1. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed for oneness in the church
a. Prayer for His disciples
“That they may be one as We are” John 17: 11
b. Prayer for those who will believe through their word
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” John 17:21
2. Important reasons for the prayer for oneness
a. That the world may believe (John 17:21-22)
b. That the glory given by God may be seen
THE PROBLEM OF DISUNITY AND DIVISION
1. A problem in Israel in the days of the Lord Jesus
a. Racial and ethnic division
i. Jews
ii. Samaritans
b. Factions
i. Pharisees
ii. Sadducees
iii. Scribes
iv. Zealots
v. Essenes
2. The danger of disunity and division among the disciples of the Lord Jesus
a. Disputes about which of them would be the greatest (Mark 9:33-37, Luke 9:46)
b. Some sought positions of honour and authority over others (Matthew 20:20-28)
c. The Lord Jesus had to address these matters
d. They were not yet of “one accord”
ONE ACCORD NOTED IN THE EARLY CHURCH
1. “One accord” noted among the apostles (Acts 1:14)
2. “One accord” found with others too
a. With the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14)
b. With the 120 disciples (Acts 2:1)
c. With 3000 souls added to the church (Acts 2:46)
HOW ONE ACCORD WAS FOUND
1. Centrality of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
a. The Lord Jesus spoke of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3, 9)
i. The Christ (Luke 24:26-27, 46)
ii. The Scriptures (Luke 24:27, 32, 44-45)
iii. The Spirit of God (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:2, 5, 8)
iv. The gospel (Luke 24:47)
v. Their ministry as witnesses (Luke 24:48, Acts 1:8)
b. These things took on a central focus among the disciples of the Lord
i. They returned to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12-14)
ii. They entered into the upper room
iii. They entered into a season of prayer
c. This central focus was shared by others too
i. The women
ii. Mary the mother of Jesus
iii. And His brothers
2. Conformity to the things pertaining to the kingdom of God
“…Peter, James, John and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the Son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the Son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication”
Acts 1:13-14a
a. The apostles no longer saw themselves as a group of individuals
b. They now conformed to a common identity as apostles
i. Chosen
ii. Sent out
c. They conformed to a common purpose
i. They were to be witnesses for the Lord (Acts 1:8)
ii. They were to reach many for the Lord
d. Conformity led to uniformity in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
e. They continued with one accord in prayer and supplication
i. They prayed in the name of the Lord Jesus (cf. John 14:13)
ii. They prayed over the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
iii. They prayed in oneness together with the others (Acts 1:14)
THE RESULT OF BEING OF ONE ACCORD
1. Concurrence and consensus was found among the 120 disciples
2. A matter needed to be addressed (Acts 1:15-20
a. Judas Iscariot’s name and reputation had been completely marred
b. Yet he was numbered with the apostles
3. The central focus remained on the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
a. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled (Acts 1:16)
b. The Holy Spirit spoke through the Scriptures (Acts 1:16)
c. Another must take the office of apostleship which Judas bore (Acts 1:20)
d. Prayer was made (Acts 1:24)
4. Peter’s leadership
a. It was on the basis of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:15)
b. Thus it was accepted without dispute
5. Acting together with one accord (Acts 1:23-26)
a. Because the things pertaining to the kingdom of God were central
b. Because there was a strong sense of conformity and uniformity in these things
OUR CHALLENGE AS A CHURCH
1. To never take oneness for granted
The danger of division is very real.
2. To strengthen the sense of oneness we have built up over 51 years
a. Oneness among the leaders and the congregation
b. This is for the furtherance of the kingdom of God
c. “That the world may believe” (cf. John 17:21-22)
3. How we may strengthen a sense of oneness
a. By keeping a central focus on the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
b. By conformity and uniformity in the things of God
c. May we always find concurrence and consensus as a church