A House Divided is a sermon teaching us that without unity in Christ, the church cannot thrive. We must have unity of mind, heart, and purpose.

Abraham Lincoln was calling for our nation to repent of its sins and come together as one nation, unified, and free for all men. He had the right idea, no doubt about it. He lived to see the end of slavery in America. But before the end of slavery came there was a horrible division, the Civil War. A civil war happens between two warring factions under the same government within the borders of the same country. But there is nothing civil about civil war. The price for freedom in that war was paid in blood. The price for freedom has always been paid for in blood, historically and spiritually, it’s true.

Lincoln is remembered for saying, “The house divided against itself cannot stand.” When he said that, he was quoting one far greater than himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, from Matthew 12:25, “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:” All the gospels record this same saying by Jesus, that the house divided cannot stand. We cannot thrive in a society of division.

The Abomination

In Proverbs 6, God lists six things that He hates and the seventh is an abomination. How can God hate, isn’t He the God of Love? Yes, but He is holy and hates that which is violent to that which is holy. Here is his list:

First, God hates a proud look — man thinking too highly of himself. People actually say “I’m God.” It is arrogant and ridiculous to claim. Secondly, a lying tongue — those who speak lies. Thirdly, those who shed innocent blood — people who will murder other people. Fourthly, a heart that devises wicked imaginations — people who think up, plot, and hatch evil plans. Fifthly, feet that are swift to run into mischief — people who want to partake and participate in mischief. Sixthly, a false witness that speaks lies — those who lie specifically about another person, sometimes thinking they will look good by tearing down someone else.

The seventh on the list is an abomination to the Lord Jesus Christ — he that soweth discord among brethren. This is a person who wants to break the ties of brotherly love and cause those who should be part of the same family, the same team, to become enemies with each other. But God calls us to unity. How can we get together when there is division so strong, when opposing sides are so against each other, and they can’t both be right. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

So how are we going to get together? The path to unity sometimes comes through compromise, a little give, a little take. But the problem is the takers won’t’ take at all. Their idea of compromise is to have you come and do everything they want, and you walk away with a friendly handshake, maybe. Unity doesn’t come from compromise, it comes from the unity of mind, unity of heart, and unity of purpose. When the bible tells us to do something, it also tells us how. 

How to Have Unity

The ones who don’t want to move forward in unity don’t, they are the ones who reject the truth. God calls us to unity. Brethren are those of the same family. God wants you to be in the family, he wants unity in the family. The Lord didn’t tell us to love those who are easy to love, he said to love your enemy. It’s hard to stay angry with a person when you are praying for them. Be sure to pray for that person. Brothers are to come together in unity. Even Paul pleaded for the congregation in the church of Corinth to come together in unity. Firstly, he tells them to join in unity by speaking the same thing, one goal, and one purpose that you talk about. The church should talk about the Lord and the things of the Lord, the Word of the Lord. Get together on those things that are eternal, those things that matter, are important, and will last.

Secondly, Paul pleads that there be no division among them. You can’t have a church doing the work of the Lord when you have divisions in the church. Paul said that the church should join and work together as a team in harmony with each other with a common goal and unity of purpose. The purpose of the church is to proclaim the Gospel to the lost, to heal the brokenhearted, and encourage the believers to grow. Churches can have lots of activities as long as they are under the same umbrella of purpose.

Paul also wrote to the church at Ephesus and told how unity is possible. He said by endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are to work at it, to aim at keeping the unity of the Spirit, to be unified in the Holy Spirit, and be in the bond of peace. Paul said there is one body, one unified body of Christ, and one spirit being the Spirit of God. We are called together in one hope of your calling — there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

Looking at church history, there has been a lot of division. There are many denominations but there is only one Lord, one God, one faith. If we want unity, we have to come together with one Lord, one God, and one faith. The goal of the church is to come together in unity of faith, in the knowledge of the Son of God, be centered around Jesus, and realize that it’s all about Jesus. At Corinth, Paul says it’s not about individual personalities, it’s about coming together in the faith, believing in the Son of God, and grow up in Him. First of all, we are to work for people to know Jesus, to believe in Jesus, and secondly, help them to grow to be like Jesus. The one person who will never disappoint you is the Lord Jesus. So better to grow to be like Him than the best person you can think of.

Of the Devil or of God?

In Matthew 12, a person possessed by a devil, blind, and dumb was brought to Jesus and was healed and could see and speak again. Jesus is the answer to all of your spiritual problems. Jesus healed the person and all the people were amazed and asked among themselves if Jesus was the Son of David. Jesus was a descendent of David through his mother, Mary. His earthly father, Joseph, was also a descendent of David. But the people wondered if Jesus was the Son of David, the Messiah, the Savior.

But not everyone was rejoicing in the healing and some were against Jesus being the Messiah. There are people who want to be in charge, and not wanting the Savior in charge. The Pharisees were the largest group of religious leaders, not particularly spiritual, but religious. There is a difference, religious means practicing rituals and traditions and that’s exactly what the Pharisees did. Being spiritual has to do with being born again and knowing the one true God by grace through faith.

The Pharisees claimed that Jesus healed the person because he was empowered by the devil himself. There are people today who feel the same way. They hated Jesus because they were the ones with religious power. They did not want to accept Jesus as Messiah because they wanted people not to follow Him, and to follow them instead. They were greedy, self-centered, and hungered for power and all the glory that went with it, and nobody, not even the Creator of the universe, the Savior, would take it away from them — just like people are like today. More and more, people are speaking out against the Lord Jesus, more and more, they are speaking out against His followers. More and more persecution is on the rise. Anti-semitism is also on the rise.

Jesus knew their thoughts. He knows everyone’s thoughts and intents of the heart. Jesus told them that every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, every city or house divided shall not stand. He speaks about having unity in the body of Christ, but he speaks more than that. He’s going to tell them that what they are alleging toward Him is impossible, and cannot be true. He said that there were sons of Israel casting out devils, His apostles were empowered to do that. If Jesus had the power to cast out devils by the power of Satan, what power are they using? Are they all filled with the devil? That was what they were saying. Jesus told the Pharisees that they would be their judges. In Revelation, we learn that around the throne of God there are 24 other thrones for the 12 apostles and representatives of the 12 tribes of Israel. These sitting on the thrones are going to be judging the Pharisees.

One Way or the Other

Jesus tells the Pharisees if He were casting out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to them. They had a choice to believe Him and who He is and know and understand what they see Him do by the power of the Holy Spirit, by God. Jesus told them that He was the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of David, or if they had it their way, He’s doing it in the power of Satan. It must be one way or the other. But if Jesus is who He says He is, then they need to know that they were in the presence of God and that the kingdom of God has come to them, is present right there before them. That is what they need to know and understand.

Jesus asked them how He could cast out a demon unless He could bind and cast out the demon? He used the illustration of a robber who must first subdue a strong owner of a house before robbing it. Jesus says that He takes Satan out of the way and then spoils His house. Seen in the reverse, in order to thwart the kingdom of God, you have to be stronger than God which cannot be.

Jesus says he who is not with Him is against Him and he that does not gather with Him is scattered abroad. He says if you want unity, come to Him. You can have unity with Him. If you’re not coming to Him and not encouraging others or helping others to come to Him, then you’re scattering people away from Him. You are either leading people towards Him or away from Him. You are either leading people to Jesus who will take them to Heaven or leading them away from the Savior and leading them to Hell. It’s one way or the other. A Christian can lead someone to Hell. You are either pointing people to the Savior or away from the Savior and there’s only one place they will end up. If you point them to the Savior, there’s one place they’re going to end up. The Lord presented to the Pharisees an either-or situation.

The Unforgivable Sin

Jesus tells the Pharisees that all manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but there is only one thing that is not forgivable, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, by attributing the works of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ to Satan himself. They gave Satan credit for God’s work. Whatever men say, believe what God says more. Because they did not believe of the record that God gave to His Son, they were rejecting the Son.

Who works in your heart to help you believe in Jesus? The Holy Spirit, that’s the Spirit’s work. Although the people were excited that Jesus must be the Son of God for casting out the devil and healing the person, the Pharisees said no, He was not, refusing to believe the record that God gave to His Son. Either you have Jesus, you have life and have been forgiven, been born again, been saved, or you don’t. There is no halfway position, no sort of there. The Pharisees claimed that Jesus was doing the work of the devil which is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit — the one unpardonable sin. There are many sins but only one unforgivable sin, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The commission of that sin is what divides people.

Unity in Christ

The real generation gap is those who have been regenerated and those who have not. Either you are for the Lord Jesus or you are against Him. Jesus said so. You are either one of the brethren or you’re not. Every human being needs to come and put their faith in Jesus Christ and make Him the Lord of their life. When we come together in the unity of Christ, we come together as brethren.

Will you surrender to Jesus? Will you submit to Him all your ideas, your ideals, and your desires to His truth? Will you let Him have control over your ideas, ideas, and desires? In other words, will you stop struggling against Him? Will you stop having everything your way? Ask God to give you the grace to accept what He wants. Will you give Him your heart, your mind, and your life, and say that He’s the only one who can and will take you home and give you peace? Will you say He is the only one who can forgive you? When you do this, several things will happen. There will be a revival, unity, and peace. We will not have unity and peace until we come together in the Lord Jesus Christ.

A House Divided sermon starts with verses from Matthew 12:22-32:

²² Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

²³ And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

²⁵ And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

²⁶ And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

²⁷ And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

²⁸ But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

²⁹ Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

³⁰ He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

³¹ Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

³² And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Mark 3:25:

²⁵ And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Luke 11:17:

¹⁷ But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Proverbs 6:16-19:

¹⁶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Psalms 133:1:

¹ (A Song of degrees of David.) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

I Corinthians 1:10:

¹⁰ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:3-6:

³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 4:13:

¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

I John 5:9-13:

⁹ If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

¹⁰ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

¹¹ And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Mark 3:2-30:

²³ And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

²⁴ And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

²⁵ And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

²⁶ And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

²⁷ No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

²⁸ Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

²⁹ But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

³⁰ Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

I John 5:1:

¹ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Get in-depth knowledge by viewing or listening to the sermon: A House Divided

A House Divided Sermon Recommendations

You may also want to listen to or view these sermons:

I Shall Not Want

When You Pray