11/30/14 We Are One In The Lord
An important question we will look at in a few minutes: Is this a hill worth dying on?Musical Artists Clash Over a Tiny Musical Piece
In October, 2011, The New York Times ran an article about two musical giants whose longtime relationship unraveled over a tiny piece of music. Helene Grimaud, a brilliant and magnetic pianist, and Claudio Abbado, a revered conductor, have performed together at least a dozen times since 1995. They were supposed to perform in Switzerland and London, but organizers cancelled their concerts due to “artistic differences.”
There was only one issue at the heart of their conflict—a 1 minute and 20 second cadenza from Mozart’s concerto No. 23 in A. (The article defines a cadenza as “unaccompanied flights in a concerto that play on its themes and show off a virtuoso’s mettle.”) The conductor Abbado prefers Mozart’s original cadenza, but the pianist Grimaud feels that Mozart’s original work is “not the most inspired.” Instead, she prefers another cadenza for No. 23 based on the later work of an Italian pianist named Busoni.
Ms. Grimaud said it was her prerogative to choose the cadenza. Anything else would have been “a sellout.” But Mr. Addabo contends that it’s his “territory.” According to another colleague, Mr. Addabo “is very strong and probably, like most conductors, used to dominating the artistic process.” Neither side was willing to compromise. An official for one of the cancelled concerts said, “[Their musical relationship] was just somehow sort of dead. I guess they didn’t relate to one another.”
Matt Woodley, Managing Editor, PreachingToday.com; source: Daniel J. Wakin, “Titans Clash Over a Mere Cadenza,” The New York Times (10-31-11)
Let’s keep this story in mind and go back to the question we mentioned before: Is this a hill worth dying on? I have a friend that I have been in many committee meetings with and this is one of his statements. As we would be discussing an issue he would say “This is not a hill I’m willing to die on”. The concept of the statement is that this issue, whatever it is, is not so important that I am willing to pay a major price to try to win. The issue simply is not eternal or worth the conflict.
Think about the two musicians in the story we just heard. What were they talking about? One minute and twenty seconds out of a whole concert. And, because of their stubbornness, maybe it was pride or arrogance, they had to cancel some concerts. What did that cost to do that? How much loss was there to many people? I wonder if they even cared. I wonder if they felt a sense of victory and accomplishment when the concerts were cancelled because “I didn’t give in” and/or “I know I was right”.
John 13:34-35 NKJV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
Unfortunately, Christians have not always gotten along with each other. Someone penned these words:
To dwell above with saints we love,
That will be grace and glory.
To live below with saints we know;
Now, that’s another story!
Let’s break down the verses we read:
Commandment: This is not a suggestion, it would be really nice if you would do this thing. Pleeeeeeeeese????
Love one another: Love must be not just vertical reaching up to God, but horizontal reaching out to one another. The definition of love I like: love is the accurate estimate and adequate supply of another person’s needs. Love is outward, love is giving. Love is not selfish and demanding.
As I have loved you: How did Jesus love us?
Philippians 2:1-8 NLT
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
This is the amazing sacrificial love we see from Jesus.
By this all will know that you are My disciples: How does the world know what a real Christian is? This is the sign, love for one another.
If you have love for one another: when the world sees Christians acting in a loving and caring manner, then they know we are the real article.
Again note, we are commanded to love one another in a unique, Christlike way. We don’t always have to agree on everything to love and get along.
Along with genuine love, true believers will live a life of obedience to the Lord and submission to God’s Word.
John 8:31 NIV
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Matthew 7:21 NIV
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Along this line of believing and obeying God’s Word is the message Paul wrote to the church in the book of Galatians. He said that if anyone preaches any other gospel other than what has been preached, let him be eternally condemned. God will not allow people to add to, take away or change the meaning of the message of the Bible.
Please note that false doctrine usually comes incrementally. Like most sin, people get trapped by making small steps towards it. False doctrine comes in with good-sounding proclamation wrapped in attractive-sounding words. It seems so sensible and includes a portion of truth.
With what is happening in the world today, with the persecution of believers spreading across the world in every country, God’s family must stand together. Those who stand for Jesus and resist popular and ungodly beliefs and behaviors
are worthy of love and support. We can do this without compromising Biblical beliefs.
This thought of compromise is critical to our daily Christian walk. We CANNOT compromise God’s holiness, His purity and separation from evil for the sake of unity. That is not the real thing.
Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
*****The very important application of this for us at this time. We are in the process of making a very important decision. Approaching my 25th anniversary here at Cornerstone, I have believed it was time to make a transition. This fellowship has been working this year to find God’s leading for this next step. The transition team has worked hard and done an excellent job in seeking God’s leading for this process. They have selected a candidate to come next week. They have prepared an opportunity for all to meet the Mike Channing family on Saturday evening. Next Sunday they will be here and the membership will vote on them.
A few very critical thoughts to consider:
□ The transition team selected the candidate.
□ It is up to the membership to vote.
□ Everyone of us must seek God’s direction in the vote. This is not a contest, it is seeking God’s direction.
□ We must keep God’s love central in our hearts, believing that God will direct us and be thankful for the outcome.
□ We must work together to build God’s kingdom in the future.
□ We are all on the same side, we are on the Lord’s side.
Let me share a story, a good example of what NOT to be.
Division Among “Chunnel” Builders
When it came to building the tunnel under the English Channel connecting England with France (later called the “Chunnel”), the French had the perfect word for it: bicephele, two-headed. There were two mammoth firms built from scratch to complete the project: one charged with finance and operation, the other responsible for building it. Each of these companies was also two-headed: equally French and British.
No one was allowed to take charge. Leadership, more times than not, was reduced to the management of conflict. Said a high-ranking executive, “The project…created a lot of tension because it [was] not geared to solving problems; it [was] geared to placing blame.” The English yelled at the French, and the French yelled at the English. Said another executive, “There were nervous breakdowns galore.”
The problems were primarily from a lack of shared standards. The two countries had a different word for everything. The French had their accounting system, so did the English. The French ran on 380 volts, and the British ran on 420. Instruction manuals were bilingual. There were even two different standards used to measure sea level.
“When you have people coming from two different nations,” said one of the engineers, “each believes that only their regulations are right.”
Robert Lewis with Rob Wilkins, The Church of Irresistible Influence (Zondervan, 2001), pp. 205-206
Reading this, it is amazing that the thing was ever built. What could have been avoided if they could have really worked together?
DISCUSSION
What happens when Christians really do seek to understand and then apply the command to love one another?
What if they find it hard to do, to love another believer?
How does this actually loving one another affect our local church?
How should Christians react when things don’t go the way they want them to go?
What can you learn and apply from the chunnel story?
As we sing, let us really pray this.
Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord,
Bind us together,
Bind us together with love.
There is only one God,
There is only one King;
There is only one Body,
That is why we sing:
