INTRODUCTION

Jesus said in Mark 3:25 that "A House divided against itself cannot stand.”

Today we’re going to be looking at Unity. I looked up the word unity online and here’s what I found;

Unity - “Oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; harmony, or agreement.”

Unity isn’t just important it’s necessary. We need unity. It’s a must. We need it in the home, in our marriage, in relationships, business, sports, government, and especially in the Church.

But although unity is essential it’s the thing we lack most.

A visitor to a mental hospital was astonished to note that there were only 3 guards watching over 100 inmates. He asked his guide, “Aren’t you afraid that these people will overpower the guards and escape?”

 “No,” was the reply. “Lunatics never unite.” (Sermon Central)

 I know that none of us would ever want to be referred to as lunatics. But there’s a very real and serious problem in our world today when it comes to unity. And yes, in some cases we even lack unity in the Church. We need to be unified.

 We’ve all heard that old saying “United we stand Divided we fall.” There’s a lot of truth in those words. We don’t have to look very far to see the results of disunity.

Homes are falling apart the divorce rate is at an all time, friendships have been destroyed and yes even Churches have been divided all because of disunity. So is there anything we can do to create unity? Yes there is!

That’s what Paul is speaking about in Ephesians 4. Listen to what he says in Verse 3 “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” 

More than anything else the church needs to be united. You see if we are not united as the church (the body of Christ) how can we reach out to others. The church needs to be an example. .

We can’t do what God has called us to do without unity. God has called the church to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To do that we need to be united. There’s no other way.

In Ephesians 4 Paul shows us what we need to do in order to bring unity to the Church. We need to be United in our

CHRIST-LIKE BEHAVIOR

If we would only live the way Jesus taught us to live, is we would just follow His example things would go a whole lot smoother and there would be lot more unity in the Church. We need to live our lives as close to Jesus as is possible that’s what our goal needs to be. So what is it we need to do to make us more like Jesus? We need to be humble.

HUMILITY

Humility is caring about those around us. It’s when we care about the person next to us, the person sitting behind us. And not just those in the church but the entire community.

Humility is putting others ahead of you. It’s helping those in need at the cost of sacrificing our own needs. It’s about not being selfish. Being humble is not thinking we are better than someone else. Being humble is about giving others the credit they deserve for their efforts. It’s not about being jealous or resentful. It’s about caring. It’s about having compassion.  

Philippians 2:3-4”Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” (NLT)

Romans 12:3; 10. “Don’t think you are better than you really are… Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” (NLT)

Humility is the opposite of pride. The Bible tells us that God hates pride. It causes disunity. Pride kills relationships & it destroys Churches. Proud people aren’t willing to admit their mistakes; they never want to say their wrong. Proud people don’t want to listen to anyone else’s advice. And a proud person will never say “I’m sorry.”

Proverbs 11:2 “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (NLT) 

You see if we’re not willing to listen we can’t learn.

Proverbs 13:10 “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” (NLT)

Proverbs 29:23 “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” (NLT)

Do you see the difference humility makes?

Jesus showed us what humility was all about. In Philippians 2. Paul tells us about Jesus humility he tells us that “Our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Perhaps we can look at these verses during the week and use them for our devotions.

Do you know where Pride really wants to take over? In our service.

Someone once said, “We don’t mind being a servant until someone treats us like a servant.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. We need to be humble and we need to be gentle.

GENTLENESS

Another characteristic of Christ’s behavior we need to develop is gentleness. (Or meekness). They're the same thing. In His Beatitude Jesus said “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (NIV)

Sometimes we get gentleness confused with weakness. Just because weakness and meekness rhyme doesn’t give it the same meaning. There’s quite a difference in the two.

If you were to look up the meaning of gentleness in the Greek dictionary this is what you would find.

Gentleness: A word used to describe smoothing medicine, a colt that had been broken and a soft wind.

In each case the main idea is describing a strength that has been brought under control.

What better example is there than Jesus? Think about Jesus when he was arrested, when he went on trial, when he wore the thorn of crowns, when he hung on the cross.  He had the power to stop it. All he had to do was say one word and he could have wiped out the whole planet. But he controlled his strength.

I believe it takes a lot more strength to be gentle. It’s easy to fly off the handle when we get angry but controlling that anger isn’t always so easy is it. When someone gets us all riled up it’s so easy to lash back.

But there’s no real honor or strength in being harsh or abusive or mean.

Self control takes strength it takes God’s strength. That’s the kind of strength Jesus used.

Proverbs 25:28 “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” (NLT)

We need to be humble, we need to be gentle and we need to be patient.

PATIENCE

Another characteristic of Christ’s behavior we need to develop is patience. This goes hand in hand with gentleness.

There are several meanings for patience in the dictionary but the one that stuck out for me and seems to tie in here would be.

Patience:  The ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay without fighting back.

And once again there’s no better example than Jesus.

Isaiah 53:7 “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers he did not open his mouth.” (NLT)

When we have to endure hardships or discomfort and pain inflicted on us by other people our natural tendency is to fight back in what ever way we can. But that’s not what Jesus would do and it certainly doesn’t create unity.

Proverbs 16:32 “Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” (NLT)

Proverbs 14:17 “Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated.” (NLT)

Proverbs 29:11 “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” (NLT)

I’ve learned that when I get angry or upset that I should never write a letter or send an email. It’s always best to wait a while till things cool down. I guarantee you it won’t be the same letter.

You see when we vent our anger we can say things or do things we may regret for a long time. Like Proverbs says “Fools vent their anger, but the wise hold it back.”

We need to be humble, we need to be gentle, we need to be patient and we need to make allowances for each others faults.

MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR EACH OTHERS FAULTS.

When we’re with people on a regular basis, whether that be at home, at work, school or church.

Sometimes we see them at their best and sometimes at their worst.  It’s not easy for any of us but there are times when we need to make allowances for each others faults. There are times when we need to be patient.

Times when we have to bite our tongue or even leave the room for a few moments to cool down. But remember we all have our faults none of us are perfect and there are times when those other people have to put up with our faults.

And yes there are times when we do have to talk to someone and tell them that they are wrong but when we do we need to do it in love, do it with a humble gentle and patient spirit not in anger. Be an encourager not a discourager.

EFFORT IS ANOTHER CHRIST LIKE

No creating unity isn’t easy it takes work – It takes effort and it takes prayer. It’s has to be an ongoing thing. It’s something we always have to be working on. And the very minute we feel we’ve arrived, the minute we stop working it’s gone.

You see Satan’s just waiting for that opportunity to jump in. He wants to destroy any trace of unity. He doesn’t want it in the family. He doesn’t want it in our marriage and he certainly doesn’t want it in the Church. And the moment Satan walks through the door he begins to destroy. That’s why we have to keep at it. We can’t afford to slack off not even for a second.

It wasn’t easy for Jesus when he walked on this earth. He had to take all kinds of slander and abuse he faced opposition every day. It wasn’t easy for him to wear that crown of thorns. It wasn’t easy to hang on that cross.  It was hard. But Jesus made every effort to bring about unity between us and God.

And peace is the bond that brings it all together. Romans 12:18 says “As far as it depends on you be at peace with all men.” (NIV)

If we don’t have the peace of Jesus Christ in our life then how can we attain unity? 

If we’re not at peace with God then how can we be at peace with others? When there’s disunity between people in relationships between husband and wife; girlfriend, boyfriend; parent, child. Brother and sister, it’s because one or both involved are not right with God.

We have to be at peace on the inside we have to be at peace with God before there can be peace on the outside.

Do you need to make peace with God today?

Being like Christ will go along way to creating an atmosphere of unity in the Church. Next we need to be:

UNITED THROUGH SERVICE

Ephesians 4:12 “…Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” (NLT)

Ephesians 4:16 “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (NLT)

God calls every believer to ministry. Service isn’t an option for Christians it’s a part of who we are. The church is the body of Christ and there’s a job for every one of us.

Being a Christian means to be like Jesus. And Jesus was a servant he lived to serve. Jesus even said himself in Mark 10:45 “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NLT)

Service and giving are two of the greatest characteristics of Jesus Christ. It’s what he was all about and that’s what’s required of every Christian. Christians are like Christ.

A Christian who doesn’t serve is like a burned out light bulb useless.

God gives every Christian the opportunity to serve him. And the opportunities are different for each person. We all have different gifts here are some that are listed in Ephesians 4: 11

 “… apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.”

That’s just a few. You can serve in the way that best matches your talents and abilities. We’re all a part of the body and when we join our talents together and use them for God’s glory we become unified.

Finally how do we attain unity? We attain unity when we have a common purpose.

A COMMON PURPOSE

And what is that common purpose that should unite us? What is the purpose of the church?

Ephesians 4:16 tells us the purpose of the Church is “that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”  Love is what it’s all about God’s love. We need to love each other as God loves us.

When we the body of Christ begin to grow. When we come together in unity lives will be changed.

CONCLUSION

A little child in an African village wandered off into the tall jungle grass and could not be found. Although the tribe looked and searched all day and night. The next day the tribal members all held hands and walked through the grass together. This enabled them to find the child. But due to the cold night he had not survived. In her anguish and through her tears, the mother cried. “If only we would have held hands sooner.”  (Author Unknown)