Why we need to keep rehearsing the story of redemption in order to pursue unity in the Church?

Why do we need to keep rehearsing the story of redemption in order to pursue unity?

by Jason Cook

The disunity in the world is contagious. If we don’t keep reminding ourselves what God is up to, we’ll think it’s normal for Christians with different cultural preferences to live in the same city and worship in different churches. In other words, we’ll think it’s normal for the church to be as divided as the world. But Paul is reminding us that we serve a God who governs all creation with a single purpose. This is what Ephesians 4:4-6 teaches.

"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

There is one Spirit, one Lord, and one Father. And our God is not divided. The people of this nation are divided: by politics, ethnicity, economic status—And all of these things motivate us to chase our own agendas as if our own priorities are most important. Butour God is not divided.

He has a singular purpose. Back in Ephesians 1:9-10 Paul tells us what that purpose is. He says that God is making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God’s purpose is to unite all of creation under the authority of Christ. That’s what Paul is talking about  in chapter 4 when he says believers are called to one hope. Our one hope is that everything will be reconciled to the kingship of Christ, either by grace or by judgment.Before the foundation of the world God planned to take a broken, sinful humanity, and reconcile us to himself. He would do this through the death and resurrection of Christ. And he would send his Spirit to transform us into one family.

God didn’t save you just so you could worship him with people who are just like you. God didn’t build his one church to bear the image of a divided world. He has called us bear his own image. And he called us to show this divided world that only the gospel has the power to reconcile us to God and to one another.

We need to keep telling each other the story of redemption because unity in the body of Christ is contagious. When the body of Christ in this city reflects the diversity of this city, because we know that we’re all one family in Christ, people will be drawn to the power of the gospel. That’s our hope. That’s our calling.

Celebration Sunday! ¡Servicio de Celebración! - La Unidad - Efe. 4:1-7 - Unity - Eph. 4:1-7

Celebration Sunday is a Sunday where both Old Jacksonville Campus and Grace Español have a united bilingual service.

El domingo de celebración es domingo cuando la ubicación Old Jacksonville y Grace Español tienen un servicio bilingüe juntos.
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Unity, the call of the church, shows the power of the Gospel to the world.

La unidad el llamado de la iglesia muestra el poder del evangelio al mundo.

Our background, brain function, language or skin color don’t define us. We are not saying they don’t mean anything-but only as they sit in submission to our real identity. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Being Sons and daughters comes is a gracious gift with a serious call to love one another. God knew and knows unity isn’t easy.  Jesus himself prayed for it for us (Jn 17: 20,21).

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Paul spoke of Unity in the Letter to the Corinthians and in one to the Ephesians (Eph 4:1-7).

Nuestros antecedentes, función cerebral, idioma o color de piel no nos definen. No estamos diciendo que no signifiquen nada, sino solo mientras se sientan sometidos a nuestra verdadera identidad. Somos hijos e hijas del Dios viviente. Ser hijos e hijas es un regalo de gracia que viene con un llamado serio a amarnos. Dios sabía y sabe que la unidad no es fácil. Jesús mismo oró por nosotros por nosotros (Juan 17:20, 21). Pablo habló de la Unidad en la Carta a los Corintios y en una a los Efesios (Efesios 4: 1-7).

John Stott said: “Paul has been unfolding eternal purpose of God: Redemption through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the way in which redemption-The church is the conduit and the expression of what’s to come. Unity is a key aspect of effectiveness and a major part of its expression of redemptive hope.”

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John Stott dijo: “Pablo ha estado desarrollando el propósito eterno de Dios: la redención a través de Jesucristo. Jesucristo es la forma en que la redención: la iglesia es el conducto y la expresión de lo que está por venir. La unidad es un aspecto clave de la efectividad y una parte importante de su expresión de esperanza redentora ”.

Hay cuatro elementos sobre la unidad que enseña Efesios 4:1-7
There are four elements of unity that Ephesians 4:1-7 teaches us.

El video del servicio completo se puede encontrar aquí

The full service video can be found here.