The 41ST Day
Rex Yancey
Ephesians 4:1-16
We have journeyed through 40 Days of Purpose. The question is where do we go from here? What do we do now? Will this be a forgotten program of the past? Or, will we pick something up from this study and carry it into the future? It is basically in our hands.
In our text today Paul tells the Church at Ephesus to "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." The ASV says, "Giving diligence to keep." Another translation says "Earnestly striving to maintain." RSV says "Eager to maintain." Moffat says "By binding peace upon yourselves."
God desires and demands that his people be united. This is something that Satan fears and works night and day to undo. It is something for which Jesus himself prayed before he went to the cross. It is the one thing that the Bible says will convince people that the church has something that the world does not.
-I am not talking about UNION. Union is when you are bonded with someone with whom you may not have a common bond. You can tie two cats together and throw them over a clothes line and have union. But I guarantee you there will be no unity!
-I am not talking about UNIFORMITY. Uniformity is when everyone looks alike, sounds alike, and thinks alike.
-I am not talking about UNANIMITY. There is no place on earth where everybody agrees with everybody on everything.
-I heard about a lawyer and a psychologist who were making small talk at a party. The lawyer said, "You and your wife get along very well. Do you ever have differences of opinion?" The psychologist said "Definitely. As a matter of fact we have differences very often, but we get over them quickly." The lawyer said, "How do you do that?" The psychologist said, "Simple-I never tell her about them!"
Romans 14:19 says "So then let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up."
-When our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, ...
Rex Yancey
Ephesians 4:1-16
We have journeyed through 40 Days of Purpose. The question is where do we go from here? What do we do now? Will this be a forgotten program of the past? Or, will we pick something up from this study and carry it into the future? It is basically in our hands.
In our text today Paul tells the Church at Ephesus to "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." The ASV says, "Giving diligence to keep." Another translation says "Earnestly striving to maintain." RSV says "Eager to maintain." Moffat says "By binding peace upon yourselves."
God desires and demands that his people be united. This is something that Satan fears and works night and day to undo. It is something for which Jesus himself prayed before he went to the cross. It is the one thing that the Bible says will convince people that the church has something that the world does not.
-I am not talking about UNION. Union is when you are bonded with someone with whom you may not have a common bond. You can tie two cats together and throw them over a clothes line and have union. But I guarantee you there will be no unity!
-I am not talking about UNIFORMITY. Uniformity is when everyone looks alike, sounds alike, and thinks alike.
-I am not talking about UNANIMITY. There is no place on earth where everybody agrees with everybody on everything.
-I heard about a lawyer and a psychologist who were making small talk at a party. The lawyer said, "You and your wife get along very well. Do you ever have differences of opinion?" The psychologist said "Definitely. As a matter of fact we have differences very often, but we get over them quickly." The lawyer said, "How do you do that?" The psychologist said, "Simple-I never tell her about them!"
Romans 14:19 says "So then let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up."
-When our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, ...
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