11-30-23-ENG.

"[Be] diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. "

Ephesians 4:3 
WALK IN UNITY

Read It: Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:3-6
If you want to know why the unity of the Church is such a big deal to .God, look at the price He paid to achieve it. We're not just talking about some deal on paper here. It cost Jesus His blood to bring us together into the Church (v. 13). Paul says emphatically in verse 14 that Jesus Himself is our peace. Last weekend I shared some thoughts on the unity of the Church and how Satan is out to destroy it, and you may want to look that page again. Let me make a couple of observations about unity. First, if we are going to preserve the Church's unity, we have to realize ize that we can't come in with our own agendas. The only agenda for the Church is the one already established by its Head, Jesus Christ.

He didn't consult with me when He set it, and I doubt if He consulted with you either. If you want to see the fabric of unity in a local church unravel in a hurry, let the members start pushing their personal or group agendas. That's when you start hearing stuff like, "Well, I think we ought to," "In my church back home we always," instead of, "What does God's Word say?" Notice secondly that we are to preserve this unity, not manufacture it. We are not striving to be one body; we are one body in Christ. He did the unifying work by His death on the cross. He doesn't ask us to do what only He can do. It's the unity of the Holy Spirit, not the unity of Tony Evans or anyone else. Our unity is a priceless gift to us from the Church's Head, and the best thing you can do with a priceless gift is thank the Giver and cherish the gift. Third and finally, check out the basis of our unity (vv. 4-6). It's based on the eternal, changeless truths of the faith, not on something superficial cial or external. We are not called to look, think, act, or talk alike. We are called to unite around the core of truth we hold in common and the Lord we worship together. Think About It Have you ever thought that if those other Christians would just look, think, act, and talk like you, there'd be no problem? Think again!