The Psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Psalm 133:1). The Word of God also says, "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. ¹⁹ For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. ²⁰ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (Romans 16:17-20). The Word of God declares to us, and leads us to confess, that God is pleased with those who seek unity, and He calls us to watch our for those who would cause division and put up obstacles to the doctrine of God. The baptized then have joy in concord and desire nothing more than true fellowship. On the other hand, the baptized must watch out for those that would cause division by serving their own appetite.

Unity or Concord in the church cannot be something based on compromise, but is a life long struggle with each other done in humility and patience. We must always seek unity with each other, casting aside our egos, agendas, and histories. Our purpose for unity is that it is pleasing to God when we dwell in unity of faith, confession, and practice. As the Augsburg Confession asserts the church saying, "It is also taught among us that one holy Christian Church will be and remain forever. This is the assembly of all believers among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel. For it is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian Church that the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with the divine Word. It is not necessary for the true unity of the Christian Church that ceremonies, instituted by men, should be observed uniformity in all places" (Augsburg Confession VII.1-3).  The Book of Concord also asserts that "The primary requirement for basic and permanent concord within the church is a summary formula and pattern, unanimously approved, in which the summarized doctrine commonly confessed by the churches of the pure Christian religion is drawn together out of the Word of God" (Formula Of Concord Solid Declaration Norm and Rule 1).  We have basic concord with each other based on the pure preaching of the Gospel and the distribution of the sacraments in accordance with the Gospel. We, as the Body of Christ, receive the same Jesus; therefore, we confess the same Jesus. As Lutherans, of the LCMS, we hold that that the Bible is the inspired and without error Word of God, and that the Book of Concord is the faithful exposition of the Word of God. These two, the Bible and the Book of Concord, give us our unity and concord. We confess the same thing, and practice the same thing, not because it makes sense to do so, but because it is the One True Word of God that gives us unity. 

But there are divisions in our church. St. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth saying, "¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. ¹² What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1st Corinthians 1:10-13).  There are divisions in the church because we follow something rather than the Word of God. We follow fades in society, the personality of a pastor, or the majority vote of a congregation. When we look at St. Paul's words above, we see that the church has always divided herself by following men, rather than the Word of God. Why is there division in the Church? Because humility is not a gift we possess from birth, but rather pride and egotism. Let us put away all senses of pride, arrogance, self-justification,  and self-righteousness, and instead walk with patience and humility with each other under the one Word of God. God is the one who gives us Concord, He is the one that creates peace in His Church. Let us then with patience bear each other's burdens and exhort each other in a spirit of gentleness and meekness. Let everything we do be in the pursuit of concord and peace, not discord and strife. Let every Sermon, bible study, parish meeting, circuit meeting, District Convention, Synodical Convention, youth gathering, and theological conference be in the pursuit of concord, and may Jesus gives us grace as we struggle in this life together.

Here is the greatest gift we have in our life together. Our Lord Jesus, before we were born, knew of the divisions in the Church and how we would act during and in them. He knows our short-comings, our failures, our weaknesses, our egos, our ruff edges, and our sins. He knows these things, and that is why He assumed them all and died for them on the cross. On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our divisive behavior and self-created divisions. On the cross, Jesus died for our puffed up personalities and our grudges. Let us take heart in our pursuit of Concord together, for it is not we who create this unity, but Jesus Himself does in the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus brings us together in the life of His Bride, the Church, as we hear the Gospel and receive the sacraments. As we walk in this life together, let us not grow in despair because of the divisions, but rather let us in Joy look to Jesus who gives us concord that can't be broken, because it is the concord that He purchased on the cross and now gives to us in the means of grace. Let us look to Jesus, to the forgiveness of our sins, and in this we have joy in concord, joy in our life together as Jesus' forgiven brothers and as co-heirs of paradise with Christ.  

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I forgive you. I love you. I claim you as My own forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog,

Pastor Hull