In his sermon titled 'Dwelling Together in Unity,' Mike Davenport explores Psalm 133, emphasizing the importance and beauty of unity among believers. He describes unity as good and pleasant, urging the congregation to give special attention to this concept. Davenport highlights the biblical foundation of unity, which is rooted in the Trinity and exemplified by Jesus Christ's prayer for unity in John 17. He compares unity to the precious anointing oil used in the consecration of priests, noting its sweet fragrance, costliness, and holiness. The sermon stresses that unity should be experienced and is crucial to the church's witness to the world. Davenport challenges the congregation with questions about their commitment to unity and offers practical advice for fostering peace and harmony within the church community. He underscores the idea that unity is not just a vision but a reality established by God, urging believers to dwell together in this already existing unity.

Well, if you would, open up in the Scriptures to Psalm 133. Psalm 133. It's a difficult part of the day for many of us if you're close to my age. Full meal, full belly, afternoon time, sitting still becomes difficult. Thankfully I'm standing up here.

But if you would, if you found that place, if you would stand with me as I read Psalm 133. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments it is like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for your Word.

We thank you that it is profitable. And this is profitable, oh God. Give us grace as we look at it together to know something more of your will for us as your bride Your church your body and give us grace to obey it and it's every jot in every tittle knowing that the law will not expire but it still applies to us today. Give us help as your people in Christ's name. Amen.

Well, George Whitfield once stepped into a stagecoach about to leave Edinburgh. A lady who belonged to a different denomination happened to step into the same coach. Observing Whitfield, she started up with alarm and said, Are you not Mr. Whitfield? Yes, madam, he replied.

Oh, she exclaimed, then let me get out. Surely, madam, he calmly replied, but before you go let me ask you one question. Suppose you die and go to heaven and then suppose I die and go there also. When I come in, will you go out?" Struck by his words, the lady then cordially shook his hand and they proceeded together on their journey. How easy it is for us to forget what it is that unites us.

It's not always visible, it's not tangible. Our differences are. They come to the surface and we stare at them. But that unity, that bond that we just finished singing about. It's the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so I want us to look at this very short psalm, Psalm 133. I've entitled this, Dwelling Together in Unity. Dwelling Together in Unity. First thing I would like for us to notice is unity is good and pleasant. Unity is good and pleasant.

Look at verse 1, behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Note that opening word that David uses in this psalm, behold, behold. This should immediately impress upon our minds at least two things. First, special attention is to be given to what he is about to say. Stop what you're doing and look at this.

Consider this. Second, if you research the use of this term in both the Old Testaments and the New, it's used many times in the Scriptures, and you will note that there is an expected response to the thing that our attention is being drawn to. You know how often do our kids like, Mom, look at this, Dad, look at that. Yes, dear. And we go along.

That's not what the psalmist wants us to do when he says behold. Yep. Got it. That's that's nice I like that picture and we go on our way it's there to require a response behold behold So what is this great thing that we are told to give our attention to and to adequately respond to? Well, it's brethren dwelling together in unity.

And note those words, brethren and unity. Brethren and unity. William Plummer in his commentary on the Psalms notes, the members of the same family are brethren. All pious men are brethren, being born of God, having one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one aim, one end, one God and Father. The highest unity is that of brethren in Christ, animated with love and pity to one another, with a common pious zeal for truth and holiness, with joyful hopes all centered in Christ.

It's that very thing that we saw from Ruth this morning. Ruth's declaration, your God will be my God. That's uniting us. Your people will be my people. There's no distinctions.

So we find that in Christ, in what God has made us to be and what He calls us to be and calls us to do, there is a tremendous amount of unity. The cause that unites Christians is a cause created by, generated by, established by God Himself. The unity that He causes to is a unity that finds its source, its beginnings, and its fulfillments in the Trinity, in the unity that they have. When the Bible calls us to be united, it's not that we have to figure out what it is we're going to be united about. It's established.

It's established. It's done. We are...all we have to do is simply to dwell together in that unity. The unity already exists. We just have to dwell together in it.

Dwelling together, dwelling together to live out life in oneness, in openness, in openness, in humility, in compassion, in a spirit of submission one to another, in long-suffering, in peacemaking. And This life of togetherness is to be lived out under the one umbrella of the unity Found in God in the Trinity Consider the prayer of Jesus Christ from John 17. Christ in praying to his Father says, I do not pray for these alone, talking about the disciples. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word that they all may be one. As you, Father, are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me and the glory which you gave me I have given them that they may be one just as we are one.

I in them, you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know That you have sent me and have loved them As you have loved me You see this unity it exists Already it's not something we have to muster up It's not something we have to figure out but we've got this difference and we got this difference in me. We've got this unity the unity that exists in the triune God And notice that Christ prays for this unity to be seen, demonstrated, so that the world will know that Christ was sent, and will know that Christ loves us, even as the Father loved him. Such dwelling together in Unity is declared here to be good and pleasant. These words carry the idea of agreeable, sweet, beautiful, delightful. Brothers and sisters, unity in the world out there, outside of the Church of Jesus Christ, is nothing but a vision.

It's nothing but a dream. Nothing more than a goal that, if achieved at all, it is achieved for a short time. The unity is defined by those in authority or at the head of the charge, and therefore it's constantly recalibrated. It's altered. It's redefined.

It's redirected. That's what you'll find in the world. You think you're united to something and it changes the direction they want to go, the things they want to achieve, the way they understand what existed already, they see it differently. It's not a unity that finds its roots in the authority of a supreme being who is not only eternal, but unchangeable. Our unity finds its source in the one who will always exist and in the midst of that existence forever will never change.

Dear ones, Christ has defined what unity is. We must seek to dwell together in that unity. And to not do So means at least one if not all of the following things first The unity among the Trinity is either not understood or it's not appreciated Christ based his prayer on it. So if we are not uniting around this unity, then we don't understand or don't appreciate the unity that exists within the Trinity itself. Also, you could say the prayer of Christ in John 17 is either neglected or is despised.

We're either neglecting or despising what Christ prayed for. This should be important to us. He prayed for this, and will his prayer go unanswered? Next the oft repeated New Testament command to pursue unity and peace is either dismissed or it's hated We're either dismissing it as is this not important or we actually hate the idea of we've got to unite with that brother? I'm expected to unite with that sister?

Another may be that we are too earthly minded and not considering our heavenly home where we will experience unceasing and true unity. Do you realize this is going to be our eternity life together? All of us Multiple nationalities multiple denominations people from all kinds of backgrounds in heaven forever and ever and ever and ever one body in Christ are we too earthly minded to consider This is the way it should be and going to be for all eternity Next the place of christ as the head of the church Is being usurped by us By our our desires Our plans our purposes our will We won't this Christ prays for unity not for that. That seems so important to us. Well, this begs several questions that we must wrestle with.

Are you working against the will of Christ? Are you working against the prayer of Christ, the purposes of Christ? Is the unity of the church as important to you as it is to the three persons of the Trinity? Do you see brothers dwelling together in unity as a good thing a pleasant thing a precious thing is peace and unity okay, is peace and unity as important to you as holiness Whoa whoa now pastor Don't you think you're taking that a bit too far? Do I see peace and unity as important as holiness?

Brothers and sisters if I read my Bible correctly Hebrews 12 states that if we are not engaging in an active pursuit of peace and holiness, we will not see God, but will rather fall short of experiencing and receiving the grace of God. And in that process, it says, we are susceptible of becoming bitter and defiling others around us taking it too far With these things at stake God help us if we think lightly of either holiness or unity Well after explaining to us how good and pleasant unity is. David secondly in our text seeks to teach us that unity is precious. Unity is precious. Verse 2, this dwelling together in Unity is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard the beard of Aaron Running down on the edge of his garments The word precious here is the same word translated good in verse 1.

So this precious unity is like this precious oil. The pouring forth of this oil, especially as we see it connected with Aaron, is what's envisioned here was the anointing oil that was used for the consecration of the priests to the priesthood to that office. We read about this specific anointing oil in Exodus 30. This is what we read. Moreover, the Lord spoke to Moses saying, also take for yourself quality spices, 500 shekels of liquid myrrh half as much sweet smelling cinnamon 250 shekels 250 shekels of sweet smelling cane 500 shekels of cassia according to the shekel of the sanctuary and a hen of olive oil and you shall make from these a holy anointing oil an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer.

It shall be holy anointing oil and you shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them that they may minister to me as priests. That's what unity is likened to. Now from this text in Exodus we discover some important aspects of this oil. Okay, first this oil was sweet smelling it was sweet smelling in other words It was pleasing to the senses. It was attractive It was noticeable Its scent was arresting It was sweet smelling Secondly, this oil was costly.

It was costly. It was costly because of the amounts that were expected and it was costly because of the work entailed in extracting some of these very things from their natural sources. It wasn't simple. Third, this oil was holy. This oil was holy.

It was acceptable to the Lord and set apart for his divine purposes. Fourth, this oil was to be experienced. This oil was to be experienced. This was not something made up and and said or placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, nor was it something just sitting on one of the tables there in the tabernacle. This was an oil that was to be poured out on those whom God had set apart.

And according to our text in Psalm 133, the oil was to be poured out in copious measures, running down off the head, onto the beard, even the edges of the garments. Copious. It was to be experienced. Fifth, this oil was important to God it was important to God this oil was prescribed by God himself and was not to be taken lightly nor altered at all Listen to the words of God there in Exodus 30 as he wraps up the instruction on this anointing oil And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. It shall not be poured out on man's flesh, nor shall you make any other like it according to its composition.

It is holy and it shall be holy to you. Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people." Pretty important. Pretty important in the eyes of God. But dear ones, I think the applications are obvious. The psalm has said this unity is like this precious oil.

Unity is pleasing, attractive, and noticeable, both to God and to a watching, skeptical world that knows nothing of such a unity nothing unity is costly this unity was purchased by our great high priest we we sang it in that song behold the Lamb of God that's where we find our unity It was purchased by our great high priest at a great cost. His own life. He was both the one who sacrificed and he himself was that sacrifice. Next, unity is holy. It's holy.

It sets us apart From everything else in the world as the people of God It declares that we have been crucified with Christ It is no longer us who live but Christ lives in us and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. This unity is holy. This unity is to be experienced. It's to be experienced. It is not simply a great idea.

It's not to be looked at as simply something that we will know perfectly in in heaven But not until then and therefore Why even bother? Why even bother there's gonna be multiple nationalities. There's gonna be multiple denominations There will be differences even within this church. Why even bother? You see we can actually become hyper Calvinists in regard to much more than assurance and evangelism How God goes about saving We can become hyper in thinking about things in the same way, using the same ideas.

It's to be experienced. Are you experiencing this unity? And then unity is important to God. It's anchored in the Trinity. Unity is the will of the Father.

Unity is the purpose of Christ in and through His dying both to unite us to God but also to unite us to one another and unity is the work of the Spirit. It is the outcome of the fruit that he is producing in his children and it testifies to his presence and to his work. Well not only is unity good and pleasant, not only is it precious, but thirdly and finally unity is fruitful. It's fruitful. Verse 3, this unity is like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion, For there the Lord commanded the blessing life forevermore.

There are all kinds of difficulties in trying to interpret what is exactly meant here. Okay, there are two different mountains by the name of Hermon, one a little more towards the north, one to the south, but guess what? Neither one of them is near Jerusalem. And so we're talking about Hermon descending upon the mountain of Zion. They're not even close to Zion.

Commentators have differed in terms of the interpretation, some of which are not compelling at all and some of which seem to be legitimate and possible. But I think the sense of it has been best represented in the following explanation. The writer says, this verse may be rendered as the dew of Hermon, so is this which descends upon the mountains of Zion." And thus means that as the gentle dews descending upon Mount Hermon rendered it fruitful and delightful even so the dew of heavenly love distilling upon the worshippers on Mount Zion would render them fruitful in good works happy in themselves and blessings to all around them There's that connection of fruitfulness, just like the dew descends upon Mount Hermon and refreshes it and makes it fruitful. Even so, the love of God distilled upon us will make us fruitful here in this place, happy in ourselves, blessing all around us. Dear ones, look at how the short psalm ends.

For there, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forever more. For there where is this there well it is that place where brethren dwell together in unity. That's the place, even there. The church where unity dwells, a unity founded upon the being of God and His Word to us, there in that church, regardless of her size, regardless of her seeming obscurity, regardless of her opportunity, there in that place, God commands the blessing. And what is that blessing?

Life forevermore. Life forevermore. Is that a blessing you have any interest in? Life forevermore? Well, I want to close our time with several applications from William Plummer.

I've always benefited by his commentary on the Psalms. Each exposition of a psalm always ends with a section of doctrinal and practical remarks. Well here are some that he brings up in regard to Psalm 133. No man overestimates the blessings of peace and concord in all the realities of life. No man overestimates the blessings, nor until he sacrifices truth, honor, righteousness, or a good conscience does he ever pay too much for them?

So we can't overestimate the blessings. Neither can we pay too much for them until we Give up what Christ doesn't want us to give up Second it's a great thing for churches to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace We are bound Diligently to inquire how we may effectually promote love and peace among the brethren. We are no more at liberty to be schismatics than we are to be heretics. Religion greatly suffers when brethren in the church are alienated and view each other with an evil eye when heart burnings take the place of love and forbearance where animosities supersede the office of love and malice holds scepter over spiritual affairs. Thirdly, let us study and adopt good rules for preserving unity such as these.

First, prize highly the inestimable blessings of peace by it at any lawful sacrifice. Secondly, pray earnestly that you may be able to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Beg the Lord to keep you from the strife of tongues, at least from taking any part therein. Third, Remember that it is only the devil and his children who hate peace and indulge malice. Fourth, learn to deplore and abhor strife and all its fruit fifth study to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ if we are truly his We have all received of his fullness and Sixly lay out your strength on weighty things of doctrine and morals, and don't be overzealous concerning small matters.

So these are ways of preserving unity. The Puritan Thomas Brooks wrote the following, ah, were their souls fully assured that God had loved them freely and received them graciously and justified them perfectly and pardoned them absolutely And would glorify them Everlastingly they could not but love where God loves and own where God owns and embrace where God embraces and be one with everyone that is one in Jesus. Is that you? Is that you? One with everyone that is one with Jesus.

If not, why not? Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Let's pray. Oh Father, we ask for grace as often our flesh screams loudly and we miss out on the Holy Spirit's soft prompting. Oh, give us grace to be tender to the Holy Spirit and to what he says and what he's doing.

Lord, give us grace to not just proclaim attachment to the head and yet detach ourselves from the body. To be detached from the body means detachment from the head. And to love the head, we must love the body. Lord, give us grace. We're all sinners, and we're in need of much help by your Holy Spirit.

But Lord, we thank you that the unity is already established. May we as a people here in this place dwell together in that which you've already established and may be evident, may it be evident to everyone who comes through these doors that we're a people who have chosen You to be our God and this people to be our people. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen.