Finding Unity
John 10:10 [NKJV], The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
“We cannot improve the future without disturbing the present.”
Joshua 5:13-14 [NLT], When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” 14 “Neither one,” he replied, “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”
1. We are all created in God’s image
Genesis 1:26 [NKJV], God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”
2. We all come from the same bloodline
Genesis 3:20 [ESV], The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Acts 17:26, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth…”
3. God values all of us equally
Galatians 3:28 [TPT], And we no longer see each other in our former state—Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female—because we’re all one through our union with Jesus Christ with no distinction between us.
Acts 10:34 [TPT], “Now I know for certain that God doesn’t show favoritism with people but treats everyone on the same basis."
4. Salvation is available for everyone
1 Timothy 2:1-4 [NKJV], Therefore, I encourage first of all that…prayers…and giving thanks be made for all men… 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Ephesians 2:14-16 NLT, For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 …He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to an end.
5. We are all called to walk in unity
John 17:20-23 [NLT], “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. 23 …May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
6. We are all equal in heaven
Revelation 7:9 [TPT], After this I looked, and behold, right in front of me I saw a vast multitude of people—an enormous multitude so huge that no one could count—made up of victorious ones from every nation, tribe, people group, and language. They were all in glistening white robes, standing before the throne and before the Lamb….
1 John 4:10-12 [NLT], This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 …if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.