The 6 Marks of the Church: E pluribus unum

What a week this has been for our country!

In the middle of this 4th of July weekend we think about decisions the U.S. Supreme Court handed down in these last few days before summer recess

Two of these decisions have impacts on religious freedom.

First, the court ruled in favor of a U.S. Postal employee not having to work on Sundays to deliver, among other things, Amazon orders.

Being able to observe the Lord’s Day by going to church to worship, pray and serve is an important part of being a Christian.

Second, they ruled in favor of a web designer to not have to design pages for groups or individuals who hold beliefs not in-line with her religious beliefs.

Of course they also handed down opinions on affirmative action and student loan forgiveness that are a huge change from the past.

Of course these decisions have brought great consternation and division.

Part of that is because we have forgotten the founding of this nation.

As we celebrate Independence Day here in the U.S. on Tuesday, it is good to remember the document issued on that date: the Declaration of Independence.

A document that 3 times declares this nation to be DEPENDENT on God.

A dependence that has been abandoned by many in this nation — to our destruction.

Yes, things are in constant flux in our country.

Generally, NOT in a godly direction.

Thank God for occasional wins!

But as we discussed Wednesday in our End Times Bible study, we believe the Day of the Lord could occur at any time. A day when …

God’s judgment will fall on those who reject Him.

And God’s salvation will appear to those who are eagerly looking for Him.

Our Wednesday Bible study for adults is a good time to look at scripture and how it applies to these tumultuous times.

We dig into the spiritual preparations for this time in which we are living.

I’m not an economist, a international political expert, a spy or anything as exotic as that

I’m just a preacher of the Gospel — a student of the Bible.

And I encourage us to pray, read the Bible, walk in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and trust God.

I pray we can be in agreement on those 4 things in particular.

Unity is a powerful force.

Unity (from Worldview)

Worldview magazine speaks of efforts to evangelize northwestern Argentina.

The missionaries working there realize their efforts are more effective when they are done in unity.

Unity is required to be effective in doing God’s Kingdom work.

Jesus said in our text this morning:

John 17:20-23 “I [not praying] on behalf of these [men] alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even 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 sent Me. 22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

We have been looking at John 17:13-26 for a few weeks.

We have seen how Jesus called us to be marked as individuals and as a church by:

Love

By a fullness of joy.

And now, even though we are a people who come from very diverse backgrounds, Jesus is calling on us as His Body, the Church to be marked by a radical characteristic.

One that is rare in this chaotic, fragmented world in which we live.

This mark is so radical that people outside of relationship with Jesus will be amazed.

They will be drawn.

This characteristic, this mark?

Unity.

Jesus has given His Holy Spirit to accomplish this Unity.

Ephesians 4:1–3 (LSB) Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

This mark of unity will cause the world to believe that our Heavenly Father sent Jesus.

It will cause unbelievers to consider the Gospel, to be drawn to Jesus, to repent and to be saved.

In light of our diversity molded into unity, I would like for us to consider something stamped into every coin and printed on the back of every dollar bill:

Do you see it?

It is the Latin phrase: E plurabus unum

E pluribus unum Latin for "Out of many, one" (also translated as "One out of many"[3] or "One from many"[4]) –

is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with

Annuit cœptis (Latin for "he approves the undertaking [lit. 'things undertaken']")

and Novus ordo seclorum (Latin for "New order of the ages")

which appear on the reverse of the Great Seal;

its inclusion on the seal was approved in an act of the U.S. Congress in 1782.

While its status as national motto was for many years unofficial, E pluribus unum was still considered the de facto motto of the United States from its early history.

Eventually, the U.S. Congress passed an act in 1956 (H. J. Resolution 396), adopting "In God We Trust" as the official motto.[6]

That the phrase "E pluribus unum" has thirteen letters makes its use symbolic of the original Thirteen Colonies which rebelled against the rule of the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first thirteen states, represented today as the thirteen stripes on the US flag.

Whatever is intended for the Great Seal of the U.S., E pluribus unum, should speak to us concerning the church.

God, through His supernatural power, has taken us from many different backgrounds, many different personalities, many different levels of education and ability — many different parts united into one whole.

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (LSB) For consider your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may abolish the things that are, 29 so that no flesh may boast before God.

That certainly defines most of us before Jesus: foolish, weak, base, dishonorable, dispised…

But God has united us together into one in Him.

Galatians 3:28 (LSB) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:11–16 (LSB) Therefore, remember that formerly you—the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might create the two into one new man, making peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.

So, God is calling His Bride, His Body, His building into unity.

He is is calling us, this church, to walk together in unity, so that those around us will be drawn to salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Church

Speaking of the church, through interactions with several people, my attention has been constantly drawn to the doctrine of the church for the past couple of weeks.

From conversations I have had with multiple people I have come to believe there is a lack of understanding of what the church is, who is in it and what it is supposed to do.

Even though this doctrine of the church is clearly stated in our constitution — how many have read the constitution?

When you become a member of the church you are given a copy of it, but how many read it?

So, let me review what we believe.

First, the church is NOT human in origin, it is divinely ordained by Jesus Himself.

He said in:

Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Jesus says in this verse that He is establishing His EK- leh- see-ah.

Literally the word means to “call out of.”

PC Nelson’s Bible Doctrines (a book that AG credentialed ministers used to have to study) says: The Church, therefore, consists of people who have been “called out of” sin and the world and who have assembled for a common purpose.

This called out group of people, the church, consists

“… only those who have been saved or born again of the Spirit of God.

Only these are the true members of Jesus’ Church

That’s who we are.

That’s who is in the true Church.

But what are we supposed to be doing?

Again, referring to PC Nelson’s Bible Doctrines, but which is also expressed in our constitution:

… the priority reason-for-being of the Assemblies of God as part of the Church is:

a. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15, 16).

b. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (1 Corinthians 12:13).

c. To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11–16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).

Unity Advances the Kingdom

The only way we can evangelize the world is as we do so in love and in unity.

Jesus said in John 13:34–35 (LSB) “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And, as I already read, Jesus prayed to His Father … John 17:20–21 (LSB) “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even 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 sent Me.

Jesus told us these 2 marks enable the world apart from Him can KNOW He is Messiah, sent from God to save the world from sin and death.

Does unity mean we all think alike?

We never disagree?

We never have conflict?

Not at all!

We see different thinking, different approaches, sometimes even rebuking another all through the New Testament.

And at the same time we manifestations of unity.

In Acts 2 unity created the environment for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2:1–4 (NKJV) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In Acts 4 we again see unity on display and the results:

Acts 4:23–24 (LSB) So when [Peter and John] were released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and [prayed]…

Acts 4:31–33 (LSB) And when they had prayed earnestly, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with confidence. 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and not one was saying that any of his possessions was his own, but, for them, everything was common. 33 And with great power the apostles were bearing witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

An environment of unity will allow US to see God move in amazing ways.

We will see the lost saved, the sick healed, the demon-possessed and oppressed delivered.

We will see the signs and wonders promised in the Word of God.

How Do We Have Unity?

If love, God’s love in us and the unity of the Holy Spirit are so important to win the world to Jesus, how do we achieve them?

Psalm 133 tells us how desirable it is: Psalm 133:1–3 (LSB) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the good oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there, Yahweh commanded the blessing—life forever.

First of all, unity has been achieved for us by Jesus.

Remember what I read a moment ago?

Eph 2:16 “ [Jesus has] reconciled them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.”

Jesus gives us unity through what He did on the Cross.

We just have to walk in the unity He gives.

We do that:

Through much prayer — may we pray for thee realization of what Jesus has done on the Cross.

By dying to self: Galatians 2:20 (LSB) “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

By doing what says: Romans 12:10 (LSB) being devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor,

By doing what says: Philippians 2:3–4 (LSB) doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, 4 not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Surrender

As the worship team comes…

May we come to a place of surrender to what God wants to do in us.

Call for salvation.

Call for all to come to pray for unity.