Protect the unity of the church

I would like to start with a phrase that I want to express to you. A few months ago I had the opportunity to prepare a Bible study for the young adult group of the church and they were talking about the theme of unity, and while I was preparing the weeks before, I don't know how many of you have heard of this book of The Purpose Driven Life, by Pastor Rick Warren. I don't know if you've had a chance to read it.

But I have a series of cards that are like daily reflections, these are cards that put you on different topics to reflect on. And a few days before I was to give that study, I came across this card and it caught my attention. And I wanted to use it as the basis of the message for today.

I would like us to be well aware. It says “it is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.”

Let me say it one more time, “It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.” Now, I am telling you how it is my responsibility but I am now telling you today that it is your responsibility to protect the unity of your church. Tell the person next to you, "It is your responsibility to protect the unity of your church."

It says in Ephesians, Chapter 4, verse 3, it says:

"...Eager to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, one body and one spirit as you were also called in the same hope of your vocation, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who It is about everyone and through everyone and in everyone…”

We all have to work to protect the unity of the church. Now, I would like to contextualize some of the things that I want to mention today. And I would dare to say that one of the most important things for God is the unity of his church. The Bible, if you read it, at least the New Testament speaks more to the unity of the body of Christ than to many of the other aspects of the Kingdom of God.

Because? Because unity is essential to be able to understand the values of the Kingdom of God. one of the most important values on which this is based is the idea that God is a triune God. God is Father, God is Son, God is Holy Spirit. Three people living in the same being. Perfect unity that exists between them. That represents part of the image of God and if we are made in the image of God it means that we also have to work to nurture that aspect of the image of God in us, to be able to live in unity, in harmony with one another.

Now, perhaps many of you will say, but what does this have to do with León de Judá if one of the things that León de Judá is characterized by is that it is such a cool church, there is a good vibe, everyone gets along well , TRUE? We can say that and I give amen to that. That is one of the things that most characterizes us as a church. Here there is an atmosphere of love, but at the same time, I cannot cover the sun with one hand because whatever it is, we are human beings and we always step on the keys from time to time. From time to time, I say it intentionally, which from time to time, it's not every day, okay. But at least by saying that, I emphasize the fact, my brethren, that we have to be very intentional about protecting that aspect of the life of our church.

Do you know that for Jesus moments before being handed over this was one of the prayers he was saying? I don't know how many of you remember the book of John, Chapter 17, I would like to read this with you. Jesus was apart praying, perhaps his disciples were already asleep at that moment and Jesus was still troubled by the things that were going to happen to him. In that time of prayer where he said, Lord, if it is possible, pass this cup from me but not my will but yours be done. But in the next few verses, Jesus began to pray specifically for his disciples. And one of the things he mentioned was in verse 21, look how he says:

"... That they may all be one like you, O Father, in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us so that the world may believe that you sent me..."

Unity is important. And when I speak of unity, my brothers, I am not necessarily referring to uniformity, it is not that we all have the same skin color, that we all have the same eye color. No, on the contrary. I believe that God celebrates diversity, for something it was that we were born in different cultures, we were born from different families, we come from different backgrounds, some have darker skin color than others, others have curlier hair than others, curly that is the word you were looking for. Some have curlier hair than others.

But the point is that in the midst of that diversity something of the nature of God is reflected. And when we are part of the body of Christ, when we are part of a church, especially a church like this, we have to have this concept of unity very clear, my brothers. Because the tendency of our human nature is that when we are faced with something that is different, the first tendency is to resist it, to put it aside, like let me treat it from a distance because I don't know if that difference is going to take what I have in mind out of harmony. my mind, in my being and we tend to treat things that way.

But look, First Corinthians, Chapter 1, verse 10, Paul is saying:

“…Brothers, in the name of our Lord I beg you that everyone is always in agreement and that there are no divisions among you. Live in harmony thinking and feeling the same way…”

So unity has more to do with a sense of our mind, it has more to do with a sense of our spirit, not necessarily things that look tangible at the level of what we can measure with our eyes, but it has to do with we can all be aligned in one thought, in the same feeling.

It was for a reason that I read that verse from Ephesians, because if there is something that unites all of us, it is that we all have the same God, we all have the same Lord through whom he gives the same salvation to each one of us. If anyone here has a different salvation than mine, then let me know because we have to sit down and talk. Because as far as I know there is only one salvation that is offered through the person of Jesus.

And in all of us operates the same spirit that comes directly from God and that is the spirit that unites all of us. If I were to think then how we can work on this aspect of protecting the unity of the church, what does it mean to protect the unity of the church?

When you protect something, what are you doing? What you are taking care of what you protect. A husband, when he goes out with his wife and they are walking down the street and if he sees another man gouge his wife in the eye, he will tend to protect his wife, and it's like, or he gets angry, "Boy what are you looking at? Put your eyes on yourself or look at a tree, look at a cloud, but don't look at it."

A father, a mother with their children, if they are playing with them the tendency is that yes, they go and play, but one is always watching to protect them from falling, that if they jump down the rim, they fall down the rim and that it does not go on the side of the jabot. One is always aware of all those things, because it is a protective instinct.

And when we talk about the church, my brothers, we have to take care, protect that unity as well. Ah, but that's up to the pastors. No, we pastors are part of the church just as you are part of the church. Pastors seek to protect one aspect of the general church but we need the whole body to be able to function in the same way as well.

Let me give you some clues, my brothers, of what we can do to protect the unity of the church. I think that a first aspect that I can mention is the following: focus on the things that you have in common and not on the differences. Sorry, let me reverse for a moment.

All that I am going to tell you now, my brothers, are things that go against our human nature. I want us to understand this. In other words, perhaps today you are going to think that this message is going to be a plate of white rice with beans and chicken, that is what many families eat every day, so to speak. That is our daily bread and there are times when it may sound like a little routine, but it is something that nourishes however you want. So think about this, that the things that are being communicated here are things that go against our human nature but God's nature promotes it in each one of us.

So number one, focus on what we have in common and not on the differences, that's the first point I can make. If I were to ask you what things you have in common with the person next to you, look at the person next to you for a moment. If you know it or you don't know it.

And it's interesting because maybe next to you is your husband or your wife and I would dare to say that if I asked you, give me a list of the things that they have in common and the things that they have in difference, and I would dare to say that the list of differences is going to be bigger than the things that are in common.

Because we have the tendency to always point to our differences, we never look, it never comes naturally to us to look at the things that we do have in common, how we think in common, the things that we can say like, ah, look, this morning I woke up thinking about going to such a place and I know my wife was thinking the same thing. Because they are things we have in common.

And it is very difficult to be able to do this, my brothers, because as I was saying just now, a few minutes ago, all of us here in the church have the same God, the same salvation, the same spirit and the same promise of eternal life. But for some reason in our human condition we always end up focusing on the things that are different from us, we always focus more on questions of interpretations, we always focus more on matters of personality, character and since they are the things that we see the most, we react to that.

If you look at the church, my brothers, the history of the church goes back to the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, this dynamic has always existed. If I were to ask you how many denominations are there today in the entire world? Tell me a number, to say a number, how much? More than 2000 denominations. A little less, maybe I wouldn't go as high. There are many denominations.

Look, in a seminar application, look at this. When I was applying to seminary I got to that part where I had to say what denomination I was from, on the list in this paper there were 75 different denominations. And I kind of wow, I didn't even know there were 75 denominations, and I think that list grows over the years.

Why did the denominations arise? Are you going to tell me why so many denominations arise? They are things of interpretation. Suddenly, something was being preached in a church and someone got up and said, no, I don't agree with that and I'm going to go build my own church. And instead of being the church of Christ, I don't know, give it a name… the First Church of Christ in the town of Watertown, well, this is going to be the First Church of Christ Jesus in Watertown.

Not only because Jesus was added to the Christ, it is already a different church. But it is something that has happened throughout all the years of the history of the church. Through all the years and it is only a matter of interpretation. Because someone thinks differently from... where we are, we have arrived here due to these different interpretations that have been given over the years, and we have now reached a point where we have understood what God wants, asks and demands of us as a church in this time in which we are living.

And the good and beautiful thing about this, and I say this about this church, my brothers, is that if you look around this room, here are people who come from different denominational backgrounds. And when you arrive here at this church, I imagine that your first reactions are like, wow, I liked what they said and maybe I didn't like this other thing they said. I liked the way this was done, and I didn't like the way that was done. Because you are looking at things through the lens of what is already known and familiar.

But when you get here you're coming into a unique context, if you will, of a kind, because that's how God has wanted it from this church. Now, Jesus himself gives us a lot of advice on how to deal with those differences. Doesn't Jesus in the book of Matthew say he talks about how to judge, or how not to judge others?

Do you remember that text? Matthew, Chapter 7 talks about judging others. What it says? Do not judge others so that God does not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way that you judge others.

I don't know about you but that phrase is quite strong. God will judge me in the same way that I judge you. Some may think, ah, well, I'm not going to judge anyone, so that God doesn't judge me. But, it is not so easy to escape from God's judgment.

Somehow or another God does something with us but look, he says:

“…with the same measure that you give to others, God will also give to you…”

And here is the part that I like, "... why do you start looking at the splinter that your brother has in his eye and you don't look at the entire trunk that you have in yours..."

And if you have a stump in your own eye, how can you tell your brothers, that is, if I have a stump it is covering both of me, how can I tell the other, let me remove the splinter. I don't see what I'm going to do is gouge out his entire eye trying to get the splinter out. And there follows the text.

In other words, we have to be well cared for, my brothers, in order to protect this sense of the church. I am very honest with you, my brothers, we in our humanity that is something that perhaps comes out of our pores, so to speak, that when we see something different, our inclination is like, ah, but look at that! Ah, but that one did it like that. Or, ah, look at that one or that one. Or else, as they say, to heal us, Patricia, here between you and me, even if you say it between you and me, however a judgment is being issued, however something is happening there, and we have to be very careful with protect that aspect of our church even when it is in the four walls of our house.

So don't let personal interpretations or character personalities be divisive.

A second point that I can mention, be realistic with your expectations concerning the people of the church. Be realistic with your expectations. How many of you when you got married came to the marriage with some exceptions about what your spouse was going to do towards you? How many can say yes, that when you got married, you got married with some expectations. If you didn't marry expectations that's fine, but who knows if a week, or two, three weeks or a month or 3 months, all those expectations like okay, I have to review my expectations one more time.

It is the same with the church, my brothers. You arrive here at this church and the first thing you see, some are going to say, wow, how cool, others are going to say, but this kind of looks weird. When you arrive here, I believe that an expectation that can cure your health is the mere fact of knowing that we are human beings here, whatever it may be. The church is made of sinners including you and me. All of us are sinners, and if we are sinners that means that at some point or another we are going to do something or say something that someone else will take a hard look at.

And therefore, if I already come with an expectation, that is what will allow me is that the moment something happens, that I then will not say as others say, like, ah, well if it is happening in the church, well, that church is useless, I don't like it, I'm going to leave.

Let me tell you that according to Biblical principles the mere fact that you find a difference is not a sufficient reason for you to stop sharing this unity with your brothers and sisters. Because wherever you go you are going to find those differences and who knows if you are going to find them worse than here.

So, therefore, have correct expectations about your brothers and sisters. Nobody here is self-righteous. On the contrary, as Ephesians says in the Scriptures, again, I return to this thought of Ephesians, we are all in a process so that we can all be perfected for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ until all let us come to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We are all coming to be able to fill the mold of Christ in our lives.

It is a process. And for that process to take place, my brothers, we need each other so that God's plan can be fulfilled in the midst of our lives. If I try to live my Christian life apart from being a member of a Congregation and allow the people within that Congregation to form me, to infuse into my life, I will not be able to reach the full stature of Christ, because I'm going to be missing something. I am going to be missing the dynamic of being able to interact with my brothers and sisters in some way or another.

So if I want to have an expectation, my expectation should be, when I arrive at this church or at any church, I can think, I want to be like Christ and being part of this church will help me to be like Christ. That means the headaches people give me and the laughs people give me will all work together so that I can become like Christ. If you believe it, say amen.

A third point, choose to motivate before criticizing. In Romans, Chapter 14, look at what is said, I know that I am going through many texts but it is important because all this validates the point that is being brought up. In Romans, Chapter 14, verse 4 it says:

"...Who are you to judge another's servant, for his own lord he stands or falls, but he will stand firm because the lord is powerful to make him stand firm...."

Verse 13 further on says: “…So let us no longer judge one another but rather decide not to put our brothers stumbling blocks or an opportunity to fall…”

And verse 19, “…So let us pursue everything that contributes to peace and mutual edification…”

I like it because in another version it says, “let us strive to contribute to everything that builds up the body of Christ.”

Ask yourself, within your right mind, within your abilities, are you doing everything possible to strive to build the body of Christ? Rhetorical question, it's just for you to think. Or are you only one of those who come here to be given a serum, take your portion for the week and leave later?

Choose to motivate, my brothers. That is why I say that this is against nature. If you come across someone who thinks differently than you, dresses differently than you, or smells differently than you, we're going to motivate that person. No one can believe that they are superior to anyone else.

Again, a principle of Scripture, no one can believe that someone is superior to another. On the contrary, Paul says, each one must be sane about himself, must be sane with himself, considering others greater than himself.

Of course, I recognize that in this context in which we live there are positions of authority, there are pastors, there are leaders, there are deacons, there are members who have been here in the church for longer than others, but that does not mean that this gives us permission to stand over each other, but that we know how to give each one the due respect they deserve, the due honor that person deserves.

The moment we abuse that respect, we are already falling into something that is not what God had in mind for the church. Let us always choose to motivate before criticizing.

Look, refuse to listen to or promote gossip. reject that. reject it Let me say it one more time, turn it down. Let me say it with all the conviction in my heart, refuse to listen to or promote gossip. There is nothing more harmful in any interpersonal relationship than gossiping about another person. If you have something with that person, and it reaches your ears, our Christian maturity is measured if we can say, look, I don't want to hear that, see your talk with the person directly.

Juan, look, if the pastor is..., if you want to talk to the pastor, go and talk to the pastor, don't tell me. Look, if Sister Miguelina, if she did that... You have a problem with Miguelina, go and talk to Miguelina. I have come across this a lot, that brothers from other churches arrive and it seems that the image and reputation of the Lion of Judah in other churches is that we are too liberal a church. And they have told me openly and I say to myself, well, look, the next time you go to your church, tell the members of your church to come and try to see if it's true or not, not to get carried away by what what others say But try for yourself.

If we are liberal here, it is because we give the spirit freedom to do as it wants in the midst of our lives.

I think that the freedom that dominates here is not that we are liberals... let's leave it there. What are we going to tell the gossips? Outside. reject them. I'm going to hold those responsible. Remind yourselves of the subject that I am responsible for… Okay? And I'm telling myself. I am responsible for protecting my church from those things.

Point number 5: look, to resolve conflicts practice the methodology of Christ Jesus. What was it that Jesus taught us in the book of Matthew, Chapter 18? What was it that he taught us, let's go to the Bible so they can see that I'm not taking this out of my jacket, out of my sleeve. Chapter 18, Jesus is speaking in verse 5 and he says:

“…Therefore, if your brother steps on your foot, ─ I know that he says that he sins against you, he already knows that stepping on someone's foot is a sin, it is not an accident, it is a sin ─… go and reprimand him while you and he alone. If he hears you, you've already gained a friend, or you've gained a brother, but if he doesn't hear you, take one or two with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is recorded. And if I don't listen to them, tell the church. And if he does not listen to the church, consider him a Gentile and a publican and show him the door..."

Look, brothers, this is very interesting to me because I understand that Jesus' desire is that all of us know and learn how to live in harmony with each other, but it is also recognized that there are limits. If there is a person who challenges the limits and who goes beyond the sense of trust that those limits have, well look, that person will reach a moment where okay, now, to protect unity, to protect the air in this place, there is what to say to that person, look, we've already dealt with the Christ process with you and not yet, so, we're sorry but this is not the place for you.

And it is a reality, it may sound, it may sound strong, but it is a reality. Paul himself in the first letter of Corinthians, one of the reasons why Paul wrote the letter to Corinthians is why? Because there was a morality sin. There was a man who was sleeping with the woman, with his own father's wife. And the church was getting their hands on that case, and what did Paul have to do? Ah, ah, ah, in the church this cannot be allowed.

In fact, Paul put it even more crudely, he said, 'hand him over to Satan and get him out of there.' If you want, read the Bible. So, there are moments, my brothers, where for the purpose of protecting the health of a church there are moments in which one has to be very blunt and if something or someone is not hitting the ball, so to speak, it is not lining up with the things that promote the unity of an institution, in this case the church, those things must be removed, they must be set aside.

And it is not that it is going to be made from a first blow to the first failure. No, no, because likewise, as I am saying with Jesus, Jesus had a purpose, Jesus had the way of how to work things, of how to promote that sense of unity, of commonality. Even with his same disciples, my brothers, Jesus also had to deal with the differences of these boys, since he chose his 12 disciples, since he chose them, since he went to the mountain to pray asking his Father for direction , "Tell me, which of all these people from the crowd am I going to choose to be my 12 disciples?"

He knew that he had a traitor, he knew that he had someone who was going to be stealing money, he knew that he had someone who was either out of jealousy or because of the devil's deceit, that person was going to turn him in, and with everything and that he decided live with that person. And he held it until the moment it was determined. He was living with a person who was going to deny him even after he said he wasn't going to, but he put up with that person. And not only did he endure it, but after he was resurrected he came and restored it because there was a purpose with that person.

But it was for something that Jesus prayed asking God that they could be one, because he cared that his people, that his disciples could be united despite their differences.

When conflicts arise, I always remind myself of this, I once heard one of my favorite teachers who is here, I am not going to mention his name, I heard him talking about the word chaos, and chaos in the Chinese language I think it is, It is a word that is composed of two parts, one of those parts is opportunity. Chaos, conflict always brings opportunity with itself.

So, when one encounters a conflict, my brothers, let's not discard it completely, let's work on it, let's work on the conflict. Let's not get carried away by misunderstandings.

Look, I have a testimony for you just taken out of the oven, warm, sourdough bread, if you want butter let me know, we'll make coffee too. I am going to ask my brother Enrique for permission, I know that Enrique may be eating bread right now, but I want to talk to you about something that happened to me with my brother Enrique this week.

This week, on Wednesday, something happened in the service that he couldn't get to on time. And I got upset. When he arrived here at the church he arrived with the head that he did not even want to look at me and there he remained sitting. When the service was over and he came to me and said, “Omar, forgive me, I'm sorry”. And I was so, so upset that I told him, “look, I'd rather talk to you later. Let's leave it here." and perhaps you will say, "Pastor Omar, how can you do, you let yourself be bothered."

But the thing was, my brothers, that I left here from the church, and I could not contain my tears, I said to myself, "What have I done?" In the morning I receive an email from him where he is explaining to me what happened, that his truck broke down in the 93 tunnel, therefore he had no signal on the phone to call me and let me know what had happened. When I read that email I said to myself… I wanted to hit the leg of a table.

Why did it happen, my brothers? Because I got carried away with my emotions too quickly and made a judgment that I shouldn't have made. When I read that email I was here in my office, it was 11 in the morning, I read that email and not only that, that is, after the van stopped in the tunnel, it was his anniversary and his wife and everything and that suspended their anniversary for coming here to church. I mean, it's like my sense of guilt was even greater. So, when I found myself in that situation I said to myself, "Ah, Lord, this is serious, I did it seriously." I left everything I had to do in my office, I got in the car.

And I say, I have to get something for these guys. I went and I don't know if I made the mistake but I tried to get parking at a restaurant here in Boston, where there was no parking and I had to drive around, I spent an hour driving around the city looking for a blessed parking spot, until I spoke to the manager from one of the parking lots and I said, “Look, I just want to go and buy a gift certificate from this place for a family I know.” And he comes out and tells me, "You have 15 minutes or you're going to have to pay."

So, I got into a handicapped parking lot, he was keeping my car and I ran. I get there all sweaty to the restaurant, "Please give me a gift certificate." I got it. I ran out, when I see I have 4 minutes left to get there. I'm going down the parking lot to get there and leave on time, and I, okay, now let me get to their house. I got to their house, knocked on the door, and the only thing I could say was, "Look, I have to apologize to you because I made a judgment that I shouldn't have made regarding you."

For me that was one of the most humiliating lessons that God could have given me. Because I have responded that way, and my brothers, it is clear that I am not saying this to exalt myself or anything, I tell them and my knees tremble, because I know that pastorally I made a mistake before God. I failed not only a value of the Kingdom of God but also something I had to do as a pastor, how I had to protect the health of one of my members, of one of my leaders. And having recognized my mistake, the spirit of the Lord moved me to get out of my comfort zone and do all the things I did to go and find a way to restore this person and that this person could be well in his role, in his performance here in the church.

Now, I tell you something, don't think like, ah, but we're going to cause Pastor Omar to get upset with us so he's going to get us a gift certificate in a restaurant. No, don't think like that. Don't pass No, no, no, don't abuse the pastor's trust.

But I am saying it, my brothers, as an example, because that doesn't come easy. If I had been in a different state of mind and spirit, I wouldn't have cared, and I would have stayed like he knows that I'm upset with him for whatever reason. Another person would have thought like that, but if the desire of God's heart truly dominates in our heart, when one recognizes that one has messed it up, that one has screwed up, what one has to do is, no, I can't wait For that person to come to me, I have to go there.

So my brothers, let's do, let's practice that methodology of Jesus to resolve conflicts. All for the sake of promoting protection, the health of the church.

Finally, number 6, the most beautiful of all. Support your pastors and leaders. Hebrews Chapter 13, look what it says, verse 17:

"...Obey your shepherds and submit to them because they watch over their souls as those who have to give an account to God so that they can do it with joy and not complaining because this is not profitable for you..."

Let me read it in this version because I like it too:

“…Obey your leaders, leaders, pastors and submit to them because they tirelessly care for you, knowing that they have to give an account to God. Try to make his work pleasant and not painful, otherwise it would not be of any benefit to you..."

What he is saying is that we would be of no use to the church if the church makes our work too hard and difficult for us, because then we will be doing it grudgingly and we will not be a blessing to the people.

But for that to happen, the people have to know how to care for and protect their pastors and their leaders as well. And this too, my brothers, is something that is against nature because when we see a leader what we want is for the leader to solve all the problems and conflicts that have existed and will exist. And no pastor has the ability to do that.

Jesus himself could not do it with his disciples. You heard that right. If Jesus himself could not resolve all the internal conflicts that were in his disciples, do not expect that from your pastors. Let's have the correct expectations, on the contrary, let's work as a team with your leaders and pastors, giving each one the due respect they deserve, my brothers.

I tell him, I believe that one of the experiences that, once again, I give myself as an example, one of the most beautiful experiences that I have learned from how you have formed me, as in my pastoral role, is that when I I came to this church I was young, I was 25 years old when I came here. And I had many insecurities, and one of the biggest insecurities that I had was how people are going to respect me if I am so young, how am I going to give marriage counseling to a couple who have been married for 20 years beyond me? How are they going to listen to me? For a reason they assigned me as a youth pastor, to work with the youth then.

But even working with young people, we had to work with families as well. So, how am I going to talk to a father, a mother about their son if perhaps they see me as if I were a son too. So, will they receive what I have to say? And people said to me, the passage from Timothy, "ah, no one despises your youth..." look, yes, it sounds really nice but there was something that I had to click on here. And it wasn't until once I ran into a lady who, when she greeted me, greeted me like this with many diminutives, “Oh, the little shepherd, how beautiful, how young, oh, cuchi, cuchi.”

And I don't know, but that gesture made me... I know that I was doing it perhaps with the best of wishes, but that gesture was like the gesture that made me a trigger, like it made a click in my head for me have the courage to say, “My sister, I know that perhaps you are telling me with all the love and affection that you have but, I am a pastor in this church, and I believe that I deserve better respect than that .”

And from that moment on the lady was like that, half stunned, "Oh, but I'm telling you... if you can be my son." "I know that I can be your son, I can even be your grandson if you want." I didn't even want to say great-grandson because I didn't want him… but the thing was that that conversation I had with this person, she told me afterwards, “Look, forgive me.” She apologized to me and acknowledged that she had done wrong and since then she has begun to treat me pastorally. But that moment that I had with that lady helped to connect something within me. Do you know what that allowed me? Being able to be a better pastor for the church.

That kind of unleashed something in me, it unleashed a sense of calling in me that I hadn't explored, that allowed me to be a better pastor for the church, and work for the welfare of the church.

So I say this my brothers because when we talk about protecting the unity of the church we are also talking about that, about protecting our pastors, our leaders and giving each one of them the due respect that they also deserve. It is clear that I am not saying that it is not to be done, but that we can have it very clear in our minds and with the intention of life to work towards it. Because that in some way or another is going to allow this church to have a much healthier atmosphere where we can all work, serve and minister to one another to grow to the stature of the fullness of Christ.

I am not saying this, my brothers, to exalt anyone above another. No, may God rebuke that thought, but I am saying it so that we can all become the church that the Lord wants us to be.

My brothers, I want to cure them in health. León de Judá is not a perfect church, we have our weaknesses and we have them well... that is, as you get to know the church, who knows if you can become aware of them. But be that as it may, it is a healthy church, it is a church that allows its people to grow and that not only allows it but also promotes it. And he promotes it from those who stand up here to those who sit down there and see us on the internet as well. Our desire is to protect that atmosphere that God has allowed us to cultivate through the years that this church has been operating, so that we can truly experience the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Look, that we can have discussions where maybe we pull our hair out talking about if you believe this, I believe that, but after all, we can go have a coffee and laugh as if nothing had happened.

That we can meet in a sense that if someone comes to tell me about brother Leo, that in the first instance instead of me saying, “Wow, really, and what else happened with brother Leo, tell me, tell me, so that I know how to deal with him.” No, what about the first time I can say, “Samuel, do you have a problem with Leo? Look at him there, look at that beautiful smile, go and talk to him, come on. What's more, if you want I'll give you the phone number, I'll give you the email so you can contact him.” "No, pastor, but it's just that I..." No. period, zero, that's it. We have to take care, my brothers.

Look, I tell you something, my knees are really shaking here, because I know that this is a message that is difficult to hear sometimes but it is very necessary that we listen to it. keep this in mind, you have a responsibility to protect the unity of this church that you are in. Whether you have been here for years or whether you are a visitor here today, and if you are a first-time visitor today, look, I am preaching this message with all the love in my heart.

But do you know how you can protect the unity of this church? Is it if you go out there and they ask you how was your experience in church? Tell him, it was wonderful. That church is imperfect but wonderful. What's more, look what they were preaching today, they were talking about gossip in church so that's the church I like. Protect the unity of the church, my brothers.

We are going to stand up and we are going to pray. I am responsible for protecting my church. I as a pastor have a responsibility, you as a member have a responsibility. You as a visitor have a responsibility. This is Enrique so you can ask him right now what is the trick to get a gift certificate.

Father, I thank you, Lord Jesus, for the privilege of being part of the León de Judá Congregation at this time in which you have called us to be a church. And Lord, you in your mysteries, you have the way how to reveal the secrets of your heart to us. You in your mysteries only know how the effectiveness of this word can make a difference in the lives of many people.

Jesus, you know very well that the intention of this message is not to make anyone feel smaller than others, but that the intention of this message is that we can all see ourselves in the light of what you have in your heart for us as a church. , Mister.

We have to recognize, Lord, that we are sinners, that we fail in different ways, Lord, that with our words we hurt, with our actions we can hurt, but whatever it is, Lord, you call us to be church. You call us to be a community of harmony, harmony, love, and peace. What's more, you even exhort us to dress with love, which is the perfect bond.

So I beg you, Lord, that this morning as all of us have exposed ourselves to this word, Lord, my request, Lord, is that today we can all leave here dressed in love, that we can all leave here dressed in peace, that we can walk out of here dressed in your character and not ours, Lord.

Father, look, I know that in light of this message there are going to be times when our differences are going to get in the way. And I'm not saying it prophetically but it's a reality, Lord, I don't have to be a prophet to say that, it's a reality. Our differences are always there on the surface. But what can be prophetic, Lord, is that instead of proceeding with our human impulse, we can proceed with the impulse of heaven. That can be prophetic, that we can make a difference, Lord, letting your message, your Gospel, your values and your principles permeate all that we are so that we can flow as you desire, as you intend for each one of us. we.

Lord, help us always to be able to have the same thinking and the same feeling. You have given us mind and not the mind of the world, Lord. So allow your mind, Lord, to dominate over all things, with men, with women, with young people, with children, Lord, let your mind permeate everything, Lord.

To us, the pastors, the deacons, the ministry leaders, Lord, everyone, that we can flow with your mind, Lord, with your mentality.

Father, and that you help us when we find ourselves in times of conflict, Lord, that we can see it as an opportunity for growth and not an opportunity to undernourish and distance ourselves from each other, Lord.

If rumors come out, my God, that we know how to neutralize them quickly in your name Jesus, to protect, my God, the reputation of our people, Lord. Father, teach us how to give due respect to our leaders, to treat them as you command, as you intend, Lord, help us never to move based on assumptions but always seek to have the facts clear in our minds so that we know how to proceed.

Jesus, we are part of this body, we are part of this church, and you give us the call to do everything possible, to strive, Lord, to promote the unity of this body, Lord, so I ask you that the idea of This message, Lord, is embedded in the depths of our hearts, that we can leave here with a sense of protection, be jealous, Lord, of care for this church, for my brothers, for my sisters, for those I know for a long time and those that I do not know, Lord, that I can fight to protect, Lord, my church from anything, Father, that wants to try to separate us or destroy us.

Teach us Lord, give us wisdom, give us your mind, give us discernment, Jesus, we long to live in light of your calling for our lives as a church. So, Lord, here we are, if we have to amend mistakes, give us the courage to do it, Lord, because it is not easy, it is not easy to admit faults, but if we have to, Lord, help us, help us all for the purpose of protect the health of this church.

I ask your blessing on each one of my brothers and sisters, Lord, on those who are here, those who have seen us on the internet, Lord, I ask your blessing on each one and I beg you, Father, that when I leave here May this word continue to echo in our hearts, Lord, and bring us closer and closer to living in light of the call that you have for us as the Lion of Judah Congregation, as individual members of the same. We give you thanks and the glory and honor is all for you, Lord. Amen, thank you Jesus.