“There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called”  Ephesians 4:4 

There is nothing like the start of the college football season.

Expectations are high. Energy and excitement soar. As a fan, one of my favorite experiences is when a sellout crowd cheers in unison as the team comes running on the field. All of the fanfare – all of the hype – and a fan base that demonstrates a powerful picture of unity.

I’ve been known to give bear hugs to grown men I have never met, high-five everyone around me, and jump into the arms of total strangers. We are united in our love of our team and passion for the game. Unity is a powerful thing. 

At the heart of the Christian message is a call to unity among the people of God. It is a unity much deeper than college football. Within the church, people from different backgrounds, places, and circumstances can unite because they have one thing in common. They are so overwhelmed by the good news of Jesus Christ that all of their differences and all the things that could easily divide them take a backseat to The Most Important Thing.  

This is what Paul reminds the church of in Ephesians 4:4. It is the foundation that the scripture builds upon when the people of God are called to be a people of unity. Kent Hughes points out that the unity described in these verses is rooted in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity of God. These three verses show us the unifying power of the Holy Trinity at work among the people of God.  

First, we see the unifying power of the Spirit.

Followers of Jesus Christ have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is alive in all who believe and the power of the Spirit draws us to a unity much greater than our differences because the Spirit reminds us of what we have been given in Christ and empowers us to live as a follower of Christ. 

This is truly incredible. As a follower of Christ, the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is now alive in you (Romans 8:9-11). That is some serious power! The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead has also given you new life through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. When the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, He destroys divisive differences and creates a unity that draws us together as one body. 

While there are many differences culturally, ethnically, socially, and historically that could create division among the people of God, the Holy Spirit indwelling Christians unites us in the gift of the gospel. 

Nowhere have I experienced this more fully and more beautifully than on the mission field. When we go to places with different cultures, languages, customs, and traditions and meet with followers of Christ, we find instant friends who welcome us like long-lost family members.

Amid many differences, there is unity because of the Spirit of God who has called us to the same hope. It is a beautiful and powerful privilege to be unified in hope through the Holy Spirit of God. 

Taken from a sermon by George Wright, Senior Pastor, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL

DIG DEEPER

Read “Called to Walk in Unity” by Bryant Wright