Sermon Tone Analysis

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*Romans 15:5* May *the God who gives endurance and encouragement* give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 *Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you*, in order to bring praise to God.

NIV

 

*(slide) Community – Comm-unity – communicating unity*

 

*(slide)** The purpose of unity*, according to Romans 15:5-6, is *so that we glorify God.*

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*Unity is not:*

* Getting warm fuzzy feelings from a sense of belonging, but the prime concern is how God feels.

* Getting more accomplished because we are of the same mind and heart is good, but the key issue is that God is magnified.

* The definition of unity therefore is not that we work together on the same cause or that we totally agree on all issues.

We do not all have to become the same, or conform, in order to have unity.*

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*(slide) Unity is* the fitting together of different parts in a way that enables us to compliment each other, to be more complete, and to show the bigger picture.*

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* Enables us to compliment each other, (*I cannot do what I do without you*) (Ulli)

* To be more complete, (*I cannot be who I am without you*)

* To show the bigger picture.

I cannot glorify God without you)* (A puzzle where all the pieces are the same will never make a picture)*

 

*(slide) True unity* transcends differences.

In reality, true unity comes out of diversity.

*When true unity exists, differences become irrelevant.

*Who we are in Christ is most important.

We begin to live on higher principles.

Diversity vs. differences

 

*(slide) The source of unity* comes in accepting one another just as Christ accepted us.

How did He accept us?

He accepts us unconditionally, while yet sinners, when enemies.

He went out of His way to accept us.

He died to make it possible.

Unity, then, is found at the foot of the cross.

The cross breaks down barriers.

·         *One of My* greatest struggle to love unconditionally is “I want people to deserve love before I give it.

Where does this thinking come from?

*(slide) The pattern of unity* is what we see among the Trinity.

In *John 17:11*, God the Son asks God the Father that His disciples may be one even as they are one.

How are they one?

They are each different, yet they are one in essence.

They share the same nature.

So in Christ, we are each individuals, but we share the same identity of who we are in Christ.

When we look at one another, we need to look for Christ in that person and not be *blinded by how they are different from us*.

 

*(slide) The cement of unity* (that, which will help us act like we are one), is *love*.

In *Colossians 3:12-13* we find a list of how God's people are to treat one another.

Verse 14 says "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

*Colossians 3:12* Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.

Forgive *as the Lord* forgave *you*.

NIV

 

*(slide) The evidence of unity* will be seen in how well we live out the *one-another* *commands* of Scripture.

We demonstrate unity by accepting one another, by honoring one another, by bearing with one another, by forgiving one another, by caring for one another, and by being kind toward one another.

We love one another.

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*John 13:35* By this all men will know that you are *my disciples*, if you love one another.”

NIV

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*(slide) The end result of unity* is a testimony before a lost and dying world of who Jesus is.

In John 17:20-23 Jesus says that His goal is that we may "be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you (the Father) sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Our unity reveals the essence of the Gospel, --reconciliation.

But what is it going to take for us to demonstrate this unity?

Following are some suggestions.

*Be rooted in God's teaching* about what brings unity.

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*Romans 15:5* May *the God who gives endurance and encouragement* give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.

·         Endurance (*Another struggle I have is I get tired of loving*…)

·         Encouragement

·         Give a spirit of unity as I follow Christ.

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*(slide) Pray* through and *confront personal attitudes* that would keep you from truly believing in your heart, not just in your head, that the result of our life together with all of our differences is something better than if we remained isolated or associated with only those like us.

*(slide) Seek after and work at promoting unity*, knowing that it is not something that comes automatically just because we are Christians.

See Romans 14:19.

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*(slide) Find* *unity with other Christians* in the fact that you both know and love the Lord Jesus, not in your denominations, doctrines, or practices.

Base it on eternal things like eternal relationships.

*(slide) Get* *beyond who is right and wrong* to asking, "How can we learn together what is right?"

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*(slide) Become pro-active* in appealing and pleading with others to work out their differences (Phil.

4:2-3).

Too often we just sit back and watch relationships between brothers and sisters break down.