Maintain Unity | June 11, 2023

Main Point: As a church, our desire is to follow the Spirit in freedom, while maintaining unity.

Introduction: At Northside, we embrace the values to be presence-focused, faith-filled, and servant-hearted. To embrace this value, we maintain unity, embrace diversity, pursue maturity, and show hospitality. Today, we look at Unity.

John 3:5-8

⁵ “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 12: 12-14

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 

1 Corinthians 12:25-26

²⁵“there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 

The Holy Spirit called the early church to deeper unity as they journeyed from the Upper Room to the Living Room.

Acts 2:42-47

⁴²“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” 

• They worship God in the Temple but they enjoyed each other in the Living Room
• Jesus prays for our unity as a church in John 17

John 17: 9-11

⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”

Ephesians 4:3-6

³ “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Conclusion: From the Upper Room (the church) to the Living Room (our sphere of influence) in our life, we make every effort to maintain and/or restore unity.