In our world, specifically the United States, there seems to be a constant call for unity. We want everyone to join together and a-feel alright. Americans will certainly hear that rallying cry in the next several months as the Presidential Election gets into full swing and each of the candidates will pontificate on how they can be the person to "bring the country together". That is if the candidates that we have now are still the candidates we will have when the election takes place. (Keep a close eye on the Vice Presidential candidates...) One never knows what may happen in light of impeachment proceedings and potential indictments that loom over each of the current "leaders" (used loosely) of the 2 main parties. 
But yet, the call for unity will remain prevalent. This political call and platform is an attempt to play on the innate desire within us to feel commonalities with our neighbors. There is a sense of belonging when we feel like we are "one" in something, regardless of what that something may be.
Honestly, I have my doubts about whether any one person can be the great unifier. But this is nothing new. Let's face it, there wasn't even unity when the colonies rebelled against King George and England. Some questioned the opportunities to which the Founding Fathers ascribed. These "loyalists" wanted the country's allegiance to remain with Great Britain. As the history of the United States unfolds we quickly see that it is filled with moments of unrest stirred by the drumbeats of conflict. Despite these differences and the obvious lack of unity, the United States is a unique experiment in what a Constitutional Republic looks like. We've said it before, our country is not a democracy, yet this word, like many in our culture today, has been hijacked to be defined as something it was never intended to mean. But I digress. We'll save the civics lesson for the 4th of July.
The desire for one heart among the people isn't just a feeling reserved for the United States. Global organizations abound with the focus on uniting. Tons of resources, monetary and human, have been spent on attempts to get nations to get along. The results? We'll let you be the judge of how that's going...
It seems that, at least in the history of the US, there was no better example of surges of common opinion than the movements of the 1960s. It was a revolutionary time, without a revolution. Yes, there were wars, but they were not on the magnitude that were seen in World War I and II. One movement of this decade would go on to define it like no other. It was a season among the younger population that was defined by freedom, peace, joy, and love. This time, especially the later part of the decade, would see changes in everything that the United States had ever deemed as "regular" or "normal". Its rallying cry was one of unification or acceptance through "love".
The original version from The Wailers came out in 1965 at the height of all of the movements of the 60s including several aimed at unity. It was one of the "ska" genre's first popular songs and assisted in the popularization of a music style that informed the punk rock movement of the 80s. "One Love" was rerecorded as a portion of a medley of reggae-influenced songs titled "All In One", featured on the compilation album African Herbsman. It was later covered by the band, renamed for charismatic leader Bob Marley, on the 1977 album Exodus. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Exodus" (Bob Marley and the Wailers),
"One Love" has been used constantly in Marley's homeland of Jamaica by the country's tourist bureau and features in the 2008 movie Marley & Me. (Marley & Me trailer) as well as the title of the Marley biopic from earlier this year. (One Love trailer)
"One Love" is one of those songs that resonates with that feeling of unity with which we are all born. And it is also a recurring theme for one of the early churches to which Paul wrote a letter.
We explored Paul's opening to this letter last week. This week we'll visit the main body of the letter to the church at Ephesus and next week we'll look at the closing topics to one of Paul's most powerful "living the Jesus life" letters.
Remember, Paul's original letter didn't have verse or chapter designations as those were added much later. Here is an English Standard Version that reads like an actual letter. Ephesians - English Standard Version (2016) Without chapter and verse divisions
But for our purposes today, we begin in chapter 2 where Paul reflects on how far mankind had transgressed against God. He then turns the corner with the key phrase, "But God" in 2:4. This transition sets the stage for the remainder of the letter as Paul describes the nuances of what God has done to redeem mankind and how wonderful a life lived for Jesus can be. He reminds the Ephesians that as Gentiles they were not a part of the original covenant but because of what Jesus did on the cross they are adopted into the covenant via Jesus' substitutionary death and consequent resurrection. (which we encourage you to celebrate at the church of your choice this Sunday, yup it is Resurrection Day or Easter as it is known on the calendar! If you would like assistance finding a church, please email me at rawacr@gmail.com) (If you need more information and proof of Jesus' story, read Lee Strobel's excellent book The Case For Christ or check out the film based on the book, The Case For Christ trailer Goodness today's Notes has a lot of links!!!)
Paul writes about his journey to salvation and what his life has been like afterward as an encouragement to the Ephesian believers that those in their city can be redeemed regardless of what they may have done in their lives. This is a very personal portion of the letter and adds depth and perhaps a bit of poignancy to Paul's testimony.
Paul settles into the desire in our hearts for unity that we discussed earlier as he imparts the following wisdom to the Ephesians: "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV This is a message many believers need to hear today as well. Let's be followers of Jesus more than we are adherents to man-made denominations.
"...There is one question I'd really like to ask (one soul)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner..."Yes Mr. Marley, according to Paul, there certainly is hope!
Paul redirects the letter to encourage the Ephesians in their walk with Jesus. He asserts that their lives should reflect the One who gave everything for their restoration to God. He affirms that since they were adopted children they no longer desire to remain children who are "tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Ephesians 4:14-16 (NASB)
Paul tells them to not be satisfied with just being believers. Their goal is to be Jesus. And by striving for that goal, they become "imitators of God". That to me is a very tall order, but one I accept...and have to reiterate daily. The call for unity, especially among believers, is distinct and looms large in our world today. It is a struggle but if we embrace what Paul writes regarding being of one heart, one faith, and one baptism we soon see the differences we have fade away and the commonalities that we have amplified.
Or perhaps with a bob of our head and a bit of a Jamaican flair, we just sing...
"One love, one heart
Let's join together and a-feel alright
One love (oh Lord of mercy)
One heart (I tell you)
Let's join together (at this house I pray)
And a-feel alright (and I will feel alright)
Let's join together and a-feel alright..."
Let's join together and a-feel alright
One love (oh Lord of mercy)
One heart (I tell you)
Let's join together (at this house I pray)
And a-feel alright (and I will feel alright)
Let's join together and a-feel alright..."
'Til Tuesday
Loving HIM by Loving You
randy
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