We value unity and team spirit. We work together for the expansion of the Kingdom of God because we are the body of Christ and Christ is the head of this body. We believe in accepting individuals with their uniqueness, so that we give glory to God through our diversity in being united.
Unity is not uniformity. Instead, unity can be defined as any group of people who are characterized by a shared purpose, vision or direction. It’s not about being the exact same, but about advancing towards the same goal. Think about a football team. There are different positions on the field. Each position has different skill sets, roles and responsibilities. But all players on the team march towards the same end zone because their goal is the same. Our common goal is advancing Gods kingdom through sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. When believers from different background come together and operate in biblical unity, we will no longer be divided or conquered. We will be victorious.
1.ONE BODY MANY PARTS
1 Corinthians 12:14-27 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
APOSTLE PAUL PRAYS
Romans 15:5-7 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind towards each other that Christ Jesus had 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
LORD JESUS CHRIST PRAYS FOR ONENESS
John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Enemy comes to Steal Kill and Destroy. Steal the Unity of the Family of God, to kill the power of unity and destroy the credibility of unity.
1.UNITY: Because we NEED Each Other
Romans 12:4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Genesis 2: 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. (NLT)
Romans 12:5a The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. (MSG)
1 Corinthians 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
1 Corinthians 12:21 b “Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? (MSG)
Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourself
2.UNITY:Because we GROW better Together
Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
1 Thessalonians 511 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Colossians 3: 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
3.UNITY:Because we can SERVE together
Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Mark 8: 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
35 If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live. (LB)
1 Corinthians 13: 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[a] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
3 “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” (MSG)
John 13:14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
4.UNITY: Because we can PRAY together
Acts 1: 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (NLT)
Colossians 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Hebrews 4: 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (NLT)
5.UNITY: Because we can CELEBRATE together
Ephesians 5: 19 When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. ( CEV)
2 Samuel 6: 5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[a] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
2 Samuel 6: 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 149:1 Sing to God a brand-new song,
praise him in the company of all who love him.
Revelation 5:11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
Stiven Monteiro is a retired professional from BSNL and is part of Renewed Hope Community which is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
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