read it before I but it shows folk how or aware we are of the danger of disunity we don't see it for the evil that it is and I would suggest you today that it's one of the main things that's keeping the Christian Church from having power and if you've gone ahead in these studies on the Holy Spirit one of the lessons is going to point that out the church is crippled by the lack of power that comes from being unified in Jesus Christ there is a reason why after he was crucified and a sin that he drove them to another room to spend time there praying until they had so unified they became irresistible to heaven and had poured out itself in columns of fire filled them up God could not resist this moment of unity and filled them with power no this is not a trivial thing that we deal with here John 19 John 19 beginning I'll go back to verse 31 verse 31 therefore because it was the preparation day that the body should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath for that Sabbath was a high day the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken that they might be taken away then the Soltis came verse 32 broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead they did not break his legs you have read this because in verse 34 point south when they put the penis size Spearin aside there came out blood and water commentary says that Jesus dies of a broken heart as a result of the awful pressure of the weight of the sins of the world you see what did he see brother cease of kalise senior on that cross the unifying saviour the savior who was one with the father and one with the spirit the Savior who gave up this atmosphere this and the aunts of constant unity and peace and came down he what did he see even after three and a half years he saw church members not getting along grappling one with another for the highest spot he saw Roman soldiers pushing back Jewish citizens and then he saw the soldiers at the bottom of this cross casting Lots for his very very clothing he looked out and he saw the priests calling him names the leaders of the church totally separated from the people all he saw this man of peace and love and glory and giving and you all he saw was the awful stench miasma the cesspool of human disunity he could not take it it broke his heart it broke his heart see a Christian husband arguing with his Christian life it breaks his heart to see young people and to come apart churches respecting the adults in the church and the adults not being patient with the young people it breaks his heart when he sees deacons not getting along serving on the same Deacon board breaks his heart when elders do not do their full duties and then blame other elders because they do not break this heart when members sit in church with this tithes money in their place and make excuses for not trusting the grace of God breaks his heart to see us not forgiving those people in the church who are harassing with sin and weakness and talking about them and not receiving them it breaks is that all that he slaved and died for has not been fixed by His grace he cannot take it and he bleeds blood and water it breaks his heart that the one of organization he has formed the church that's to win the world with love it breaks his heart that the people he's using to win the world with love they themselves don't love one another and was asked himself is it worth it but he declares I have faith in them in fact he says in me right I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me if you just left me and he declares I'll let you be all you need to be just get out of my way become a park just get out of my way let me do the love and you're too messed up you're too jacked up did you full of self care self let me end and I'll show you what a loving treasured special place to come a park can be the lack of oneness on this planet killed God in human form I'm closing now this is how the Bible describes God this is how the Bible describes God there are three that bear witness in heaven the father the word and the holy spirit these three are one first John 5:7 and then the Bible tells me that we're a made Sharleen in his image now come on Dalbert Pearman if I am made and we are made in God's image and God is one that tells me we got some possibilities here we can pull this thing off we can be one we can shut the devil's mouth and leave him speechless shocked that there's been a breakthrough and to come up our church that the pews are filled with people who are one who don't care anything about race and station and text repair and background we're just full of Jesus and every time we see human being we see Jesus in the flesh and we treat everybody like he is the son and daughter of God John 17:21 that they all may be one as you Father are in me man and I in you Wow but they also may be one in us oh that the role may believe that you have sent me I'll take it come on church you want to try you want to try for this come on Saints can we pull this off well I've just offered you a simple assignment let's just start Nicole by just knowing each other's names [Music] drawers and Rene mari Genest a little Oh Elijah just a tail just call folks by the name charity and Kevin gone by the name equals name just call people's name just let people in to find someplace you know couldn't sit next to him I'll just sit down get all pious don't know say hi Linda come on somebody let's make this thing yeah simple assignment I know some of you got an attitude you came in I don't wear a name we all know you put your name on I bet him in the church for 40 years and you got 40 people who don't know your name where the name where the name let's build a bridge doctor to say let's build a bridge between us can we do it I'm asking my congregation can we do it are you here holy spirit one [Music] or God I have come to love these people I've come to believe in the congregation that I pastor you have not brought us together for this short journey together to be in vain we've already shown in the past 30 some months we can take on this community but we got to do more we're growing in faith and belief but we got to grow stronger we're getting more and more unified in purpose but more unified you must be ah and we have accepted the same destiny one day we shall walk on streets of gold and look in the face of the man called Jesus we are one in you [Music] so Lord make us month biggest one Lord make us one Holy Spirit make us one we pause now to pray everyone right now is praying a prayer for the Holy Spirit but I want you to pray out prop or pray out loud your prayer all at the same time you may begin praying for all these spirit everybody together pray pray your prayer for your ever the Holy Spirit let me hear more voices praying it's called a Pentecostal prayer all people praying out loud together pray pray pray pray pray [Music] and now Lord as we close oneness as a people begins with oneness with you and so online if you're listening and you've never made that commitment of oneness with Jesus I invite you to do that now and share with our online pastors your commitment and if you're sitting here in this congregation and you've never risen from your seat and come down to this front pew to say you want to be one with Jesus one with this church you want to receive Bible study or by transfer of membership you want to become one with this congregation that you've not made that decision just rise and come now let me give you a moment you're all praying and we're looking around is someone who will do that now [Music] well pastor I didn't plan on doing that that's why I asked it's best to do things for the Lord when you did not plan you come [Music] [Music] [Music] somebody else come and sit by this man and wife who have come down together buddy Oh [Music] father I thank you we've taken on quite a challenge this year but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength thank you for speaking to our hearts in Jesus name and God's people said amen are you glad you came to church today you will now call for the ties in the offering [Music]

Channel: Takoma Park SDA Church

Views: 9,000

Rating: 4.6923075 out of 5

Keywords: Sabbath Worship, TPC, Takoma Park SDA Church Live Stream, TPC Live Stream, SDA, Seventh Day Adventist, Seventh-Day Advenist, Sabbath, #TPC, Pastor Henry Wright, Pastor Chris Cheatham, Pastor Wesley Knight, Pastor Anwar Ottley, Pastor Daniel Xisto, Pastor John Nixon II, Takoma Park, Takoma Park Church, Takoma Park SDA, Pastor Michael Kelly, Pastor John Nixion II, Henry Wright Sermons

Id: QI_SLjY_u3U

Length: 49min 14sec (2954 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 08 2017