One of the things I have always loved about growing up in Bloomington is the exposure to such a variety of cultures and ethnicities. While not always evident in the local church body, it is made clear in the Word that God’s heart is for the nations. He desires a unified world – every tribe and tongue and nation, joining together to praise Him. Jesus cherished and prioritized unity. His 12 closest disciples were a diverse group, ranging from fishermen to tax collectors and zealots, who banded together to learn from and follow Jesus with their entire lives, regardless of their differences. As Tim mentioned in his sermon though, unity is NOT uniformity. There is so much beauty in celebrating our differences. The way that Christians offer praise and glory to the Lord can look very different from person to person, country to country or even between races or denominations. What unifies us is Christ himself, the head of the church and we the body, made up of all different, all necessary, parts.
Eph 4:3 - 6 “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.”
In this small town-meets-university midwest melting pot where we find ourselves, we have such wonderful opportunities to share with and learn from individuals from all around the world. Whether they are bringing a new variety of Christian faith that we can celebrate, or if they have never heard the name of God or His Word spoken before, our unity as a body of believers can speak volumes into the lives of those around us. A unified church, especially in times of difficulty and uncertainty, is a powerful message to non-believers of the power of Christ working in and through us. “The unity we experience isn’t created by removing all those differences, unity is created when we focus on what is shared. And what is shared is the new life we have through Jesus.” (Tim Thompson)
So, let’s strive toward a unified church. Let’s be a body of believers not joined together by what makes us the same but rather by serving the same God of the Universe, the Great I am who chooses to love us no matter what. We too are called to that same practice to love those around us not because we are the same, but because we are all created by the same God, whose spirit is so powerfully at work within us.