Latest / Cumberland Trace Church of Christ (Formerly Lehman Ave Church of Christ) / Equipped 2026: "The Precious Nature of Unity (Gen. 13:8)" by Luke Lohden

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Equipped 2026: "The Precious Nature of Unity (Gen. 13:8)" by Luke Lohden · Cumberland Trace Church of Christ (Formerly Lehman Ave Church of Christ)

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  Unity is something that many people don't talk about today and honestly it's
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  not hard to understand why. When we look around at the world, unity feels almost
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  non-existent. We see division everywhere, we see political groups constantly
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  arguing with each other, we see division between racists, between social classes
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  and even within families. People disagree on beliefs, values, and priorities and
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  instead of trying to understand each other, many people choose sides and stay
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  there. Because of this, unity can start to feel unrealistic, almost like it's
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  something that just isn't possible anymore. But the Bible teaches something
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  very different. God desires the precious nature of unity, not just in a general
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  sense, but specifically among his people. Unity is something Christians are called
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  to actively pursue. It's not optional, it's not part of living the way God
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  wants us to live. So the question becomes, what does unity actually look like and
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  how do we practice it in a world that seems so divided? To answer that, we have
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  an example from the Bible, Abraham and Lot in Genesis chapter 13. At this point
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  in their lives, Abraham and Lot had both become very successful. They had large
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  herds, many possessions, and a lot of people working for them. Because of this,
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  the land they were living on couldn't support both of them at the same time. As
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  you might expect, this caused problems. The herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen
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  of Lot began arguing. There was tension, there was conflict, and this situation
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  had the potential to turn into something much worse. Now here's what's
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  important. Abraham had the authority in this situation. He was older, he was the
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  one leading the journey. If anyone had the right to choose the best land, it was
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  Abraham. But instead of using that authority for his own benefit, Abraham
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  chose unity. He said to Lot, let there be no strife between you and me, for we are
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  brethren. Think about that for a moment.
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  Abraham didn't ignore the problem. He didn't pretend the conflict wasn't
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  happening. Instead, he addressed it directly, but peacefully. Then he did
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  something even more surprising. He gave Lot the first choice of the land. He said,
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  essentially, you choose where you want to go, and I'll go the other way. Lot looked
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  out and chose the land that appeared to be the best, the well-watered plains of
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  the Jordan. It looked rich, fertile, and ideal. Abraham was left with what seemed
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  like the worst option. From a worldly perspective, Abraham would have lost. But
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  from a spiritual perspective, Abraham showed something far more valuable than
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  gain in land. He showed humility, selflessness, and a commitment to unity.
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  Because of his choice, the conflict ended. The relationship was preserved, and peace
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  was maintained. And that teaches us something important. Unity often requires
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  sacrifice. It requires us to let go of pride. It requires us to sometimes give
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  up what we want in order to maintain peace with others. That's not easy. In
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  fact, most conflicts today continue because neither side wants to give in.
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  People want to be right. They want to win the argument. They want things their way.
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  But unity is not about winning. It's about preserving relationships. This idea
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  is reinforced in Romans 12 18, which says, if it is possible, as much as
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  depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Notice that phrase, as much as
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  depends on you. That means unity takes effort. It takes intentional action. It
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  means asking ourselves, am I doing everything I can to promote peace, even
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  if the other person is not? Another key part of unity is how we view other
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  people. The Bible teaches us that every person is created in the image of God.
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  That means every person has value. Every person matters. If we truly believe that,
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  it would change how we treat people. It would change how we respond in
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  disagreements. It would change how we speak to others, and it would
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  change how we handle conflict. Unity also applies strongly to our personal
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  relationships, especially with family and friends. Just like Abraham and Lot
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  were relatives, many of the conflicts we experience today happen with people we
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  are close to. And those conflicts can be the hardest to deal with, but those
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  relationships are also some of the most important. Instead of allowing
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  disagreements to create permanent division, we should be willing to work
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  things out, to communicate, and to find the common ground. However, the Bible also
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  teaches that unity has its limits. There are situations where unity is not
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  possible, not because we don't want it, but because it requires compromising
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  what is right. In John chapter 3, Jesus explains that in order to enter the
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  kingdom of God, a person must be born again of water and the Spirit. It shows
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  that unity with God requires obedience. We can't ignore God's Word and still
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  claim to be united with him. Other passages also reinforce this idea. In
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  2 Thessalonians 3.6, we are told to withdraw from those who walk disorderly
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  and do not follow God's teachings. Why is this? Our purpose is to save a soul from
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  hell. We withdraw to teach that person to want to come back to God. Of course, we
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  continue to pray for that person, but the goal is to make that person miss
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  the godly influences so much that they want to come back. In Matthew 18, 15
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  through 17, we are given a process for dealing with sin, and if someone refuses
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  to change, separation may be necessary. Again, the purpose is to save a soul from
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  hell. These verses show that unity is not just about getting along with everyone
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  no matter what. True unity must be based on truth. If unity requires us to ignore
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  what is right, then it is not the kind of unity that God wants. So there is a
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  balance. We are called to seek peace, but we are also called to stand for truth.
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  Another important area of unity is our relationship with God. In John 17, Jesus
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  prays that his followers may be one, just as he and the Father are one. That
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  is a powerful image of unity. It shows that unity is not just about the human
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  relationships, it's about being aligned with God. But unity with God requires
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  something from us. It requires us to separate ourselves from sin. In 1 John,
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  1, 6 through 7, we are told that we cannot walk in darkness and have fellowship
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  with God at the same time. We have to choose. We have to choose to walk in the
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  light. This means living according to God's Word, praying regularly, and making
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  an effort to grow spiritually every day. Unity also plays a major role in the
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  church. For church to function properly, there must be unity among its members.
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  That includes leaders, teachers, and the congregation as a whole. If there are
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  constant disagreements and different beliefs being taught, it can lead to
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  division and even cause a church to split. And when that happens, it weakens
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  the church. God designed the church to be unified like a body working together.
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  Each person has a role, and all are meant to work in harmony. And one of the most
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  important parts of unity, especially in the church, is love. Without love, unity
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  cannot exist. If people do not care about each other, they will not work toward
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  peace. They will not forgive. They will not sacrifice for one another. Love is
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  what holds unity together. Finally, unity matters because it affects others. When
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  others see unity among Christians, it sends a message. It shows something
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  different from the division they see in the world. It reflects God. But when there
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  is division, it can push people away. It can make Christianity seem divided and
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  confusing. That's why unity is not just about us. It's about our influence on
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  others. In conclusion, unity is something that we are called to pursue even in a
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  divided world. The example of Abraham and Lot shows us that unity often requires
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  humility and sacrifice. The teachings in the New Testament remind us to seek
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  peace while still standing firm in truth. Unity is not always easy, and it is not
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  always possible in every situation. But as much as it depends on us, we must
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  strive for it in our relationships in the church and, most importantly, with God.
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  Because unity is not just about getting along. It's about living in a way that
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  reflects God's will. Thank you for your attention.