Unstoppable Unity

One Prayer

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

One Enemy

(Ephesians 6:12) “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.”

One heart.

(Acts 4:32, 34) “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had… There were no needy persons among them…”

One purpose.

(1 Corinthians 1:10 LB) “Let there be real harmony among you…I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose."

Unstoppable Unity

(Ephesians 4:3-6) “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

1. Choose to belong. 

(Ephesians 2:19 LB) “...You are members of God's very own family... and you belong in God's household with every other Christian.” 

(Romans 12:5) “So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

2. Learn to share. 

(Acts 2:44 LB) “All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other.” 

Our homes. 

Our experiences. 

Our problems.

3. Do my part. 

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

4. Be devoted like family. 

(Romans 12:10) “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” 

(1 John 3:16)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

One Prayer – Father, make us one.

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/unstoppable-unity

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/06-06-10.pdf

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Joy is an inside job.

License is when everything goes. It says that there is not such a thing as a sin.

Then, there are the legalist who make up man made rules.  

When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, it was about two women who got caught up in a conflict in the Church. 

Paul was encouraging unity. Unity births Joy within us. Joy saturates this book.  

     

What draws people to us is not our programs, but our joy that dwells within us. 

Philippians 2:1-18 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

1 So does belonging to Christ help you in any way? 

Does his love comfort you at all? 

Do you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit? 

Has Christ ever been gentle and loving toward you?  

2 If any of these things has happened to you, then agree with one another. 

Have the same love. 

Be one in spirit and in the way you think and act. 

By doing this, you will make my joy complete. 

3 Don’t do anything only to get ahead. 

Don’t do it because you are proud. 

Instead, be humble. 

Value others more than yourselves.

4 None of you should look out just for your own good. 

Each of you should also look out for the good of others.

5 As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.

6 In his very nature he was God.

    Jesus was equal with God. 

But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact.

7 Instead, he made himself nothing.

    He did this by taking on the nature of a servant.

    He was made just like human beings.
8 He appeared as a man.

    He was humble and obeyed God completely.

    He did this even though it led to his death.

        Even worse, he died on a cross!

9 So God lifted him up to the highest place.

    God gave him the name that is above every name.

10 When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship him.

    Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship him.

11 Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.

    And God the Father will receive the glory.

12 My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. 

You obeyed while I was with you. 

And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. 

So continue to work out your own salvation.

 Do it with fear and trembling. 

13 God is working in you. 

He wants your plans and your acts to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing. 

15 Then you will be pure and without blame.

 You will be children of God without fault among sinful and evil people. 

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. 

16 You will shine as you hold on tight to the word of life.

Then I will be able to boast about you on the day Christ returns.

I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing. 

17 But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. 

I’m talking about the way you serve because you believe. 

Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you. 

18 So you too should be glad and joyful with me. 

Three things that this passage brings out.

  

1. Paul gives them a word of encouragement in the first four verses.

2. Paul gives them a word of example in verses five through eleven. 

3. Paul gives them a word of expectation in verses 12 through 18. 

1. Paul gives them a word of encouragement in the first four verses. 

A. He gives them an appeal. 

Make my joy complete.  

If you center your life on Christ, you too will have joy.  

We don't want to be an oppressive place, but a liberating place.  

Joy is an inside job.  

It is Christ working inside us to bring it out of us (Adrian Rodgers). 

B.  He has an agenda in verses 2,3, and 4.  

He wants them to be in spiritual unity.  

God's Trinity is hard to explain to unbelievers. 

God is three persons united in love. 

God is love.  

Paul is reminding us of the love of the Trinity from eternity past. 

We too can have unity or oneness.  

Unity involves lowliness.  

Unity involves helpfulness.  

It involves looking out for the interest of others.

Sometimes we act like we're more concerned about defending the truth than practicing it.  

Ask yourself is my attitude the same attitude that Christ Jesus had?  

2. Paul gives them a word of example in verses five through eleven. 

Jesus had an attitude, which was followed up by an example.  

Christ's measurement is the cross.  

We must practice self denial to follow Jesus.

We're necessary for Christ to be seen in us.  

We should always check our attitude with the attitude in Jesus. 

Joyful Christians are selfless, humble, and sacrificial. 

Paul didn't exalt Himself, but exalted our lowly Christ.  

Because Christ is this example for us, I will love you too.  

Work out your salvation without complaining.

Hold tight to God's word.

3. He gives them a word of expectation in verses 12 through 18. 

What does God expect from you and me?

God expects us to have the same attitude that Jesus has, and to model Him in our actions. 

If we do this, the joy of Jesus will fill us and overflows us to the glory of God our Father.     

Darryl Craft, Whitesburg Baptist Church  

http://www.whitesburgbaptist.org/sermons/joy-for-the-journey-the-fullness-of-joy/   

The Prayer of Alignment

If we shouldn't do life alone, we certainly shouldn't only pray alone.  

Jesus said, 

Matthew 18:19-20  (MSG) 18-20 “Take this most seriously: 

A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. 

What you say to one another is eternal. 

I mean this. 

When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. 

And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

When believers harmonize in prayer, our spirits come into alignment, and heaven notices. 

If we do this, then...

1. God joins with us in prayer. 

2. God moves into our prayer meeting. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-45), Jesus invited Peter, James, and John to join  Him in prayer. 

His goal was to overcome temptation and surrender His will to the will of the Father. 

He was aligning His will to the will of the Father.  

He encouraged His disciples to do the same, Jesus knew what they were about to face. 

If you feel alone, please reach out to another Christian in prayer. 

Filling out a prayer request is a step in the right direction.  

It is like a mustard seed planted in the faithfulness of God.  

Actually, we are never really alone. 

The Bible says in Hebrews. 

(Hebrew 7:25 NLT)  Therefore he (Jesus) is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. 

He (Jesus) lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 

Jesus is praying for us right now with us at the right hand of God, but what do you suppose that He is praying.  

In John 17, this is what Jesus prayed for you on earth.  

John 17:11 B. "Protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are."

John 17: 20-21 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." 

This is what He prayed for Peter in Luke 22:31-32. 

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.  

But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, 

that your faith should not fail. 

So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 

Notice that Jesus did not pray that Peter would escape a demonic attack.  

He did pray that you'll come through it, and use your experience to help others. 

Robert Murray McShane said, if I could just hear Jesus praying for me, I could face a 1,000 enemies. 

But distance doesn't matter, He is praying for me.   

Chris Erwin, Church of the Highlands, Montgomery Campus 

The Fight that Follows

2000 years ago the Romans army was massive, fierce, and feared.  

Peace came at an edge of the sword.
  

The Romans understood if they could keep their soldiers in a tight formation, they could move into battle as a formation. 

In doing so, they could penetrate the opposing army's line.  

We need to attack the enemy now, and reach our city!  

Paul challenged the Ephesians Christians to remain unified.  

Ephesians 4:7-16  (NKJV)

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 

8 Therefore He says:(Psalm 68:16)

“When (Jesus)He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

They were captive to sin, but Jesus freed them on the Cross to take them to heaven. 

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

This refers to the incarnation of Christ, or God's son becoming a man.

10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 

These are people with gifts that God has given to the Church. 

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 

This verse is in reference to training and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ in the Church. 

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 

If the disciples are trained in the truth, they cannot be easily mislead.  

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 

The sign of a mature Christian is not how much you know, but have much you love.  

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 

1 Peter 5:1-2  (NKJV)

5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly.

    

There are three words that describe a Pastor in the Bible. 

1. Pastor: The word Pastor derives from the Latin noun which means Shepherd (which is to take care of the disciples). 

2. Overseer: This refers to his management of the  people.
  

3. Elder: The Pastor is to be a mature, growing disciple of Jesus Christ with that comes with it the responsibility to teach.

Acts: 20  (NKJV)

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 

28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 

As a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ....

#1. Follow your God given leadership.

#2. Focus on maturing disciples.     

I encourage you to maintain your prayer emphasis because God's Church moves forward on its knees. 

#3. Keep your focus on reaching the lost.

#4. Keep your focus on fellowship with other believers.  

The devil is a predator that preys upon  strays. 

    

Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV) 

For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.

#5. Be a steward of the Gospel message. 

#6. Be a steward of the power of prayer. 

#7. Be a steward of your resources.  

God does not call you to steward what you do not have.  

Whatever you do have.  You are a steward of it. 

Eliminate Debt.  

Debt is an anchor which hinders God's work.  

Work to get and stay out of debt.

Darryl Craft, Pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church.

The Gospel of Jesus is at Stake

Ephesians was written by Paul from a Roman jail cell around 60 to 65 A.D.   

Since Paul was now gone, he wanted to make sure that they got it right in his absence. 

Right instruction should lead to right living.

Paul wanted to make sure that they remained unified. 

The key theme of Ephesians is  unity. 

The enemy tries to sow disunity among  believers.  If he can pulled us apart, he can pick us off like a predator. 
  

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NKJV) 

 

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech (beg)you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

 

Paul didn't demand this from them, but begged it from them to live like they were called to be. 

2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 

Lowliness is humility with an honest view of one's self without Christ.  

It is a God awareness of who we are now in Christ, and the ramifications of the victorious life we now have in Him. 

Gentleness is strength under control.  Being under the control of the Holy Spirit from within, and with Him flowing out into our words and actions.
    

Longsuffering is patient. 

It trusts God with the answer and the time.   

Give people the benefit of the doubt for the motives of their actions. 

Who really knows why people do what they do?  

Only God!

Bearing one another in love. Agape love is unconditional.   

Love forgives the wrongs and magnifies the right in each other. 

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

You move forward without me by modeling the character of Christ. 

Make haste to make every effort to promote unity with right behavior.
  

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 

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

Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit in you.

You have every resource needed to walk together in love (with family, co-workers, other believers,and authority) which manifests the Lord Jesus Christ to the world.

Why? 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake. 

Darryl Craft, Whitesburg Baptist Church highlighted in yellow. 

M. H. Dennis is in green.