Title: How Are You Doing in Maintaining Unity?
Text:
Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Observation:
Today, I have unity on my heart; this concept is not about uniformity. The God who tells us to be one made us different. Our differences should make us stronger, and not divide us.
As I observe people I see so much disunity. I see people separated by color; black and white; by economics; rich and poor; by origin; north and south; by education; advanced and basic.
If we are to have unity in our world it must begin in our homes, and in the Body of Christ. In our focal passage for today the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Ephesus about unity in the Body of Christ.
Paul is addressing his encouragement about unity to those who have been called by God.
Ephesians 1:3-5 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Since God has made us one in Christ, we should not separate ourselves in the way that the world separates people.
Galatians 3:26-28 (ESV)
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
In Christ we have been made one; we have the power to be one; we share a common Savior, and a common faith. We share a common friend, Jesus; we share a common fellowship; one another; we share a common family; the Body of Christ.
Prayer:
Father God, I am so grateful for the encouragement we find in today's passage of the way that Your people can experience unity in the Body of Christ.
Father, help us by the Spirit of God living in us to be one; to be hearers and doers of the Word of God. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
4 But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
8 Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.
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