Lesson 16: Unity & Prejudice

Lessons From Acts

Unity Defined

• Unity:– State of being undivided – Oneness

• Ps 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

• Is this easy?

Apostles

• Peter, Andrew, James and John – Fishermen

• Matthew– Tax Collector

• Simon– Zealot

• Luke, Paul, etc….

Unity

• John 17:6-8, 20-21– Jesus, just before His death prayed before His

apostles so they could hear.– Vs. 6 – Kept Your Word– Vs. 8 – I have given them Your word– Read vs. 20-21

Unity Commanded

• 1 Cor 1:10 - Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Unity Commanded

• Eph. 4:1-6 • This requires work!

– …endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

– Endeavoring - to make effort, be prompt or earnest, do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavor, labor, study.

• Look at the “ones” of Eph. 4:1-6– Body, Spirit, Hope, Lord, Faith, Baptism, God

and Father

Unity Commanded

• Phil. 1:27-2:4

stand fast in one spirit

fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Is Compromise Unity?

Pharoah GodLet My People Go!

8:25 (flies) “Sacrifice in the land”

10:11 (locust) “Just the Men”

10:24 (darkness) “Leave your flock”

(Death of firstborn) “Get Out”

God

Man 1 Man 2

Example – Acts 15

• Acts 15:1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.“

• Acts 15:2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them,

• they determined ... should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders

• See v. 25 & 28

How do we obtain unity?

• Starts without attitude– Eph. 4:2 - with all lowliness and gentleness, with

longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,– Phil 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish

ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. • Ch. 2 continues with Jesus as the example

– 1 Peter 2:1-3 – Lay aside all malice

Prejudice

• An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought or reason.

• In what ways did people show prejudice in Bible times?– Race– Religion– Wealth

• What about today?

Prejudice

• Gal 3:28 - “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

• Col 3:11 - “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”

Prejudice - Race

• Gentiles– Acts 10 – What did God teach Peter?– What I have cleansed do not call common or

unclean!– Peter struggled – v. 28– Others struggled – 11:1-3, 17

• Acts 15 – They must first become Jews

Prejudice - Race

• 1 Tim 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

• Acts 17:30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

• Acts 22:15 'For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Prejudice - Wealth

• James 2:1-13– If someone looks rich, we reach out to them– If someone looks poor, we fear them– Vs. 6 - Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you

to court?– Vs. 9 - If you show partiality, you commit sin

• Who should we teach?– Matt. 13

Prejudice – Past History

• Read I Cor. 6:9-11– fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals,

sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners

– Such were some of you.• Onesimus / Philemon

– Slave now brother – vs. 15-16