OPENING STATEMENT:

Walls are built for our safety but also walls to keep others out including God. Religion, race and politics build walls effortlessly.

“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”.  – Ronald Reagan

• Walls don’t just divide nations and cultures; they divide families too.

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions (walls) in the church (family). Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT)

• Paul is urging us to tear down the walls.
• Misunderstandings, hurt, distance, pride, resentment, or silence.

OPENING SCRIPTURE:

BEAR WITH EACH OTHER and FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues PUT ON LOVE, which binds them all together in PERFECT UNITY. (Colossians 3:13-14 NIV)

• Forgiveness, patience, and love—the foundations of unity in a family.

TRUTH #1: UNITY REQUIRES FORGIVENESS

• The heart of God is unity in the body, unity in the family.

I pray that they will ALL BE ONE, just as YOU AND I ARE ONE—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

May they experience such PERFECT UNITY that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. (John 17:19-23 NLT)

• That’s God’s heart…rooted in love that start with forgiveness.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)

• Bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander if left unchecked, poison unity.
• Believers must imitate Christ’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness creates space for healing and peace.

TRUTH #2: UNITY REQUIRES PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING

MAKE EVERY EFFORT to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)

• Keeping unity requires effort.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, and SLOW TO GET ANGRY. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. (James 1:19-20 NLT)

Quick tempers build walls; patience and listening bridges.

A GENTLE ANSWER DEFLECTS ANGER, but harsh words make tempers flare. (Proverbs 15:1 NLT)

• Don’t fuel arguments with harsh responses. Instead use gentleness to bring peace.

TRUTH #3: UNITY REQUIRES LOVE AS THE BINDING FORCE

And over all these virtues PUT ON LOVE, which BINDS THEM ALL TOGETHER IN PERFECT UNITY. (Colossians 3:13-14 NIV)

• Forgiveness and patience are essential but it is the love of God that binds all family together.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV)

• Love not as a feeling, but as active commitment.
• Love is the glue of family unity.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV)

Love is also a strong witness of our faith.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 NIV)

CONCLUSION

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?