Unity
Posted by preachgospelblog.com | Filed under Illustrations of Bible Truths
1. The Uniting Love of Christ
In a museum, an old white-haired man was standing fascinated before a picture of Christ. After gazing at it for a few moments he murmured to himself, with face all aglow, “Bless Him, I love Him!” A stranger standing near overhead him and said, “Brother, I love Him, too,” and clasped his hand. A third caught the sentence and said, “I love Him, too”; soon there stood in front of that picture a little circle of people with hands clasped, utter strangers to one another, but made one by their common love of Christ. On further discussion they found they belonged to different Christian denominations. But this did not disturb their fellowship. Perhaps others belonging to their particular denomination, but not to Christ, could not do what they were doing, stand in awe before Christ and have fellowship with those who possessed the same feeling.
2. What Kind of Christian?
Many people turn denominational adjectives into nouns. Instead of saying, I am a Baptist Christian, a Presbyterian Christian, a Catholic Christian, or an Orthodox Christian, they say, I am a Baptist; I am a Presbyterian; I am a Catholic; I am Orthodox, and so on. This is a distortion of values, for being a Christian is the important thing, and what kind of Christian you call yourself is purely secondary.
3. Cooperation
There were two Christians occupying the same cottage, each bound to keep his own side of the house well thatched. They were sadly divided denominationally, one being a Baptist and the other a Presbyterian. After repeated battles with words, they were not on speaking terms. One day these men were at work on the roof, each thatching his own side, when they met at the top and were forced to look into each other’s faces. One of the men took off his cap, and scratching his head said to the other, “Johnnie, you and me, I think, have been very foolish to dispute as we have done concerning Christ’s will about our churches, until we have clean forgot His will about ourselves; we have fought so bitterly for what we call the truth, that it has ended in spite. Whatever is wrong, it’s perfectly certain that it never can be right to be impolite, unneighborly, unkind-in fact, to hate one another. No, that’s the devil’s work, not God’s! The same thing may be the matter with the church as with this house. You are working on one side, and I am on the other, but if we only do our work well, we will meet at the top at last. Give me your hand, old neighbor!” So they shook hands and were the best of friends ever after.
4. Get Your Heads Together
There is an old legend about a herd of mules that was attacked nightly by a pack of wolves from a nearby forest. When the wolves came, the mules began kicking viciously in all directions. Consequently the mules maimed and injured each other while the agile wolves escaped unharmed. Finally, a wise old mule called the rest together for a conference and made known his plans. That night the wolves came yelping from the forest as usual, but instead of the mules kicking, they all ran and put their heads together in a circle and began kicking outward. The wolves were put to flight, and the mules did no harm to each other. Christians need to get their heads together and kick outward against the forces of iniquity. The world must sometimes wonder whether we who call ourselves Christ’s fishermen have any heads to put together.
5. A Future Perfection
Probably you’ve heard of the group who were supposed to have arrived in heaven and been met by St. Peter. In a beautiful meadow they saw some people assembled and asked Peter who they were. Peter replied, “They are Presbyterians.” They walked on a distance to a beautiful brook, and one asked, “Who are the people gathered over there?” And Peter answered, “They are Lutherans.” Then they came to a tremendously high wall and one asked, “Whose are the voices we hear behind that wall?” “Shh!” said Peter. “Please be quiet!” Then he whispered the name of that denomination and said, “They think they are the only ones up in this place, and we don’t want to disillusion them. If they find out that others have made it up here, too, how will they feel?”
6. Workers Together
As you look outside on a snowy day and admire the beauty of the landscape, you may recall that no two snowflakes have ever been found to be alike. Yet each individual snowflake is only a minute drop of frozen water as it falls to earth. However, many snowflakes together cover the ground and can change the course of things and persons. When you do your best, and join that best with the efforts of other Christians, you will be amazed at what God can do with your combined “bests.”
7. Nearer the Center
On a blank leaf of his Bible a man had drawn a circle with several radii converging on the center, which he called “Christ.” On the radii were written the names of different denominations of Christians. Underneath were written the words, “The nearer to the center the nearer to one another.”
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