Agreement for 2012
Scriptures: Amos 3:3; Matthew 18:18-20; 13:58; Philippians 2:1-5; 13-15
Introduction:
Today we celebrate the first day of a new year. I had written another message series to start this year, but on Friday God laid on my heart something that we need to do to begin this year. He told me that we needed to come into agreement as a Church pertaining to our prayers for 2012. For those of you who completed the assignment I asked of you via email on Friday, you will have the opportunity to bring your prayer requests forward. For everyone else, if you did not receive the email, when you arrived this morning the ushers should have given you a slip of paper s that you could write your requests down if you choose to do so. So before I go into what this will look like for 2012, let me first talk briefly about being in agreement with one another.
I. Coming Into Agreement
In the third chapter of the book of Amos the prophet asked this question: “Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?” (Amos 3:3) Amos was asking this question as proof of what he was talking about in the whole chapter. The New American Standard bible uses the word “appointment” which is translated “agreement” in other bibles. The prophet Amos was referring to the companionship that existed between the Lord and Israel which was currently at risk because of Israel’s behavior. They are together in a covenant, but this fellowship could not last if they continued to be at odds or not in agreement. Turn to Matthew 18:18-20 and lets examine what Jesus said about two coming into agreement.
“Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered in My name, there I am in their midst.” Matthew 18:18-20 (NASB)
Before I share with you what Jesus was talking about, let me first talk about what happens when there is no agreement. Let’s say for example that two or three of us are gathered together at a business meeting and there is no agreement. Instead of agreement, there is arguing, strife, fighting and complaining. Do you think Jesus is really coming in the midst of all of that when He expects more of us? No, He will not be a part of that. But when we get our acts together and we walk in with a purpose and we come into harmony and agreement, Jesus will be in our midst. Do not fool yourselves; Jesus is not in every Church meeting or Church service. Too many times we bring the devil in and then expect Jesus to join the group. Jesus would like to be part of everything we do, but there are times when He cannot be because of what we are doing. If we want Jesus to be in our midst, we must invite Him in. We do that when we come into agreement in His will. So let’s examine what Jesus said specifically about our agreeing.
In the eighteenth verse Jesus says that what we bind or loose on earth will likewise be done in heaven. He is speaking to the authority that we have as Christians especially when we come into agreement. He is saying that we as a Church body have the right to make the decisions that will be honored by heaven. As you read further into verse nineteen, He begins to speak directly to the power of agreement. Jesus said when we come into agreement about anything God will hear and honor it. But there is one condition. For this principle to operate in our lives, we must first be in agreement with Christ. The condition for this to operate in our lives rests on us coming into agreement with those things that Christ Himself would do and ask for. As I shared with you a couple of weeks ago, it does not matter how many people you have agreeing with you, if you are praying and agreeing outside of the will of God your prayers will go unanswered. However, when we come into agreement about things we know based on the word of God, we have a guarantee that God is listening and will honor our request. Jesus said that when two or three of us come together in agreement He would be in our midst. Today we will come into agreement for those things we are praying to God about for 2012 and we will track when prayers are being answered so that we do not miss an opportunity to give God the praise He is due.
When we come into agreement with God the impossible becomes possible. In the Gospels, when the lepers came into agreement with Jesus, they were healed. When the demon possessed came into agreement with Jesus, the demons had to leave. When the sick came into agreement with Jesus, they were healed. When the hungry 5000 came into agreement with Jesus, their stomachs were filled. When Peter came into agreement with Jesus, he walked on the water, even if it was temporary, while he was in agreement, he walked. When the disciples came into agreement with Jesus, they believed that they could do what he did and they went forth and did it. When the lame beggar came into agreement with Peter and John, he rose to his feet and walked. When Paul came into agreement with Jesus on Damascus he carried forth the message of Christ writing two-thirds of the New Testament. All of these things happened because there was agreement. Remember the story recorded in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew? Jesus went home to Nazareth for a visit. While He was there He began teaching in their synagogue. Because the people knew Him, they questioned His power and His knowledge. Matthew 13:58 records these words: And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” Although Jesus was willing, many of the people would not come into agreement with Him. When we come into agreement with God, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. When we come into agreement with each other, with Jesus dwelling in our midst, we are more than conquerors and there is nothing we cannot do. Are you getting this? What are we missing out on because we are not in agreement or the agreement we had is no longer active?
II. One Plus One Equals One
When we come into agreement the rules of math ceases to work. Let me give you an example. If I were to stand here today and tell you that one plus one equal one, would you believe me? The way math works in the natural, one plus one equal two. However, when it comes to agreement, one plus one equals one; 2 plus 2 equal one; three plus whatever number you choose will always equal one. When you look up the word agree in the dictionary you will find this definition: "to be in accord; to be of the same opinion; to arrive at an understanding." The definition of agreement is "an agreement between people." As it pertains to us coming into agreement, one plus one will always equal one just as it is when two people marry they become one for as long as the marriage lasts. If you remember the story of the Towel of Babel, God looked at the people building the Tower of Babel and said that they are "one people." For this reason He confused their language so that they could no longer be in agreement and the work on the tower stopped immediately. Consider what Paul says in Philippians 2:1-2.
"If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." Philippians 2:1-2 (NAS)
When Paul evaluated everything that he had been through, he encouraged his brethren by asking them to become one, in mind; love, united in spirit and intent on one purpose. This is agreement. Paul knew that for this Church to move forward and become a force in the world they had to be in agreement. They had to have one purpose. Seeing the brethren come into agreement was very important to Paul. Paul used the word "if" four times in those two verses. He said "if there is any encouragement in Christ; if there is any consolation or love; if there is any fellowship of the spirit; if any affection and compassion…" What he was saying was if all of these things were present, his joy would not be complete "yet". For his joy to be complete, he asked them to be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, and intent on one purpose. In other words, because of the investment he had in these people, his joy would be complete when they had come into agreement.
III. How To Come Into Agreement
Have you ever wondered what it would take to come into agreement with someone else? It sounds easy. You sit down; you talk; and finally you end up agreeing on something. I wish it were that easy. In order for anyone to come into agreement with someone else they must agree internally. You see, someone can do something that you ask them to do, but that does not mean that they are in agreement with you about what you are requesting them to do. For complete agreement to take place, the kind we need to walk in as Christian brothers and sisters, it is an external manifestation of an internal decision. True agreement is something that happens internally. Turn with me to Philippians 2:3-5; 13-15 where Paul tells us how to come into agreement with each other.
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus….for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world." Philippians 2:3-5; 13-15 (NAS)
In verse 3, Paul says "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit." The first thing that must be done for true agreement to be reach is we must individually put away our selfishness. Consider this example of two individuals coming to a negotiations table. When two people come into the negotiations meeting, both individuals have agendas that they will be operating by. Each has things that they want and things they are willing to give up in order to get what they want. During the negotiations, as each individual goes back and forth giving and taking, each knows that there is a cutoff point where they can give no more. During this whole negotiations process, the sole goal of the negotiations is to get as much as you can while giving up little. It is the same in the world as we often come to the table with our own selfish motives; doing our best to get what pleases us versus what may be best for the whole group. Paul tells us that when we come into agreement focusing on those things that God wants done, we must put aside our on agendas and selfishness for the greater good.
The next thing Paul says in the same verse is "but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." First Paul tells us to put aside our selfishness and then he tells us how to do it. You know it is very hard to drive your own agenda when you think someone else is more important that you. When we begin to think of others as greater than ourselves, it becomes a little easier to put aside our selfishness.
In verse 4 Paul says "do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others." Once we put aside our selfishness and begin to view others as more important than ourselves, the next thing that will begin to happen is we will begin to look out for the interests of others. I like the way the Amplified Bible reads. It says "Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not merely his own interests, but also each for the interests of others." It is okay to look out for yourself and your interests, but God requires that we also be concerned about the interests and concerns of others. When we come together to agree, if I have your best interest at heart and I consider you more important than myself, I will be as attentive to your needs as I am my own.
This is the attitude that we are to have within ourselves, that we esteem others as greater than ourselves. This is a crucial point to our ability to come into agreement with one another. Paul said that this attitude was also in Christ who did not regard being equal with God a thing to be grasped but took on the form of a servant in the likeness of men. Jesus was God and could have demanded that He be treated that way while He walked the earth as a man. However, if you analyze His behavior, He made it a point to reach out and help others. He was not about self preservation, but saving the lives of others. He did whatever He had to do to accomplish what God had given Him and this is the attitude that Paul says should be within each of us. This week I want you to pay close attention to yourselves as you are having conversations with other people. Notice whether or not you are being attentive or if you are biding your time until the conversation is over. If you find yourself not really giving the person your undivided attention, stop the conversation, apologize and ask them to start over. Believe me when I tell you that the other party will know that you were not valuing them.
In the remaining verses Paul talks about how God can get things done when our attitudes and motivations are put aside for the good of all. We are all individuals with unique thoughts and “ways”. Some would call us special while others may refer to us as different. Regardless to how others see us, if they see us as being in agreement then that in and of itself is a mighty testimony. This morning with all of these prayer requests, we will come into agreement.
I asked each of you to bring your personal prayer request and that request you have for the Church with you this morning. We are going to collect those and during the Bible Study time I will place them on the board for our display. Whenever your prayer request has been answered, I will ask that you transfer it to the “Answered Prayer” board hopefully without anyone seeing you do it. Every week we will be praying for the answers for those needs together and in agreement.
May God bless and keep you is my prayer.
