UNITY IN JESUS.

Ephesians 2: 14 – 22


On August 8, 2005, the world learned of the dramatic rescue of seven Russian sailors trapped in a small sub entangled in a fishing net. The men had survived 3 cold, dark days on the bottom of the ocean and had less than 6 hours of oxygen left. Meanwhile, up above, a frantic, unified rescue effort by Russian, Japanese, British, and American personnel was underway. Finally, the sub was freed. The Russian Defense Minister, Serguy Ivanov, praised the operation, saying, “We have seen in deeds, not in words, what the brotherhood of the sea means.”

Unity means to be in a state of accord, or my favorite; A combination or arrangement of parts into a whole.
Jesus wants us to be in such an accord, to have such an arrangement. I know this because the word of God tell me so.

I love the book of Ephesians. If you ever feel down, or beaten about the head and shoulders with a blunt instrument, read the book of Ephesians in a personal way and see the love that God has for each of us. Individually and as a whole.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,
16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

We always hear about the mysteries of God,

This is one of the mysteries of God. The bringing together the Jew and the Gentile as one, in one accord, an arrangement of parts brought together to one purpose.
Okay, so we're united with one vision. Now what are we supposed to do?

Believers in Jesus are commissioned to undertake the most important rescue effort. People are dying without Christ. Praise God that united mission efforts are bringing hope, salvation, education, and relief to desperate people around the world. That’s what the brotherhood of Christ is all about.