AI-generated page
This page is AI-generated.
Summary
The sermon is about the importance of unity and listening to God and each other. The pastor emphasizes that unity is inevitable when we listen to God and to each other, and that this is the key to overcoming quarrels and disputes. The pastor uses the example of a family planning a holiday to illustrate the importance of listening to each other and finding common ground. The sermon also explores the concept of listening to God and how this can be done through prayer, reading the Bible, and quiet time.
Sermon transcription
Link to the service video.
Now before I go into the topic I would like to have a quiz for all of you. Okay. So I would like you to participate. I like this statement saying when you are coming to church you don't leave your brain at home.
Okay. So you continue to be in the presence of the Lord. So the problem or the challenge that I would like us to interact and think about now imagine a family a family uh the parents the father and the mother and two three or four kids let's make four kids four children right so they are planning a family holiday a family holiday however there are two challenges is one is that two children would like to go to Paris instead of Berlin.
So they have two choices. So one would like to go to Paris and the other one go to Berlin. And the second challenge is that the parents don't know where to go in the same time. Now if you would have been dear parents what would you do? The challenge is to decide where to go.
Okay. Sorry. Say it again. Talking. Okay. What What are you going to talk about the vacation? Okay. Okay, we go to Barcelona instead of the two. Okay, one of the solution why not if there is no limit of of time and uh and budget any other opinion?
What's that? Oh, just uh Oh, yeah. Just tosses a coin head or tail and then you you will see. Okay. Another solution. If everybody agrees, why not? What else? Go to the go to boat location. Well, if there is if there is no if there is no limit in time and and money, you know, why not? That's also a solution.
What else? Don't go at all. Okay, save some money. Okay, if I would have been the kids, I won't be happy. But anyway, [laughter] what else? Check which which other places are more interesting. Yeah, Barcelona. It's warmer there. [laughter] Let's go to the other place. Yeah, Bali for instance. Why not?
So yeah, not here, not there, somewhere else. Now, so brothers and sisters, these are a very typical challenges we face in life, including in the church. Now what we sometimes forgot to do is basically to go one level deeper on why do we go on a holiday in the first place.
Right? So we we most of the time focus on the differences. One want to go to Paris and one want to go to Berlin. There must be reason for those children who want to choose Paris because it's it's more instagrammable. is much better in front of the tower or whatever you know one is maybe more interested on the history one is more romantic what there must be reason behind those but one level deeper is the main reasoning on why they go to holiday in the first place right is that for them to spend time together
now many a times that We most of the time when we have differences, we focuses on the differences we have and we even draw the words even deeper because we would like to show that we are truly different than the other and this is even more these days because of the social media, right? So we choose to hear what we want to hear.
If you side for one candidate, you only want to hear every arguments about one candidate, the other candidate you everything they said is wrong. For whatever reason, we are too much into ourself. We forgot the fundamental part of why we are here in the first place.
Now to my problem before about going to Paris or to Berlin brothers and sisters, I would approach it like as long as we are together and then the solution would be could be anything that you are also telling. It could be that like if if if the time is there and money is there and everybody happy then we'll just go there and then go the other as long as we are together right and that is then the basis of why we're here and why we do the holiday or as long as we are together and maybe this year we go to Paris and next year we go to Berlin or because you cannot solve it as long as we are together we go to Barcelona instead
Whatever reason that is, as long as there is a fundamental things that unite us together, we'll stay united. The challenge today is we are focusing too much on the differences we see and the differences that we believe. We forgot to listen to others.
And it's even more dangerous these days because of this earbud. Earbud make it more private, right? So you can hear what others cannot hear. You can do what others cannot do. If you like what you hear, you continue to hearing it. If you don't like what you hear, you go and swipe it for the next one.
And brothers and sisters, sometimes I see that we spend too much in this. And have you ever checked how much time do you actually spend in any of the app? And I don't I'm sure that in all mobile phones model you can actually check how much time you spend on your mobile phone on a certain app.
I know in the on the iOS system you can actually see even per application how much time within a certain period of time you have spent how much time you spend is Facebook Instagram and all that it's all recorded and check is it really worth it and you will be surprised brothers and sisters that you spend sometimes too much hearing on something you really want to
Now when I'm preparing this I I'm I'm I'm reading a lot and I'm also um trying to see what what else can I uh that God has been impressing in my heart and it's come down to a very simple thing if we actually putting time to listen to God and to listen to each other. Unity is inevitable.
Basically, I put it as an equation, brothers and sisters. Unity, I'm an engineer. So, uh I always like to have an equation in front of me so I know which one is influencing what, right? For those engineers, I know you know how I feel, right? So, unity for me is listening to God plus listening to each other.
And if we cannot listen to God and only listen to each other, you could compromise and do something that is different that what God is willing to do. If you listen to God and you don't share it to others, people will not understand what God is working in you and therefore we always invite people to come and share because then God is working through you and you share it through others, right?
And so for me, unity in church or in a family as well is that for us to continue to listen to God and to continue to listen to each other. And brothers and sisters, I must say that listening is a very rare commodity these days. You are hearing. Hearing is different than listening. Hearing means that there is something happening in come to your ears and you hear it whether you listen to it or not it's you who decided right so even then right now you are hearing me speaking whether you are listening to me or not it's you who decide right but the Holy Spirit is taking notes brothers and sisters if you're not listening
So I would like to start with this statement that unity basically is inevitable once you are listening to God and you are listening to each other. The two is uh mutually correlated. You cannot if you would like to achieve unity you cannot do one without the other.
Yeah. And we will we will learn from it. Are you ready? Let's read from 1 Corinthians chapter 10. I will uh which is uh what we have been reading uh this morning and I will expand it to chapter 13 uh sorry to uh to verse 13 not chapter 13 otherwise it's too long.
Okay. So, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10 to13. I appeal to you, follow me as I read. I appeal to you brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with one another. agree with one another in what you say and there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly united in mind and thoughts perfectly.
It's not that it is just united but perfectly united. My brothers and sisters, some some from Louis household have informed me, this is Paul speaking, that there are quarrels among you. There are there were dispute, there were discussions. What I meant is this. One of you say I follow Paul, another I follow Apollos, another I follow Kas. And still another I follow Christ.
Is Christ defed? Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul? That was the question of Paul to the people in Corinth at that time. Let's bow down our head and pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for these verses that you have uh brought to us, oh Lord. Thank you, Father. May you guide us. May you help us. May you anoint us oh Lord and hide me behind the cross. May these words are all come from you and Lord for the glory of your name.
May all of us will be able to understand the message that you are bringing to us today in Jesus name we pray. Amen. So this this situation brothers and sisters Paul came to Corinth to talk to the Christians over there because he was informed by Clue's household. So maybe there was a house a family that is close to Paul Cl households and if it would have been in this time
how would the conversation be looking like right so somebody may be calling Paul on the mobile phone hey Paul spit here within your people and uh and they were saying I am following Paul and the others said I'm following Apollos and the other said I'm following Kayas and the other the other following Christ [snorts] the same as we discussed before in the beginning whether we are going to Paris or we going to Berlin there were differences
and it's not clear what it is that they said why they are following one or the other is not clear in the text. But Paul asked them and go one step deeper. What is it that unite them and bring them to the church of being Christian in the first place? And that is Christ. Christ unite them. And Christ is the fundamental reason why they were together.
So Paul tried to pull them back into the reason why they are united. Instead of focusing on things that differentiate them, they Paul is bringing them back to the fundamental part of what unite them. And I think this is the main reason when you have discussion and dispute or you have different ideas, brothers and sisters, make sure that you hold on to the things that unite you in the first place.
I mean husband and wife hands up if you never quarrel or you never fight or you never get any silent treatment from any of your spouse. You know when somebody is silent you know that something is cooking inside. And so even when you have the discussion and the dispute, you know that the love is still there that brings you together.
If you have that as a basis, whatever your discussion would be and if you would like to listen to each other, it's going to be solved. Now many times we are focusing too much on the quarrel itself rather than trying to find out what unite us in the first place. We focusing too much on the differences. We want to be right all the time.
Now so before we dive in into what unite us brothers and sisters let's continue with um what actually causing the fights and the quarrels among us. Yeah. In James 4:1, it says, "What causes fights and quarrels?" Because Paul came to Corin in that chapter was because the people in the church were quarreling. Quarreling on something that was not um based on the fundamental things that unite them.
Now in James 4 verse one it says what causes fights and quarrels among you this is the question don't they come from your desire that battle between within you right so our example back one has a desire to go to Paris another one has a desire to go to Berlin it is the desire that is inside of us that create differences, right?
So the desire that is inside of you that is different than the desire of others and it is battling between those two desires that cause the quarrel the quarrel and the fights. Now if you make that that that that desire subside what would be then the outcome you think it will be peace it will be unity.
Now of course I do not say that you should not discuss you should not um uh argue but overall on the fundamental things you should know why we are here in the first place. The same when you are running projects for those who are in corporate worlds when you're running projects you know what your goal was and everybody as long as we are trying to achieve the goal in the way that it should be then it should be good.
Now brothers and sisters many time we are focusing on ourself we forgot to listen to others and that cause the battle even deeper. Stephan Kovi is very famous with this quote that for us to first seek to understand when we are listening then to be understood. And he actually have also another quote saying many times when we hear when we have conversation you are hearing the person speaking for you to answer that person.
You are not trying to understand that person you are trying to prepare your answer. When they are speaking you are already cranking up your head. I am going to make a statement that will be crossing the statement that is coming up. Right? You're not trying to understand the other side. And this is the reasoning for the fight and the cause.
Don't think that I'm perfect brothers and sisters. I still do this. You can ask my wife. But this is the re this is the things that I am also learning myself. And um and as leaders it's easy that we fall in the trap of telling others even before the person actually finish the story.
And so here brothers and sisters I would like to remind us again you remember my equation listening to God and listening to each other. When we listen we try to first empathize with the person we are speaking with to understand what's behind. And it's not easy especially when uh when something that you would like or your desire is actually in at stake with something that is influencing you.
But most of the time the solution is laying underneath the listening brothers and sisters. And I experienced that many many times. You remember when you are discussing and discussing and discussing and you got the aha moment. Oh, is that what you mean? You know, after a lot of dispute. Why? Because we are not trying to understand.
Only when something is digging down, digging down, digging down, digging down, digging down that you actually understand and see. So, in order for us to overcome the quarrels or the fights, let's try to understand before we ask the other side to understand us. Okay.
So that's the fundamental part. What causes quarrel? So the people in the in in Corinthians was quarreling about who are they following? But then Paul reminded them we are following Christ. We are following Jesus. This is the main reason why we are here. Right?
So now it says that you to be perfectly united in mind and thought. Perfectly united in mind and thought. Now is there any difference between mind and thought? So mind and thought brothers and sisters the simplest way of um separating this mind is basically your processor is your brain basically it's the program for those of you who are thinking of it and the thought is actually the input to the program.
Okay. So imagine if you have um a program and you all the time giving the same input what would you expect if it is a good program and it's a reliable program what do you think would be the outcome would it be the same or would it be different it would be the same right so if you are perfectly if if all our minds are the same and the processing are the name then the input that we will bring through the program will be then the same.
Now in this case what Paul is saying perfectly united in mind and thoughts is actually referring to the shared conviction about the centrality and the importance of the gospel. The message in itself is that Christ crucified. This would be the fundamental things for all of us brothers and sisters.
If the fundamental part is no longer the same then it will be divisions. If we do not have any more reason that bind us together even down to the fundamental part that is Christ crucified for your sins for my sins that Christ is the basis of what we are here. If there is no more things that bring us together then division starts.
And similarly brothers and sisters if there are dispute we go back and we go down to what bring us all together here. And there will surely be discussion. There will surely be um things that bring us into discussion to others. But as long as we come back to what unite us, it will continue to unite us.
And it will continue to bring forth the solutions out of the discussion as long as we know what bind us together. Now for us the absolute desire brothers and sisters the absolute basis after God's crucify this is the great commission that God has been telling us and telling the disciples at that time before he went up to heaven.
Matthew Matthew chapter 28:1 19-20 you know this great commission therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit and teaching them to obey everything I I have commanded you and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age now everything we do in our Church is at the basis of this is for us to make disciples and for us to connect people to God and for us to bring people closer to God.
And this is also your commission. This is my commission, Pastor Angel's commission, everybody's commission here. This is the fundamental reason why we're here. Amen. And brothers and sisters, and this is also a very important reason when we have a a discussion or differences, it should be good to maintain and know what brings us together in the first place.
And for us to solve the differences is then for us to continue to listen to God and to listen to each other. Now in Philippians 2 1-4 it says here this is what Paul would like to ask the Philippians to imitate the humility of Christ.
Philippians chapter 2 1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ this is the first part of the equation being united with Christ if any comfort from his love if any common sharing in the spirit if any tenderness and compassion then make joy make my joy complete by being likeminded that we are united in this great commission to make disciples and having the same love, love of each other and being one in spirit and of one mind.
Do nothing of out of selfish ambition or vain conceive. Vain conceive is excessive pride of yourself. So you are very proud of yourself. That's what fain conceit means. Rather in humility, value others above yourself. And that is why you listen to others because you value others above yourself. Not looking to your own interests.
Again, you try to understand others before you to be understood. Right? But each of you to the interest of others. Can you imagine the world if we actually trying to apply this? Imagine if the leaders of the world is trying to understand each other rather than trying to impose what they want to do. How would the world be looking?
It will be peace, right? And we actually always said why God didn't make peace. Well, God has already gave the instruction. We just do not follow. And so here it is, brothers and sisters. God is saying through Paul that for us to be united as Christ is and to humble oursel not looking to the interest of others.
And so when we are united to God, then we are united with him in our humility. With that humility, we have the basis to actually listen to others. And for us to know that God has been so patient, so patient to us that we can be patient to others.
And you probably said, "Oh, Pastor Briat, you just don't know this guy." You just don't know him or you just don't know her. If you speak to her or speak to him, you will be like me. No, I want to be like Jesus.
Now brothers and sisters, I think the equation also put it in the right sequence because we need first to listen to God. We need to first understand and be united to Christ so that we can humble oursel in order for us to listen to others.
There are some people who are gifted in this. There are some people who are really good in listening. I was not I'm trying and there are people who really good in listening and u they were also saying when you talk you don't learn anything right because you just tell what you already know right when you talk you only tell what you know you don't learn anything but if you listen you will learn something
Have you experienced when you're talking to a person within 15 minutes you actually knows everything about them because people like to talk and that's nature and it's good as long as that you don't manipulate that situation right and you're not trying to impose what you have into somebody else.
Now here it is brothers and sisters when we listen to God humble ourself. Now when we humble oursel we put others above us. Now in that sense it doesn't mean that you are actually do whatever the other person do because Jesus also don't do what the other person are actually asking him to do. He stays with what is basic and important. Right?
And so the second thing, brothers and sisters, after we listen to God, we need to listen to each other. In Hebrews 11:6, um when we try to listen to God, it says you without faith it is impossible to please God. When we build the relationship with God, we need to listen to him because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Now, when we are trying to listen to God, we need to make sure that God exists. And have you ever talked to a person that you basically feel that you're not existing? the person just talk right and talk and talk and there you even cannot come in into the conversation it's just basically just for you to be there you're not existing
and then on the Romans 10:17 consequently faith so when we build the relationship with him and and and it's also said that we cannot please God if you do not have faith and then how do we get faith? Faith comes from hearing of the message and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Now I'm very much struck by this brothers and sisters and if I look back in the 2025 I stayed true to uh some of um my commitments and reading the Bible and all those and um in my prayer in my prayer I when I look back and most of the time tell God what I wish to see and what my prayer was.
But I missed the time that he's speaking to me. The prayer is monologue from my side to God. And I didn't put so much time actually for God speaking to me. And so, brothers and sisters, in addition for us to be united stronger with Christ is for us to let him speak to us.
And I don't know how much time you are actually spending time with God. And when you are building relationship, brothers and sisters, another thing on top of the listening is actually putting time So if you remember the time that you are courting your girlfriend or your boyfriend, you know, it takes time. It's not in an instant.
They said fall in love in the first sight. Yeah. If you don't follow up, it fall off, right? And we have been hearing brother Marvin's uh story. If he didn't follow up, maybe he will follow. But he persevered. And you see the result two children. Yes.
Brothers and sisters, this is an important part is for us when we pray that we also allow God to speak to us. And how do we allow God to speak to us? is just for us to really have a quiet time either through the reading the Bible verse or just pondering on how great God has been to you or asking him and this is my experience of asking him on something that I do not understand.
When I ask him things that I do not understand, I sometimes are going into the books that I remember I have read and I went back and tried to get or I remember verses or I asked to a person and that person is actually explaining that to me. And so there are many different ways that God is speaking to us.
And of course in the Old Testament it's also saying there that God speak to them audiably. Moses uh Abraham they hear God audio. It doesn't limit as well brothers and sisters. There are some few people who are also hearing God audio. God is speaking to your heart or God overwhelmed you with things that he has done for you that God is consuming you. that you are so much into it that you cannot hold your tears and you are so thankful for what God has done in your life. That's God speaking to us. Amen.
And share them how God has been speaking to you. Now the other part of the equation is as we have been speaking to you dear brothers and sisters take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen. Slow to speak and slow to become angry. You feel it, brother sister. You feel it now. Slow to become angry.
Why? Because we don't listen first. And many times it happened uh when my children is asking me on something before I before they even finish their sentence I already get angry but after I hearing it after hearing it oh is that what you mean? No I'm fine you know and this is so straightforward quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger.
If you don't get through in your conversation with your spouse tonight or this afternoon, just say, you remember James 1 19, let me read it to you. Dear husband, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen. Now brothers and sisters actually if we want to spend time and exercise listening and I must tell you because I've been trying to it's not easy.
Listening is not easy. It takes your energy, it takes your concentration and it takes your emotion as well because you want to empathize with the person you're talking to. But it's a muscle that you need to exercise. If you don't exercise, it's just like a muscle. It's just like that. But if you exercise it, it's getting stronger and easier every time.
Now the same with listening to God. When we when we are pondering and have this desire to learn more about God, to listen more about God. And some people can easily say, "Oh, okay. We see this. I see that." And they can see that God is working in them. Some people probably don't see it yet, but some people see it immediately because they exercise this.
So therefore, brothers and sisters, the conclusion would be back to the equation that I put forward. In order for us to be united here in the church, united as a family, united in a bigger family, united in whichever form you want to be united for. It is important for us to continue to stay for the first principle of what bring us all together.
If it is with your family, this is the family bonding that you would like to create. Remind everybody this is about the family and the love within the family within spouse is about what binds you together. And with this within us as Christians, what is the basis for us? And that is that God has been so good to us that he crucified, he sacrificed himself for us for our sins that this is so much and so good that we are coming to church to give thanks to him. Amen.
And in our community afterwards as we listen to God, we need to listen to each other as well. try to understand the other side and when we do this we will be fit and we will be strong and no one can be would be able to intrude. Amen. And so brothers and sisters let's continue to remind ourselves of what bring us all together today in this place.
That is the love of God. It is the fundamental of everything. and for us to be able to listen to each other in order for us to build on each other to help each other to advance God's kingdom. Imagine if we work together brothers and sisters and when people come in and that's another another great I will close with this.
So imagine if you would like to think about our church and if I would like to bring a person that never been to our church today and experience us for the service and for the interaction that we have and at the end of it I will ask that person what do you think about this church and I will not answer it think about it.
So in a way of we are interacting in a way that we are helping each other in a way that we are supporting each other in a way of us worshiping when somebody is sings what would they think about our church and I leave it at there brothers and sisters so that if we are listening to each other they will say this is a great church that they are listening to each other and there are new people.
Do we come and listen to them or we tell them everything about us? And so therefore, brothers and sisters, I would like each and every one of us today to remember the equation that I just put forward to you and tomorrow is the exam. Okay?
that for us to continue listening to God and to listen to each other in order for us to be united together with our Lord Jesus Christ and us as community. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord for the words that you have brought to us.
Father, forgive us, oh Lord, if we do not really spend much time in listening to you. And forgive us as well if we don't really put an effort to listen to each other. As we as we have been hearing your words, Lord. May you help us in really having this desire to listen to you to know more to know you more and to make you as well Lord reminding us again of the main reason why we are here.
Thank you Lord Jesus for you have been so good to us. You have been so great to us. And thank you, Father, for listening to us and you have been so patient to us and you have been so good to us. Thank you for hearing our prayer. Thank you for listening to our prayers, Lord. Help us in our daily life as your Bible is telling us for us to quit to listen, slow to speak and slow to.
And Father, thank you for this reminder. Help each and every one of us to be able to apply this in our daily life. that we have this desire all the time to listen and to understand. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Lord. Bless each and every one of us.
Take-aways
- Unity is inevitable when we listen to God and to each other.
- Listening to God and to each other is the key to overcoming quarrels and disputes.
- We should focus on the things that unite us, rather than the things that divide us.
- We should try to understand the other person's perspective before trying to make them understand ours.
- We should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
Food for thought:
- What are some things that unite you with your family, friends, and community?
- How can you practice listening to God and to others in your daily life?
- What are some ways that you can overcome quarrels and disputes in your relationships?
- How can you apply the principle of being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry in your interactions with others?
- What are some things that you can do to cultivate a sense of unity and togetherness in your community?