Unity through Collaboration

(Rewritten notes from a message given on Aug. 2, 2009, at Corona International Christian Fellowship. This Bible study came out of our youth and young adult ministries' participation in Regeneration 2009 Collaborate at San Jose State University, July 17-19. The text is John 17: 21, 23, and Philippians 2:1-11)

We Christians like to talk about unity, about unity with the church and unity with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. But I think we fall short in not pointing out that to achieve unity, it takes collaboration, a desire not only to work together to grow in Christ, but to roll up our sleeves and get about our Father's business. Being like Jesus, after all, is God's will for His children.

Teaching point No. 1
Unity is how God operates and how He expects us to glorify Him as we declare that Jesus is Lord.

John 17:21, 23 (verses 20-24 for full context)

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

Unity is a central attribute in the Triune God. Without getting too deep in the theology of the Trinity, know that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit each have their roles, and that they are unified through collaboration between those roles in achieving God’s will.

Application:
Know that Jesus prayed for our unity, praying to the Father in a collaborative effort, that as He and the Father are one, so we would be one with Jesus. That’s the ultimate in unity, that is God’s will for us.

For how this happens in life, let's look at what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:

Philippians 2:1-11

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Teaching point No. 2
Unity means to be united in the love of Christ and the love for Christ.

Philippians 2:1-2

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Notice that it doesn’t say anything about voting for the same candidate, or that we should all have the same political views. Notice it doesn’t say anything about dressing in the same clothing. Notice that it doesn’t say anything about singing certain kinds of worship songs.

Notice that it does say:

• united in with Christ and His love
• fellowship with the Holy Spirit
• tenderness
• compassion
• like-minded in that same love
• one in spirit and purpose

The early church lived it out this way:

Acts 4:32-35

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

Pastor David Jeremiah, in a study on KWAVE this week, said that some people look at that passage and see it as a Biblical justification for communism. But nothing could be further from the truth: communism, as it was practiced, said you had to give your possessions and wealth to the state for the greater good -- it was ordered, it was the law. This passage in Acts says nothing about having to do that … the believers, the early church, being of one heart and mind, voluntarily gave their wealth in a collaborative effort to help each other.

Application:
Know we are united, know why we must collaborate, and that’s in Christ’s love. Know it, preach it to ourselves, remember it as the main thing that drives our day, that helps us set our priorities, that helps us in our mission to fulfill the Great Commission of going out to make disciples, teaching them of all that Jesus is teaching us, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teaching point No. 3
We achieve unity through collaboration, putting the interests of others ahead of our own.

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Refer back to Acts 4:32-35:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

In the early church, the believers saw the bigger picture, and that was the spreading of the Gospel and supporting that effort with their own resources. As they collaborated with the apostles in working toward this goal, putting the needs of the greater church before their own, all their needs were met. And if people’s needs are met, working towards the greater goal becomes much easier.

So we as individuals have to move away from putting ourselves and our self-serving desires first, and put God and His church (the body of believers united in Christ’s love) first. And we all together do that by collaborating with each other (through accountability groups, Bible study, Sunday worship, fellowship), boosting each other, and on occasion, correcting each other. It’s an attitude of servanthood.

Application:
Move away from our own self interest and start looking out for the interests of our brothers and sisters in a collaborative effort to 1) live the Gospel message and 2) share the Gospel message.

Teaching point No. 4
It all goes back to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Philippians 2:5-11

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

• He showed us humbleness, putting the needs of others before His own glory
• He had the attitude of a servant, to meet others’ needs
• He was obedient to the Father’s will

Application:
If we lose our focus on how to achieve unity through collaboration, we need to look at how Jesus modeled it. Remember that, meditate on it, then pray for the Holy Spirit’s strength to pick our cross daily to be more like Him, to be united in His attitude, a servant’s attitude, a humble attitude in a collaborative effort with our brothers and sisters to live a life that brings our Lord the glory rightfully His.

Or put it this way:

One of my Facebook friends, a man who ministers to the poor in Kenya, posted this on Sunday morning as I was wrapping up the outline for this study:

“Our goal must be to build up unity and fellowship of the body of Christ. To achieve that goal, we must always consider others better than ourselves. Our role is to be that of a servant.”
-- James Morara Onchangu

This wasn't part of the message on Sunday, but I think it most appropriate to add. The song is "One Thing" by Charlie Hall, and sung by someone who, as I understand from her YouTube profile, helps lead the worship music at her church. The lyrics are below the video ...



One Thing
Charlie Hall
Copyright 1999 worshiptogether.com songs, sixsteps Music, CCLI Song No. 3132063

Single-minded, whole-hearted
One thing I ask
Single-minded, whole-hearted
One thing I ask

That I may gaze upon Your beauty, oh Lord
That I may seek Your holy face
That I may know You in an intimate way
And follow after You all of my days
Follow after You all of my days

All of life comes down
To just one thing
And that's to know You, oh Jesus
And make You known
All of life comes down
To just one thing
And that's to know You, oh Jesus
And make You known

Questions? Comments? Insights? Leave 'em in the comments section below ...

Blessings,
Alan