Unity is a vital issue for society as well as for the Church. Unity involves us having a relationship with one or more persons and God wants to be involved so that we can be united as people and as a community enjoying the friendship of God.
So, the subject of unity - inside and outside the church - is:
- personal - it affects every one of us
- active - we have to participate, as unity is meaningless without others
- risky - you can be rejected
1. In the beginning
The words of Amos ring true "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" (Amos 3:3). Man was created by God to be His special companion and friend.
Genesis 1:26-30 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
But, it didn’t stop with Man’s creation. God gave everything to Man:
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." 29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
2. Love is spelt ‘R.I.S.K.’
The act of creation was not a random action of some remote God, but it was a deliberate action on His part to involve someone who could choose to be His friend or His enemy. God took the risk of being rejected. This is always a possibility, when we trust someone enough to love them. Love may not be returned!
3. It all went wrong
Initially, the unity between God and Man was perfect. But, then along came that enemy of God and Mankind - 'Sin'. It took the unity enjoyed by God and Mankind, and broke it, separating Man from his God. Disunity arrived, for disunity is ‘Sin’.
1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is [the breaking of God’s Law] lawlessness.
4. God’s rescue plan - Man’s comeback
Question: are we ‘sinners’, i.e. have we broken any of God’s laws (per 1 John 3:4)? Let’s look at the Bible’s answers.
a. So, have we broken any of God’s laws?
Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
This is a whole lot better than having to keep the 613 Jewish rules and regulations!
b. So, we’re all sinners?
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
c. We can have this barrier removed, and receive forgiveness -- freely given!
There is hope for:
Romans 3:24 we ... are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
d. This free gift of forgiveness came at God’s expense
John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be placed on a cross, taking the penalty for our sins - dying in our place.
Romans 6:23 ... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
e. Only Jesus has the answer!
The answer for real unity can only be found through Jesus. Man has been trying for centuries to create unity by his own ability, both between nations and within family and marriage. It’s failed so far, and it never will truly work unless God is brought into the equation.
Divorce (numbers in 2010): 1 in 3 marriages in secular Europe fail; 1 in 300 fail in ‘religious’ families; 1 in more than 1000 fail between ‘committed Christians’ (which isn’t great, though in this case the majority of ex-partners never remarry per 1 Cor 7).
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." ... so how?
Romans 10:9,10 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Revelation 3:20-21 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. ... here is real unity! Jesus can be involved in your whole life ... if you let Him.
f. What do I need to do?
We can do all this by a very simple way. Ask yourself the following questions:
* Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for your, and rose again - for you?
John 12:32 “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
* Are you willing to surrender yourself to Jesus? Let Him worry about how you’ll live your life:
Matthew 6:27,34 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?... 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
* Are you willing to invite Jesus into your heart and life?
This is perfect unity, to be in harmony with God once again. Not because we deserve it, nor because we’ve earned it - we can never do that. But because God wants to forgive us so that, once again, we can be united as a people enjoying the friendship of God.
From this base can come the unity to renew our marriages, restore divided churches, and change the Nations (refer to Wesley’s revival, which transformed society – in the United Kingdom, the USA, out to the world, areas such as slavery, prison reform, social reform etc. – yes a time when the church got into politics, whereas today they tell us religion is private … let’s ignore those lies).
