As we continued our series, “One: The Being of God in the Life of the Church,” this past weekend at Eastbrook Church I turned a corner from our focus on God’s part in bringing unity to our part in upholding unity. The first message in the series, “God is One,” explored how unity comes through the Triune God’s indwelling presence, and the second message, “Made One,” explored how Jesus brought unity with God and humanity at the Cross. Now we look at how we are becoming one as we choose to uphold unity through selfless love.
You can view the message video and outline below. You can follow along with the entire series here and the devotional that accompanies the series here. You could always join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 2:5; 4:2)
The Philippian Challenge (Philippians 4:2)
- We are one, but we don’t live like it
- Even the mature suffer disunity and conflict
The Philippian Solution (Philippians 2:1-11; 2:12-13)
- Choosing a different way (2:1-4)
- Having the mindset as Christ Jesus (2:5-11)
- pouring out (kenosis)
- taking on servanthood
- humble obedience
- from humiliation to exaltation
- Working out salvation with God’s power (2:12-13)
How Do We Uphold Unity in the Face of Conflict?
- Live out of the overflow of life with God
- Seek humility instead of vain conceit
- Look to others’ interests instead of pursuing selfish ambition
- Cultivate the same mindset as Christ Jesus
Dig Deeper
This week dig deeper into the theme of the unity of our Triune God in one or more of the following ways:
- Memorize Philippians 2:1-4 or 2:5-11
- Read Ephesians 4:1-6,15-16; 5:21; and 1 John 4:7-21 sometime this week. Take time to write down what these passages says to you about the love of God and the love we should have as God’s people for one another.
- If you want to explore the topic of unity over a longer period of time, consider reading Living into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us by Christine Pohl
- Continue with our season of prayer and fasting. Find more info here.
Renovate 