With One Accord

Acts 1:14

With One Accord

What we want to focus on is the idea of “one accord.” Just for clarity… this is not talking about a Honda vehicle or a musical instrument (also known as an accordion) … We are talking about people being with “one purpose and mind.” We are talking about being together, as one.

These people… this church family, continued together with one purpose and one mind… as they waited together. With one accord they prayed together, lifted up their voices together day after day.

What is God’s will? To be divided? Is it God’s will that His people be of one accord? Yes.

This is the will of God for our lives, and it is needed this day and time. What was going on in Acts 1:14? Jesus has ascended, told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit, not to leave, but they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came to them.

So… with this command and promise… they did just that. With one accord, with one purpose and one mind the people prayed and waited together until Jesus did what He said He would do.

There is a Command and a Promise.

Boy, if we, the Church could just grasp this and practice this together. What? This is a Command and there is a Promise.

Being in one accord, being of one mind together and one purpose together is a command… and the Spirit will move.

There is a Command: Come together. Be together, in Jesus Name. Come together and be the Church.

But: When we get together… to pray, praise, sing, worship and be under the Word… Our minds as a whole don’t always seem to be in the same place. We don’t always get together and have the same purpose together.

That is why some church services are dull, lull, without joy, passion and power – We don’t gather together with the right minds and hearts, and we come in divided, minds all over the place.

What would happen as these people would continue this practice? Acts 2:1 – “Now when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” When they (120 disciples according to 1:15) continued together praying and seeking the Lord together… they were filled together.

Did the Church stop being in one accord after Pentecost? No. Acts 2:46 – “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people… and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

What happened when they (a smaller group) were in need of courage? Acts 4:24 – They raised their voices to God in one accord and prayed together, and they were all filled the Spirit and boldness.

Acts 4:32 – The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…

Here is what the early church was doing together: The were one together.

But how can we walk together as one? Amos 3:3 – “How can two walk together unless they are agreed?”

They as individuals were following the leader, Jesus. Jesus was bringing them together as a family, as one.

Jesus brings the family to one foundation, one focus, one purpose, one mind, and heart together. This is the will and desire of Christ for His Church.

And… Sometimes the church needs to be called back to this. Take a look at the church in Corinth…

The Church in Corinth needed to work on this. Paul writes to them: 1 Cor. 1:10 – “I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

What was going on in that church? They had their minds on carnal things and acting like a bunch of babies, not focused on the things of God, the work of Christ, or the unity of the Church.

Their minds were on me, my, mine, myself and I. So, therefore, there were divisions and problems going on inside the church. Love was not being practiced, and self was being exalted.

Listen: This will always bring death to community (unity within a communion).

Being of the same mind and accord can be said of groups that are only focused of themselves and their own selfish ambitions… But it is not to describe the church.

It’s not about you. It is about God and others. Focus on them.

Have the same mind, get focused together on the Gospel, obey Christ, practicing godly discipline, loving one another, practicing and teaching sound doctrine, and waiting for Christ’s return. Become sober minded and practice godliness.

Go to war against divisions and be one. Get back to Christ, to the Gospel, and unify on Him.

What else does the New Testament say about being in one accord?

Wear Philippians 2:2 – Be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. How does this look?

Read verses 3-4 – Do not practice selfishness, selfish ambition, be lowly of mind, and let each esteem others better than himself. Look out for the interests of others as well as yourself. Serve one another.

Sounds pretty similar, doesn’t it? These are different groups of people hearing the same message.

And lastly: Peter also gives the same command in 1 Peter 3:8 – “Be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this… that you may inherit a blessing.”

We are called to this. And when we practice this, we will experience a blessing.

Listen: Jesus prayed oneness in the Church: John 17:20-21 – Father I pray for all who will believe in Me… that they all may be one… One as the Father, Son, and Spirit are One.

That’s the goal and the vision. Our oneness glorifies God. It pleases Him. And we are blessed.

And it takes each individual committing their lives to Christ and to each other in order to achieve it.