A House Divided: Standing Together in Polarized Times
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”
Mark 3:24-25
Jesus launched his public ministry by announcing the imminent coming of God’s Kingdom, meaning the inbreaking of God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven. He implemented this Kingdom vision by inviting people into the New Covenant, a new way of being in relationship with God and with each other. His primary expression of this Covenant community was the gathering of disciples in the extended family home of Simon and Andrew in Capernaum. When his biological family came from Nazareth to challenge the sanity of Jesus’ actions, he made it clear that this Kingdom community was a new kind of Covenant family saying, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:33-35)
Although Jesus’ strategic starting point was “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” his vision from the beginning was that this new family would encompass people of every tribe and nation, all the way to the ends of the earth. We can see this diversity even among the twelve disciples Jesus chose to be the core leaders of his new family. Many of these disciples were salt of the earth blue collar workers, like the four fishermen disciples Simon, Andrew, James, and John. However, Matthew/Levi the tax collector was formerly a far-left opportunist who was working for the traitorous puppet government and their pagan overlords. On the other end of the spectrum was Simon the Zealot, apparently a former right-wing extremist who was part of a group of nationalist revolutionaries that carried out terrorist attacks against the Romans and Herodians. It is hard to imagine a more diverse political spectrum in one small group of people!
From the beginning of the movement there was something about Jesus that drew people of differing perspectives together in a common identity as brothers and sisters. Jesus preached a politically potent message of the Kingdom of God that gave former enemies a common purpose. Jesus’ teaching transcended the typical human categories of conservative and liberal and he consistently refused to be identified with any political party of his day. This is why he was able to connect with people from every kind of background and form one family made up of diverse perspectives. When the religious leaders accused Jesus of being demon possessed and his own family thought he had gone crazy, Jesus pointed out the inconsistency of those accusations with the unity of his followers, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” (Mark 3:24-25)
The Greek word translated “house” here is oikos, which described an extended family. Jesus’ Kingdom was most certainly standing! His New Covenant family was not divided! We see here why the unity of his followers was so important to Jesus. He told them that following his way would bring division within their natural families, just as it did in his own (see Matthew 10:34-36). But he prayed they would be as unified in this new spiritual family as he was unified with his heavenly Father. He prayed the same prayer for us as well, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Our unity in Jesus’ family is critical to the fulfillment of our mission!
After Jesus’ death and resurrection and the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus gradually began to grasp his vision of a diverse new spiritual family on mission as they watched the Holy Spirit transforming the lives of people from every imaginable background; young and old, rich and poor, male and female, slave and free, Jews and Gentiles. It was the fulfillment of God’s promise through the prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29) As the first disciples were scattered out of Jerusalem by persecution they began connecting with increasingly diverse populations. The church in Antioch was the first to establish a truly multi-cultural community with a leadership team that included Jews, Gentiles, Herodians, and Africans! Although the new Covenant family Jesus established was becoming increasingly diverse, it was unified around a common vision of the Kingdom of God and their shared mission to seek and save the lost.
Two thousand years later the followers of Jesus are as diverse as are the people on this earth. Pam and I are reminded of this every time we travel through the Holy Land rubbing shoulders (pre COVID!) with pilgrims who have come from every continent and innumerable countries to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We celebrate that these are our brothers and sisters even if we come from completely different cultural, socio-economic, and even religious contexts. The church is an amazing tapestry of people from every background and every walk of life who are made one by our common Covenant with Jesus. The inheritance we share is our identity as the beloved children of God. The purpose we share is our mission to bring the Good News of Jesus to every person on this planet. The vision we share is the Kingdom of God in which the will of God is being done on earth as it is in heaven.
Unfortunately, in times of stress it is easy for us to lose sight of our oneness as Covenant brothers and sisters in God’s Kingdom. Politics and pandemics can cause us to believe our differing opinions and perspectives justify pulling away from each other or even attacking each other. We do have an enemy whose sworn goal is to steal and kill and destroy our oneness in Christ. His goal is to keep us from fulfilling our mission. When we walk according to the flesh rather than the Spirit, we can end up undermining and even wounding each other rather than fighting the real spiritual battle that threatens us.
Sadly, this was the case in the early church as well, which is why the Apostles so often had to write letters of correction and exhortation, reminding us who we are and what we are called to do. When Paul received reports of division in the church in Corinth, he confronted them, But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) When we let our differences of opinion or perspective divide us, we are simply being immature and following our own impulses rather than the Spirit.
Of course, there are issues on which we must take a stand. We must not compromise the way of Jesus or the values of God’s Kingdom just to keep the peace. But if there is division, we must make sure it is the Gospel that is bringing offense and not our bad behavior! As Paul exhorted the Romans, Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor… Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21)
We must never mistake unity for uniformity. Just because we are one in Christ, doesn’t mean we will look the same or sound the same; it doesn’t mean we will always agree or see eye to eye. It is this diversity of perspective and opinion that is meant to help us learn from each other and grow up into Christ together as we seek the same Kingdom. This only happens when we are willing to listen and respect each other in constructive dialogue, even in the face of our differences. Here are six practical suggestions for us to learn how to stand together in polarized times:
1. Humility: Start by reminding yourself you don’t actually know it all
2. Read: Take time to find credible sources that will give you new and reliable information
3. Listen: Be willing to carefully consider perspectives different than your own
4. Learn: Consider how those who differ from you can teach you new insights
5. Respect: Demonstrate that you value those with different opinions
6. Love: Openly express your love for people regardless of whether you agree or not
7. Submit: Ask God what he is saying to you and what he wants you to do in faith
In a matter of weeks, the American presidential election will be over. By next year, God willing, we will have the current pandemic under control. When the dust finally settles where will we be then? It is time to stop our partisan bickering and seek the Kingdom of God. Jesus warned us that a house divided will not stand. In an increasingly polarized world where partisan politics and tribal allegiances are tearing at the very fabric of our society, this is the moment when we are called to stand in the gap and demonstrate what it means to be a multi-faceted family bound together by the unconditional love of Jesus and our shared calling to be Good News to the whole world. Lord Jesus have mercy on us, pour out your Spirit and make us one as you and the Father are one, so that the world will know that you have come for them. Amen.