Togetherness

unity. what is it?

what isn’t it?

how does it work?

when do we know we have it?

is unity when everyone is doing the same thing??

thank you Kevin for reading earlier..... hear this Psalm again...

Psalm 133:1–3 ESV

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

Psalms 133:1

this short Psalm has a declaration or truth and two supporting similes,then another declaration at the end.

the similes, which are simply a figure of speak that uses a picture of one thing to explain a truth, always uses the word “like” or “as”

in verse 2 we see

like the precious oil

and verse 3

like the dew of Hermon

the similes are pointing to the first verse, speaking about what a blessing it is when brothers, or the people of God are in unity.

the first simile with the oil running down the head and on the beard of Aaron, he being a priest, the oil was a symbol of the Spirit or Gods presence. It also shows the oil running down on the collar of his robes, a picture of abundance or more than enough because the oil was meant for the head.

this “more than enough” of Gods presence is what enables His people to dwell together in unity.

the second simile shows provision for Gods people. dew played an important part for the Israelites and there growth of food. they needed the dew. Hermon was the tallest of mountains so it was known for its dew, but Mount Zion, a smaller mountain, enjoyed the same affect as if it were getting the dew from the higher Mt. showing God’s care for the people of Israel.

then we have the last declaration of the Lord commanding the blessing, life forevermore. Which, that will be dwelling in unity forever!

another nugget that pops out of this text is to look at the direction or flow of action. the oil, the dew, the command.

then we have the last declaration of the Lord commanding the blessing, life forevermore. Which, that will be dwelling in unity forever!

both verse 2 and 3 also illustrate a direction of blessing. from high to low, from the head down to the collar, from the high Mt to the low, from the command of God to the people, we see all blessings are from above.

sounds like , every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father......

Ultimately these similes are showing that living in unity for God’s people is a blessing. And it is, amen?

when i read the first verse in about dwelling in unity, I would like to think this is the way the church in America is today, dwelling in that unity.....but then I ask, is it? as we look at the church at large today, do we see unity?

maybe we don't have enough information to speak about the entire church but, if you have been here at Calvary Bible for any length of time.....you could ask the question,

do I see unity?

or do I experience unity?

those two questions leave us as bystanders though, outside looking in....what about asking,

do I encourage unity by living in it at church?

or do I experience unity? How about do I encourage unity?

to look at our church and give it a healthy evaluation is a good thing but we must realize that we aren’t separate from it, we are in it! this can be a great challenge for us to look at what part we play in the whole picture in regards to our church.

as for unity, as I was reading this week,

at times, it is good for us to do an honest evaluation of where we are at.

one commentary grabbed me with this statement.

one commentary grabbed me with this statement.

Unity is certainly more noticeable by its absence than by its presence today. Boice, J. M. (2005). : An Expositional Commentary (p. 1160). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

I think the writer was speaking about the world instead of the church but one thing is true,

the absence of unity is easy to pick up on, isn’t it? the indifference, distance, the not knowing each other, the busyness of life that keeps people apart. they are all clues to an absence of unity.

and even though technology today tries it’s hardest to make us believe that it is connecting us but really - at times it can cause us to be further and further apart.

although, a plug for technology.... at prayer meeting this week we were able to have a call in guest!

You know, we live in America,

does America have unity today?

America [has become] one vast, terrifying anti-community. Boice, J. M. (2005). : An Expositional Commentary (p. 1161). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

and we see the divisions among the people today.

So if people were looking for a place that had unity, that brought different ages and races together...... the ultimate place would be the church, yes?

The church is called to unity in the bible. but what unites us? what is it that really brings us together and joins us as one?

we are ultimately brought in to togetherness by the Holy Spirit that was so wonderfully given to us from God the Father through the work of Jesus Christ. notice I did not say the Holy Spirits, plural, because there is one Holy Spirit.

the same Spirit that dwells in us as believers, dwells in Christians all over the world. He is our connection, our unity.

Jesus also prayed for unity for His believers.

a prayer that Jesus prayed in is one of the most powerful prayers of the bible. listen to these words!

John 17:11 ESV

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

oneness.....togetherness. unity.

this isn’t saying that unity is everyone doing that same thing, but unity is oneness as the Father and Son share.

They are eternal family. they live with the same purpose. they live with togetherness as one unit but they are distinctly individual. the Father had His part, the Son had His. they worked in unison.

the same for us. our callings are different, but our purpose is the same. the diversity in our callings are unified under God. that is where the church finds its unity.

the diversity in our callings are unified under God. that is where the church finds its unity.

So, a question for us is, how are we doing in walking in unity? how are we doing walking in our calling?

as we answer that question it will speak loudly to us about our part in the unity in the church today.

Paul says it like this...

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 ESV

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

Paul goes on to illustrate his point about the different parts of the body....each part being valid and purposeful. he summarizes it with verse 20.

1 Corinthians 12:20 ESV

As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

how many people are here today?

more than one, yes?

many parts...... what brings us together to make one body?

CHURCH, know what God has for you in the body. do you know? do you see how you fit?

how you fit, is where the unity becomes reality. you are here for a purpose.

may God bless Calvary bible with unity in the Spirit as we live out our part in the body.

And all the glory, honor and victory belongs to You Lord!