Unity Is Essential

Scripture

Acts 17:26–28 KJV 1900

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Today, June 9, 2024, is “National Unity Weekend” throughout the nation. On this special occasion it is important for believers to demonstrate our faith by sharing the Bible’s transformative message of racial and ethnic unity from pulpits across the country, and to practically demonstrate God’s love and our oneness in Christ across racial, ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and denominational lines, by serving the underserved in our local communities. Beginning in 2023, the 2nd weekend of June each year, churches and ministries across the United States will focus on teaching and preaching a biblical perspective on racial unity from a shared text - in either a single sermon or series (Acts 10:34, Galatians 3:28, John 13:34). That same weekend, volunteers will annually unite to serve underserved communities across the United States as a practical demonstration of the love in action as the Gospel commands (Matthew 5:16, I John 3:18, Titus 3:8). The vision is to elevate the Christ-centered church as the key facilitator in leading our society toward racial unity and serving the needs of diverse American communities in both word and deed through teaching the Gospel and service/volunteerism (Romans 10:17, Psalm 107:20, Luke 12:33-34, Luke 14:12-14). This morning the focus verse is Acts 17:26

Acts 17:26 KJV 1900

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

In this passage of scripture is an incredible description of the sovereignty of God over the nations of the world, all the people groups in the world, all the ethnicities of the world, and even the places where all kinds of different people groups live, where different ethnicities and nations live.

God, open our eyes to the opportunities we have to share the gospel with the nation right around us. May we proclaim the gospel in our neighborhood and among the nations.

God made from one man every nation, so we all come from Adam and Eve, so we have a picture of all nations, all kinds of different people groups that have come from one man, so we’re all a part of the same race, the human race. There are many different ethnicities, different languages, different cultural backgrounds. But we are all made by God, and God has determined allotted periods and boundaries of our dwelling place. So when you think about the movement of peoples, you even just think about refugee crisis today, and I’m not just talking about refugees in this part of the world or the part of the world, like all over the world, you see a migration of people due to all kinds of different circumstances in all kinds of different places. You see all kinds of movements of peoples.

Here in Acts 17:26-27 Reminds Us God is Always Sovereign.

I’m guessing wherever you live probably doesn’t look exactly the same today as it did 10 years ago or 20 years ago or 30 years ago. There’s likely more diversity or there might be just movement of different peoples in different places. So the whole picture here is that even in a sinful world and all kinds of sinful factors that may even cause migration of peoples in some circumstances, God is ultimately sovereign over that and he is drawing people to seek him and find him.

So just look at the world through that lens and realize that when you see the migration of peoples, it’s ultimately not by accident. There is a sovereign God who desires, 2 Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

“all people to know his grace, to know his salvation”. We have a savior who has commanded us to make disciples of all the nations, all the people groups, and the beauty is, God sometimes brings all kinds of different people groups to where we are as followers of Jesus. And we have opportunities. I look around this area where I live, in the Metro Washington, DC. There are so many different people groups, ethnicities, even languages being spoken.

When we see people who speak different languages, who come from different cultural backgrounds, God, with Acts 17:26-27 in mind please help us to see that this is not an accident that we are in the same neighborhood, in the same apartment complex, in the same community, in the same city with all kinds of different people. So god we pray that you would give us boldness and compassion to share the gospel with the nations right around us. And God, we pray that as a result of our lives under your sovereignty that people would find you, would find you through hearing the gospel through our mouths.

Closing

Lord, please may that be the case today, this week. Use us. Lord, please help us not just reach out to people around us with the gospel who look like us or come from the same background as us. Lord, please help us to cross cultural backgrounds, to cross linguistic backgrounds, to share the gospel with all peoples, starting with the people represented right around us.

1. Be aware of and compassionate for the lost people around you.

2. Go to those who are willing and interested.

3. Faith does not exclude reason.

4. Know the reasons for what you believe.

5. You will be misunderstood and mocked.

6. Be kind and courteous.

7. Look for common ground to start off from.

8. Don’t be afraid to point out differences.

9. Don’t assume that they know anything (Lay the groundwork.)

All human beings have life because of God. God created us because He loves us and wants a relationship with us. In God, we live, move, and have our being. We live because He is the One who breathed life into our bodies, and we continue to live in Him because of our dependence on Him.

God is in control of everything, including the day we take our final breath and return to Him. In Him, we live because He is our source of life and our source of purpose in the world. Psalm 36:9 tells us God is the fountain of light, “For with thee is the fountain of life: In they light shall we see light.”

The Lord is moving each day and extending love to us through His constant provisions. Since God so loved us, we also ought to extend that same love to our fellow brothers and sisters. 1 John 4:11 tell us, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Lastly, we have our being in God. We would not exist today here without God. The Lord is our Creator, and through Him, we can have our being. Everything in all Creation is upheld by God Col 1:16-17. Without God, we would not exist.

Colossians 1:16–17 KJV 1900

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The very truth of human beings in the world attests to God. Every part of our being was created by God, ranging from the hair on the top of our heads to the tip of our toes on our feet. Each part of us was created by God with the purpose of serving, obeying, and loving Him.

Therefore, we live and move and have our being because of God. Everything in all creation is upheld by God’s mighty hand, including our very existence. We would not be able to live and move and have our being apart from God.

He is our Creator, and we owe everything to Him. Not only did He create us, but He also sent His Son to die for sins in order for us to have eternal life with Him forever. May the praise, worship, and glory go to God now and forevermore.