Pursuing Unity Amidst Division by Brother Duke Hansen

         Our message this morning is going to be a continuation of the message that was given on August 11th. Our first scripture reading will be from the book of Ephesians at the 4th chapter. The natural default setting man has is to cause division, separation, and chaos. Unity and harmony are against human nature. When you are unified in something, you aren't thinking of yourself or what you stand to gain. You aren't the center of the world or the main character of a story. The church at large in our country has ignored or refused to grapple with the text in the Bible showing suffering will bring growth to the perfection of the saints. Yes, your decisions can bring you suffering. If you are seeking God's face and drawing closer to him, he will try you in order for you to remove the junk and impurities you have in your character. People would rather think on the good things and heavenly rewards without applying any work towards it. Let us read at verse 1 of Ephesians 4.

        I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.

        When we look back at the life of the apostle Paul, we see a man who gave up quite a lot for the spreading of the gospel. There are very few people who have the character to turn their back on the pursuit of gain and wealth. Paul turned from his place in the order of the pharisees, the money he came from, as well as his dual citizenship to become a prisoner of the Lord. It was Paul's decision after his conversion. There have been people through history who have a heavenly anointing that was made through time, trial, and suffering.

        2 With all lowliness, and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.

         Do you know what the definition of forbearing is? It means patient and restrained. Here in verse 2 should be every believer's start point. You need to be meek, long-suffering, patient and restrained. Start to put on humility in your life. 

        3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

        The word endeavoring reads like the header for a mission. Endeavoring means tries hard to do or achieve something. Why is it important working in the spirit for the bond of peace? You ruin your witness when it becomes about you and your struggles. Your walk and how you treat others is affected when you choose strife and self pity. You can't treat people different off your carnal perceptions because you are judging from a point of self-righteousness. God's love is for all of us and not just a select few. When you were at your lowest and lost, God loved you as much as the person you currently find fault with or outright despise. 

        4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

        It's one thing to obtain unity after your pursuit but it's so important to maintain unity of the spirit because the church assembly is one body. The nature of man will corrupt the assembly is left unchecked. If you need an example, look at many church fights over the years. Man's flesh is usually at the root cause for those.

        5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

        Verse 5 has been the catalyst for much division over centuries. There has been separation and division within the church even during Jesus' ministry. Look at the two separate schools of thought between the Pharisees and Sadducees regarding resurrection. Sadducees were also the political elite of the time, collaborating with the Romans and involved with their politics. 

        6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

        7 But unto every one of us is given grace according ro raw measure of the gift of Christ.

        Everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. How much grace are you living under this morning? Is it plenty? Sufficient? Close to empty?

        8 Where he saith, When he ascended upon high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

        9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

       10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

       11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

       12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the mistily, for the edifying of the body of Christ;

        When you acknowledge God makes perfect people, you need to closely examine yourself as well as your walk. When you hear someone say "Nobody's perfect" it's often an unspoken admission they aren't living the biblical principles in their life. They're quick to point out to mote in other's eyes, but blind to the plank in their own. Another statement often spoken is "Well, there was only one perfect man, and his name is Jesus." You can remind them in John 14:12 Jesus said;

        Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

        Jesus talks further on about bringing the comforter. If you love him you will keep his commandments. Going back to Ephesians;

        13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

        The unity isn't the memorization of rules and laws, doctrine or dogma. It's the simplicity of Jesus' message and the faith to live by it daily.

        So, if you don't have the Holy Spirit, how are you not dead? Look back to the measure of grace and mercy. There are three types of man. The righteous, the sinner, and the ungodly. You can read more about this in 1 Peter 4:18-19. 

        Now, go over to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Paul is writing a letter to the church in Corinth.

        Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

        The sinner has been given mercy. Grace has been given to all of us. Don't faint. Don't give up where you're at in life. Don't stand in the same place. You can endure and overcome. There are choices you can make where you choose God over everything in the world. Be aware you may lose a lot in money, time, friends, and relationships in the world, but gain a place in heaven. Life and your choices, no matter how well intentioned can never gain entrance into heaven.

        2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

        3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost;

        4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is he image of Gos, should shine unto them.

        5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

        6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

        7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

        8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

        9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

        10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

        If you allow God, you repent and take his name. All the things you feel emotionally are real and valid, but you aren't dead. What are you lacking if God is still with us? The Holy Ghost is our oxygen. In verse 10; every time we let iniquities die- like hate, jealousy, not forgiving, we are putting those to our cross the way Jesus put the sins of man on the cross. We either take on Jesus or keep on our flesh. The end of your spiritual walk is not with the obtaining of the Holy Ghost. Getting the Holy Ghost is just the start point. There is a level of discouragement with a hard truth.

        Jesus took on death so we could take on life and reflect his light. We walk, talk, like, and act like Jesus himself. The early church in Antioch was recognized as such for that very thing.