Why United?

So the title of the sermon today is Why United? Of all the churches in the world, why united? Why does the world need another church? Aren't there millions? There are bigger churches. There are closer churches. There are even smaller churches than this one, right in this area. Why united? Well, we believe that you are here because of a calling. Actually, it's referencing God's calling. If you study John 6 and verse 44 and John 6 as we had our Bible study this week, verse 65, it says, paraphrasing, two verses, you cannot come to Christ unless God the Father draws you or calls you. We believe the United Church of God, that God does the calling, and you don't call yourself. I hear a statement so often in the world, you've heard it too. I've heard it on movies, I've heard it in songs. I found Jesus. Or I think I'll be a Baptist. I think I'll be a Mormon. The United Church of God believes that the reason you are here is God called you. This church is not like other churches. This calling is a different way of life, a totally different way of life. You become a part of this church, you become convicted and convinced of the way of God, and that this book is the book that you will live by. You will find that narrow is a gate. Heard that? Sermon on the Mount. Narrow is a gate. Difficult is the way. Because if you live by this book and by God, you cannot live like the rest of the world. That this is different, and that's why we believe. The United Church of God is teaching God's instruction. So why united? I will cover seven reasons why, as you have them in front of you. I'd like you to turn to 2 Timothy 3 and verse 14 if you so choose. The first one is God and His Word is sovereign. I believe. The United Church of God believes, as it's mentioned in 1 Peter and it's also mentioned in Isaiah, where it says, God's Word is eternal. It will always exist. It will not become outdated. It is not a point of, well, that's how it used to be. God's law was right in the Garden of Eden. It was right 4,000 years later with Jesus Christ and is right today. And that's what we believe. And we believe that God is sovereign. And His Word, pages of this Bible in front of you, are His words. Because 2 Timothy 3 and verse 14 says, but as for you, as Paul is writing to his younger disciple, he said, but as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. Timothy learned God's way from Paul. Paul learned God's way from Jesus Christ in the Arabian Desert. He also learned God's way from the other disciples. Verse 15, and then from childhood, you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Jesus Christ. And then, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. God breathed in the actual Greek. God breathed these words. He owns these words. These are His words. And that's why God is sovereign, and that's why we are here, to believe His words. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine. Doctrine. You notice the second point. There is doctrine that he's talking about, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, or training in righteousness, that the man or woman of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I guess that's why Isaiah 28 actually says and helps us to understand that this book is one book inspired by God Himself. That's why he says, line upon line, precept upon precept. Here a little, there a little. That's why we strive to not just take one scripture out of the Bible and make a doctrine out of it. When we look at the context, we look at what's being said. We look how the New Testament doesn't do away with the Old Testament. It's all God's Word. And when you actually read this, you must understand that when Paul is telling Timothy, there was no New Testament. He was talking about the Old.

And God is, as Deuteronomy 32 and verse 39 says, there is no God beside me. God is sovereign. I hope we understand that. He said it time and time again, there is no God. Why? Because people like to create gods. They always have and they always will until this world becomes under Jesus Christ. Romans 11 verse 33 in the New Living Translation says, everything comes from Him and exists by His power. That's why it's so important that we understand that God and His Word are sovereign. He teaches us. He talks to us through His Word. It's that important. Like you turn to Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11.

Very important faith chapter, but this one is said, and I'll actually read this from the New Living Translation being you have yours there because I like the way it's put here. Hebrews 11 verse 6 says, and it is impossible to please God without faith. You've heard me quote that many, many times. It's that important. It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Is that us? That's what the United Church of God teaches. I'd like to go back to Isaiah. Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43 verse 10. And even though this is set back at that time, it still follows true today. Isaiah 43 and verse 10 says, You are my witnesses, says the Lord. Did you realize that? You are here today witnessing the truth of God being taught. You are here today witnessing who's here, who are His, who say they are His. You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me, there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. God is sovereign. He's always existed. He always will exist. Verse 11. Even I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Savior. You want salvation? There is no other way. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there is no foreign God among you. Therefore, you are my witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God. That I am God. We stress that. That's why it's so important that we cover this. This was the number one reason that I started out with this, was God is sovereign. Now, you may say, well, I've heard other churches say God is sovereign.

But do they say His word? Do they strive to live by His word? Or do they have excuses or other ways to form, as we talked about earlier this morning with Louie? We go by the word and not just by commentaries. 13. Indeed, before the day was, I am He. Or you might say, before the day was even created, I was there. That's what he's saying. I am. Always has been, always will be. And there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I work, and who will reverse it? It means I can do anything. Nobody can reverse. I have complete control over everything. I'd like you to turn to Isaiah 46 as we wrap this reason up. Isaiah 46, verse 9. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other. He'd say, well, boy, God sounds pretty bold. Is He bragging? He is a right. He is over everything. The reason He's having to tell people is they weren't getting it. That's why I had to say it time and time again. They were wanting to find other gods, just like this world does today. For I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from the ancient times things that are not yet come, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure, as I like how the New Living puts it. Only I can tell you the future before it happens. That's true. Everything I plan will come to pass for I do whatever I please. I do whatever I wish. You know someone's sovereign when they can control everything. It's very, very important. I'd like to move to the second reason, doctrine. Doctrine. Interesting that Jesus Christ said in John 7 that, my doctrine is not mine, but he who sent me. But his who sent me. Jesus Christ came in the flesh, and he said, my doctrine, my teachings, they're not mine, they're the Father's. Do we believe in that? Do we believe the doctrines that what we believe in the church is from God himself? I guess that's why. Jesus Christ, in Matthew 15, was talking to the people at that time and said, in vain do they worship me, teaching his doctrine, the commandments of men. Why united? We're not going to teach you the doctrine of men. Remember when I was hired, I said, I can teach. I can teach the Bible. But I won't teach tradition. I won't teach man's traditions. Doctrine. Isn't it amazing? You can go around this world and you have all these various churches, and you have all these various doctrines. Yet they all say they come from Scripture. Well, I wouldn't say that a lot of them do not come from the Scriptures. They said they were taught these doctrines from the ancients, from the sages. See, we go by these Scriptures, and as I read today about marriage, in the United Church of God there will be no same-sex marriage because it is condemned in the Scriptures. It will not be a part of this church.

No sprinkling for baptism, as some churches do. Some churches out in the world even think you do not even need to be baptized. You just need to say a few words and fill out this little card that says, I give my heart to Jesus. It's not biblical. Doctrine is so important. It's what's been handed down to us. We teach what's in this book. There isn't a trinity in this book. There is a Father, and there is a Word, and there is His essence, His Spirit, the power that comes from Him called the Holy Spirit. It's our doctrine. We teach it. There's no such thing. It's paganism to teach the trinity of the doctrine, the doctrine of the trinity. We teach clean and unclean meats because it's in the Bible. There's things we eat, and there's things that we will not eat because God said it was not clean. It will defile the temple.

We also teach that there's grace and faith is how you get salvation, not by works. But do we kick works to the side? Absolutely not, because James teaches us that, half-brother Jesus Christ. Like you turn to Acts, if you will, the Book of Acts. Acts 2, verse 41, Acts 2 and verse 41 said, Then those who gladly received His word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls or persons were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles, what? Doctrine. There is doctrine that's taught. You can't just decide, I'm going to make up these things and run a church and call it the church of God, and not be following God. Yet time and time again, you see this. I've seen friends that grew up keeping the church of God. Doctrines. And then later on, they said, well, you know, I don't really see that's necessary. I think I'll do this. And you see them ten years later, and they're not keeping any doctrine. They're not following God at all.

And God asks you to follow. And if you will follow, He will bless you. And He will grant you power of the Holy Spirit to communicate, to draw closer to Him.

That is His power. And that's what He wants, because He actually goes as far as saying children. We'll touch on that later. I can turn to 1 Timothy. Back to 1 Timothy again. All right, 1 Timothy. First time, then, we didn't cover 1 Timothy. We went into 2 Timothy. But 1 Timothy. More teaching. And you can see Paul was very consistent in his teaching to Timothy, when he thought so much that he actually called him my son. 1 Timothy 1, verse 3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, Remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. He was talking to Timothy, who was a minister, because people were coming in the church, teaching other things than what? The doctrine had been sent by Jesus Christ and the disciples. So he said, make sure that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. That means Timothy was teaching other people. He was teaching other deacons, elders, ministers, laypeople. He was teaching them the doctrines, a certain set of doctrines, beliefs of God. 2 Timothy 2. 2 Timothy 2. Verse 1. You therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ. And the things that you may have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these two faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Brethren, these are the teachings that were to hand down to people. These are the teachings that we have that can be backed by Scripture. Why do you believe that?

Can you answer that? Why do you believe, you bigot? Why do you believe that two people that just love each other shouldn't be together, no matter what sex or race they are? I believe it because of God and His Word are sovereign in my life. That's why we do what we do, and He's handed down these doctrines to us. Reason number three, Christ is ahead of the church. There is no pope. We don't have a pope. No vicar of Christ. We have no prophet that's standing up here telling you what God told him last night. No Mohammed. No Buddha. That's right, because we believe that no other name, as the Bible says, may a person have salvation except through Jesus Christ. Christ is the head of the church, like you turn to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1, verse 22, And He put all things under His, Jesus, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body and the fullness of Him who feels all in all. How do you argue with that? Why do we stress living like Jesus Christ? Why do we stress reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to see how He lived? Why do we stress, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus? Why? Because He is the head. And we're to look towards Him. What is it that important? Go to Colossians. A couple books over. Colossians 1. Colossians 1, verse 15, Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And you hear some crazy things out there that even Jesus Christ, somebody sent me something the other day, somebody's teaching, Jesus Christ was a created being. Someone else told me something about Jesus Christ was Michael the angel. So, see how this stuff can just float out here. It gets out there. That's why you've got to protect your mind. Good at the loins of your mind. So this doesn't happen. So you stick to what the Bible says. For by Him all things were created and that are in the earth and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him and He is before all things and in Him all things consist. He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence or supremacy. New Living Translation says Christ is also the head of the church. Can you get any more specific than that?

Victor Kubik is the president of the United Church of God for now. He's not the head of the church. And if he was sitting right here today, I'd tell him so. And he better shake his head, yes, because I know his wife would. We don't do that. And if he doesn't look to Christ and teach that Christ is the head of the church, he will be removed.

This is what we do.

John 1.1. I'll link you back to John 1.1. An incredible verse that I can quote. But I want you to understand what's in the original Greek. I actually went through the Greek this week just in this verse. I don't know what your Bible says, but it says, in the beginning, well, thee is not in the original Greek. There's nothing there. No death in an article. Because with God, Jesus Christ, who have lived forever, there is no the beginning. They've always existed. They will always exist. In a beginning, it should read, was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God, showing there were two beings there. I found it interesting in the Greek, verse 1, the Word was with, and if you look in the Greek, the Word was with the definite article, God. They didn't put it in here. It was confusing to them.

Verse 1, the Word was with the God, and the Word was God. It does not say the Word was the God. Specific, the Greek, two distinct beings, God and the Word. We believe that. We read it. We believe it. And that is why that is one of the reasons why united exists, because not everybody does believe that.

Reason number four, Christ-like servant leadership. So why is there united? There's people that teach. We teach the Sabbath. We teach the Holy Days. We teach clean and clean meats. Well, there's other churches that teach that. Why united? Because we teach Christ-like servant leadership. Christ-like servant leadership. And that's why it's your job, if I do not, at Christ-like, for you to help me. That is my job to help you. We're there to help each other. I have a responsibility as we will look later about shepherds.

But this Christ-like servant leadership is very important. We teach this because we believe in the I'm third. We believe that I'm third. That's the mentality. That's my mentality. That's why I'm here, because I'm third. First is God the Father, and then there's others, and then there's me. That's what we have to do. That's what Jesus Christ. It was about God the Father, and then it was about all the others.

It wasn't about Him. That's what we have to do. We have to learn from that. And I can't say we've always had people that did that. And perhaps you, over the years, have seen ministers that sure didn't have a Christ-like servant leadership. Matthew 20. Let's go back to Matthew 20. I love this story. I love this story because here's an aunt talking to her nephew. An aunt in Matthew 20. Selomah was actually Jesus Christ's aunt. And she came about her two sons, James and John, who were disciples, and they were all related. But she really believed that Jesus Christ was bringing His kingdom. So in Matthew 20, verse 20, said, Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons.

So she walked up there. I'll just picture this. Selomah, she walks up there with James and John, and kneeling. It says, kneeling down, asking something from him. So it's like she didn't say it so that everybody could hear it, but she said it close enough so some people heard it.

And he said to her, What do you wish? Because it makes it sound like she came up and said, Can I have a word with you? And he says, What do you wish? She said to him, Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on the right hand and the other on the left hand, in your kingdom. So when you are sitting there and you are king over the entire world, there's my sons. Now, she may have been thinking about, you know, if they're there, I'm going to be pretty close, too.

That's human nature, right? Because here were these two guys that were near Christ's age, they had been spending all this time with him. But she wanted to make sure, maybe. But Jesus answered and said, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to him, We are able.

They're like, Okay, we're ready to take that position. He said to them, You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give. God the Father, as we see. But it is for those for whom it is prepared for by my Father. Those positions will be given by God the Father.

See, there are positions available in the Kingdom. There are going to be, as I was even thinking about, Peter here finds people to places for people to work and so forth and companies and situations and other people do. Well, you have to understand, this is different too because there are these positions for the Kingdom.

And God knows those positions and He's calling people now. That He can feel those positions. Is that the reason you're here? Has He got something picked out that He knows for you? If you believe these Scriptures, believe the stories in my house, in my Father's house, are many mansions. But let's go on.

Verse 24, And when the ten heard it, the other ten disciples, they were moved with indignation against those two brothers. Look at those. Look at them. They were more than upset.

I'm sure one of the statements would have been, look, He got His mamas. They got their mama to come up.

I just know what I probably would have said. 25, But Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

We want to serve. That's what Christ was all about. That's what we're all about. I don't ask any of you to come in here and help set up the room. I don't ask you to do much at all. Chris comes in here. Maurice comes in here. I always try to be here because I want to lead by that example. Because I'm looking, oh, look at me, I serve. No, it's not always about it. It just needs to be us. It's who we are. It's naturally us. I look at the women who serve in the back. We don't have, like some churches will have this big list of people, and they do this and they do that. We're a small church, but everybody just throws in. They just serve. And that's what we need more of. That's what this is about. That's what Christ does. Just serve. Serve other people. Remember, you're third. Just like me. God, others, and then me. Very powerful. And verse 27, And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Strong words. Well, I just want somebody, they're just going to treat me like a doormat. Yes! Well, I'm above that. Well, wait a minute. I have a degree. Wait a minute. I'm educated. Well, wait a minute. I'm above that. Well, I have an office in the church. That's the reason for you to get down and do that. That's the thing. That's what we do. That's what Christ loved.

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. We must think about that. We must think about that. I would like to turn over to Mark, Mark 9. As he covers it in Matthew, but he also tells in Mark. It says, obviously, he made an impression with Peter 9, verse 33. 9 and verse 33. Then he came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house, he asked them, what was it you disputed among yourselves back on the road? Because here all 12 of them had gotten in this big dispute on the way there. Well, he knew. Christ wanted them to say, he knew what they were disputed about. They were disputed about who's going to be the greatest one. He's gone. But it's going to be me. I'm his favorite. Right? Christ wanted to head this off, but they kept silent because they knew. They knew. They had been around him all this time. They knew that wasn't what he wanted to see. He was one that liked to see humility. He's the one that showed humility. He taught humility time and time again. But they kept silent, for on the road they disputed among themselves, who would be the greatest. He sat down, called the 12, and said to them, Now, if anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. All. Not just talking about the church. That means, yes, when you walk through a door, you go through a business. If somebody's behind you, this is what you do. You open the door for them. And that's so strange to a lot of young people today. All about myself. That's not what we believe in United. We believe that it requires Christ's servant leadership. Number five. Number five. Shepherds, not sheriffs. I am here as a shepherd. If you ever raised sheep, you'd know what a shepherd's like. It's just a lot of work. A lot of work and no, not much glory.

It was interesting in John 21. You don't have to turn there because you know the story when Jesus Christ was about to, after He'd been resurrected, He came back and He looked at Peter and He said, Do you love me? Do you love me?

You know that I love you. Do you love me? And His answer finally was, If you really do love me, feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. That is what we're here for. Shepherds feed. They protect. They care for sheep so that the sheep can grow, so they can prosper. And it even goes as much as Christ telling that those shepherds that work for Him, they don't need to be hirelings. Hirelings were the guys that came in, they took care of the sheep for money, and then when something happened, they were out the door first. If a wolf came knocking on the door, they're like, I'm out of here. Not my job. Where to take care of? I am here. I am here. People at the home office, they're here. Randy Scriber, your pastor, your shepherd, he's there to take care of people. To feed them. Feed them the spiritual meat that they need. To inspire them, to encourage them, to pick them up when they've had bad weeks. It's what we're about. It's what we do. Jeremiah 23. Jeremiah 23. Verse 1. Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord. God hates division. He hates these things where people are causing division and problems. Especially shepherds. Therefore, thus says the Lord, God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people. You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evils of your doing. They're going to pay the price to him. But I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries and bring them back to their folds, and they shall be fruitful and increase. I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. And they shall fear no more, nor shall be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking. He says the Lord. He tells what leaders should be doing. His leaders should be doing. He's feeding the flock. Let's go back to Jeremiah 3. Jeremiah 3. Verse 14. 14-15. Return over backsliding children, says the Lord, for I am married to you. I will take you, one from the city and two from the family. And I will bring you to Zion, talking about a future time that's going to happen. But he's really talking here about his shepherds. He said, and I will give you shepherds according to my heart. See, that's what God looks at. He wants his shepherds. We're not sheriffs. We don't go around. You see the sheriffs of the deputy. I see him driving Broward. Of where we are. And what are they? They're driving around looking for somebody doing something wrong. Shepherds don't do that. Except you can read many times about shepherds who thought they were sheriffs. It's not what we do. See, I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. That's what we're here for. That's why you're here today. We want to learn. Number six. God's government is not here yet. That's the reason. And that's the sixth reason I have down of why united. Because we recognize that God's government is not here yet. No matter what you want to say, there are many ministers who think they are God's government, their church, on this earth. And that they're running and doing everything according to God's government. That is not scripture. That's a lie. See, man's proven himself to be incapable of governing in 6,000 years to prove that, haven't we? Amen. God's government can only be God's government when God is governing. And He's not governing right now.

And He's not here yet. It'll be God's government when Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Isaiah 2. Let's go back to Isaiah 2. This is so inspiring to me. Talk about a defeat to the Tabernacles every year. Isaiah 2, verse 2. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountain, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law. And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. I don't see Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Not there. And He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah 9.

Isaiah 9. Talking about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9, verse 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government, one of the few uses of government. The word government in Hebrew. And the government will be upon His shoulders. Not any man's. His. Because He's perfect. I haven't met a perfect man yet. And a perfect woman. I've met a few that thought they were, but they weren't. And the government will be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor. Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. And of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with justice, with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. There will be perfect government coming. But it will be when Jesus Christ is here. It doesn't exist on this earth anywhere, inside or outside any church. That is Scripture. We're waiting. I'm waiting for my King. Pray Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, finally as it is in heaven.

Finally, Romans 8. As we go there. Look at my watch. Romans 8. One of the most beautiful pieces of Scripture you will find in the entire Bible. I love Romans 8. I spent weeks and weeks, and every time I go back to it, I just... It's so empowering. Because it tells us why we're here, what we're doing here. And about this amazing kingdom that's coming with this world ruler. Romans 8. Because even as we talk about baptism, and those of you who have been baptized that are baptized in this room, you know that I take you from John 3. And we go there, and I ask you to study John 3 through 8, and Romans 4 through 8. Because it's such... Those nine chapters are so beautiful because they start with an understanding of being baptized, and they end up in Romans 8 with what you will be. Here's what you want you to be, and then here's what you will be if you follow through and use that Holy Spirit. Romans 8, verse 16. It says, But the Spirit itself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Got a problem? Chew on that verse for a while. Got something that got you down? Are you got problems? Chew on that one for an entire day. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation, or as Amatha puts it, the universe, the entire universe, was subjected to fertility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. We will be a part of that government. But we're not qualified right now. And don't think that you are.

Number seven. Last one here. We are family. Christ talked about on the last day, the day before He died, He actually said in John 17, many of you read it. We read it Passover every year. He said that they may be one as we are one. That's what He wanted. That's why we believe in you, 90, that we are family. That's why there's no Jamaican, there's no Blacks, there's no Hispanics, there's no Greeks, there's no Spaniards, there's just no... Chinese. We don't have Chinese here. With God, we're all to be one. That's what it's about. We've got everybody but Chinese. Where are they at? I'm just a friend. Romans 12. Romans 12.

Romans 12 in verse 4. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. For as we have many members in one body, we do in here. So different! I've got to know all of you pretty much, and every one of you are different. Right, Bruce? Yes. See, everybody knows Bruce. Knows Bruce is totally different. Right? And everybody else. And Victoria can tell you he's totally different, isn't he? You know? She's not. She didn't agree with me on that one. But we are so different. But that's what's beautiful. That's what God looks at. Look at all the creation that he made out there. He's a great creator, and he made so many different animals, so many different colors, so many different birds. He loves variety!

And I never understood that to the point when I was in Tennessee, like I do now in Miami. Okay? I never understood there could be so many different people in one church. But this is beautiful. But all the members do not have the same function. So we, being many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. We're vested in each other. We're all in this thing together. We're there to help each other. Even our little differences, idiosyncrasies. We don't need anybody that says, oh, I don't really like them. No, we're all one. We're not given that option. Ephesians. Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4.11.

Ephesians 4.11. And he himself gave some to the apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and some just teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith. This is what it's about. We're becoming united, united together, worshiping and loving God and helping each other. That's the unity. And the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect stature, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That's why we have to do this, so that we come to where we understand the mind of Christ and we see Christ in each other. And we see Him in each other even when we disagree with each other. That's what's so important. That's what's so important about that one body. See, I love what Psalm 17 verse 15, David said, because he sees this. He said, I will see your fear. Excuse me. I will see your face in righteousness. He's looking at the future. He knows he's going to die. But he said, I will see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I wake in your likeness. We're going to be like Christ. When we come to the fullness, when we are changed from this human body to spirit, we are going to be in the likeness of Christ. What an incredible thing. One last verse, and then we'll end today. Like you go back to Hebrews. Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10 and verse 24. This is the mathematician that I'd like, because this is what's important about us being united and being together. Not just united, your God, but united through one spirit, one heart, one love, one leader, one God. Verse 24. And let us consider one another. Do you consider one another in here? I got down this morning praying, and I tried to cover everybody, and I didn't leave one person out that I can think of that's not here. Tried to think of everybody. Okay, because we're one. And this verse so hit me. It says, Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is a matter of some. Some do not even figure it's important to be here. They say, well, may I have heard that sermon before? Or, well, I don't really know. Brethren, it is. You're here for each other. When the Holy Spirit, your Spirit, comes into this room. When God is here, where two or more of my people are gathered together in my name, I'll be here. That's what's important. We're not in this thing alone. How wonderful is that? And he said, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is a matter of some, but exhorting one another. That means encouraging one another. And so much more as you see the what? The end time approaching. That's us. Today, we've looked at just a few of the elements that make up the United Church of God. Perfect? Absolutely not. Human? Very, very human. But we look to a higher power. As the members who make up the Church of God, we must strive for perfection daily. It's what we do. It's how we'll be able to help each other, not only today, but in the Kingdom of God. I beseech you, brethren. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. That's why we're here. God, brethren, is why we are here. As long as he's here, I'll be here. And I hope you'll be here with me.