The Unity Message

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
Philippians 1:27-28

There are so many ways we to be divided in our communities and relationships. We can be divided by envy, greed, mistrust, even simple differences of personality and style. This divides families, neighborhoods, all the way up the human relational chain to nation states.

The radical nature of the good news about Jesus is that it transforms the disparate concerns and interests of each person into a unity that brings together Jews and Gentiles, males and females, poor and rich into a shared identity that transcends all divides. Paul exhorts the Philippians to remember their first identity as a citizen of the new kingdom of Christ. Their primary allegiance was not to Rome, but to Jesus, to his way of living, and to unity with fellow participants in the Salvation from God.

This is accomplished through the work of the Spirit to bring the church together despite opposition and the thrashings of the worldly way that is destined for destruction.

In this time of pandemic differences, media confusion, and political discord, we can easily live as a citizen of our tribe, but the plea is to live toward one another lives worthy of the gospel, motivated by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit to root our conduct and hopes in the forgiveness, grace, and holy life flowing through us because of Jesus.

Good Shepherd,
Thank you for salvation from a path of soul destruction. Grant us the unity in the church that only comes from your Spirit. Help us to be one as you are one. Let us conduct ourselves each day as a representative of Jesus and the Kingdom he established. His ways are perfect and give dignity to all, so help us to do the same.
Amen