Church Unity, 10/11/26

Our sermon text today is from John 17, verses

John 17:20

20 and 23. Hear the words of the Lord. I do not

ask for these, but also for those who will believe

in me through their word, that they may all be

one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in

you, that they also may be in us, so that the

world may believe that you have sent me. The

glory you have given me, I have given to them,

that they may be one, even as we are one. I in

them, and you in me, that they may become perfectly

one. So that the world may know that you sent

me, and love them, even as you have loved me.

Let us pray together. Father, we thank you for

today. Father, we thank you for the gift of your

word and truth. Lord, the standard by which we

are commanded to live out. For your glory alone,

move on our hearts today as we consider your

word in church unity. Father, please grow us

in this area. Help us to be a light in this world

by how we live and how we serve the body. In

Christ's name we pray. Amen. This is the prayer

of the Son of God, the very night in which he

was betrayed. He will be arrested. He will be

falsely accused. condemned, beaten, and crucified.

And yet in this sacred moment, our Lord lifts

his eyes to heaven and intercedes. First he prays

for himself that he would be glorified in the

completion of his work. Then he prays for the

apostles that they would be kept in the truth.

And then he prays for those who will believe

in their word. That is you. That is me. That

is the church of Jesus Christ in every age, including

this very congregation today. Before you ever

prayed to Christ, Christ prayed for you. Before

you ever loved him, he set his love upon you.

And before you ever sought unity, he asked the

father to give it. And what is the burden of

his prayer? That they all may be one. And not

just any kind of unity. But a unity that reflects

the very life of God himself. Just as you father

are in me and I in you. This is deep abiding

covenantal unity. Rooted in the eternal communion

of the triune God. It must not miss. And we must

not miss the purpose for which this unity is

given. Twice our Lord declares it. So that the

world may believe that you have sent me. And

so that the world may know that you sent me and

love them even as you have loved me. The unity

of the church is not an end in itself. It is

the means to a greater end. The glory of God

and the revelation of his son to the world. This

is why unity matters. Because it proclaims Christ

and glorifies God. We live in an age of division.

A culture around us is fractured. Politically,

socially, morally, and tragically, the church

is not immune to this. Congregations divide.

Denominations splinter. Personal offenses grow

into lasting bitterness. And yet here stands

The prayer of Christ. Unchanged. Unweakened.

And unrevoked. That they may all be one. And

this is not a unity at the expense of truth.

As though doctrine were negotiable. No. Christ

has already prayed. Sanctify them in the truth.

Your word is truth. This is a unity grounded

in truth. And expressed in love. A distinctly

reformed. biblical unity. As the Westminster

Confession of Faith reminds us in chapter 25,

the visible church is the kingdom of the Lord

Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out

of which there is no ordinary possibility of

salvation. And in chapter 26, we are taught that

all saints, being united to Christ, are therefore

united to one another in love and communion.

This is essentially Christianity. So do our lives,

do our relationships, do our churches reflect

the unity for which Christ prayed? Do we labor

to preserve it? Do we cherish it in our hearts?

Do we pursue it for the glory of God? Or do we

by pride, by neglect, By harshness, quietly undermine

it. Beloved, this is not a light matter. For

the unity of the church is bound up with God's

glory. So we ask, how does the unity of the church

glorify God? We'll be considering five points

today. One is the foundation of our unity. The

second is the nature of our unity. Third is the

means of preserving unity. Four is the threats

against our unity. And fifth, the glory revealed

through unity. May the Lord give us ears to hear,

hearts to receive, and lives ready to obey his

word. Point one, the foundation of our unity.

If we are to understand the unity of the church,

we must begin where scripture begins, with God.

For the unity of the church is not man -made.

It is not constructed by committees or sustained

by programs or preserved by mere goodwill. The

church is unity, is divine in its origin and

eternal in its foundation. Hear again the words

of our Lord, that they may all be one, just as

you, Father, are in me and I in you. The Father

is in the Son. The Son is in the Father. This

speaks of a deep, eternal. Unbreakable communion.

Theologians have called this the mutual indwelling

of the persons of the Trinity. A perfect unity

without confusion, without division, and without

differences of opinions. There is no rivalry

in God or disagreements with the Godhead. There

is no fragmentations. From all eternity, the

Father loves the Son. The Son delights in the

Father. The Spirit proceeds in perfect harmony.

One will, one purpose, one glory. And now Christ

says that they may be one, just as we are one.

This means, first of all, that unity is not something

we create. It is something we receive. We do

not build a foundation. We stand upon it. Our

unity and our union with Jesus Christ Because

he is our foundation. The Apostle Paul declares

in 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13. For in one spirit

1 Corinthians 12:13

we are all baptized into one body, Jew or Greek,

slave or free. And we were all made to drink

of one cup. And again in Ephesians 2, 13 through

16. And now in Christ Jesus, you who were once

far off have been brought near by the blood of

Christ. For he himself is our peace. that he

might create in himself one new man in place

of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile

us both to God in one body through the cross.

Christ does not merely bring individuals to God.

He creates one body to be united to Christ and

to be united to his people. Excuse me, let me

say that again. To be united to Christ is to

be united to his people. This is why the Westminster

Confession of Faith speaks so clearly in chapter

26. All saints are united to Jesus Christ, their

head, having fellowship with him and being united

to one another in love. They have communion in

each other's gifts and graces. First, united

to Christ, the head, then united to one another

as members of his body. If Christ is the head.

then all who belong to him are joined together

with him. You may feel distant from a brother.

You may struggle in a relationship. You may even

be in conflict. But if you are both in Christ,

then you are already one. And therefore, division

among believers is not merely unfortunate. It

is living contrary to what God has already established.

If Christ has accomplished, What Christ has accomplished

cannot be undone. Colossians 3 .3 For you have

died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

And also in Romans 8 .38 and 39 For I am sure

that neither death nor life nor anything else

in all creation will be able to separate us from

the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. If

we cannot be separated from Christ, then we cannot

be separated From one another. The same blood

that purchased you purchased your brother. The

same spirit who dwells in you dwells in them.

There are not many bodies of Christ. There is

one. There are not many unions. There is one

union. There is one church. One bride. One people

of God. As we confess in Ephesians 4. There is

one body. One spirit. One Lord. One faith. One

baptism. One God and Father of all. Seven times

the word one is repeated. As if to drive it into

our hearts. One body. One spirit. One hope. One

Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God and Father

of all. Unity is not something to be negotiated.

It is something we confess. Now this also means

that unity is covenantal in nature. God always

dealt with his people as a people, not merely

as individuals. From Abraham to Israel, from

Israel to the church, God gathers a covenant

community. 1 Peter 2 .9, but if you are a chosen

race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, for

a people for his own possession. A people, not

a collection of disconnected persons. but a unified

body bound together under covenantal promises.

And in the new covenant, that unity is fulfilled

in Christ. Unity is not optional for the Christian.

It is not a secondary concern to be addressed

after more important matters. It is essential

to what it means to belong to Christ, to despise

the bodies, to dishonor the head, to divide the

work. And the church is to divide against the

work of Christ. To neglect unity is to neglect

the very thing for which Christ prayed on the

night before he died. Because this unity, though

real and unbreakable in its foundation, must

not be confused with the superficial or false

unity. It is not unity at the expense of truth.

It is not unity that ignores sin or tolerates

false doctrine. No, this unity is rooted in Christ.

The question is not whether unity exists. The

question is whether will we live in it, in light

of it. Will we walk in a manner worthy of this

calling? Will we honor the foundation that God

himself has laid? The unity of the church rests

not on shifting sand, but on the solid rock of

Jesus Christ. crucified, risen and reigning.

And because he lives, this unity stands secure.

May God grant us the grace not to fracture what

he has established, but to walk in faithful,

walk faithfully in it for his glory and for the

good of the church. Point two now is the nature

of our unity. What kind of unity is this? For

not all unity is good. Not all unity is good.

Not all agreement is godly. There is a kind of

unity that Scripture condemns, a unity in rebellion,

a unity that stands against God rather than for

Him. Did not the men of Babel unite in one person,

saying, Come, let us build for ourselves a city

and a tower with its tops in the heavens? This

is in Genesis 11 .4. And yet that unity provoked

the judgment of God did not herald the Pontius

Pilate, who had formerly been at enmity, become

friends in their shared opposition to Christ.

And yet their unity was wicked. You see, unity

in itself is not the highest good. Truth is holiness

is and the glory of God is. And therefore, when

Christ prays for unity, he's not calling us to

mere external harmony. There we appear united,

where we appear united outwardly or inwardly

divided. No, he is calling us to a unity that

is biblical, a deep rooted in truth and love.

Earlier in the same passage, our Lord declares,

John 17, 17. Sanctify them in truth. Your word

is truth. Do not separate what Christ has joined.

The unity he prays for is inseparably bound to

the truth he proclaims. There can be no true

unity apart from the word of God. The church

is not free to redefine unity according to the

cultural pressures or personal preferences. We

are not at liberty to set aside doctrine in order

to achieve outward peace. The Apostle Paul warns

us in Romans 16, 17. Watch out for those who

cause divisions and create obstacles contrary

to the doctrine that you have been taught. Avoid

them. Divisions are not caused by those who separate.

Excuse me. Divisions is not only caused by those

who separate from themselves. but by those who

depart from sound doctrine. For when we confess

one faith, we stand together, as Ephesians 4

.13 says, until we all obtain the unity of the

faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

Unity is not opposed to doctrine. It is built

upon it. And therefore, we must reject any call

to unity that requires us to compromise the truth

of God's Word. Such unity is not from above.

It is unearthly, unspiritual, even demonic. True

unity is a confessional unity, a unity shaped

and governed by truth of Scripture. But truth

alone, if held without love, will not produce

the unity for which Christ prayed. The Apostle

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13, 2, If I understand

all mysteries and all knowledge, but have not

love, I am nothing. And again in Colossians 3

.14, above all these things put on love, which

binds everything together in perfect harmony.

This love is not sentimental. It is not emotional.

It is covenantal, sacrificial, and it's active.

It bears with others, Ephesians 2 .4, excuse

me, Ephesians 4 .2, with all humility and gentleness,

with patience, bearing with one another in love.

forgives offenses Ephesians 4 32 be kind to one

another tender -hearted forgiving one another

as God in Christ forgave you it seeks the good

of others Philippians 2 3 and 4 do nothing of

selfish ambition but in humility count others

more significant than yourselves if we insist

on being right but refuse to be loving we undermine

the very unity we claim to defend And if we claim

to love but refuse to uphold the truth, we hollow

out the unity we profess. Christ calls us to

both, truth and love, together. Now consider

further. The unity of the church is not a uniformity

of persons. God does not erase distinctions in

the body. He puts them together, 1 Corinthians

12, 12. For just as the body is one, And has

many members. It is with Christ. The body has

many members. Hands, feet, ears, eyes. And each

has a different function. And yet together they

form one body. So it is in the church. There

are different gifts. 1 Corinthians 12 .4 Now

there are varieties of gifts. But the same spirit.

Different roles. 1 Corinthians 12 .5 There are

varieties of services, but the same Lord, different

strengths, different backgrounds, different callings,

and yet one body in Christ. Unity does not mean

sameness, does not mean that every member thinks

identically on every matter or functions in the

same way or has the same personality or emphasis.

Rather, unity means. that all these differences

are brought into harmony under one head, Jesus

Christ. In fact, the diversity of the body magnifies

its unity. For when many different members with

many different gifts are brought together in

love and truth, it displays the wisdom and power

of God. 1 Corinthians 12, 25, that there may

be no divisions in the body. and that the members

may have the same care for one another. Not identical

roles, but unified purposes. Finally, we must

see that this unity is not invisible. It is meant

to be seen. Christ says, so that the world may

believe, so that the world may know. Our unity

must take on flesh. It must be visible in our

fellowship, in our worship, in our hospitality,

in our forgiveness, in our shared life as the

covenant people of God. Acts 2, 44 and 46. And

all who believed were together, attending the

temple together and breaking bread in their homes.

Mills shared, shared worship, shared burdens,

shared joys. For it is precisely the visible

unity that God uses as a testimony to the world.

When believers dwell together in peace, when

offenses are often forgiven, when truth is upheld

and love abounds, the world takes notice. And

it sees not perfection, not something unmistakably

different, something that cannot be explained

by mere human effort. It sees the work of Christ.

So then, what is the nature of our unity? It

is unity in truth, grounded in the word of God.

It is unity in love, binding us together in peace.

It is unity in diversity, many members, one body.

It is also unity in the visibly seen unity, lived

out before the watching world. This is the unity

which Christ prayed. And this is the unity the

spirit produces. And anything less, any unity

without truth or truth without love or unity

that remains unseen is not the fullness of what

Christ intends for his church. May God grant

us grace to understand it, to cherish it and

to walk in it for his glory and the good of his

people. Point three. The means of preserving

unity. How is this unity preserved? For the scripture

is clear. While unity is given by God, it must

be diligently maintained by his people. Here

again, the exhortation of the apostle in Ephesians

4 .3. Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit

and the bond of peace. We are not called to create

unity. That is God's work. But we are called

to maintain it. That is our duty. And how do

we do this? By what means does God preserve unity

in his church? Unity is preserved through humility

and Christlike character. Ephesians 4 .2 With

all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing

with one another in love, a proud man insists

on his own way. A humble man seeks the good of

others. A proud man is easily offended. A humble

man is slow to take offense. Philippians 2, 5

through 8. Having this mind among yourself, which

is yours in Christ Jesus, who humbled himself

by becoming disobedient to the point of death,

even death on the cross. The path to unity is

the path of the cross. It requires dying to self,

dying to pride, dying to the needs to be right,

to be first. to be vindicated. Many divisions

in the church are caused by personal pride. And

therefore, if we would preserve unity, we must

begin with humility. Are we humble? Are we gentle?

And are we patient? Do we bear with one another

in love? Not merely tolerating, but bearing,

enduring, covering, forgiving. For unity is not

preserved among perfect people, but among forgiven

sinners who have extended that same grace to

one another. Unity is also preserved through

faithful use of the ordinary means of grace.

God has not left His church without provision.

He has appointed means by which He nourishes,

strengthens, and unites His people. The Word,

the Sacrament, and Prayer. Acts 2 .42 And they

devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching

and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread

and the prayers. And when the word is finally

preached, faithfully preached, God shapes a people

with one mind. When the sacraments are rightly

administered, God visibly blinds his people together

as one body. 1 Corinthians 10, 17. Because there

is one bread. We, who are many, are one body,

for we all partake of that one bread. At the

Lord's table, we do not come as isolated individuals.

We come as one body. And when the church prays

together, it expresses its shared dependence

upon God. The Westminster Confession in chapter

21 reminds us that these are the ordinary means

by which God communicates His grace to His people.

And where these means are neglected, unity will

weaken. If the word is absent, confusion will

enter. If the sacraments are neglected, our identity

in Christ will fade. If prayer is forsaken, dependence

will shift to human strength. But where these

means are honored, unity is strengthened indeed.

Unity is also preserved through the mutual edification

and active love. Hebrews 10, 24 and 25. Let us

consider how to stir one another up to love and

good works. Not neglecting to meet together,

but encouraging one another. We are to think

about how to build one another up. Not merely

just attending worship, but engaging in one another's

lives. encouraging the faint -hearted, helping

the weak, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and

weeping with those who weep. 1 Thessalonians

5 .11 says, Unity grows where believers invest

in one another. It is difficult to divide from

those you deeply love. It is difficult to harbor

bitterness towards those you regularly serve

and pray for. Unity is preserved in the daily,

ordinary, and often unseen acts of love within

the body. A word of encouragement, a meal shared,

a burden carried, a sin confronted. These are

the threads that, woven together, form a strong

and lasting unity. Unity is also preserved through

forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us be plain.

Unity will not be preserved in any church where

forgiveness is absent because offenses will come.

And in those moments, the question is not whether

conflicts exist, but how it is handled. Ephesians

4, 31 and 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and

anger be put away from you, forgiving one another

as God in Christ has forgiven you. This is the

standard as God in Christ forgave you freely

and fully, not holding a record of wrongs. And

also in Matthew 18, 15, if your brother sins

against you, go to him and tell him his fault

between you and him alone. Not gossip, not avoidance,

not silent resentment, but direct loving. Pursuit

of reconciliation. Unresolved conflict is fertile

ground for division. But forgiveness cuts it

off at the root. Unity is also preserved through

the faithful church and how it disciplines the

body. This too is a means appointed by God. Though

often neglected and misunderstood, church discipline

is not contrary to unity. It is essential. The

Westminster Confession chapter 30 teaches our

censures are necessary for the reclaiming and

gaining of offending brethren, for purging out

the leaven that which might infect the whole

lump. Discipline serves several purposes to restore

a sinner, to protect unity of the church, to

uphold the honor of Christ. and to preserve the

unity of the body. For if unchecked sin does

not remain isolated, it spreads through the whole

body. 1 Corinthians 5, 6 Do you not know that

a little leaven leavens the whole lump? If sin

is ignored, it will corrupt the body. If false

teaching is tolerated, it will divide the church.

But when discipline is exercised faithfully,

Humbly and biblically. It strengthens unity.

By removing that which would destroy it. So then

how is unity preserved? How is unity preserved?

Through humility and Christ -like character.

Through the faithful use of the means of grace.

Through intentional mutual edification. Through

forgiveness and reconciliation. Through faithful

church discipline. These are not optional practices.

They are necessary means appointed by God for

the health and unity of His church. None of this

is possible in our own strength. We cannot produce

unity apart from the Spirit of God. But the same

Spirit who has united us to Christ now works

within us to preserve that unity. And therefore,

we labor, not in vain, not alone, but in dependence

upon him. So be eager, eager to maintain the

unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. For

in doing so, you not only strengthen the church,

you glorify the God who has made you one. Point

four is threats against unity. What threatens

this unity? The church, as we confess, is both

glorious and yet still imperfect in its age.

As the Westminster Confession of Faith teaches

in chapter 25, the purest church under heaven

are subject to both mixture and error. That is

to say, there is no congregation, no denomination,

no assembly on this site of glory that is immune

from the danger of division. And therefore, Scripture

does not speak lightly about this matter. Again

and again, we are warned, exhorted, and commanded

to guard against those things which fracture

the unity of the body. So let us consider several

points of the most common and dangerous threats.

One would be pride and self -interest. At the

root of nearly every division Lies the same poisonous

seed. Pride. James 4 .1. What causes quarrels.

And what causes fights among you. Is it not this.

That your passions are at war within you. Conflict

does not begin out there. It begins in here.

In the heart. The heart guys. Is in the heart.

That insists on its own way. But the scripture

says. In Proverbs 13 .10. By insolence becomes

nothing but strife. but with those who take advice

is wisdom. And again in Philippians 2 .3, do

nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but

in humility count others more significant than

yourselves. Pride divides because it centers

everything on self. A church full of proud men

and women will not remain united for long. But

a church marked by humility, quick to listen,

slow to speak, Will flourish in unity. Also let

us consider false doctrine. And theological error.

Romans 16 17. Watch out for those who cause divisions.

And will create obstacles contrary. To the doctrine.

That you have been taught. Avoid them. To be

clear. Not all division is sinful. There are

times when division is necessary. When truth

is at stake. When false doctrine enters the church.

It does not unify, it divides. Paul warns in

Galatians 1 .8, but if we or an angel from heaven

should preach to you a gospel contrary to the

one we preach to you, let him be accursed. Strong

words, but the danger is great for unity that

is not grounded in truth is not unity at all.

And this is why confessional clarity matters.

This is why the doctrines, summarized in the

Westminster Confession are not burdens, but blessings.

They provide a shared theological foundation

upon which true unity can stand. And therefore,

we must be vigilant, testing all things by the

word of God, holding fast to what is good. Let

us also consider bitterness and unforgiveness.

If pride is the seed of division, Bitterness

is the root that grows from it. Hebrews 12, 15.

See to it that no root of bitterness springs

up and causes trouble, and by it many become

defiled. Bitterness is never contained. It grows,

it spreads, it poisons. It begins perhaps with

a small offense, a word spoken carelessly, a

decision misunderstood. A hurt left unaddressed.

And instead of being resolved, it is nurtured.

Replayed in the mind. Fed by assumptions. Shared

in whispers. And slowly, the heart hardens. Ephesians

4 .31 says, Let all bitterness and wrath and

anger be put away from you. Why? Because bitterness

destroys unity. So what's the remedy? Ephesians

4 .32 says, Unforgiveness is incompatible with

the gospel. For how can we, who have been forgiven

an infinite amount of debt, refuse to forgive?

A church that refuses to forgive will not remain

united. But a church that is quick to repent,

and quick to forgive, will be preserved with

peace. Let us also consider gossip and slander

and the misuse of the tongue. A few things destroy

unity more quickly, more quietly, than the misuse

of our words. Proverbs 16, 28. A dishonest man

spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close

friends. A whisperer, a quiet word, A passing

comment, not shouted from the pulpit, but spoken

in the hallway, not declared publicly, but shared

privately. And yet its effects are devastating.

James 3, 5 and 6 says the tongue is a small member

and yet it boasts of great things. How great

a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire.

A single careless word can ignite. A division

that takes years to repair. And therefore, Scripture

calls us to a higher standard. Ephesians 4 .29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth,

but only such as is good for building up. Let

us ask ourselves, do my words build up or do

they tear down? Do they promote peace or do they

stir division? Unity is preserved not only by

what we say, but also by what we refuse to say.

And we take that before the Lord. Let us consider

fractions. Scripture warns against the danger

of fractions within the church. 1 Corinthians

1, 12 and 13. Each one of you says, I follow

Paul, or I follow Apollos, or I follow Caiaphas.

Is Christ divided? The Corinthian church was

fractured, not over doctrine alone, but over

personalities and preferences. And the apostle

rebukes them sharply. For when allegiances shift

from Christ to men, division follows. A Christian

might say, I belong to this group. I align with

this leader. And subtly, the body begins fracturing

into camps. But Christ is not divided. There

is one head, one Lord, one church. And therefore,

our primary identity must not be in personalities

or preferences or secondary distinctions, but

in Christ himself. These are real and present

dangers. Pride, false doctrine, bitterness, gossip

and fractions. They do not announce themselves

loudly. They creep in quietly. They grow gradually.

And if left unchecked. They will divide even

the strongest church. And therefore we must be

diligent. We must examine and guard our own hearts.

For unity is not preserved by accident. It is

preserved by watchfulness. By repentance. And

by the grace of God at work within us. For Christ

who prays for our unity. Also reigns over his

church. And he is able to preserve. What he has

established. May we by his grace resist these

threats. And strive together for the unity of

the spirit. And the bond of peace for the glory

of God. And for the good of his church. Point

five in our last point today. The glory revealed

through unity. How does the unity of the church

glorify God? Why does Christ pray for this unity?

Because the unity of the church displays the

glory of God. Hear again the word of our Lord,

that they may all be one, so that the world may

believe that you have sent me. And again, that

they may become perfectly one, so that the world

may know that you have sent me, and love them

even as you have loved me. It is about the glory

of God. Revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

Through his people. Let us consider unity. Displayed.

Displays the reality and power of the gospel.

The gospel is not merely. A message to be believed.

It is a power that transforms. Romans 1 16. For

I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the

power of God for salvation. It takes sinners.

Dead and trespasses and sins. alienated from

God, hostile in mind, and reconciles them not

only to God, but to one another. And when that

happens, men and women who would otherwise be

divided are brought together in truth and love.

It becomes a living testimony to the power of

the gospel. The world knows division, but when

it sees genuine unity, it sees something it cannot

explain. It sees the power of God at work. And

in that moment, the gospel is not merely heard.

It is seen. Let's also consider unity that reflects

the character of the triune God. As we saw earlier,

the unity of the church is patterned after the

unity of the triune God. Just as you, Father,

are in me and I in you. This means that when

the church lives in unity, it reflects the glory

of our God. And when his people dwell together

in love and truth, they bear witness to that

reality. And therefore, divisions in the church

does not only harm relationships, it distorts

the image we are meant to display. Unity adorns

the doctrine of our Savior. It shows the world

something true about who God is. Let us also

consider unity that magnifies an accomplished

The work of Christ. Christ died. To gather a

people. John 11. 52 says. To gather into one

children. Of God. Who were scattered abroad.

Also in Colossians 1 .20. And through him. To

reconcile to himself all things. Making peace

by the blood of the cross. And therefore. When

the church is divided. It obscures the very thing

the cross accomplished. It suggests falsely that

Christ's work is insufficient to bring about

real reconciliation among his people. But when

the church walks in unity, it magnifies the sufficiency

of Christ's atonement. It declares the blood

is enough. His grace is sufficient. His cross

truly reconciles. Every act of forgiveness, every

restored relationship is the proclamation of

the cross. Let us also consider unity that strengthens

the witness and mission of the church. Christ

ties unity directly to evangelism. So that the

world may believe. So that the world may know.

A divided church weakens its witness. For when

unbelievers see conflict, bitterness, and division,

they do not see the beauty of Christ. They see

a reflection of the world they already know.

But a united church strengthens its testimony.

When believers love one another, the world takes

notice in John 13, 35. By this, all people know

that you are my disciples, if you have love for

one another. not by programs or strategies, but

by love expressed in unity. Unity also leads

to corporate God -glorifying worship. Romans

15, 5 and 6 says, May the God of endurance and

encouragement grant you to live in such harmony

with one another that together you may with one

voice glorify God the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ. One voice. Not many competing voices.

But one united chorus. When the church is united,

its worship is strengthened. Its prayers are

more fervent. Its praises are more harmonious.

Its witness is more powerful. But when divisions

take root, worship is hindered. Hearts grow cold.

Voices grow distant. Unity is not only seen in

fellowship. It is heard in our worship. A church,

a united church glorifies God together, lifting

one voice, one confession, one praise. So then

how does unity glorify God? It displays the power

of the gospel. It reflects the character of God.

It magnifies the work of Christ. It strengthens

the witness of the church. It accumulates an

ununified worship. In all these ways, the unity

of the church becomes a living, visible testimony

to the glory of God. And it is doxological. It

is about the glory of God. May God grant in that,

in this congregation, through truth, through

love, through humility, through grace, there

would be such a unity that the world looks on

and says, surely, God is among them. And in that.

May all glory be given to God alone. So my conclusion

today. We have now walked through. The teaching

of God's word. Concerning the unity of his church.

We have seen the foundation of our unity. That

is rooted not in man. But in the triune God.

And secured by our union with Jesus Christ. We

have considered the nature of this unity. That.

It is a unity in truth and in love, a unity that

embraces diversity, and a unity that must be

visibly lived out. We have examined the means

by which this unity is preserved, that through

humility, the ordinary means of grace, mutual

edification, forgiveness, and faithful discipline,

God sustains what He has established. we have

been warned of the threats against unity. Pride,

false doctrine, bitterness, gossip, fractions,

which if left unchecked, will fracture the body

of Christ. And finally, we have beheld the glory

revealed through unity, that in it the gospel

is displayed, the character of God is reflected,

the work of Christ is magnified. And the witness

of the church is strengthened. And the praise

of God is lifted with one voice. The word of

God presses upon us. Be eager to maintain the

unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Not

tomorrow. Not when it's convenient. Not when

others begin. But now. We need it in our homes.

In our conversations. And in our relationships

within this very congregation. Let's each one

examine himself. Where there is pride, repent.

Where there is bitterness, put it away. Where

there is distance, pursue reconciliation. Where

there is neglect, engage in love. Do not wait

for others to take the first step. Remember your

Savior who did not wait for you to come to him,

but he came to you in grace. Remember the cross.

where Christ gave himself not only to reconcile

you to God, but to bind you together with his

people. Remember his prayer, that they all may

be one. Christ has prayed for this unity. The

Spirit is at work to produce it. The Word commands

us to preserve it. Shall we then neglect it?

Shall we treat it lightly, what Christ has commanded

and made so central? May it never be. Rather,

let it be said of this congregation that we are

a people marked by truth and love, by humility

and grace, by a deep and abiding unity that cannot

be explained by human strength alone. And as

the world looks on, may it see not our perfection,

but the unmistakable evidence of Christ among

us, that he has come. That he has died. That

he has risen. And that he is gathering one people

for his name. To him be all the glory in this

church now and forever. And amen. Let us pray.

Our gracious heavenly father. We come before

you humbly by your word. And we confess that

we have not loved others as we ought. We have

been proud. where we should have been humble.

We have been slow to forgive, where we should

have shown grace. We have spoken words that tear

down rather than build up. So we ask, O Lord,

that you would forgive us for the sake of Jesus

Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us.

We thank you that you have made us of one mind

in Christ. That by his blood you have reconciled

us to yourself and to one another. And that by

your spirit you have joined us together as one

body. And now we ask that you would preserve

that unity among us. Grant us humility of our

heart. Gentle in our speech. Patience, Lord,

in our relationships. And sincere abiding love

for one another. Please, Lord. Father, we pray

that you would guard us from division, protect

us from false doctrine, keep us from bitterness

and from the misuse of your words. O Lord, we

ask that you would allow us to be quick to repent,

quick to forgive, cause us to delight in one

another, Lord, as members of the same body, and

to labor together for the peace and purity of

your church. And above all, Lord, Let our unity

bring glory to your name. Make us one, even as

you are one. And Father, we pray. Oh, Lord, we

beg. And Father, we plead with you. Lord, have

mercy upon us. Lord, guard us from these things.

In Jesus' name. Amen.