The Call for Unity Ephesians 4:1-6

Long ago, when Cock Fighting was still popular, a farmer owned two champion roosters. He loaded his two roosters into a divided cage on the back of his pick up and set out. On the way, the divider fell out of the cage, and all the way to their destination, the two roosters fought each other, beak and claw. Of course, upon arrival at the destination, the farmer was greeted by a bloody mess, at which he exclaimed, "You silly birds! Didn't you know you were both on the same side? You both belong to me.

This could be the story of the church today. Whether it is across denominational lines, or even within denominations, there seems to be a continual war between one another. How contrary to the urging of Paul here in Ephesians 4. His request was that we make every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit.

The church may not chart its own course. Its goal has already been set; its purpose has been determined by its Lord. Paul puts it this way,

Ephes. 4:1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

When we live a life worthy of our calling as Christians the world will be drawn by our unity instead being attracted by our fights.

From the beginning of this Epistle unity has run through as an underlying theme. Here Paul draws it out into the open. He focuses attention on one of those foundational principles we talked about in chapter 1. The principal of bondedness. United together through adoption into the family of Christ.

But, you may say, what about our basic differences? Surely not everyone is exactly alike? This is true. So Paul sets out to establish some principals that apply to the church in the midst of the diversity that exists.

Firstly we are reminded that:
I. Spiritual Unity Recognizes Human Differences
Ephes. 4:3 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
There will always be differences in human nature. This was true in Paul's day and it is true today. Otherwise Paul would not even have had to address this issue.
Paul recognized that whenever a diverse group of people are gathered together, there will be the tendency to want to have things done our own way. To want to go in another direction. To have our feelings hurt. To have different priorities and influences in our lives. He is not saying that these things are not a reality, and that they ought not exist. He is saying that we must be careful that they do not distract us from the main thing.
So he says that we should be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit. The word eager is a little weak in this instance. It would more accurately be translated "give diligence to". The King James may even be more accurate in it's rendering. Eager suggests a willingness, while the Greek word actually means willingness combined with activity. Make a choice to get on with each other in spite of our innate differences.
In fact I believe that Paul would agree that we should even be aware that we are different. This is the glory of the Church. The fact that all cultures, creeds and colors can come together in unity under one Lord, one body and one baptism. Slaves and freemen, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, red, yellow, black, or white, it is to make no difference. The church is the only institution that crosses every barrier. Every boundary that man establishes, and brings people together in a miraculous way to pursue a unified purpose under the leadership of Christ.

But it is not always easy to ignore these boundaries. It is not always easy to set them aside for the greater good. Even in Paul's day there was the conflict between two ladies who could not get along with each other. Euodia and Syntyche had trouble working together.
These differences are not always confined to the practical things in our lives such as personality and culture. They boil over into spiritual things as well. As diverse as we are physically, we are diverse in terms of spiritual gifts. Each one of us has a different gift, and sometimes we tend to be divisive because we believe that our particular gift may be more important than someone else's. Denominations are at loggerheads with each other because they believe that the particular gift which may be prominent in there minds is the most important gift there is. It is difficult to see eye to eye at the best of times.

To dwell above with saints we love,
O that will be glory
But to dwell below with saints we know,
Well, that's another story.

In all of this, Paul is saying that there are differences, both spiritually and physically, but that in spite of these differences, with the mind and the spirit of Christ in our lives, we can defer to others and strive for unity in our diversity. The way he says we can do this is to focus on the things that are common to us. Not the things that may be different and divisive.
So he says in the second place, that:
II. Spiritual Unity Reveals Common Bonds
"...the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
In spite of the differences we may have as individuals, there is one thing that sets us apart from the world. We have a common bond which draws us together in spite of the differences. This is the unity which is outside of our own ability to develop.
1. The unity is possible firstly because it is born of the Spirit
It is a unity which is already there because it was created by God's Spirit in us and amongst us. Paul is not saying that we must "create" unity. He says we must strive to keep the unity "of the Spirit".
It is tremendously important to understand that apart from the in working of the Spirit in our lives, there can be no unity.
There are many spirits in the world today that promise to bring mankind together in a sense of comradeship, towards a unified goal. We remember the demonic spirit which ruled Germany in the days of Hitler. What a common cause that was, yet how horrible the outcome. In the Old Testament there was a similar spirit that rose up among the people. It was a spirit of unity, but it was a spirit that was full of pride and arrogance. It was a spirit that was opposed to the authority of God, and wished to raise itself up on a level with God, and so it had to be dealt with.
From that moment on, god's desire was that His people would be in unity once more. So He provided a way that all of humankind could find away back to that unity of spirit that we were created to have. He poured out His Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2 Acts 2:1-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [5] Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. [6] When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. [7] Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? [8] Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? [9] Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" [12] Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Those Jewish boys did not know what was going on! All they knew was that everyone was united in one spirit. They did not know which spirit, until Peter had to stand up and explain to them that God had simply kept His promise made way back in Joel 2:28-29 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. [29] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. This is the Spirit of unity that Paul is speaking of. This was the divine paradox of that day. Christ had ascended, yet now Christ was with them.

Family, that is the miracle of spiritual unity. Not something which we produce, but something which God has promised to all who gather in His name. Wherever the corporate body of Christ gathers, the gift of Pentecost is given again. He, the Christ is "in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Paul's exhortation here is to avoid and resolve anything that threatens the source of this unity that Jesus brings by His Spirit. So the fundamental bond here which is common to all believers and which we must keep at all costs is this unity which is God's gift to the church through His Spirit.
Secondly, this unity is possible because
2. The Spirit's Presence Results in the Bond of Peace.
"keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
This is as much a fulfillment of the promise of God as is the coming of the Spirit.
Luke 1:78-79 "...because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven [79] to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
This was not a promise of national peace. Jesus Himself said of that, "think not that I have come to bring peace, but the sword." The peace that was spoken of here is a peace that comes to His body universally and collectively in Christ. Apart from Christ there can be no understanding of this peace, but in Him He says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Let not your hearts be troubled. Strive to attain this level of peace which is my gift to the church.
The unity is possible firstly because it is born of the Spirit, and secondly it is perfected by the bond of His peace.
Spiritual Unity Recognizes Human Differences.
Spiritual Unity Reveals Common Bonds.
And thirdly,
III. Spiritual Unity Restores Vitality and Purpose
Ephes. 4:4-8 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. [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says:"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."
Now in vs. 4-6 Paul sets out a basis upon which that peace is established. We will come back and talk about these another time. The one thing that we can observe for now is that the word "one" is repeated 7 times. Each time it is attached to a noun: body… spirit… hope… Lord… faith… baptism…God.
There are some vital things that we have in common. If we focus on these things we will find that we have less to fight about. We will find that there are some things that are worth hanging on to and standing together upon. So many times we get off on things that are of no importance to us as members of Christ's body. These are things that if we are attacked on as believers we will stand together in one voice and fight against our adversary.
I remember in primary school there were these twin brothers. Billy and Peter Stott. The same two that used to terrorize me at the bus stop. Well, there were times that these two brothers were at loggerheads with each other. Whatever the division was, they would really get down. When this would happen while others were present, it would seem that the right thing to do would be to jump in and defend the underdog of the two. Yet that would be a serious mistake. Whenever this would happen you would quickly find out that blood is thicker than water because all of a sudden they would stop fighting each other and they would both go for the one who tried to intervene. You see, there was an underlying unity which was based upon the fact of their common bond that was greater than the issue which divided. Peter and Billy had given the false impression that they were divided brothers because of a petty argument.
The church does this all the time. Instead of focussing on the things that are common to us. Instead of delighting in the essence of His presence. The bond of His peace, the one body… spirit… hope… Lord… faith… baptism…God, we become sidetracked by non-essentials and we give the world the wrong idea. It is only when they begin to interfere that they find that there is a common bond of which they have no concept. Paul is saying that this is not what God had in mind. We must stand as one all the time. This is the way we will be salt and light. This is the way we will live our lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called. This is the way we will win San Antonio for Jesus. This is the way we will win America back to Jesus. It must begin with the household of faith. The church in which Christ is present because He has promised to be.
This is the way the Kingdom on earth will come about. Jesus said it would be this way. It would take a concerted effort to take hold of it. Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
This force. This vitality and purpose comes not out of petty differences, but out of purposeful focus. Focus on the things that are important in our faith. May we be seen as forcefully advancing. Storming the gates of hell, and setting captives free. May we ascend as Christ in vs. 8, because of the grace He has given us as in vs. 7. "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."