Malcolm Cox

Introduction: - A never-solved challenge from the first century till now - In our family of churches unity was simple - Now it is much more complex 1. The Significance (of Unity) Jesus - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34–35 NIV11) “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 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.” (John 17:22–23 NIV11) The world will not know that we are his disciples unless we are unified, unless we love deeply “In the church, we divide easily because we love shallowly.” Francis Chan, ‘Until Unity’. Paul - “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2 NIV11) Early church - “When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the c