U N I T Y…

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same [tuning] fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.
~ A. W. Tozer

We are at the beginning of a new sermon series called Here I Stand: 40 Days of Foundations. This past week we talked about essentially, the split of the Protestant Church from the Catholic church. Kinda a big deal in church history. It forever shaped the future of the Church. It dealt with the specific theology that now as Protestants we hold true. But my mind quickly shifted to the whole idea of unity in the church. Grant it, this was something of a special case where disunity led to a better understanding of our relationship to God. But Jesus saw unity in those who followed him as very important.

Jesus is leaving. He knows the end of his work on earth is done. The next scene is Gethsemane, but before he goes, he prays. What is on the heart of Jesus as he’s preparing to die? He prays for us.

John 17:20-23
20″My prayer is not for them alone (the 12 disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that 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. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I 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. “

If this idea of unity is important enough for Jesus that it’s the last thing on his mind before Gethsemane, then it’s important enough for us to consider.
When I was younger, I didn’t understand why there were so many churches. We’re all Christians, right? We all love Jesus, right? Why can’t we just have one huge worship service every Sunday morning? That would be so cool!
Unfortunately, as I age I understand. One group responds to the excesses and mistakes of another. A second group likes their tradition; a third loves their lack of tradition.

We are on the precipice of something new for our church. We are close to building on our new property, we have a new Senior Pastor, and it is evident that God is doing and going to do great things if we will allow. As new vision or renewed vision is cast for our church, unity is something we should heavily strive toward. But we are only human and it’s hard. Leadership needs unity, ministries need unity and most importantly our Worship needs unity.

How then do we achieve that? How is it possible as a family grows larger for it to keep peace and unity? Lets look to scripture.

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers [and sisters], be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8

Let us be compassionate, humble, sympathetic, encouraging and when appropriate challenging each other to keep our eye on this goal.

Related posts:

1. Advent – Candle of Love