AUGUST 8, 2024
Topic: Keeping the Unity of the Spirit
Text: Ephesians 4:1-6
Memory Verse: Eph 4:4 – “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called”.
The Greek word that Paul used for “unity” here refers to a condition of harmony or oneness that can only be experienced among members of Christ’s body, which is the church. Paul in today’s text exhorts us to keep the unity of the spirit. Take note of the word, “Keep.” It means that God has already gifted the church with the spirit of unity. God did not give the church a doctrinal unity, rather, the church has the responsibility to work through unity under divine guidance. The church received from God, a spiritual unity, the unity of the spirit that is gifted to her and she is expected to keep it.
Verses 4-6 of today’s text tell us that there is one body, one spirit, one hope, one LORD, one faith, one baptism, one God, and one Father of all. Eight times did Paul use the word “one” to emphasize the source of the unity of the church.
In his book, “The Pursuit of God,” A.W Tozer said, “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to the standard to which each one must individually bow. So, one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking to Christ, are in heart, nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to come in “unity” focused not on God, but on trying to “work things out” on their own among each other.”
The message here is simple. If we focus on maintaining the unity of the spirit, all connected to the same “fork” (Christ), unity will be easy to come by in the church.
PRAYER: LORD, baptize your church with the spirit of unity in Jesus name, Amen.