Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-6; John 17:20-26
Sermon Title: The Unity of the Church
Sermon Preached by Rev. Bonface Nyangolo on 22nd August 2021.
All Protocols observed, ladies and Gentlemen, Praise the Lord!
Today we celebrate the Love of Jesus through “UPENDO FELLOWSHIP CONCERT”
Where the love of Jesus Christ is flowing inter-denominationally. This is made evident with the presence of our brothers and sisters from the Seventh Day Adventist, Brothers and Sisters from the Pentecostal Revival Church, Brothers and Sisters from African Inland Church, Choirs, Praise and Worship teams invited from other denominations.
We are gathered here in the name of the Lord Jesus to tell the world that we love one another and that churches can work together. In John 17:20ff, Jesus prays for all believers and says,
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for them who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” Statistics shows that Kenya has a Christian population of about 80%, the church is the salt and light of the world and the church is the ambassador of the kingdom of God here on earth. Imagine, what a world would be if the church walked together, worked together, shared heavenly values together. Indeed it will be a better place to be.
Upendo fellowship concert and the love of Jesus Christ have brought about the power of connection. We are connected to the source of life-God. We are connected to one another, who would have imagined the Adventists joining worship on a Sunday? But because we are ONE in Christ Jesus, this is happening. A day is coming where we shall also join the Adventists in their worship service, so as to strengthen the bond of unity, peace and love. A few years ago the Roman Catholic Church, their Orthodox and Protestant sisters and brothers worldwide united to celebrate their oneness in Christ. This is a matter that calls for reflection at a time when fragmentation, particularly in Kenya, has assumed alarming proportions.
This brings to my mind the week of Prayer for Christian Unity which was launched at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) St Andrew’s Church here in Nairobi, where Fr.
Innocent Maganya of the Missionaries of Africa (the White Fathers) preached a sermon titled: Called to Proclaim the Mighty Works of God. Three times in the Gospel, Jesus’ plea for one church is repeated… “Protect them by the power of your name the name you gave me so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). That Jesus’ yearning for one church was expressed just before his crucifixion is telling. It means that despite the merits of the much-hyped unity in diversity, Jesus’ earnest desire was for one church. And yet, divisions persist. Fr. Maganya quoted part of the commentary of the third day of the prayer week: He said, “The world cannot believe that we are Jesus’s disciples while our love for one another is incomplete. We feel the pain of this division when we cannot receive together the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist, the sacrament of unity.” He went on to quote Pope Francis, who has often said that division in a Christian community is one of the worst sins. Division does not come from God; it is a scandal, above all, because it comes from the devil. The congregation here present is not advocating for division but we are committed to a united church, this is a cause for celebration.
Conclusion
The Love of Jesus being spread though the Bridal Choir, BuruBuru Church of God Choir, Buruburu Church of God Praise and Worship team, Mbarikiwa TV and Radio, Mwangaza TV, Hope Channel, Citizen TV who promoted this event live on Rauka this morning, Heavenly Family Choir, Pentecostal Revival Church and all other Gospel Singers is proof that God is uniting His Church, and that we love one another. Be blessed. Amen!
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