Walk in Unity

Sermon by Pastor Bob Johnson / July 14, 2024

Series: Summer Walk, 2024

Title: Walk in Unity

Text: Ephesians 4:2-6

Topic: Unity

Theme: The Unity of the Church

Sticky Statement: Church Unity Parades God’s Beauty.

Introduction

Recap last week and the Series “Summer Walk”

Challenge: Read Ephesians over the next six days. One chapter a day.

Ask God to speak to you through your reading.

Big Idea: Who you are in Christ transforms how you live for Christ

Today, we transition from the command to walk worthy to the practical instructions on how to do it.

The first part of Paul’s letters to the church is doctrinal, and the second part is practical. This passage is critical—it’s the hinge from doctrine to action, the bridge from biblical truth to practical application.

Read Ephesians 2:1-6

The main emphasis of this text is verse 3 – “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Paul’s emphasis is UNITY – Walk in Unity!

Our union with Christ produces a oneness with each other.

Because of our union with Christ, we are instructed to walk in Unity.

Three Forces of Division

– divides

– divides

– divides

THE ORIGIN OF UNITY

The origin of unity is the !

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one (UNITY); and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:22-23)

Beginning of His public ministry – Matthew 3 & 4 – The Holy Spirit, the Son, and the Father are together testifying to Christ’s move toward the Triune God’s mission of redemption.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mat 3:16-17)

The Big Idea: Church Unity Parades God’s Beauty.

1. The reason for walking in Unity

The of God

Unity – Oneness or harmony

Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous.

Look at verse 17:17, 23: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth…that they may be made perfect in one (UNITY)”

Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:4-7; 3:6

The of God

No longer divided but united under the banner of grace!

Unity is an essential element of the church formed by the gospel and maintained upon a foundation of truth.

Ephesians 2:7-9

The unity of believers displays the beauty of God

1. The responsibility for walking in unity.

This is a communal walk with an emphasis on individual responsibility.

1^st Responsibility = Forebearing One Another in

Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 

Forbearing = Hold oneself up against, put up with, endure.

It is to your benefit to act in love toward one another. It is to your benefit to put up with each other.

What does this look like? “ALL”

LOWLINESS = HUMILITY

Lowliness – Humility of mind becomes those who are called.

Humility gives us proper perspectives of self and others.

MEEKNESS = GENTLENESS

Meekness gives us the proper posture for interacting with one another.

LONGSUFFERING = PATIENCE

Patience gives us proper disposition for viewing fellow members of Christ’s body.

2^nd Responsibility = Endeavoring to Keep the

Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

Endeavouring to Keep=

Present active participle

-This participle demands action

-Active voice means it’s a continual action.

–Endeavouring: to make effort, diligence, be prompt or earnest.

-“To keep” is a verb used like a noun phrase. It means to guard against loss or injury.

-It implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus.

You are to continually make an effort to guard against anything that would disrupt unity.

What disrupts unity?

You are either part of the division or part of the reconciliation.

1. The reality for walking in unity.

Eph 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

The basis for oneness

One – Primary Numeral =

One body – The body of Christ

One Spirit – The Holy Spirit living within you

One Lord – Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords

One baptism – Spirit and water baptism

One God and Father – Most personal description – God is absolute, transcendent, sovereign, immanent, and omnipresent

The blessing of oneness

One – First = One hope, one faith.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;