By CCES in Sermon — 28 Sep 2025

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Introduction

Our nation has been shaken. We've seen men fail and leaders fail. There are divisions over politics, race, and even faith. However, the message is that we must follow Jesus (Luke 23:34).

The Objective: Be Vigilant

The enemy seeks to divide, so we must

be vigilant in our:

Nation
City
Family
Church

We should be like the wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

Key Verse

The key verse is Mark 3:25:

"If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand".

I. Jesus Restored the Divided

Jesus saw inner conflict where others saw outer condition (1 Samuel 16:7). Examples of Jesus restoring the divided include:

Casting out demons (Mark 1:23-28)
Healing Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31)
Cleansing a leper (Mark 1:40-42)
Healing a paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)

II. Division Destroys

Division leads to destruction in various areas:

Marriage leads to Divorce
Nation leads to War
Economy leads to Poverty & injustice
Community leads to Prejudice & violence
Faith leads to Sin

III. What Is the Church's Response?

In response to division, the church should follow the guidance in Ephesians 4:1-6:

Walk worthy of our calling
Be humble, gentle, patient, and loving
Keep the unity of the Spirit through peace
Acknowledge there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, and one God

IV. Handling Differences

We should pursue peace and mutual edification (Romans 14:19) by categorizing differences:

First-order doctrines (non-negotiable): Trinity, salvation
Second-order doctrines: Baptism, church government
Third-order doctrines: Worship style, order of service

V. Our Mission

A united church is a testimony to the world³⁹. Our mission is to:

Proclaim the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20)
Love one another (John 13:35)

VI. Lessons from Corinth

We are guided by the Wisdom of God (Proverbs 9:10; 1 Cor. 1:30-31) and sustained by the Love of God (1 Cor. 13:4-8). We are united by the Cross (1 Cor. 1:18; 6:11). We are to be united in mind and judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10).