Life in His Name (4)

Introduction: Read Ephesians 4:1-6

A few years ago a pastor friend sent me a link to a talk that John MacArthur gave, where he was reflecting on 40 years of pastoral ministry. In that talk he made an observation that is well worth our consideration as we continue focusing on unity. I quote, “I am commited to certainty, because without certainty there is not clarity, without clarity there is not conviction, without conviction there is not affection for the truth, and without affection for the truth there is not communion. If you want to have a church that really knows what it is to love, that is going to be driven by a common affection for the word of God.”

I think pastor MacArthur is pecking on the door of the very point we are discovering about unity.

Transition: Remember from last week that...

Unity is the result of our union with Christ and is maintained by yielding to the Holy Spirit.

Transition: Today, we are focusing part 2 …

Since we are in Christ , we can clearly identify our divisions. (ie. disobedience, misunderstanding, Quenching the Sprit, Prudence, preferences.) Don’t think that the only threat against unity is from offences against others, probably more often the temptation for disunity come from discontentment. Your elders have been reading a book together entitled “The Compelling Community”. In section three of that book it says this… page 154.. There is danger of disunity when we hold on to our perceived expectations of one another, or disappointments and let downs from one another, rather than holding on to Christ.

Number two…

2. When we are unified in Christ we can, Testify to the world.

Keeping Jesus’ prayer in John 17 in mind. Especially John 17:21 where He asks God to make His disciples one.

The unity that we enjoy as those who belong to Christ is a witness, a testimony to teh world. We have union with our Creator God through faith in Christ. The world cannot offer that.

We have unity with people who are very different from us. The world cannot offer that.

* As we notice from chapter 3 of Ephesians the gospel is powerful to unite people from various backgrounds. Jewish and gentile.

Illustration: The kind of unity described here in Ephesians is like the illustration given in 1 Cor 12 and Roman’s 12 of a body. Unity is not uniformity. Which leads us to Celebrate true diversity. (cultural influence)

Many people today desire to talk about unity. This gives us opportunity to be clear about the gospel. Because the gospel makes it clear how people can enjoy true unity. For example if we trace Paul’s logic through Ephesians it is clear that ...

It seems like the world’s definition of unity is... approval. Authentic unity is not approval. True belonging. The kind of family community that goes beyond the things that usually divide us.

This is what we discovered Jesus praying for in John 17:14-15 Our connection with Christ changes or connection with the world. In it, but not of it. Unity with the world is an impossibility for those who belong to Christ. This doesn’t give Christians the excuse to be mean and nasty; judgmental or snobbish. Rather, we know the root cause of our disunity. Our union with Christ separates us from union with the world. We may be able to get along in some brief cause.... but we are foundation dis-unified with the world. So be full of compassion, mercy, and sympathy rather than hate, malice, and pride with those outside the faith. When we know where we came from, whose we belong to, why we exists, and where we are going it shouldn't provoke us to exclusive notions of intolerance. Rather, we should be humble servants who speak and act with clarity and sincerity. Christians do not need to apologize nor antagonize for being right. The gospel guarantees genuine acceptance, because it doesn't approve our sin. In Christ, Unity is possible, because we have true equality. We all have fallen short of the holy Standard of God’s righteous laws. As a result, we all stand condemned unworthy. But through the live giving act of Christ Jesus our Lord…

At very least, Union with Christ means separation from every other false identity. Note Paul’s main argument for those with Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. No matter where and what you came from, in Christ we are one.

3. When we are unified in Christ we can, be kind to one another.

Make point of rest of Ephesians. 4:25; 32

This does not mean unity at all costs. In many ways, Christians must be cautions not to make unity an idol. For example, thinking that we must protect unity by conformity. Or adjusting the gospel to mean something different in order to not offend anyone. ....

No, Understanding Biblical unity clarifies our divisions. Sometimes, divisions are necessary. For example: (read from our membership commitment) If you are a member of Hillcrest you know that we are commited to Biblical discipline. Which mean we follow the Mathew 18 process for preserving our unity and settling offences. 1 to one. One with a couple witness. Then its presented to the church, and if repentance doesn't take place the member is removed from membership. This rarely happens, but when it does there is a separation that takes place in order to preserves our unity. This is the preservation of unity through clear separation.

Unity doesn’t mean we have to perfectly agree on everything. There is much liberty and freedom regarding areas of conviction and personal preferences. We do need help though in distinguishing what is and is not essential for unity.

Transition: Now, lets be practical and consider the examples of where unity is most prevalent in the lives of Christians, Where to we have the most opportunities to yield to the Holy Spirit and display humility , patience, gentleness, and love. … an example marriage, parenting, employment,

Transition: a closing question…

How shall we maintain our unity?

By yielding to the Holy Spirit. How? Through actively taking up the sword of the Spirit. God’s word cuts away division. His word heals wounds. His word corrects discontentment. And His word direct our steps of love. God help us to be diligent to yield to the Spirit by submitting to the Word of God.

Also, By Praying in the Spirit.= As we well know the Holy Spirit can accomplish far more in preserving our unity with fewer resources and in less time than we can with many resources and frustrating ourselves over long periods of time. So.. let us be diligent to pray according to the Spirit.

Closing: Unity is not something we must create. We are called to eagerly preserve it. We cannot manufacture unity but we must maintain it.

Unity is not an idea, or a dream, or a business plan. Rather, it is a position to be maintained. Unity is a part of the Life we have in Christ. Unity is the blessing of being in a right relationship with God through faith in Christ, which makes right relationships with one another a firm reality.