Another Unity Sermon

1 Cor 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

For those who applaud 81 churches plus house groups in a town of 30K and a new one every six months or think we should have a buffet of churches to pick from according to our separate tastes Paul would disagree.

Eph 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 

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

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

4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 

5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 

6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

One Body, not a myriad. Note that the epistles were written to THE church of Ephesus, Corinth, etc. not to the churches.

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 

2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

If you believe the same doctrine, but cannot sit on the same pew then one of both of you are in sin because the love of God is not bringing you to one accord and one mind.

1 Cor 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 

12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 

13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 

These people met in the same church and yet identified with leaders they liked instead of Christ or wanted to be more spiritual by letting the others know I am of Christ. We are all to be of Christ.

Again, same doctrine should be the same pew. We will have divisions because of false doctrine, but we have most divisions because of pride.

Ten churches of like faith struggling to keep a building open is not God's intent when we are the temple and we are to be one. That we are not proves we are either in sin or ignorant because division is all we have known.

Php 4:2  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

He did not say if y'all can't get along one of you go down the road a mile of so and start another church. They were to work it out. Many churches started because some were too immature to work out differences in the Lord and by the Word. In their peevishness, they got some others to take up their grievance and planted a church in the flesh. Hence many churches started in the steam of men and not of the Spirit ran out of steam and are dying.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

We are to reach for the goal of verse 13, but we do not because we are the children in 14. It is time to put away the things of a child and become full grown men and women.