Love and Unity

7/27/2019 Love and Unity

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TIMES OF REFRESHING

THROUGH LOVE & UNITY

Worship Service – July 14, 2013

Romans 12:9-10; Psalm 133: 1-3



ACTS 3. 19-20

•19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn

around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased

(blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of

recovering from the effects of heat, of[a]reviving with fresh

air) may come from the presence of the Lord;

•20 And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah),

Who before was designated and appointed for you — even

Jesus,

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+3:19-20&version=AMP

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+3:19-20&version=AMP



THROUGH LOVE



Romans 12:9

•Amplified [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing);

hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in

horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that

which is good.

•NLT Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love

them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what isgood.



Romans 12:10

•Amplified Love one another with brotherly affection

[as members of one family], giving

precedence and showing honour to one another.

•NLT Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and

take delight in honouring each other.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:9-10&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:9-10&version=NLT



LOVE EXPRESSED

• Friend

• Boyfriend

• Girlfriend

• BestFriend

Everything has an end except

•

Family it has “i love you”.



• Quick to condemn on superficial attributes……… and these decisions

are prejudices. The superficial judgments made affect the way we

treat/deal with people. E.g Pastor Olusola….

• People are who they are because of how they are raised, their

environment etc. In some families prostitution is like working at

GTBank. We don’t know what they go through; because you don’t do

what they do doesn’t mean you are better…Grace is the difference

between you and them.

• Stay open,



THROUGH UNITY



Unity Defined• Unity here is not an amalgamation. Not like a political party

(PDP) Nor office unity.

• Unity here is of the Spirit. As exemplified by the Holy Trinity.

• Unity: knowledge, believe, spirit, personality purpose,language.

• There is diversity in unity, not a uniformity. The parts do notlook alike, they do not function alike, yet, they are allimportant, needed, interdependent, and all work toward the

same end, the purposes for which each member wasdesigned in the function of the body as directed by the headand in accord with the creative purpose of God. Some of theparts are covered, others are within the body and are unseen,but nevertheless, very important.

•See Unity in Judges 20:11

• Without the I = “UN-TY”

Without the U = “-NITY”



Psalms 133: 1-3

•1BEHOLD, HOW good and how pleasant it is for

brethren to dwell together in unity!

•2It is like the precious ointment upon the head,

that ran down the beard, even Aaron’s beard: thatwent down to the skirts of his garments;

•3As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that

descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessings, even life for

evermore.



Precious Ointment

• There is a release of anointing. This is not same as the regular anointing

we buy at the market.

• When the anointing came on Saul he became a changed person.

• The anointing stirs up the gifts and brightens the lives of people at

different stages of maturity.

• When we dwell in His presence His image reflects on us and we see our

self righteousness being as filthy rags.



The Head Beard Skirts

• Leaders and elders have huge roles to play in establishing UNITY.

• For times of refreshing to be experienced in the body of Christ,

Leaders and elders have to allow it flow.

• Jesus is the head of the church. We must remain in Him and as abody to experience the flow.

• In some translations: “edge of his robes: Even people who touched

the helm of the garment would feel the potency of the oil. Unity is

contagious.

• Unity is powerful.

H



Hermon

Dew

Descending Dew

• Hermon as the Mount of Transfiguration



Advantages of Dwelling in Unity

• Good and pleasant

• Heavens are opened

• We become instruments of blessings

• Eternal life

• Matt 18:19 : Answers to prayers

• Attainment of Maturity: Philippians 4:13-14. In essence a unified

church is a mature church.



Conclusion

• Love and Unity are two attributes expected of today’s

churches. However, divisions have made Churchesvulnerable and sometimes not totally effective. Even

the first family which was a result of a God ordained

marriage performed in a paradise could not stand

because there was division.

• We are the Church and if we are truly members of the

same body, we need to express love and be united.

• The only person given the right to think of himself more

highly than others is the person who is a son not byadoption.



Action Points

• 1. Unity should be a continuous/daily

achievement. See: Heb 10:25, Acts 2:46. Itsays “dwell together”.

• 2. One of the main pillars of love unity is

humility. Having respect for others irrespectiveof their distinctive characteristics. (Blessings of

humility…Philippians 2:1-11. the result is in

verses 9,10,11.. Position, unparalleled identity,

Solution to problems, Power, Global recognition(celebrity).

See King David



Action Points Cont’d

• 3. Enlarge your circle of love: We are quick to

associate with people of our class, social status,ethnic group, dress like us. So easy to write themoff….they are too young and I’m old. People are putin our lives for a reason. God’s love is INCLUSIVEand not EXCLUSIVE. Too many people have their

walls up. Get outside your box. Show acceptance….Most times we make judgments about peoplewithin 2mins and put them in a category. Mosttimes it is because of the way we were raised. E.g.seeing someone smoking cocaine, etc.

• 4. Speak the truth in Love!

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Love and Unity