Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV) says, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
A father had spent the afternoon collecting up sticks in his yard, and he had told his boy to break the bundles of sticks and prepare them for building a fire. After some time, the father returned and found his son frustrated with the task. He had been trying for some to time to break the bundle of sticks over his knees, but he only bruised his knees worse every time he tried. He had even tried setting the entire bundle against a wall and busting it with his foot. But the father untied the bundles and effortlessly began breaking the sticks, one by one.
One of the hymns that has encouraged Christians down through the ages is titled, "Blessed be the Tie that Binds." That hymn acknowledges that when we are bound together, we are strongest. Jesus understood this when he said in John 17:20-23 (NIV),"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." The early Church understood this as we see in Acts 4:32 (NIV), "All the believers were one in heart and mind." We see this even in God’s created order. Fish school together. Birds fly in formation. Animals gather up into herds to resist the attacks of lions.
United we stand, and we are strongest. But divided, we fall. We are at our weakest. It would seem that when we are divided, we are collected up, broken, and prepared for the fire. "May they be brought to complete unity," Jesus prayed.
How Disunity Hinders the Gospel
A half-century ago someone asked Ghandi to name the greatest hinderance to the Christian gospel spreading across India. Ghandi’s simple, one word answer, is quite instructive. "Christians," he said. Disunity and division is a formidable foe to the progress of the gospel. The divisions that often arise between Christians send a confusing message to the world. Jesus knew the utter impossibility of preaching love while practicing hate, of proclaiming forgiveness while withholding it, and of worshiping the humbled Christ while being filled with pride. Jesus knew that it was impossible to confess Jesus Christ as Lord, while not showing any evidence of possessing a submissive spirit with one another. It is not just in India that Christians can be a hindrance or contradiction. But it happens everywhere. "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
In Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV) Paul pleads with the Philippians. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with his Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."
Blessed be the tie that binds. United we stand; divided we fall. Unity is a thing of destiny.
Strengthening Our Unity
As we step into a new year as a church family, how can we become stronger? How can we strengthen our testimony? How can we help people know the love of God that has forgiven and saved us from our sins? How can we make our savior attractive to a world riddled with division and hostilities? I think Paul offers some great counsel in Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV). "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
It is significant that Paul is reminding us of his status as a prisoner for the Lord. He is calling us alongside himself, to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. He is not asking us to go somewhere he himself was not willing to go. It wasn’t, "do as I say and ignore what I do" with the apostle Paul. It was, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
And so it should be for all of us. Our practice should back up our preaching, we should live what we say we believe, and our example should mirror the example of Christ. This really is the crux of the matter. The world has grown weary of empty confession and blatant contradiction among God’s people. We must close the gap between our walk and the worthiness of the calling we have received. Authenticity is a matter of salvation for a world yet to discover and know the love of Christ.
The Necessity of Humility and Gentleness.
Look at our text this morning. Again, this passage offers some great counsel for us. To a certain extent, unity is about our attitude and our behavior. Paul first says, "Be completely humble and gentle." Humility is putting Christ first and other people second, ahead of self. Gentleness is showing restraint both emotionally and verbally.
The great destroyer of relationships in the Church and in marriages is the ego. Our egos make us unwilling to put Christ and others first, or to show restraint. We are always enthroning ourselves. Our rights, desires, feelings, opinions, hurts, needs, preferences, and agendas always come first. Our tendency is to react emotionally, verbally, explosively, impulsively, and selfishly whenever our egos don't get the gratification they seek. Relationships cannot flourish unless the ego is lowered and is brought under control. Christ must become greater, others must become greater, and we must become less. That’s the best marriage and conflict resolution advice you’ll find anywhere, and it's free. Humility and gentleness need to permeate all of our relationships in the Church.
The Necessity of Patience and Forbearance.
A second thing Paul speaks of is being patient and bearing with one another in love. This is never an excuse for continued sin or ungodliness. But even as God’s Holy Spirit daily transforms us into the image of Christ, we will continue our struggle against sin. People don’t change in one day. They change over a lifetime. There will never be unity in any circle of relationships, and especially in the church, until we acknowledge this. Patience. Suffering the shortcomings of each another. Accepting people in all their uniqueness, but also in their weaknesses. Giving people respect, space, and time. All of these things are prerequisites to sustaining any measure of unity, anywhere.
The Necessity of Hard Work and Effort.
A third thing Paul mentions is quite noteworthy. Paul tells us that we must make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. Relationships that matter to us require constant work. But what Paul is really driving at is the importance of eagerly working toward, and even desiring unity in our relationships. Perhaps he senses in the church at Ephesus a spirit of apathy and indifference toward others.
If you want something, you will pursue it with haste and passion. You will put your full effort into it, your whole heart, mind, body, and soul. What’s needed in our relationships isn’t some technique or three step quick fix. What is needed is a change of heart from not making any effort, to strenuously working to make relationships work as they should. From seeing people and relationships as expendable, to seeing them as a priceless commodity worthy every ounce of effort. Sure we need humility and gentleness. Sure we need to show patience and forbearance. But you'd better take a look at your attitude as well.
Are you initiating? Are you closing the physical distance between you and the disenfranchised party? Are you making eye contact? Are you communicating? Are you seeking understanding? Are you listening? Are you being available? Are you dealing with things face to face, knocking off the gossip and backbiting? Are you surrendering your anger, hostility, bitterness, and bad attitude to God?
So, there are some behavioral and attitudinal aspects to achieving unity. This is a checklist for all your relationships, inside the church and outside. Yet I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding. Unity in the Church isn’t primarily a behavioral or attitudinal issue.
The Necessity of Unity
Warren Weirsbe says, "…the reason for war on the outside is war on the inside. If a believer cannot get along with God, he cannot get along with other believers." The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV), "There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
There are biblical ways of achieving unity, and then there are unbiblical ways. For many, unity is an end in and of itself. Unity is something that should be pursued at every cost, as if it is the only thing that ultimately matters. Until the day Christ returns there will always be choruses of voices singing, "Forget our doctrines. Let's just love one another!"
You should know that before Paul even utters a peep about unity, he has spent the bulk of this letter setting forth his doctrine of the church. He has talked about election, salvation, grace, the lordship of Christ, the Holy Spirit, eternal life, and more. This isn’t to suggest that love isn’t important. But what kind of love compromises truth? What kind of love offers the false hope of universalism, that all men will be saved? What kind of love fails to warn men of the wrath of God, the sufficiency of Christ’s righteousness, and the necessity to trust in Christ’s atoning sacrifice? What kind of love betrays the revelation, the very word of God? So the apostle Paul speaks about the foundation of unity. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
Let’s take a few moments and survey each these. Paul is seeking theological unity on the ground of seven spiritual realities common to all Christians.
There is one body.
Every single believer, from the founding of the Church on the day of Pentecost, right down to the present, is a member of the one, universal body of Christ. In our Christian Church tradition, we have grown accustomed to saying, "We are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only." The labels we choose for ourselves such as Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Evangelical, Baptist, Assembly of God, Church of God, Christian Church, Church of Christ. These labels mean more to us than they do to God.
It would be improper for us to think that the only Christians are those who share a common label with us. There are Christians spread out among most all denominations. Only God truly knows who the elect in Christ are. I hope you feel a sense of connection or identity with all who profess the name of Christ, even those who fall out of fellowship with this church for one reason or another. Labels shouldn’t divide. We can reach across denominational linesas we collectively seek to understand the way of Christ more perfectly as revealed in God’s word.
There is one Spirit.
It is also important to remember that we are all indwelt with the same Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is who convicts us of sin, leads us into all truth, seeks to transform all of us into the image of Christ, and works mightily to produce his fruit in our lives.
There is one hope.
Together, along with hundreds of millions, we are awaiting the climatic return of Christ at the end of the age. We are awaiting the new heaven and the new earth, the home that Christ is preparing for us, even now.
One night during the American Civil War, rival armies were encamped on opposite banks of the Potomac River. The Union’s band began to play one of its patriotic tunes. Soon after, the Confederate musicians struck up a melody dear to the southerner’s heart. Back and forth they went until one of the bands started to play "Home, Sweet Home." Suddenly the competition ceased, and musicians from both armies joined in. And then voices from both sides of the river could be heard singing, "There is no place like home." Despite many of our differences, we are called to one hope. We are called to a common destiny in heaven, to one home sweet home. We’ll dwell together for eternity.
There is one Lord.
One person likened the Church to a piano. A piano can send forth beautiful melodies or it can send forth horrendous sounds. It all depends on who is in control of the keys. It can send forth beautiful and harmonious chords that blend together and soothe the mind if controlled by a master pianist. Or it can send forth harsh, chaotic sounds that are unfit for the ear, if banged upon by a undisciplined child or unskilled musician. Likewise, the Church can be a beautiful thing when Christ is Lord and when Jesus Christ is tickling the ivories and controlling the pedals. It doesn’t matter who the stakeholders in the Church are, who has the most longevity, the most dramatic story, a certain title, has contributed the most money or time, or is most likable. We all stand united under the lordship of Christ. We all kneel in submission before the same throne.
There is one faith.
Together, we trust in a common body of truth, the good news of Jesus Christ as revealed in God’s holy word. Our opinions are not gospel. Our preferences are not gospel. The songs we love to sing are not gospel. Our individual interpretations of the Bible are not necessarily gospel. So many of the things that can divide us are of little or no consequence in God’s word. There is more that unites us than divides us. In our tradition we like to say, "In matters of faith— unity; in matters of opinion— liberty; but in all things— love."
There is one baptism.
Together, we share a common baptismal pledge. 1 Peter 3:21 (NIV)says baptism is, "not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Baptism is an oath we take to live before God with a clear conscience. A number of you have never taken that oath. You have never personally pledged your life, of your own will, to live under the lordship of Jesus Christ and to trust Christ for your salvation. Our baptism is what unites us together under the name of Christ. If you haven’t been baptized, you do not share this common connection with Christ’s body.
There is one God and Father of all.
Together, as God’s children we share a common Father. The Lord’s prayer begins, "Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name." We are all part of the family of God. We are brothers and sisters because of Christ. More than anything else, all these things should unite us. There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
Christ's prayer is that we would be in complete unity.
As we inaugurate a fresh new year, I pray that Christ’s prayer will be answered in our lives. "Father, may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
Why not make a commitment this morning to strive toward unity in Christ, to be completely humble and gentle, to be patient with one another, to bear one another’s shortcomings, and to make every effort to achieve unity. Get your relationships in your families, in your marriages, in your workplaces, in your churches, and with God, back on track. Join the body of Christ. Be filled with God’s Spirit. Embrace the hope to which we’ve been called heavenward. Surrender in new and fresh way to the lordship of Christ. Trust Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul. Make the baptismal pledge you keep putting off. Become part of the family of God.
Why not let this day, this New Year's weekend, be a day of decision. Take the next step.