"WE ARE ONE"

>>>(Illust.) Everywhere we look there is division-even in places where there is supposed to be unity for “greater good”.

*Several members of Congress are leaving to pursue governorships, because the polarization is keeping them from being effective.

*The political arena is all about unity/bipartisanship when it only benefits them.

>>>We get disappointed in the polarization of our government, because of the expectation we have of them to be unified. Shouldn’t we have a greater expectation of the Church?

>>>The title is “We Are One”.

Ephesians 4:1–6 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

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>>>Ephesians now begins to get practical-how to live out the Christian life that Paul described in ch. 1-3.

Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

>>>Paul refers to himself again as the Lord’s prisoner.

>>>He “urges” the Ephesians to “walk” in a manner worthy of the calling.

*“urge” (parakeleo) means “earnestly support”/“encourage”.

*“walk” means “live”. Paul says to live in a worthy manner.

*“worthy manner” means “worthily”/“fitting”-living in a way that “fits” what it means to be saved.

Colossians 2:6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

1 Thessalonians 2:12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

>>>There is an expectation of how we are to live as true believers. It’s about living righteously-not just good things.

*We were not just called out of something but to something-a higher way of living.

>>>This carries on throughout the whole chapter.

*These first few verses talk about it in two ways: attitude and relationally.

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Ephesians 4:2–3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

>>>(v.2) Paul describes walking in a worthy manner.

>>>He says to do it w/“humility and gentleness” (thinking of self appropriately/mild/humble).

>>>Patiently

>>>“Bearing w/one another in love...”

*“bearing w/one another” means “enduring w/each other”.

*42x Paul talks about “one another” in letters.

*Pair this w/being diligent-we have to work at our relationships/pursuing peace/love.

>>>(v.3) Paul says to be “diligent” to keep the unity.

*“diligent” means “eager”-be eager/make an effort to keep the unity (to be “one”/maintain being one).

>>>Keeping unity/being one comes through peace (“bond of peace”).

Colossians 3:14 In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

>>>There can be no peace if there is no love (bearing w/one another in love-not just putting up just for the sake of it. It’s purposeful).

*Fruit of the Spirit-no love, no peace; no love, no patience; no patience, no self-control, etc.

*Are we showing the fruit (evidence) of the Spirit to each other? Living out worthy calling of salvation to those who are also saved (Book of Acts was church to “one another”)?

>>>v.3 also talks about unity saying “unity of the Spirit”-not “unity of the church”. Unity/bond of peace comes from the HS dwelling in the believer.

*HS is not the “force”; He is a “spirit”.

*The HS is not an “it”; He is a Person.

*HS is not part of God; He is God-all of God living in the believer.

>>>Let’s not put God against Himself (division is God vs God-believer w/HS having division w/other believer w/HS).

*When we stop seeing HS as God in us to accomplish His will, we use Him as the Force to accomplish ours-something we can manipulate to get ahead.

Proverbs 6:16–19 There are six things that the Lord hates, Seven that are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who declares lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

>>>God HATES when division is sown-how much more in His Church?

>>>If we are Spirit-filled believers “at war” w/each other-a political body. We engage in what God despises.

“Not only does unity reflect God’s character, but it also gets the attention of the world. People are attracted to unity.”-Thom S. Rainer (Simple Church)

>>>A church cannot grow if the people with the message of peace are not at peace w/each other.

*It’s not going to be our events that bring people to the church. It’s going to be the unity/and love with/for each other (John 13:35).

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Ephesians 4:4–6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

>>>In these verses, the word “one” is used 7x, meaning a single unit.

*“one body”-church

*“one Spirit”-Holy Spirit indwelling the believers (all of God)

*“one hope”-salvation/calling; all who believe on Jesus have salvation.

*“one Lord”-ruler/authority

*“one faith”-belief

*“one baptism”-identity

*“one God/Father”-Creator/family

*God ruling over all things, working through all things, and presence in all things.

>>>We are one.

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>>>Unity/oneness is not “sameness”. We are all different-personalities, backgrounds, cultures, spiritual gifts. But differences should not divide us.

>>>Unity does not mean the absence of disagreements, but working through those differences to walk together under the guidance of Jesus through His Spirit.

WE ARE TO ACTIVELY PURSUE BEING ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

>>>If God were to look down and see NHBC-w/all the ministries, friendliness, events, etc.-will He hate what He sees?

*There may be “ministry” happening, but if there is strife/division, it’s really no ministry at all.

*Do we care about what God thinks about putting Him against Himself to get the ways of the flesh? If we did, there would be no more petty arguments.

*Are we willing for God to withhold blessing if it means we get what we want?