I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit,

just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all

and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift

– Ephesians 4:1-7

…bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your

mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on

these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:34-40

Love God

Love Neighbor

Bear with one another in Love

Christians all believe• Jesus Christ is Son of God

• God Incarnate• Fully human and fully divine• Lived on earth• Was crucified, dead and buried• On third day He rose again

“Don’t judge someone because they sin differently

than you”

Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with

someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means that you agree with

everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise

convictions to be compassionate

-- Rick Warren

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world

through him.

-- John 3:17

When we:• bear with one another in love• making every effort to maintain the

unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

When we truly • Love God and love our neighbor

We become the church.

Some ChoicesBear with one another

OR

Judge one another

Maintain the unity of the Spirit in peace

OR

Argue about the things of the flesh and stay in turmoil