God's Pathway into His Presence

Ephesians 4:3-6  (NIV)

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

God wants us to be one not two.  

Matthew 12:25  (NIV)

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

We must be one to survive.  

John 17:20-24 (NIV)

20 “My (Jesus) prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that 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. 

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 

23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

What would it take for there to be complete unity?

1. We must understand that we have just one enemy.

John 10:10 (NIV)

10 The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Ephesians 6:12  (NIV)

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2.  We must have one heart.  

We don't have to look alike, but we must learn to love alike.  

Acts 4:32 (NIV)

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

A. We must learn from each other.

James 1:19 (NIV)

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

B. We must lament to feel the pain of other people's experiences.

Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

C. We must love God and each other.

1 Corinthians 13:7  (NIV)

7 It (love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

3. We must have one purpose.

Ephesians 2:10 (MSG)

7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. 

All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! 

We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. 

God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

We must have a broken and contrite heart to enter into God's presence.  

You are just a honest heart felt plea to enter into God's presence.  

Psalm 34:18 (ESV)

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 51:17 (ESV)

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.