Psalm 133

Psalm 133:1
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

Immediately as I read this verse this morning John 15 came rushing into my mind. So I turned there, started reading and I eventually ended with John 20:17 where Jesus, after the resurrection, tells Mary "...go to My brethren..."

John 15 is some powerful stuff, and in verse 15 Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants...but I call you friends..." and this growth of relationship ends in John 20 with Jesus calling his disciples "brethren". As I sat there and looked it over I just had this awesome time praising the Lord and thanking Him that He's chosen me like we read in the last chapter, but not only has He chosen me, His Son Jesus Christ - who is co-equal with God! - has called me not only friend but brethren!

Brethren doesn't just mean buddies or even best friends or anything on that level. Brethren means born of the same father, and in this case, that means God the Father! This is incredible stuff to dwell on. I'm not going too far into this for the sake of time, but man, what does that verse of Psalm 133 mean in light of Jesus Christ Himself as the brethren referred to!

First, John 15 has Jesus literally pleading with us to abide in Him, to dwell together with Him in unity. How many times does He have to say it before we get it! Getting it only happens when we do it! Tozer talks about nominal verses practical beliefs, with nominal beliefs being theologically correct but having little if any impact on our lives and the practical beliefs being those that shape us, that hold us, that influence our everyday decisions. Our Christianity today mainly consists of nominal beliefs and so it's no surprise this call to abide is itself a nominal belief for most! We just don't do it! It makes no difference how many times I've read the verse, how spotlessly I can recite it, how I can explain the significance of the analogy of the vine, etc., etc., if I don't then abide!

I am a branch, He is the vine. Unity is implicit in that relationship! Not abiding in Him is to be cast out, withered, and burned. There's no third option, there's no escaping the inevitable end, and there will be no special pleading come that day when either He returns in glory or you or I close our eyes in this world for the last time. Practical abiding with Jesus Christ is to dwell together in unity and verse 1 of Psalm 133 tells us how good and how pleasant it is to abide in Jesus Christ!

Necessary disclaimer: abiding in Christ is not a health and wealth gospel! It is following Jesus Christ where He went and where He still goes today. It is a life that we live to His glory, not our own, and it's marked by the same humility, self-sacrifice, love, service, compassion, meekness, etc. that Jesus' life was. It is not a life that's good and pleasant when viewed from the eyes of the world! They will look at us and not only laugh, but if we're doing it right, they're violently oppose us! Come show me a black eye or slashed tires or worse for the name of Christ and I'll show you someone who's abiding! Mindful that my eyes are healthy and my tires full of air, I ask myself how well I'm doing abiding in Him and the answer causes me to further understand how little I care for those lost around me and how much I still care about myself, my image, my reputation. Of that I'm ashamed and it causes me to seek Him more, never less. Remember, condemnation is from the devil and leads us away from God, conviction is from the Holy Spirit and leads us to the One who loved us so much He sent His only Son to die for us!

Randy said it the other night, am I willing to be a fool for Christ? Maggie and I are going through Matthew and last night we read through the trial of Jesus were He's stripped and beaten and spat upon and mocked in front of the entire Praetorium. Very God became very Man and endured humility and shame to the absolute maximum so that I might receive His blessing that closes out Psalm 133; that is, life forevermore! He became sin for me that I might become the very righteousness of God. And He invites me and you today to dwell together with Him as brethren! What a sweet deal this is!

God Bless
Josh