Bible Message/Preaching : Unity - Being in one accord
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Act 1:14)
We see in Ps 133 this is also talking about unity, being in one accord.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing; Life forevermore. (Ps 133:1-3 )
Jesus already promised this to His disciples:
"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Mt 18:19-20)
We see that Holy Spirit was poured out when the disciples gathered in one accord:
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Act 2:1-4)
As we know this changed the world, after wards, they kept the unity!
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Act 2:46-47)
So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,..... 31And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Act 4:24,31)
- Examples in real life: (reinforcement!)
- one stick vs a bundle of stick.
- A thread vs a rope made of multiple threads.
- History: when people are united things happened!
Another intresting fact is that even the demons have unity, lest their kingdom fall (Mt 12:24-26)! So how much more should we've it to build God's Kingdom!
Reason: this is the walk worthy of our calling! How - through our Lord Jesus!
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. (Eph 4:1-7)
We've different gifts but for the purpose of unity! - no one can say self-sufficient:
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till 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; 14that 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, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; 16from 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. (Eph 4:11-16)
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:1-8)
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Pet 3:8-9)
To receive the blessing of the everlasting / eternal life with God!
Meditation:
- Let's think about these questions for a moment.
- Do I have unity with the body of Christ?
- What area of my life needs improvement?
Delivered 15 Aug 2010
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