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One for
All,
All for
One
By Phil Beals
Scripture Reading: - John 12:20-26
Text:-
John 12:26
Resp. Reading:-
Matthew 5:6-12a
Feb 9/14 – LCC
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One for All, All for One
A couple of weeks ago you may remember me making reference to a book by Henry Blackaby, called,
Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God. It makes excellent study material and I think Ray
and Rose are considering using this book in their small group.
Anyway, in Blackaby’s book, he deals with a number of what he calls realities. Two of those realities read
as follows:


God is always at work around you, and
God invites you to become involved with Him in His work
When I was first drawn to this subject for this morning, several weeks ago, the original title was a
question. “Are you working for God or with God.”
However, as I was drawn further into the preparation, over time, I came to th erealization that the new title
is more appropriate.
I say that, because we are called to work for God as well as with God, but it is a team effort … it is not a
one sided effort.
Before I go any further, let me draw you to a key verse from our Scripture reading this morning,
specifically verse 26. Jesus points out this all important fact to Andrew and Philip:
“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will
honor the one who serves me.”Note that phrase ‘ where I am, my servant also will be’
It is a matter of His servants joining Him in what He is doing, not the other way around as many think it
should be.
For example, look at what he had to say to Amos, to be delivered to the people of Israel, in Amos 3:7:
“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”
In other words, He does reveal Himself and His plans to us, if we open our eys, ears and heart to His
leading. Then we find out what he is doing so we can join Him in the effort.
How about this reference, which reminds us of why we are to try to emulate Christ. In John 5, the Jewish
leaders are on His case, again, after He heals a man on the Sabbath.
Not only that, but they really got their togas in a knot when He referred to God the Father as His Father.
Here is where that picks up:
“Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do
only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.For the
Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works
than these, so that you will be amazed.”
The simple message is that God blazes the trail … we should join Him … because obviously He knows
better what and how to do things than we might think. Therefore, why not learn from the best.
In Blackaby’s book, he writes – “I think God is crying out and shouting to us, “Don’t just do
something … Stand there! … Enter into a love relationship … Get to know me … a time will come
when the doing will be called for … but we cannot skip the relationship.”
This is the complete opposite of our normal mind set. Our mind tells us we must always be doing
something. Most people will actually say thinks like … ‘stop standing there … do something.’
We also typically act as if God tells us what He wants us to do then sends us off on our own to figure it
out by ourselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is never the Biblical picture.
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Look at what we have been reading in Genesis and now the first part of Exodus, including at the very
least His dealings with Moses.
God accomplishes His work through His people. However, He does not expect us to take the reins
without some preparation. In Jeremiah 18:6, we find these words - “Like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand.”
He prepares the unprepared, so to speak. In the series of slides that show before the service each
Sunday, there is one slide that reads as follows:
In the advance Scripture reading for this week from Acts 9, you would have read about Saul, later to be
named Paul, and his conversion on the road to Damascus.
You would have read how he was changed by God, and as God led, not Paul, he went out to spread the
Gospel to the Gentile nations.
Of course God called on a man, Ananias, to help Paul back to health. Paul’s reputation as a murderer of
Christians made Ananias nervous, but God said, in verse 15 of the pre-reading:
“Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of
Israel.”
Then there is a story of Paul’s dream of a man in Macedonia, in Acts 16, calling for him to come and
spread the Gospel in his country.
I came across a quote where the famous preacher Dwight L. Moody, who was an uneducated shoe
salesman, considered what God had called him to: He thought …
“… by the Holy Spirit in him, he’d (thinking of himself) be one of those men. And then
suddenly in that high gallery he saw something he never realized before, it was not Mr.
Spurgeon after all who was doing that work, it was God. And if God could use Mr.
Spurgeon why should He not use the rest of us, and why should we not all just lay
ourselves at the Master’s feet and say to Him, ‘Send me! Use me!”
When we surrender ourselves to the Master, amazing things start to happen … fantastic things start to
happen … things that we never would have imagined in our finite minds start to happen … God starts to
happen … and if you have hitched your wagon to His … you will start to happen.
Key phrase … ‘surrender ourselves to the Master’
I am drawn then to Paul’s opening words in Romans 12, which read as follows:
“I beseech you (implore you … I beg of you … I entreat you … I exhort you … in all sense of reasoning)
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.”
There is that surrendering …
A few moments ago you heard me say this – “We typically act as if God tells us what He wants us to do
then sends us off on our own to figure it out by ourselves. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Consider these words … "Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno" You’re looking at me as if to say
WHAT? "Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno" – One for All, All for One. I know my latin is a little
rusty … but …
That motto is traditionally associated with the heroes of the novel The Three Musketeers written by
Alexandre Dumas. It is also thought to be a motto in Switzerland.
It is also reported that in a meeting in 1618 between leaders of the Bohemian Catholic and Protestant
communities, a representative of the Protestants read a letter affirming that,
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"As they also absolutely intended to proceed with the execution against us, we came to a
unanimous agreement among ourselves that, regardless of any loss of life and limb, honour and
property, we would stand firm, with all for one and one for all... nor would we be subservient, but
rather we would loyally help and protect each other to the utmost, against all difficulties."
It is probably easy for us to figure out what that saying means, but here are some opinions which I
gleaned from the internet, that make sense …
I like this one –
“All the members of a group support each of the individual members, and the individual members
pledge to support the group … Basically it means All have one common goal, that all are working
for, so they will work together to reach that goal. It's a great motto for teamwork and the ability to
get things done if all on a team work for it.”
This one is even better –
“Means that one person would give his life for the group of people insinuated in the phrase and
that all of the people would give their lives for even only one of the people. Using this phrase
shows extreme loyalty, respect, and friendship to the people that are being talked about.”
There’s that relationship thing I talked about in the beginning.
You can guess how we might apply the sacrifice of the one for the many and the sacrifice of the many for
the one. Think about that for a few moments.
It also means that you'll stick together as a team; it means for one person, all pull for the one and the one
will help them all.It's a saying of loyalty and respect, and team-work. Also ponder that one …
How might we apply that to this message? Consider this …
The One, Christ, gave His life for all, that not only might we be saved, but also that we might be
empowered through His strength to both work for and with Him in what He calls us to do, which is the all
for one.
God offers this promise to all … as I draw this to a close … from Deuteronomy 4; Deuteronomy 31;
Joshua 1, and Hebrews 13 … “I will never leave you nor forsakeyou.” We may forsake Him but He
will never forsake us.
One for All, All for One …
Let’s pray …
(Pray)
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