The Unity Jesus Wanted
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Unity between God’s people has always been a priority with God.
1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Why because God knows that a house divided simply cannot stand.
25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
This is why Jesus prayed for unity.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just 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 have sent me.
This is why Paul pleaded for unity.
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
This morning I want us to consider to necessities when it comes to unity found in Ephesians 4:1-6.
Unity requires first…
The Right Attitude
The Right Attitude
Unity Doesn’t Start With Doctrine.
Unity Doesn’t Start With Doctrine.
The reality is unity in the local and universal church does not begin with doctrine.
Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The truth of the matter is, it is much easier to believe the same doctrines than change attitudes.
How many of God’s precious children “know the doctrine” and “do it not?”
If we are united “first in the right attitude” doctrine will follow.
Thankfully, God gives us three specific attitudes we need for unity and the first is…
Humility.
Humility.
The lowly or humble person doesn’t seek “their own way.”
How many Christians have fallen out of fellowship and unity because they got bent out of shape over matters that shouldn’t matter?
Color of the carpet, having fellowship halls, how many and which programs are being done.
Unity can only be possible if a Christian is humble to “not assume they are always right” and listen to others to determine “if they are right.”
Unity requires a humble mind.
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Unity also the attitude of…
Gentleness.
Gentleness.
We are all fellow brothers and sisters who are each striving to get to heaven with our God (Galatians 3:28).
We are also all sinners in need of our Saviors blood who, even while walking in the light, need that blood (1 John 1:7-10).
Therefore, we need to handle each other with this in mind, with gentleness.
If a brother or sister is caught in sin we handle them with gentleness.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
If someone seeks to know our hope we defend God’s word with gentleness.
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
The point is, when it comes seeking unity we must not only have a humble heart and mind but a willingness to be gentle with others.
We must handle people “like we would like to be handle.”
This doesn’t mean we accept or accommodate sin but rather correct with gentleness.
The last attitude needed to seek unity in the church is an attitude that is…
Patient Bearing In Love.
Patient Bearing In Love.
In other words, believe the best in others until given a reason not to.
Often we get upset with people over imaginary offenses we have created in our own minds.
When we have a longsuffering love for others and are willing to bear all things we can be effective in striving for unity.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Summary
Summary
Unity is not an option it is a command but it doesn’t start with doctrine it starts with our attitude.
It takes humility, gentleness, patience and the bearing with others in love.
But unity cannot be complete in attitude alone either.
Not only must we have the right attitude for unity we need…
The Right Doctrine
The Right Doctrine
Rightly Handling The Word.
Rightly Handling The Word.
As Paul so plainly put it to his son in the faith in 2 Timothy 2:15…
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Why is it so important to “rightly handle the word of truth?”
Because in it we find the words of life.
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Because in it we will be judged.
48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Summary
Summary
We will spend a lifetime, if faithful, studying and meditating upon God’s precious message only to find the deeper we go how much we need each other in this process.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Unity is most precious when like minded brethren come together with the right attitude and therefore desire to know God through his word all the more.
“The Unity Jesus Wanted” is not one of doctrine only but of the heart as well.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.