MAINTAINING LOVE AND UNITY

TOPIC:     MAINTAINING LOVE AND UNITY

                                                     LESSON FOUR

MAIN IDEA:  Love and unity in a church setting do not happen by accident but rather as a result of individual members playing a part.

STUDY TEXTS: “Psalm 133:1-3; John 7:14”

LESSON OBJECTIVE:       To reiterate that love and unity in a living church should be maintained in order to grow to maturity.

INTRODUCTION:

While craving to have genuine salvation, sanctification and baptism of the Holy Spirit, the believer needs to pray for the fruit of the Spirit to ensure practical love and unity in the church. The need for special grace to live the life that brings about love and unity should be our constant pursuit. Quarrels and disagreements should be settled among the brethren as every one seeks to live selfless and Christ-like life. In view of the fact that we have different backgrounds, we have to bear the inadequacies of one another. We are to rebuke or correct those who sow the seeds of discord through gossip, jealousy and other carnal behaviours in the church.

Unity and love are so essential in the church that no surrender of our own preferences can be too great to secure them. We must all work together with a peaceful spirit by promoting and provoking love and unity in the church of God on earth. The fulfillment of the function and force of the church also requires unity.

SUBJECT MATTERS:

1.                 It is necessary for believers to practice restitution towards those that have been offended by their words or action. (Acts 23:1-5)

2.                 Leaders should be prompt in handling genuine grievances and complaints of neglect among the brethren like the early church (Acts 6:1-7)

3.                 Every believing Christian should esteem the other better than himself. (Philippians 2:3-4)

4.                 Unity calls for mutual esteem and affection for one another. (Romans 12:10)

5.                 This cannot be attained unless there is the desire to identify and place high premium on good qualities in others. (Philippians 2:4)

6.                 Through the instrumentality of unity in the church, many souls will be won and backsliders restored to the faith. (Acts 2:46-47)

PRACTICAL LESSON:

All that have been enumerated above during subject analysis can also be seen as practical lessons.

MEMORY VERSE:     “1 Peter 3:8”

          Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of the another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

CLASS DISCUSSION:

1.                             As a believer, how do you maintain love and unity in the church?

2.                             A church that is not united will never grow numerically, financially or otherwise. Offer your comments.