FAITH UNITES
Ephesians 4:1-6; John 17: 20-23
Introduction
Yesterday [September 11, 2001] on national TV, we witnessed the collapse of the World
Trade Center Towers in New York City - the financial center of the greatest nation on this earth.
Each of the towers stood over 100 hundred stories tall. They fell by their own weight. Gravity was
used against them. Engineers and physicists explained that, when the commercial airliners were
slammed into the towers with their loads of jet fuel, the ensuing fires created intense heat which
caused the structural steel on just a few floors to fail. I do not know how many floors actually
failed, but my guess is that less than 1% of the floors in each building gave way. When just that
1% failed, the weight of the floors crashing down from above brought down the entire structure
and resulted in the utter destruction we witnessed. There is a powerful lesson in that for our nation
and for the church.
As children we were taught the pledge of allegiance to our flag: “I pledge allegiance to the
flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible and with liberty and justice for all.” That pledge reminds us of the power of one - one
nation under God.
For the past several weeks we have been talking about the fundamentals of faith -- the
ABC’s of faith and how, as a practical matter, what we believe is expressed through our daily
lives. It is no coincidence that tonight our series of lessons on faith brings us to the letter “u” in
the alphabet. The lesson is very simple. Faith Unites!
1. Faith Unites Under One God.
2. Faith Unties Under One God For Protection.
3. Faith Unites Under One God For One Purpose.
On Monday, the day before this horrific act of terror, my daily Bible reading was from
Ephesians chapter 4. That too was no coincidence. Listen to the first 6 verses of Ephesians chapter
4.
Ephesians 4:1-6 1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one
another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you
were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all.
1. FAITH UNITES UNDER ONE GOD.
Explanation
Again, verses 4-6 tell us: 4 There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to
one hope when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.
This is one of the central truths of Christianity. We believe in one God in three persons -
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is no other. This belief has its roots in the Old
Testament. One of the first tenets taught by the Jewish people even today is found in Deuteronomy
6:4-5, which says: 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
While tolerance should always be our guide in sharing our belief in the One Almighty God
of this universe, the Bible is very clear that there is no other God. Jesus Christ Himself was very
specific in His claims about who He is. In John 14:6 Jesus said, 6 “I am the way and the truth and
the life.” Later, in Acts 4:12, Peter defends our faith in Jesus Christ by saying: 12 “Salvation is
found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved.”
Later in Philippians 2:9-11, the Apostle Paul spoke of the work of Jesus Christ on the
cross and its impact on eternity using these words: 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest
place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Make no mistake. There is only One God. And one day, every person who has or will ever
live will bow before Him. So it is time for us to stop being apologetic for what we believe. Like
Paul, we should be unafraid to say: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of
God for the salvation of everyone who believes. . .” (Romans 1:16). It is time for us to renew our
commitment and our allegiance to the One we serve. It is time for the people of faith to unite as
one holy nation under the One God.
Application
In the aftermath of the tragic events of yesterday, there will be some preachers who will
claim that what happened was God’s judgment and punishment for the evils in our society. I must
say that is partly true. There are many evils in our culture. To name a few: the disintegration of
the family, sexual immorality, drug and alcohol abuse, pornography, abortion as a means of birth
control, and racism. But these may not be the greatest evil. While our money says “In God We
Trust,” the truth is that we trust in our money. God has blessed America with great prosperity and
that prosperity has brought great power. But I am terribly afraid that, in many respects, we have
squandered His blessing on ourselves. That is why other peoples in this world see our
materialistic lifestyle as godless or atheistic. And that, more than anything, may be why there is
such hatred in the world for our country.
But having said that, I want to further say that now is not the time to denounce our country
or point fingers at our government. No, it is time for us to stop doing that. Frankly, I am sick and
tired of people making jokes and complaining about our government. Today, I saw a bumper
sticker that read: “Thou shalt not steal - that’s the government’s job.” My first thought was this:
No matter how much we may have to pay in taxes, I defy anyone anywhere to find a better deal
on this planet. This is the greatest nation in the world. It became great, in large part, because it
was founded on the belief in One God. It was founded on the decency and morality born of that
belief.
French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for
the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields,
and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world
commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not
there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not
there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with
righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because
America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"
What happened yesterday was a wake-up call for this nation and, specifically, the people
who call themselves by the name “Christian” in this nation. We must unite and that unity must be
founded on the truth of the Apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:5-6, namely, our belief in one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in
all.
Transition
Christ Himself prayed for such unity in the hours before He gave His life for each of us,
His church and the entire world.
John 17:11-23 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and
I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you
gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected
them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one
doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 "I am coming to you now,
but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure
of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for
they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you
take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of
the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As
you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself,
that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for
those who will believe in me through their message, 21 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. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be
one as we are one: 23 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.
2. FAITH UNITES UNDER ONE GOD FOR PROTECTION.
Explanation
This was the prayer that Christ prayed on the night before He gave His life to pay the
penalty for our sins. Look again at verses 11-15: 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they
are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your
name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them,
I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one
doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 I am coming to you now, but I say
these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within
them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world
any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that
you protect them from the evil one.
I think it is very significant that Jesus Christ’s first concern was for the protection of those
who unite by faith in Him.
Application
Some commentators on television have expressed the opinion that, if Osama Bin Laden is
behind yesterday’s attack, the elimination of him personally will not eradicate the specter of
terrorism in the world because he has trained many to commit such acts. That is probably more
true than we want to admit. But the real enemy here is not Bin Laden. It is not the many terrorists
around the world filled with hatred. The fact of the matter is that God loves every single one of
them and gave His own Son to die on a cross for them. God’s love is not reserved for America
or for Americans. John 3:16 makes that very clear: “For God so loved the world that whosoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
No, the real enemy is unseen. He is and will always be our enemy because he is the enemy
of the One true God. He is known by many names such as Satan, the devil, and the roaring lion
who prowls the earth seeking whom he may destroy. He and his forces are described again by Paul
in Ephesians 6:12, where Paul says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenly realms.” For that reason, we must not be filled hatred ourselves. If we do
so, we succumb to the design and plan of the real enemy.
Again, make no mistake, the attack on America yesterday was more than an attack on our
country. It was an attack against the stronghold of Christianity in this country. For that reason,
we must unite by faith under the One God for protection. The last two times I have stood to speak
before you, I have quoted from Psalms 20:7. I will do so again. There the psalmist David says,
“Some trust in horses and some in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Ultimately, He is the only One who can protect us. Faith in our weapons will not suffice. Faith
in our military power will not suffice. We may never be able to track down Osama Bin Laden or
his minions. But God knows exactly where he is. And on the very night before He died, Jesus
Christ Himself prayed for our protection. We can trust Him to do that.
Transition
But notice that in verses 16 through 23 of John chapter 17 there is a specific purpose
behind His protection.
3. FAITH UNITES UNDER ONE GOD FOR ONE PURPOSE.
Explanation
Let me read verses 16-23 again: 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them
into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 My prayer
is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 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. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me,
that they may be one as we are one: 23 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.
Application
After praying for the protection of those who choose to believe in Him, Jesus Christ prayed
for unity among believers. There is only one purpose for that unity. According to verse 21, the
purpose is so that the world may believe. Stated differently in verse 23, the purpose is so that the
world may know that the Father sent Jesus Christ as the ultimate expression of His love for us all.
Now I am going to start meddling. People, it is not only time to stop condemning our
government. It is time for us to stop being divisive in the church. We spend far too much of our
time pointing out problems in the church or pointing the finger at other people. I admit that I am
just as guilty as the next person when it comes to seeing the negative or having an unforgiving
spirit. But yesterday’s events have taught me a great lesson. We serve the One True God. He has
blessed us with prosperity and protection for centuries now. It is past time for Christians in this
country to return to the business -- the very purpose -- of our existence. When we come to know
Him as our personal Lord and Savior, there is a reason He does not immediately take us out of
this world. Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross for us. He rose from the dead for us. Our job
is to carry out His purpose of telling others about the greatness of His love and grace.
