Kaleo San Diego Church > Sermons > Unity In the Trinity

Unity In the Trinity

David Fairchild
Jun 20, 2010
Series: Ephesians

Unity in the Trinity

Ephesians 4:1-6

David Fairchild

June 19, 2010

Ephesians 4:1-6 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

If you’ve been part of Jesus’ church, you’ve probably seen division and hostility first hand within His body. Pride, bitterness, misunderstanding, and a need to vindicate ourselves can and will drive us to do things that damage the unity and peace that Jesus died to create.

When this kind of disunity occurs, it is very tempting to pick sides and take up another’s cause, which only promotes more bitterness and division. It’s even more damaging when the elders or leaders are in conflict and unable to find a resolution. It feels like your parents are fighting and seeking a divorce. We all know that everyone is hurt in that scenario, especially the kids. We all know that it isn’t supposed to be that way. Our churches shouldn’t split. Relationships shouldn’t be destroyed. Jesus’ body shouldn’t be divided.

The sad truth is that as long as we are struggling with sin in this life, we will experience broken families, broken relationships and broken churches. We will misunderstand one another. We will hurt one another. We will say things we regret. We will jump to conclusions. We will need to forgive and receive forgiveness from one another.

This doesn’t mean we should be ok with it, but since Jesus came for sinners and created a church for sinners, we shouldn’t be shocked when people sin. I’m not saying we should accept it, but simply that we shouldn’t be freaked out when it happens. Sinners sin, that’s a sure thing. If you think you don’t, you’re being dishonest and that’s a sin. Someone recently left one of the Missional Communities because they said they couldn’t deal with all the drama. Well, welcome to the church! The church is filled with drama because it’s filled with sinners! Strangely, it’s usually the most dramatic ones that create drama by leaving when drama occurs.

If you’ve been at Kaleo for more than a year, you know that this isn’t reserved for churches “out there”, but has happened “in here.” I don’t think there is anything more difficult as a pastor to deal with than division in the body of Christ. Like fights with your spouse, the intensity of the fight overshadows the reason the fight began. You look back at those times and wonder how in the world a disagreement about some secondary or subjective thing can turn into a church split. My wife and I have had fights that while I’m in the middle of the argument, I’m wondering how in the world we got there.

The depth of emotional and spiritual suffering is so overwhelming and crippling that it can make you want to leave the church and never come back. What is worse is when you’re a pastor and you feel that way. I remember telling my wife for the first time that I didn’t want to pastor anymore. I remember feeling like it wasn’t worth it to keep pressing on. I was shocked that I felt that way. I’m not one to easily give up on something I love but the spiritual, physical, psychological and emotional toll was so great that for the first time I wanted to quit. Some days I would just dream of driving a bread truck where I delivered warm bread to happy people and didn’t have to think, didn’t have to struggle, just hug my warm bread and hand it over to appreciative people. I know, corny.

However, when it comes to division and hostility in this church, we’re often both victims and victimizers. We are sinned against and we sin against those we love. We suffer and cause others to suffer. If marriage hasn’t taught us that it is possible to sin against the one you love the most, nothing will.

But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. There is division, but there shouldn’t be. There are fights, but we shouldn’t have them. There will be hurtful words spoken, but we shouldn’t say them.

What I love about the Bible is that it is honest and realistic. It isn’t a pie in the sky account of perfect people doing perfect things. In fact, every major leader in the Old and New Testament had to deal with division under their leadership.

Noah, Moses, David, Paul, Jesus and dozens of others all had to deal with division and hostility. The only one we can say didn’t sin in their leadership was Jesus; and His followers deserted Him when He was betrayed by one of His closest disciples and handed over to be murdered. Every other leader was a sinner that created division and was a victim of it. And yet, these are the leaders that God records for us to read.

Look at the New Testament explosion of the church in Acts. The gospel is preached, thousands are coming to faith, churches are being planted, and yet there is outward conflict and inward conflict the entire time.

After these churches are planted, Paul and others have to write to them because there are fights, quarrels, gossip, slander, lawsuits, disagreements and division within the church. In fact, this letter is written to a group of people, much like you and I, that have experienced division and hostility from those that are our brothers and sisters.

How do we deal with division in the church? How does Paul deal with division in the church? We need to learn this because Satan will oppose the work of unity in the church until Christ returns. We need to know how to deal with it when it comes or when we’re tempted to create it.

Let’s look at Paul’s pattern for creating unity and peace in the church. Paul does three things:

1) He reminds Christians of their true identity.

2) He reminds Christians of their true God.

3) He reminds Christians of their true calling.

First things first, remember who you are.

I Remember Who You Are

Paul has spent the first three chapters telling us who we are and what we have. In doing so he is shaping our self-understanding. He’s forming our identity. He’s declaring what God says is true about us right now. He’s revealing our true identity.

Listen to what God says about you:

1:3-You have every spiritual blessing in Jesus.

1:4-You are chosen.

1:5-You are adopted.

1:7-You have been redeemed by His own blood.

1:7-You have been forgiven.

1:11-You have an inheritance.

1:13-You have the Holy Spirit.

1:14-You have assurance.

2:4-You are loved by God.

2:5-You are alive with Christ.

2:6-You have been raised with Christ.

2:6-You have been seated with Jesus in Heaven.

2:8-You are saved because of His grace.

2:10-You are His work of art.

2:13-You have been brought near to God.

2:14-You have His peace.

2:16-You have reconciliation with God.

2:16-You are His body.

2:19-You are a full citizen.

2:19-You are a saint.

2:19-You are a member of His household.

2:21-You are a holy temple.

3:12-You have boldness and access with confidence towards our Father.

These 23 declarations of what we have and who we are remind us of our true identity so that we can live who we are. No matter what you think of yourself or what others think of you, the only One who never lies says this is what you have and who you are.

When you’re in the middle of an argument with someone, remember who you are.

When you’re tempted to speak harshly towards someone, remember who you are.

When you’re entertaining gossip about someone, remember who you are.

When you’re angry and bitter towards someone, remember who you are.

When you’re the victim of someone’s sin against you, remember who you are.

When you’ve sinned against someone, remember who you are.

You are a forgiven sinner that nailed Jesus to the cross. You are an adopted orphan that cost the true Son His life to bring you into His family. All of this was given to you as a gift. You didn’t earn this. You couldn’t buy it. It’s all God’s grace.

If you fail to remember this, you will struggle with forgiving and being forgiven by others. If you forget this, you’ll struggle to give grace to others. If you forget this, you will have a hard time loving others and seeking reconciliation.

God is not calling you to be something you’re not; He’s calling you to live who you are!

Paul not only reminds them who they are, He then reminds them of their God.

II. Remember Who Your God Is

Verses 4-6: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Many of our problems with community are the result of forgetting the nature of our God. Paul reminds them of the God they love and worship.

First, there is one body because there is only one Spirit. This body is the church, the body of Jesus. The Holy Spirit creates community and keeps community together. If that’s true, we need more of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our community. The Holy Spirit applies what Jesus has done for us and brings us into the life of the Trinity.

It is in this Trinitarian life that we become one with God and one with each other.

Second, there is only hope, one faith and one baptism because there is only one Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus calls us to believe Him and it is in Jesus that we are baptized as we join in His death and resurrection. There is one hope because there is only one Jesus. Everything else we trust in won’t give us the hope only He can create.

Third, there is one family because there is only one God and Father. God creates a family where we are His children and He is our Father. He loves being known as a Father because He loves to treat us as His children.

Within the Trinity we see the Father creating this one family by sending His Son Jesus to create one faith, hope and baptism that the Spirit creates one body.

There is only one family, one faith and one body because there is only one Father, Son and Spirit.

This is what we were made for. We were created to for community. We were created for unity.

Think about how incredible this is. In Genesis 1:26 God says:

“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”

What is this “image” and “likeness?” We can say that because God is three in one and one in three, that there is something different and radical about being like Him.

First, he says ‘Let us make man our image and likeness.’ That image is communal because God is communal. In the trinity, before the world was made, God enjoyed love, glory, relationship, communication, and personality. Since this is true, to be made in His image means that we are created for love, glory, relationship, communication and personality.

But the trinity isn’t divided. They all share in the Godhead. They are all one in another, yet without losing their difference. They are different but not separate.

When God makes man and woman, He is modeling equality and difference. He makes them equal in worth and importance, yet with different roles. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit are equal but with different roles, so are we.

This difference is celebrated without creating division. It isn’t until sin enters into the story that the difference is a cause for disconnection.

Our community is to so participate in the life of the Trinity that we bear His image of unity and diversity, difference without division, being one and many at the same time. God is committed to our unity because it is His nature. This isn’t an afterthought for God or some nice social dream; it’s the reality of the Trinity that defines our one life together.

To be divided is to be unlike Him. To be the same without diversity is to be unlike Him. He wants us to be equal yet different, diverse yet unified, one yet many. He wants this to be demonstrated in our life together.

Ultimately, you cannot divide the church any more than you can divide the Trinity, even if our experience says otherwise. God will ensure that we attain this full unity. Until then, Paul has to remind us of our calling:

III. Remember Your Calling

This means we’re to be:

Verse 3: “…eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

He tells us to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The word ‘eager’ is a strong word. It means that we are to give everything we have, work continuously (it is a present participle) to keep it, and put our whole will, reason and strength into diligently keeping it. It’s imperative and is not up for negotiation.

He’s saying, “Do it now! Take the initiative! Don’t be passive!” Why? Because God wants us to be like Him and He wants us to show the world what He’s like.

Our God wants us to grasp the depth of His love for us. He wants us to look at the cross in gratitude and with humble hearts say, “God how can I thank you for what you’ve done for me?”

His response is, “Be like my son!” God is committed to not only saving us by making us like Him; He wants us to be like His Son. He’s predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. The greatest way we can thank Him is to be like Him.

When we sin, we are unlike Him. When we cause division, we are unlike Him. When we leave one another, we are unlike Him. God wants us to be one as He is one. Listen to Jesus prayer in John 17:

John 17:20-23 “20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Before Jesus is taken away to be crucified, on the night of His betrayal, Jesus prays to His Father for us. Listen to what Jesus is praying for. He’s praying that we would be one and participate in the Trinitarian life of God; that we would experience the same unity as He experiences with His Father.

Not only is Jesus praying for our unity in the Trinity, He ties in the proof of being sent by His Father to our unity. He wants us to be one so that the world will believe that He was sent by the Father. He prays that the world would know He was sent by His people being one.

This is an amazing prayer. Jesus ties His reputation in with His people. He is saying that the world will know and believe that He is the Son of God by our unity with one another. What a risky proposition. What a glorious responsibility.

The reason we can be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit is because our Savior gave Himself to create our unity. Every time we’re tempted to leave, I want you to think about that fact. Jesus came to give himself to rejection, so that we would have unity.

When it would have been overwhelmingly tempting to call down a legion of angels to destroy those who mocked Him, Jesus called out for His Father to forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing. In the greatest act of spousal fidelity, Jesus didn’t leave His bride but stayed. When God should have completely forsaken us, Jesus was forsaken in our place. When every fiber of His body wanted to get down and leave, Jesus stayed. When His friends abandoned Him, He took their rejection on himself and stayed.