Sermon # 10 - United To Fulfill God's Will Series

We read in Jonah 1:7, Then the men said to each other, "We should throw lots to find out why this is happening to us." So the men threw lots. The lots showed that the troubles came to them because of Jonah. (ERV)

As we continue this series of studies on the life of Jonah and the church, I pray that the Lord will help us to receive God’s word, and be doers of the same, so that our lives will be blessed. God’s command to Jonah was to go to Nineveh, but in rebellion Jonah went in the opposite direction. He undertook a voyage on a ship to a place called Tarshish, and as the ship was midway, they were challenged with a furious storm. All the men on the ship joined hands to find a way of escape from this turbulent storm. We read in Jonah 1:6 that the shipmaster went to Jonah, woke him up from his slumber and spoke to him. Now all the men came together to discover who was responsible for this raging storm, especially when they realized that their lives were in jeopardy.

Generally, when there is a problem, only a few people will think of finding a solution. Very rarely do people come together find a unified solution. Especially in the church, this kind of oneness has become a rarity.

The example of the early church

• Unity among apostles

As we study the life and witness of the early church we will get a better understanding about the things that we could change today.

We read in Acts 2:14, Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles. He spoke loudly so that all the people could hear. He said, "My Jewish brothers and all of you who live in Jerusalem, listen to me. I will tell you something you need to know. Listen carefully. (ERV)

In the above mentioned verse we read that Peter along with the other eleven apostles stood up to speak. This was a beautiful picture of unity that existed among the early apostles. There was much order with one man speaking, and the rest literally standing up with him. Let us look at the background of this preaching by Peter.

We read in Acts 2:12-13, The people were all amazed and confused. They asked each other, "What is happening?" But others were laughing at the apostles, saying they were drunk from too much wine.(ERV)

After the ascension of Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, as the disciples gathered together in one accord and in prayer, the Holy Spirit descended on them in great power. The manifestation of the Spirit was so powerful that all those who had gathered in that room spoke in different tongues. There were in Jerusalem gathered at that time Jews and many other devout people from various regions surrounding Jerusalem. While to some this incident astounded them, there were others who jeered at the disciples.

It was in such a situation that Peter along with the eleven stood up to declare the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This kind of oneness we see therefore, is brought about only by the Holy Spirit. Though only Peter spoke up, all other apostles stood alongside him and extended their unified support.

This kind of unity is becoming exceptional these days, and we as a church need to pray to ask God to give us this sort of a harmony amongst those who are leaders in the church

• Unity amongst the believers

Let us look at the believers in the early church to see how they conducted themselves.

We read in Acts 2:44, And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (ASV)

The believers also were in one accord and had everything in common. This was such a great testimony to everyone, and the Lord attested this with signs and wonders which He performed through them. What happened as a result was that multitudes of people were saved and were added to the church daily.

The church that adds to its numbers daily was the pattern of the early church and such growth is one sign of life within.

Jesus prayed for unity

Jesus prayed this way for His disciples in John 17:21-23, that they may all be one, … that they may be one even as we are one, … that they may become perfectly one, (ERV)

This was the sincere prayer of Jesus, for the will of God is that all of us should live together in unity. Jesus prayed this way for He wanted the unison that was between Him and the Father to be experienced by all of His disciples as well. Jesus also prayed that this oneness should be such that every one of them would be perfectly united with each other.