One

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord,
one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Eph 4:4-7

Pepsi or Coke?
McDonalds or Burger King?
Beach or mountains?
Morning person or night owl?

The society in which we live is one that is dualistic. However, there is one thing we do have in common – our heavenly Father, God. Before Jesus died, he prayed a prayer to his Father, our Father that we would all be one.

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-so that they may be brought to complete unity.
Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:20-23

Jesus is praying we will come together as one body and together, reflect the oneness Christ has with his Father. Christ desires for us to be one with him and one with his Father.

How do we become one in a world that cannot agree on chocolate or vanilla? We do so by loving one another.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:34

In this week’s sermon, Pastor Keith challenged us to commit to answering Jesus’ prayer for oneness and pursue oneness:

• Persist in an intentional relationship with God
• Submit to Jesus as our one Lord
• Abide as One Holy Spirit led united community
• Pursue unconditional love
• Pursue serving others in our Holy Spirit given giftedness
• Pursue our calling to serve Jesus by serving others

Unconditional love – the love Christ demonstrated to all his apostles – even Judas. The love Christ demonstrated to sinners including tax collectors, prostitutes, and thieves.

Do we have unconditional love for each other? Would you die for your spouse, your neighbor, a stranger? That is the unconditional love Christ demonstrated for us on the cross.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
1 Cor 13:13

Fortunately, we do not have to die as Christ died for us. We can show our love by serving others through gifts he has bestowed on each one of us.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10

Each of us has been given a gift. When we use that gift to serve others, it becomes a spiritual gift. And just as each part of our body has a function but we are one person, each of us has a gift but we are one body of Christ. We attract others to Christ when we function as one body in him serving others with our gifts.

How has God gifted you? How can you use your gift to serve others? Unity depends on each of us answering Jesus’ prayer to be one.

Our challenge for this week: Walk into a room. Look around. Identify what needs to be done that you would enjoy doing and would do with excellence. Now do that.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matt 5:16

May your moments be precious, and your days blessed.

– PSG –