Grace Community Church, Arlington, TX

I want to talk to you this morning about the power of unity in the church.
Remember that we are doing this series… Jesus is coming back for a Bride that has made herself ready.

And we have seen from Eph 4 that the church that Jesus is coming back for will be characterized by three things: Intimacy, Unity, and Maturity. We’ve spent the last three weeks talking about Intimacy with Christ. Today I want to talk about unity. Jesus is coming back for a bride and not a
harem.

Our central biblical text this morning is Ps 133

Psalm 133 is a short but powerful psalm that expresses the power of unity among God’s people. David compares this unity to precious anointing oil and dew from Mount Hermon, both of which symbolize God’s blessing and favor and power. The psalm concludes by declaring that where there is unity, the Lord commands His blessing, including life forevermore.

It points to the fact that God’s blessing rests upon His people in a special way when they are unified. Jesus’ prayer in John 17 for His disciples to be one, as He and the Father are one, echoes the same theme found in Psalm 133.

Notice the power of unity in this prayer request. The unity of the church is tied to the believability of the gospel. Wow! That is one of the reasons why it is a priority in the prayer of Jesus. Now, will God the Father answer His Son’s prayer for unity? Yes! Has it been answered yet? Not yet. But it will.

Psalm 133 is one of the “Songs of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134), a collection of psalms sung by the Israelites as they made their way to Jerusalem for the annual religious festivals. These psalms were meant to prepare the people for worship and to remind them of God’s faithfulness, power, and love.

Historically, this psalm is rooted in the period of Israel’s establishment as a nation under God. David, as king, sought to unite the tribes of Israel, and this psalm reflects his desire for peace and unity among the people.

Unity is not optional. The church is called to live in unity, as this brings glory to God and demonstrates the power of the gospel to reconcile diverse people into one body. Disunity, therefore, is not just a social or relational problem; it hinders the church’s witness to the world and its reflection of God’s kingdom.

Unity is crucial if the church is going to be effective preaching the gospel. The believability of the gospel is connected to the unity of the church.

The “precious oil” refers to the consecrating oil used in the Old Testament to anoint priests, specifically Aaron, the high priest. The anointing oil running down Aaron’s beard and robe symbolizes the power of the Holy Spirit. The imagery of oil emphasizes the sanctifying and consecrating power of unity—it sets apart God’s people for His service and mission.

Just as the oil anointed, set apart, and empowered Aaron for service to God, unity among God’s people sets them apart and empowers them to fulfill His mission. The blessing of unity is not a superficial one; it is a deep, spiritual blessing that enables the church to fulfill its calling to be a light to the world.

This verse compares the blessing of unity to the dew of Mount Hermon, a mountain known for its abundant and life-giving dew in the dry land of Israel. Mount Hermon was located in the northern part of Israel, and its dew was essential for life, as it watered the land.

The psalmist is emphasizing that unity is not just a pleasant thing but is essential for spiritual vitality, like the dew that brings life to the land. Just as dew is necessary for the flourishing of the land, so unity is essential for the flourishing of the church. It is only when the church is united that it can experience the fullness of God’s blessing and the life He offers.

Unity ushers in a powerful anointing into a church. And Unity ushers in a powerful life-giving environment in a church. And David sums it all up by saying…

You have the believability of the gospel. You have the anointing of the Holy Spirit for power on the church. And you have an oasis of life and refreshment that the world is looking for. And…there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.

Summary: When the church lives in unity, it becomes a powerful witness to the world of God’s love and power.
That is why the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the Bride becoming unified will go hand in hand in these last days.