Sunday March 28, 2021
John 12:12-15- “The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It begins with what we call Passion Week. The week leading up to Jesus Death on the cross.
Near the end of Passion Week Jesus prayed. And many of us think of the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. An agonizing prayer where Jesus sweat from his forehead drops of blood and prayed “Father not my will but your will be done.”
But this wasn’t the only prayer that Jesus prayed!
In the New Testament, Chapters 14–17 of the Gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse given by Jesus to eleven of his disciples immediately after the conclusion of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, the night before his crucifixion.
John 17:20-23– “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 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. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. 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.”
Oh the power of a marriage when a husband and wife are in unity. Wouldn’t you love to see your family, work place, your church IN UNITY!
God make us ONE! Bring us to a place of complete UNITY!
HOW DO YOU GET THE SPIRIT OF UNITY? First we are all united against
- One Enemy
We all have ONE enemy and it’s not the person sitting next to you.
If you always see people or an organization as your enemy you will always have disunity!
There’s someone else behind it all!
Ephesians 6:12- “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
Let’s get mad at the devil! NOT ONE ANOTHER! Let’s love one another! Let’s love our community! Let’s love other churches in our community! Let’s love our world!
First, let’s all be united against ONE ENEMY.
Then second, let’s all be united with
2. One Heart
That’s unity! I’m not talking about uniformity! I’m talking about unity!
We have ONE HEART even though we’re different. We appreciate ONE ANOTHER!
IT’S CALLED BEING ON A TEAM! AT THE END OF THE DAY WE LOVE EACH OTHER!
Acts 4:32,34 -“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. There were no needy people among them,…”
What if our church family operated that way? We are ONE BODY with many parts!
We’re united against ONE enemy. We’re united in Heart. We’re United with
3. One Purpose
What message are we sending our city? WHY ARE WE HERE?
1 Corinthians 1:10 – “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
OUR PURPOSE: For people to Encounter God, Experience Family and Enlarge the Kingdom of God.
Many years ago God spoke to Jeanie and me through a prophetic word and said He was giving us the ability to pull people from the trash heap of life and make them men and women of God!
We exist to bring Hope, Health and Healing to a Hurting World!
Here at Encounter Church we have One Enemy. We have One Heart and we have One Purpose! That’s the Spirit of Unity
So in a practical way how do we live that out?
FOUR LEVELS OF UNITY
- I Choose to Belong- That’s Membership
Ephesians 2:19 -“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
Hey you’re a part of a team! It’s important for you to BELONG!
Romans 12:5-“so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
2. I Choose to Share- That’s Friendship
You’re helping me and I’m helping you! You need somebody in your life that knows you! They know what you’re going through, your problems!
Acts 2:44–“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.”
Share your HOME! Share you EXPERIENCES! Share your PROBLEMS! Everyone of us needs this!
3. I choose to do my Part- That’s Partnership
Everybody has a role! GET IN THE GAME! GET ON THE TEAM! This is an important part of unity!
Ephesians 4:16-“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
4. I choose to be Devoted like Family- That’s Kinship
Devotion is needed in difficult days!
What you go through WE go through!
You can pick your friends but you’re stuck with your family!
Romans 12:10- “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
1John 3:16- “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
When we really love one another we’ll be devoted to one another!
OUR PRAYER: Father, make us ONE! Bring us together in complete UNITY!
CONCLUSION: What is the Holy Spirit saying to you today!
It all begins with being in Unity with God. With being at peace with God. Do you feel distant from God?
A relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ will give you peace and assurance of eternal life.