Unity amongst the body of believers. It's a command from God, but one we seldom see carried out. Paul tells us to bear with one another in love and to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. You know what? That phrase, "bear with one another," you know what that means? It means you have to put up with people! Not only people you like, but even the people you dislike. It means you have to put up with me, and even worse, I have to put up with you. Just kidding, of course. But this is an especially important principle within Christianity; one that, if we learn it, could literally change our world.
We talked a little about this a few days ago. Christians spend an awful lot of time bickering and complaining and arguing, and not much time loving one another. We need to really try to "love one another as Christ loves us." Because that's the only way the world will ever see God's love-if we live it.
And if we show each other love like the love Christ has for us, you know what? All those petty differences that used to have us arguing for hours will no longer make any difference. We will become unified as one body of believers, no longer split apart over stupid things. Right now, the body of Christ is paralyzed. Why? Because we aren't unified, and we aren't doing our jobs as separate parts of Christ's body. We have a hand over here that wants to be a foot, and a foot that wants to be an ear. Now, if you showed any medical practitioner someone who walked on his hands and had a foot on either side of his head, nine out of ten doctors will agree that there is something seriously wrong with that person. That seems to be exactly what the world sees wrong with us. They see a group of arguing people and think that there is something seriously wrong. It's no wonder that when we share the Gospel with them, they want no part of it. On the other hand, if we lived the Gospel and then tried to share it with them, they'd want a part of it.
I encourage you today to love one another, to bear with one another, and to be in unity with one another. I would like to see this group right here in this room become unified in the cause of Christ. Do you realize that if we could accomplish unity just in this small group, we could change this entire school? If we were just willing to walk the walk that we talk so much about, we would make a serious change here. So why not start today? Let's become a unified group, loving one another and sharing Christ's love with everyone around us.