Keep The Unity Of The Spirit Series

A. The story is told about a man who was walking across a bridge one day, and saw another man standing on the edge, about to jump off.

1. The man immediately ran over and said “Stop! Don’t do it!” The man said, “Why shouldn't I?”

2. The rescuer said: “Well, there’s so much to live for!” The jumper said: “Like what?”

3. The rescuer said: “Well ... are you religious or are you an atheist?” The man said: “Religious.”

4. “Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?” The jumper said: “Christian.”

5. “Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?” The jumper said: “Protestant.”

6. “Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?” The jumper said: “Baptist.”

7. “Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?”

a. The jumper said: “Baptist Church of God.”

8. “Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?” The jumper said: “Reformed Baptist Church of God.”

9. “Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?”

a. The jumper said: “Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!”

10. The rescuer said: “Oh no, you heretic, you might as well jump!”

B. I know that story is a bit far-fetched, but it isn’t too far from the reality of the way we tend to divide ourselves into different Christian groups based on very minor things.

1. Certainly, there is a need to stand for the truth and to avoid error, and we must never settle for a unity that dispenses of critical pillars of truth.

2. J.C. Ryle, a 19th century theologian is attributed with this statement: “Unity and peace are very delightful; but they are bought too dear if they are bought at the expense of truth…Controversy, in fact, is one of the conditions under which truth in every age has to be defended and maintained, and it is nonsense to ignore it.”

3. So, we must hold to the truth, but if we are not careful, we move away from critical pillars of truth and we turn every jot and tittle of preference and opinion into a major doctrine.

4. There can never be unity based on my ideas or your ideas, but only on God’s truth.

5. What are the essentials? What are the deal-breakers?

a. Certainly they are the 7 ones of Ephesians 4:4-6.

6. Let’s reimagine that conversation on the bridge between the rescuer and the jumper based on Ephesians 4:4-6.

a. “Are you religious or an atheist?” “Religious.”

b. “Me too. Do you believe in the one body, and the one Spirit, and the one hope, and the one Lord, and the one faith, and the one baptism, and the one God and Father?” “Yes!”

c. “Me too! We have so much in common. So much to be in unity and fellowship about.”

C. God’s master plan is one of unity.

1. One day a minister was talking about the need for unity in his children’s sermon.

a. In dramatic and emphatic fashion, he held up his finger and said, “God wants us to be 1!”

b. A four-year-old little one spoke up and protested: “I’ve already been 1, I want to be 5!”

2. Truth is: God wants us to be one and is pleased when we are one!

3. King David declared in Psalm 133:1: How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!

a. God is so pleased and delighted when His people live together in harmony and unity.

4. Jesus thought that unity was so important that it was one of the final things He prayed about on the night before His crucifixion: 20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” (Jn. 17:20-23)

a. Our unity with each other should mimic the unity that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have with each other.

b. How awesome it is that we can be one with each other and one with God, as God is one with us and is one in the Godhead!

D. But oneness and unity don’t come naturally and they require effort.

1. Paul began chapter 4 explaining that a part of living lives worthy of our calling includes making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.