[0:00] Greet you in the name of Jesus this morning. It is good to be here. Our children's class reminded us about the folly of pride, right?
[0:25] And that's a good thing to remember as we go through life. We're tempted to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.
[0:40] We need to remember that that doesn't work in the kingdom of God. This morning I want to talk about the, well, unity in the church, maybe some hindrances, maybe humility.
[0:59] Just a few things we'll be looking at as we go along. I want to start in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, if you want to turn there.
[1:10] The apostle wrote this and, you know, he could have said what he did in one phrase instead of a long verse.
[1:30] But I believe that he felt the weight and the importance of what he was saying. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 10.
[1:47] You know, also, I want to point again to these verses up here. You know, we heard that last Sunday in the message.
[2:00] And Wednesday night I came and I looked at it. And this morning again. And I believe it is good for us to meditate on these things.
[2:12] You know, what if the apostle Paul, what if at that point he would have said, well, Lord, you're speaking to me. I'll hear what you say and you just tell me.
[2:27] You know, we hear people saying that. But that's not what God said. God said, you go to town, you go to the city, and there'll be a man there that'll tell you what you need to do.
[2:38] And do we repent enough to be changed? If we repent to be changed, I believe we repent to hear what God is saying through our brethren.
[3:01] 1 Corinthians 1 verse 10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
[3:22] He starts with the, well, we won't read the first part of this chapter, but he says here, I beseech you, I beg of you, I ask you, brethren, this is something very important, and I bring this to you and I ask you that you endeavor, that you work toward, that you do whatever you can to accomplish this.
[4:00] He addresses the brethren, and he says, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, this is something that is very important.
[4:12] It is something that the apostle put extra emphasis on when he wrote this. That ye all speak the same thing.
[4:27] That there be no divisions among you. If we're all going to speak the same thing, then we must be, as the last part of this verse says, of the same mind and the same judgment.
[4:45] Now, how does that happen? How does God accomplish that? How do we accomplish that? That we would all speak the same, we would all be thinking the same when an issue comes up, when a decision is to be made, when there's something that comes up, we are all of the same mind.
[5:09] How can that be? It is as we are led by the Spirit of God. You know, we're not just talking about all saying the same thing, but we're talking about the unity of the Spirit.
[5:27] You know, we could all dress the same, we could all look the same, we could all whatever, and that means nothing. But as we are all led by the same Spirit, then we will all be of the same mind, and we will all be thinking the same way.
[5:48] Now, in my Bible, on the same page, we have a warning about those who are not this way.
[6:03] The last chapter of Romans, he says here in verse 17, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them.
[6:21] Men who teach, contrary to what the Apostle has taught, he beseeches the brethren to mark them because they bring division, because they bring disunity in the church.
[6:44] And he says it's not just a small matter. It's not just that, oh, there's a little disagreement. But in verse 18, he explains, and he says, For they that are such, men that cause divisions, men who bring offenses, they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple.
[7:20] I believe that this is why it is so important that we, that we as a congregation, we have the unity of the Spirit, that we all speak the same thing, we are all of the same mind, we are all together in the unity of the Spirit.
[7:43] Now, let's go to Ephesians, and we'll try to pull this all together in the next hour.
[7:55] So, in Ephesians chapter 1, we have, you know, I would like to read a lot more than what I will, but we'll just read, we'll just read the last couple verses in chapter 1.
[8:11] But before this, he's talking about Christ, who is raised from the dead, and he's set at the right hand of the Father, and he's far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also that which is to come.
[8:30] And verse 22, And hath put all things under his feet. God has put all things under Jesus' feet, and gave him to be the head of all things to the church.
[8:46] Jesus is the head over all things. Jesus is the head of the church. Jesus is the head of the church. Jesus is the head of the church, and we are his body.
[9:13] We are the body of Christ. The church today is the body of Christ. And the church, the only way that the church will be effective in anything is when it gets its directions from the head.
[9:33] You know, a body without a head is useless. And so, a so-called church without Jesus as its head is a useless church.
[9:47] It's not a church at all. The only way that a body is a church is when Jesus is the head.
[10:02] Now, let's just skip on here in Ephesians. Let's go to chapter 4. And before this, in chapter 3, he's talking about being filled with the Spirit, and being filled with the fullness of God, and the great power of our God.
[10:27] And he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Now, let's start reading in verse 1 in chapter 4.
[10:40] You know, he has just talked about the greatness of God, and his great power, and that that power dwells within us.
[11:02] And now he beseeches us that we walk worthy, that we walk worthy of the vocation of the calling that God has called us with.
[11:13] He has called us with a high and a holy calling. And he beseeches us that we will walk worthy of that calling. And how will we do that?
[11:24] How can we do that? With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering for bearing one another in love.
[11:40] You know, shouldn't we, if we're going to walk worthy of this great calling, shouldn't we be the big guys? No, he says, to be lowly, to walk in lowliness and in meekness, with longsuffering for bearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, endeavoring to keep the unity.
[12:09] You know, when I talk about unity, I'm talking about us as a congregation. I'm not talking about necessarily being in unity with the worldwide church.
[12:21] We are to a certain extent, but what we're concerned about here today is the local body. I believe that every local body in this world needs to be in unity.
[12:37] They need to be unified one with another because we function together. We function as a body. There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
[13:13] But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. You know, and what he's saying here, verse 7, every one of us, unto every one of us is given grace.
[13:28] You know, Corinthians says, the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit with all. You all who have come to Christ, who are born again, and the spirit of God dwells within you.
[13:44] You are given grace. You are given grace. You are given gifts. If you will walk in humility and allow the spirit of God to work in you and through you, then this grace will work through you to the edification of the body.
[14:13] There is one body. There is one spirit. You know, and that is where the unity of the spirit comes from, is from the Holy Ghost.
[14:26] And when he is within each one of us, and we are all led by that one spirit, then we have the unity of the spirit in our body, in our midst.
[14:40] Now let's jump on down. Verse 11. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.
[14:56] Now these are the ministry gifts. There are many other gifts. We will not, I don't think, take time to look at those. But I believe that those also are for the edification of the body, for the perfecting of the saints.
[15:11] And they work, they work through each one of us as we allow him to lead us and to work through us, to fill us with his spirit as we walk humbly with our God.
[15:28] But the gifts, the ministry gifts, they're given for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
[15:40] Till we all come in the unity of the faith. Here we have it again. Till we all come in the unity of the faith. Remember back in verse 3, he said, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
[15:58] Endeavoring. That means there's some action to this. We need to work at it to keep this unity. It doesn't happen automatically.
[16:10] You know, if we will not work at it, there will be things that come that will disrupt the unity and will destroy it. But endeavoring, it means to try hard, to exert effort, to make an earnest attempt to accomplish this.
[16:32] That is what it takes. And now, the goal. As the body is edified, the goal in all of this, as we grow in our Lord Jesus, as we grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
[17:03] You know, this is the goal. This must be our goal individually and as a church. That we grow up.
[17:15] That we, you know, that we mature spiritually. That we grow spiritually to the point that we just, we, our lives reflect Jesus Christ.
[17:28] That when this world looks at us, they see Jesus. When, when, when, when, when they pinch you, Jesus comes out. When you hit your finger with a hammer, Jesus comes out.
[17:41] You know, how is it with our life? It doesn't matter where you are at.
[17:53] Whether you've been a Christian for one day or for 40 years. We need to be growing. And I believe there's never a time when we stop growing.
[18:04] But what he is looking for. Till we all come in the unity of the faith. And that unity of the faith comes as we, as we submit ourselves to one another and to the Spirit of God.
[18:25] As we walk in humility. We walk in humility and we allow the Spirit of God to, to teach us. You know, in, in 1 John, there's a verse that says that, that the Spirit of God teaches us.
[18:42] Are you being taught? Can he teach you? Or are you, are you too arrogant to hear what he is saying? If we walk in humility, if we allow him to, he will teach us that we can mature spiritually, that we can be effective in his kingdom, that we can fulfill his plan and his will, his purpose for our lives.
[19:15] That must be our goal. That must be our goal. But, but let me ask you again, are you being taught by the Spirit of God?
[19:28] Are you being taught by the Spirit of God? There's, you know, Jesus said in the Gospel of John and then in 1 John, we have a very nice verse that, that talks about being taught by the Spirit.
[19:47] He will teach us if we will allow him to. If we will give ourselves to the study of the Word, then he can come and he can teach us the Word of God and the Christian life and what he would have us to be, how he wants us to live.
[20:14] So the goal, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, you know, we will never outgrow our need to learn more about the Son of God.
[20:31] He is, he is, you know, he is unsearchable. You know, we, we, we, we can learn more. We can draw nigh to him and he will draw nigh to us and, and he will teach us and lead us.
[20:46] But we will never come to the place that we know it all and we don't have any need to, to grow anymore. Unto a perfect man.
[21:01] What is the perfect man? Who is the perfect man? Well, he tells us here, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
[21:20] Once you achieve that, you have arrived. Well, I'll tell you, I don't believe you'll achieve that till you get the glory.
[21:30] But to a certain extent, we can achieve that. That's what he wants. He wants us joined together in a body.
[21:43] And as a body, we, we magnify the Lord Jesus and we exemplify the Lord Jesus to those round about us. So he wants us to be that perfect man.
[22:00] He wants us to mature in our Lord Jesus. He wants us to strive to be more like him. that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
[22:25] Notice what he's saying here. He wants us to mature. He wants us to be strong. He wants us to be like Jesus. And when we are, then we will know what is false.
[22:40] We will know when those men, like we read in Romans, those men that cause divisions, when they, when they speak, we will know that it is not true.
[22:51] It is not right. It is not, you know, it might sound good. It might be a good speech and it might sound fairly good, but it's not according to Scripture.
[23:06] It's twisted or it's not 100% right. He wants us to mature. He wants us to stand together in the unity of the Spirit that we can, that we can be strong and that we will not be carried about with every wind of doctrine.
[23:28] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him, grow up into Christ in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
[24:07] The whole body fitly joined together. Now we're talking about us fitly joined together. You know, you know, Corinthians talks about about the body and being fitly joined.
[24:25] Maybe we should just look at chapter 12 a little bit here. You know, I quoted this verse, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man and he goes on and he names these gifts and he says, in other words, in verse 11, it doesn't matter which gift or gifts that you have, all these, but all these worketh that one and self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will.
[25:01] You know, the Spirit of God brings these gifts. It is not something that you were born with. It is not something that you studied and you work it up in yourself.
[25:15] no, but it is a gift given by the Spirit of God. And when he gives you gifts, he also gives you the grace to function in it and to walk in it.
[25:32] And all of these are given as he will. For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ.
[25:48] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bound or free, been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[26:02] For the body is not one member but many. You know, so we are all, we all receive of that one Spirit.
[26:13] He says here in verse, the end of verse 13, have been all made to drink into one Spirit. You know, here in Montana we know what it is when people irrigate their fields.
[26:31] So just think of this, that if you, if you are walking humbly with your God, and he has given you the Spirit of God, you drink of that Spirit.
[26:49] It's just like the fields are being irrigated by water, you are being irrigated by this Spirit. And what happens when the fields are irrigated?
[27:00] Then they grow. There's life. There's growth. And when the Spirit of God comes in and he comes in, he brings life.
[27:14] He brings life and something comes out of you. It comes out of you. Why? Because it grows. Because there's life, the Spirit of God.
[27:27] Yes. Hallelujah. Yes. Yes. verse 18. But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body as it has pleased him.
[27:45] I believe that is the unity of the Spirit of God. When every member is in his place as the Spirit of God has put them, he says here, God has set.
[28:01] you don't decide what your place is in the body of Christ. The Spirit of God decides that.
[28:12] And he puts you in that place. And I believe that is the only way that we will have true unity is when every one of us is in our place where God desires us to be, where he has put us.
[28:27] that is the only place where the grace of God will work in your life as you function where he has put you, as you function in the gift that he has given you.
[28:43] And as you function in that gift, he will add more. But you must be faithful in what he has given you. Oh, hallelujah.
[28:56] God has done this. God has set us. He has set us in the body. He has put you where he would have you to function.
[29:09] Many times we will want to draw back in functioning in what he has given us. But let us walk with him in a way that we know in our heart what he would have us to do.
[29:26] And when that anointing is upon us, when that irrigation comes into us, it floods us, that life will come forth.
[29:38] The fruit of the Spirit will come forth. The gifts of the Spirit will come forth in your life and mind. Yes.
[29:48] go back to Ephesians chapter four. Verse 16.
[30:23] The whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies. According to the effectual working, the effectual working, the efficient working of the Holy Ghost.
[30:40] You know, when the Spirit of God, when he works, it's effectual. You know, we find that word in others similar in various places in the New Testament here.
[30:55] In the epistles, the apostle writes how the Spirit of God works through him. How the Spirit of God uses him. How the power of God works through him.
[31:07] You know, when we are totally surrendered to him, he can work through us effectually. He can work through us so much more than we realize.
[31:22] You know, many times the reason he can't is because of our unbelief. We don't walk in faith. We don't function in faith.
[31:35] We look at something. Oh, would God want me to do that? Or would he want me to say that? But we draw back because of unbelief.
[31:47] But when we die to ourselves and we are filled with the Spirit and we allow him to work through us.
[32:02] Notice what happens here. It says here. It says here. We are fitly joined together and compacted.
[32:15] That which every joint supplieth. Every joint that's each member. Even those not visible. according to the effectual working.
[32:30] The efficient working of the Spirit of God. And then it makes increase of the body.
[32:42] There's increase in the body. Unto the edifying of itself in love. You know, when the Spirit of God can work in each member.
[32:57] When the Spirit of God can freely use each one of us. There is edification. There is growth.
[33:09] Yes, there is growth. There is edifying. There is increase in the body.
[33:19] This I say therefore and testify in the Lord.
[33:34] That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened.
[33:46] Being alienated from the life of God. Through the ignorance that is in them. Because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over into lasciviousness.
[34:02] To work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have heard him.
[34:13] And have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. You know, that's one thing that I find over and over and over in the epistles here.
[34:27] Is that they always point back to where we were. To what we, you know, if we do not walk in humility with our God.
[34:44] That is, we will again go back to that old man. We will again function in that old self. We will again function in the things of this world.
[34:56] Instead of the things of the spirit of God. But ye have not so learned Christ.
[35:06] If so be that ye have heard him. And have been taught by him. As the truth is in Jesus. Remember that verse in 1 John.
[35:20] He will teach us. Yes, he will lead us. He will teach us. If we will be teachable. He will teach us.
[35:32] The spirit of God will teach us. Now verse 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation. The old man which is corrupt.
[35:45] According to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man. Which after God is created in righteousness.
[35:58] And true holiness. You know. You know. It doesn't matter. Where we are at in this walk with the Lord. We can always.
[36:10] We always have that possibility. Of going back and walking. In our old self. In our old life. But let us.
[36:22] Let us. Walk. In the new man. Let us. Allow him to renew our mind. And to continually.
[36:33] Walk. In the new. To keep that old. On the cross. Crucified with Christ. That we can. That we can show.
[36:45] The awesome greatness of our Lord. I have a quote here.
[36:56] The unity of the believers. Is a oneness of spirit. Which is produced. By harmony with the Holy Spirit.
[37:09] Oneness. The unity of the believers. The unity of the believers. Is a oneness of spirit.
[37:19] That comes. By the spirit of God. It is produced. When we. Are individually. In harmony. With the spirit of God.
[37:30] Then we can have. The true unity. Of the spirit. In Philippians. Philippians.
[37:42] Chapter one. The last part. Of verse 27. He says. That ye stand fast. In one spirit.
[37:54] With one mind. Striving to gather. For the faith. Of the gospel. That we stand fast. In one spirit.
[38:05] In one spirit. The Holy Spirit. That we stand fast. With one mind. In one spirit. Striving together.
[38:17] For the faith. Of the gospel. You know. You know. We're in a battle. And these things. Don't happen automatically. These things. Don't just happen. By accident.
[38:28] But they will. They will be. As we. As we. Work toward them. As we strive. Toward them. They will. They can. Be.
[38:38] They can. Be attained. Yes. Now.
[38:50] Chapter two. Verse one. If there be. Therefore. Any consolation. In Christ. If any comfort. Of love. If any. Fellowship. Of the spirit. If any. Bowels.
[39:00] And mercies. Fulfill. Ye my joy. That ye be. Like-minded. Having the same love. Being of one accord. Of one mind. He admonishes us again.
[39:17] To be like-minded. Having love. And of one accord. And of one mind. Let nothing be done. Through strife. Or vain glory.
[39:28] But in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem. Other better. Than themselves. You know. When strife comes. When. When. When men. Seek their own glory.
[39:40] That will disrupt. The unity of the spirit. When men. Seek their own glory. Proverbs says. That he that is of a proud heart.
[39:50] Stirreth up strife. Another verse in Proverbs says. Only by pride. Cometh contention. You know. When a man. Seeks his own glory.
[40:01] It will bring strife. And it will. Hinder the unity. Of the spirit. It will disrupt. What God is doing. In the church. But he admonishes us.
[40:13] In lowliness. Of mind. Let each esteem. Other better. Than themselves. Look not every man. On his own things. But every man. Also on the things.
[40:23] Of others. Let this mind. Be in you. Which was also. In Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God. Thought it not robbery.
[40:33] To be equal with God. But made himself. Of no reputation. And took upon him. The form of a servant. And was made in the likeness. Of men.
[40:45] And being found. In fashion. As a man. He humbled himself. In being obedient. In the death. Even the death. Of the cross. You know. Jesus. Is our perfect example.
[40:57] Jesus was God. And he was with God. He had. He had the power. Of God. But yet. He humbled himself.
[41:07] And he became. A human being. He became a man. Just like you and I. And here. The apostle. Admonishes us.
[41:19] That we need. To take Christ. As our. Perfect example. And to have. The mind of Christ. To have the same mind. That Jesus had. He said.
[41:29] Let this mind. Be in you. Let this mind. Of humility. This mind. Of servanthood. You know. Jesus. Jesus came.
[41:41] To be a servant. He said. I am among you. Not as. Not as. One. Not as chief. But as one. Who. Who serves. One who. Who.
[41:51] Is a servant. That is who. I am. Jesus said. And he walked. He lived his life. A servant. Yes.
[42:04] Our Lord Jesus. Let him be. Our example. In humility. I am among you.
[42:16] As he that. Serveth. Luke 22. 27. Matthew 5. 3. Blessed are the poor. In spirit. For theirs. Is the kingdom.
[42:26] Of heaven. You know. When. When. When we. When we. Want to. To lift up. Ourselves. When. We want to.
[42:39] Bring glory. To our own selves. That is when. There's trouble. Yes. Let. Let. Let. Nothing.
[42:49] Be done. Through strife. Or. Vainglory. But in. Lowliness. Of mind. Let. Each. Esteem. Other. Better. Than.
[42:59] Themselves. Now. I want to look. A little bit. At Psalm. 133. Probably all know. These verses. But.
[43:10] We will look. At them. Here. For a minute. Behold.
[43:23] How good. And how pleasant. It is. For brethren. To dwell together. In unity. It is like. The precious. Ointment. Upon the head.
[43:34] That ran down. Upon the beard. Even Aaron's beard. That went down. To the skirts. Of his garments. As the dew. Of Hermon. And as the dew. That descended. Upon the mountains.
[43:44] Of Zion. For there. The Lord. Commanded. The blessing. Even life. Forever. More. Behold.
[43:55] Look at this. Look at. How beautiful. It is. When brethren. Dwell together. In unity. It is something. To behold. It is something. Worth looking at.
[44:08] Yes. It is. It is. It is good. And it is. Pleasant. It provides. A good environment. For growth.
[44:19] We've already talked. About being irrigated. By the spirit of God. But when there is unity. It's not only. Like being irrigated. But sometimes.
[44:29] It comes to the point. Where it's like a greenhouse. You know. A lot of you. You have greenhouses. And you keep that warm. And you keep it watered.
[44:40] And your plants grow. Like they can't outside. It is good. And it is pleasant. Yes. Growth. Growth. Can happen.
[44:51] When there is unity. When there is disunity. It disrupts. Growth. It hinders. The working of God. It is good.
[45:04] For the church. And it is good. For the kingdom of God. And it is good. For the world. When the church. Is in unity. Yes.
[45:14] Because then. The good news. Can go out. The word of God. Can go out. This world.
[45:26] Can be impacted. When there is unity. And growth. In the church. Divisiveness.
[45:38] Breaks down. The immune system. Of the church. It is like a cancer. It's like a cancer. In the church. And it eats away.
[45:48] It drains away. The life. Yes. The blood. Can't. Flow.
[45:59] When it is hindered. And we're not walking. In the light. Brethren.
[46:10] To dwell together. In unity. When there is unity. The oil of the spirit. Can flow. That's what he's saying. Here in verse two.
[46:20] It is like the precious ointment. Upon the head. That ran down. Upon the beard. Even Aaron's beard. And it went on down. To the skirts of his garments.
[46:31] When there is unity. The oil of the spirit. Can flow. The Holy Ghost. Anointing. Can flow. Through our midst. Yes. And what happens.
[46:42] When. When the spirit of God. Is. Is in our midst. When the oil of the Holy Ghost. Is there. It will meet every need. It will meet every need.
[46:53] In our midst. And it will reach out. To meet the needs. Around about us. Yes. That. Is what happens. That is. The power.
[47:05] Of a church. In unity. The dew of Hermon. Dew will fall. Dew means to cover. And it is what brought.
[47:16] The manna. Remember the manna. In the wilderness. The children of Israel. They ate manna. For 40 years. It sustained them.
[47:26] It was life. And it is life. To us. When the unity. Of the spirit. Is here. It brings life. It brings growth.
[47:38] Yes. There is manna. And we can eat it. And we can grow. We can gain strength. It says.
[47:48] There. The Lord. Commanded. The blessing. You know. When God. Commands his blessing. Who can stand against it. When God.
[48:00] Commands his blessing. What more can we ask for. When God. Commands the blessing. Hallelujah. Do you want.
[48:11] Revival. Do you want life. Do you want. All that God has. For you. It is available.
[48:25] Yes it is. It's available. For us. It is available. There.
[48:38] The Lord. Commanded. The blessing. Even life. Forevermore. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Life. The life of Christ.
[48:51] Life. Through the spirit of God. Yes. He commands the blessing. Now. Let's turn yet to John 17.
[49:04] We'll look at a couple verses here. Then we'll close. John 17. Verse 20. Neither pray. Neither pray I for these alone.
[49:15] But for them also. Which shall believe on me. Through their word. Jesus. Praying this prayer. Praying this prayer.
[49:28] And he. You know. Before this. He. He said. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. This word. The Bible. It is the written word of God.
[49:39] And it is truth. And it will sanctify us. And it will. It will set us apart. And. And he will teach us this word. If we will humble ourselves.
[49:50] And allow him. To teach us. Hallelujah. In verse 18. As thou has sent me. Into the world.
[50:00] Even so. Have I also sent. Them into the world. And. And he's talking about his disciples. But he's also talking about us. And for their sakes.
[50:15] I sanctify myself. That they also might be sanctified. Through. Their word. That they. All may be one.
[50:27] Now get this. Verse 21. This is Jesus desire. This is his prayer. To the father. That they all. May be one. As thou father.
[50:38] Art in me. And I. In thee. You know. We. We know. That Jesus. And the father. They were one.
[50:49] And they are one. But he doesn't. Stop there. That they. Also. May be one. In us. That the world.
[51:01] May believe. That thou. Has sent me. And the glory. Which thou. Gavest me. I have given them. That they. May be one.
[51:12] Even as we. Are one. I. In them. And thou. In me. That they. May be.
[51:23] Made. Perfect. In one. That the world. May know. That thou. Has sent me. And as. Loved them. As thou. Has loved me. What more.
[51:42] What more. Could we. We ask for. This is the heart. Of our Lord. Jesus. This is his will. And his desire.
[51:53] As we. And we can. We can. Experience. This. We can. If we will.
[52:03] Just surrender. Our everything. To him. And allow. The spirit. Of God. To take over. And to irrigate. Us. With his life. With his.
[52:14] Anointing. With his spirit. We will. Walk. In the spirit. Of God. Jesus.
[52:24] In us. God. The father. In Jesus. That means. God. Is in us. That we.
[52:35] Can be. Made. Perfect. In one. With our Lord. Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. That. Is the unity.
[52:46] Of the spirit. Of God. That is. What we must. Strive for. That is. That is.
[52:58] What we must. Work for. Yes. All those verses. I beseech you. I beg of you.
[53:08] I. You know. We must labor. We. You know. All of those verses. This. Is the goal. This. Is the goal.
[53:19] It is the heart. Of our Lord. Jesus. And it is. Attainable. As we all. Individually.
[53:30] Walk. Led. By the spirit. Of our God. As we're all. Full of the Holy Ghost. This. Can become.
[53:41] Can become. A reality. Let's pray. Lord. We thank you. For your heart.
[53:54] For your will. And for your grace. For your spirit. Lord. May your spirit. Have its way. In our hearts.
[54:06] Today. And might this. Be a reality. That we will be. One. In the spirit. That we will have.
[54:16] The true unity. Of the spirit. In our. In our church. In our body. Lord. Continue to work. Till that is.
[54:27] Fully accomplished. Fully a reality. Fully a reality. Lord. Lord. That your life. Will flow.
[54:38] That you will. Command the blessing. Upon us. That your life. Will flow. In us. And through us. To one another. Into a lost.
[54:49] In a dying world. Lord. Have your way. In each one of us. Today. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.