Unity in Christ: Strengthening Our Communion and Witness
Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect on the profound significance of unity within the body of Christ, especially as we prepare to partake in communion. Communion is not just a ritual; it is a representation of our community and communication with God. However, as Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 11, taking communion in an unworthy manner can lead to spiritual and physical consequences. This underscores the importance of unity among believers, as disunity can hinder our relationship with God and our witness to the world.
Jesus' prayer in John 17 emphasizes the necessity of unity, praying for believers to be one as He and the Father are one. This unity is crucial for the world to believe in the message of Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, our unity is a testament to the world of God's love and truth. Without it, our message is compromised, and our witness is weakened.
We explored the concept of unity through the lens of Rob Ketterling's "The Speed of Unity," which outlines how organizations can achieve optimal performance through alignment. The church, much like a marketing department, must focus on the message rather than the methods. Diversity should be our strength, not a source of division. Unity is not about thinking the same but speaking the same, prioritizing the gospel over personal preferences.
Jesus' teaching in Matthew 12 reminds us that a divided kingdom cannot stand. Our unity is a weapon against the enemy's attempts to sow division, distractions, and delays. The enemy is not threatened by a large church but by a united one. Therefore, we must guard against relational apathy and offense, which can become barriers to God's presence, blessings, and message in our lives.
As we strive for unity, we must be willing to sacrifice our offenses on the altar, allowing God to exchange our pain for His presence and our bitterness for His blessings. Unity allows us to agree to disagree, maintaining healthy boundaries without harboring offense. Let us commit to living out the prayer of Jesus, being ambassadors of His love and truth to a world in need.
Key Takeaways:
- Communion is a reflection of our unity with God and each other. Disunity among believers can hinder our relationship with God and our witness to the world. We must strive for unity to honor the body of Christ. [02:13]
- Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17 highlights the importance of believers being one as He and the Father are one. Our unity is a testament to the world of God's love and truth. Without it, our message is compromised. [03:50]
- Unity is not about thinking the same but speaking the same, prioritizing the gospel over personal preferences. Diversity should be our strength, not a source of division. [15:32]
- A divided kingdom cannot stand. Our unity is a weapon against the enemy's attempts to sow division, distractions, and delays. The enemy is not threatened by a large church but by a united one. [24:08]
- Offense can become a barrier to God's presence, blessings, and message in our lives. We must be willing to sacrifice our offenses on the altar, allowing God to exchange our pain for His presence and our bitterness for His blessings. [46:11]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:13] - The Importance of Unity in Communion
[03:50] - Jesus' Prayer for Unity
[05:21] - Living Out the Prayer of Jesus
[06:51] - The Speed of Unity
[09:22] - Church as a Marketing Department
[10:20] - Vision of Legacy Church
[11:47] - Diversity and Division
[13:39] - The Problem with Offense
[15:32] - Unity Over Methods
[17:48] - A Divided Kingdom Cannot Stand
[20:11] - Relational Apathy and Unity
[24:08] - Unity as a Weapon
[26:00] - The Secret Ingredient of Legacy
[27:27] - Agreeing to Disagree
[31:44] - Real Unity in Action
[36:36] - Offense as a Barrier
[46:11] - Sacrificing Offense for Unity
[48:41] - Invitation to Know Jesus
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Unity in the Body of Christ
Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- John 17:20-23
- Matthew 12:22-30
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Observation Questions:
1. In 1 Corinthians 11, what issues does Paul address regarding the manner in which the Corinthians were taking communion? How does this relate to the concept of unity? [02:13]
2. According to John 17, what is the significance of Jesus praying for unity among believers? How does this prayer reflect the relationship between Jesus and the Father? [03:50]
3. In Matthew 12, how does Jesus use the example of a divided kingdom to illustrate the importance of unity? What implications does this have for the church today? [17:48]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of diversity within the church, and what potential challenges does it present to unity? [15:32]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to take communion in an "unworthy manner," and how might this affect one's relationship with God and the church community? [02:13]
2. How does the unity of believers serve as a testament to the world of God's love and truth, according to Jesus' prayer in John 17? [03:50]
3. In what ways can relational apathy be considered an enemy of unity within the church? How does this concept challenge individual believers? [20:11]
4. How does the sermon suggest that unity can be a weapon against the enemy's attempts to sow division and distractions? What practical steps can believers take to foster unity? [24:08]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal experience with communion. Have you ever taken it in a way that might be considered "unworthy"? How can you prepare your heart to honor the body of Christ more fully? [02:13]
2. Jesus prayed for unity among believers. How can you actively contribute to unity in your church community? Are there specific actions you can take to bridge gaps or resolve conflicts? [03:50]
3. Consider a time when you felt divided from others in your church due to personal preferences or disagreements. How can you prioritize the gospel over these differences to promote unity? [15:32]
4. The sermon mentions that offense can be a barrier to God's presence and blessings. Is there an offense you need to let go of to experience God's presence more fully in your life? [46:11]
5. How can you use your unique background and perspective to strengthen your church community rather than create division? What steps can you take to ensure diversity is a source of strength? [15:32]
6. Think about a relationship in your life where there is tension or division. What practical steps can you take this week to work towards reconciliation and unity? [20:11]
7. The sermon suggests that unity allows us to agree to disagree. How can you apply this principle in your interactions with others, especially when faced with differing opinions or methods? [29:40]
Devotional
Day 1: Unity in Communion Reflects Our Relationship with God
Communion is a sacred act that symbolizes our unity with God and each other. It is not merely a ritual but a profound expression of our community and communication with the divine. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 11 about the dangers of taking communion in an unworthy manner, which can lead to spiritual and physical consequences. This highlights the importance of unity among believers, as disunity can hinder our relationship with God and our witness to the world. As we partake in communion, we are reminded of the need to strive for unity to honor the body of Christ. [02:13]
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (ESV): "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."
Reflection: Consider any areas of disunity in your relationships within the church. How can you take a step towards reconciliation and unity today?
Day 2: Jesus' Prayer for Unity as a Testament to the World
In John 17, Jesus prays for believers to be one as He and the Father are one. This unity is crucial for the world to believe in the message of Christ. Our unity serves as a testament to the world of God's love and truth. Without it, our message is compromised, and our witness is weakened. As ambassadors of Christ, we are called to live out this prayer, demonstrating God's love and truth to a world in need. [03:50]
Ephesians 4:3-6 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Reflection: Reflect on how your actions and words can either contribute to or detract from the unity of believers. What is one practical step you can take to promote unity in your community?
Day 3: Unity Over Methods, Prioritizing the Gospel
Unity is not about thinking the same but speaking the same, prioritizing the gospel over personal preferences. Diversity should be our strength, not a source of division. The church, much like a marketing department, must focus on the message rather than the methods. By aligning ourselves with the core message of the gospel, we can achieve optimal performance and witness to the world. [15:32]
1 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV): "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
Reflection: Identify a personal preference or method that you have prioritized over the gospel message. How can you shift your focus to align more closely with the core message of Christ?
Day 4: Unity as a Weapon Against Division
A divided kingdom cannot stand. Our unity is a weapon against the enemy's attempts to sow division, distractions, and delays. The enemy is not threatened by a large church but by a united one. Therefore, we must guard against relational apathy and offense, which can become barriers to God's presence, blessings, and message in our lives. [24:08]
Matthew 12:25 (ESV): "Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.'"
Reflection: Think of a situation where division has crept into your relationships or community. What steps can you take to use unity as a weapon to overcome this division?
Day 5: Sacrificing Offense for God's Presence and Blessings
Offense can become a barrier to God's presence, blessings, and message in our lives. We must be willing to sacrifice our offenses on the altar, allowing God to exchange our pain for His presence and our bitterness for His blessings. Unity allows us to agree to disagree, maintaining healthy boundaries without harboring offense. Let us commit to living out the prayer of Jesus, being ambassadors of His love and truth to a world in need. [46:11]
Colossians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: Consider someone you have taken offense to. How can you begin to let go of this offense and seek reconciliation, allowing God's presence and blessings to flow in your life?
Quotes
"I was reading 1 Corinthians chapter 11, which is where Paul gives instructions for how to take communion, and I noticed that before he gets to the how, he gets to the why. And that's the beginning of 1 Corinthians chapter 11. I want to read that to you. 1 Corinthians 11, 17, it says this. But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you, for it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent, I believe it." [00:00:48]
"Paul is trying to teach the church that, communion is predicated on community, because communion represents communication and community with God. But he's saying, I can't condone the fact that you think you have community with God when you have dysfunctional community with each other. And I thought that before we take communion, we should probably learn the essence and the heart of God behind it. Because later on in that passage, Paul says that many of you have become sick and even died because you've taken communion in an unworthy manner, not honoring the body of Christ." [00:02:10]
"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. I have given them the glory you gave me so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." [00:02:51]
"How can the world trust an invisible God if a visible church is dysfunctional? Better yet, how can your family trust in a God they can't see when the representatives that they can are so disunited? And so I want us to learn how can we live out the prayer of Jesus for a few reasons. And I want us to learn how can we live out the prayer of Jesus for a few reasons. For the reconciliation of our own family." [00:04:37]
"Unity isn't thinking the same, it's speaking the same. It's being more committed to the message of the gospel than the method. I don't really know if Santa Claus at Christmas is my cup of tea, but if it'll help my grandkid get to church, I'm all for it. I don't really know if this will connect with the non-English speaking people in the community, but I'll be patient enough until I can figure out how to translate the gospel for myself, and I'm all in." [00:15:37]
"Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. or family, splintered by feuding, will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you." [00:18:04]
"Relational apathy is the enemy of unity. Why? Because what you show is that you don't care about people. So how can you say you love Jesus when all he cares about is people? What you show is that you're more focused on self-preservation than the gospel, because the gospel is the opposite of self-preservation. The gospel isn't, let me protect myself from being hurt. The gospel is, let me get hurt 77 times and then forgive him again." [00:20:11]
"Unity allows you to agree to disagree. Unity says, hey, I personally am not really a fan of the way they do things there. But if it's healthy for you and it's benefiting you and your family, I fully support it. Disunity does this. Hey, I don't, I don't know. It might just be me. I could be true. But tell me, John Mark, he acted real, sketch a couple months ago when we were out there going through that." [00:27:27]
"Here's the truth, family. You don't forgive people for their sake. You forgive them for yours. I don't know. I don't know why Paul was so adamant that John Mark wasn't coming with him. Maybe he emotionally was really needing some support in that season of his life, and John Mark bailed on him. And now he just, that hurt him. But you can tell he forgave him because there's never an ill word spoken about John Mark in any letter from Paul to any of the churches." [00:32:44]
"Here's the secret about offense. Here's the first thing that you need to know. Your offense is the barrier to the presence of God in you. Your offense is a barrier to the presence of God in you. Notice how he says, what verse is that? 22. He says, I have given them the glory. Everybody say glory. I have given them the glory you gave me so they may be one as we are one. You know, the glory means the presence of God." [00:37:18]
"God wants to exchange your sorrow for joy. God wants to exchange your bitterness for blessing. God wants to exchange your pain for his presence. God wants to exchange. The hurt for a healthy community. God wants to make an exchange, but that only happens once you get on the altar. What are you willing to sacrifice so that offense can stop being a barrier for the presence and the blessing and the message of God in and through your life?" [00:46:11]
"There's no offense you'll ever commit to God that is greater than the love and the grace and the mercy that he has for your life. And so if you're in here today and you don't have a personal relationship with God through his son, Jesus, I think we should change that now. If you're still watching at this point, I believe that it's not an accident. I believe that if you're feeling something in your spirit, that is God trying to get your attention and invite you into a deeper relationship with him." [00:48:41]
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