1. Unity in Christ
II Timothy 1:3-18

2. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
Being united with brothers and sisters in Christ is just as important and even more important than being united with our families.
I don’t mean to neglect our families for Christ
Jesus has called us to put Him first in our lives.
Sometimes we can’t maintain unity with family members
When family isn’t there, who can we rely on?

3. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
While Paul was in prison the most important thing on his mind was Timothy and the church.
II Corinthians 11:28, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

4. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
Being united in Christ gives us the courage to face anything.
II Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
We must not let the current cultural environment cause us to be timid.
spirit of timidity—attitude,
spirit of power or courage—greek word for dynamite
spirit of love—if we love people then we won’t be afraid to share the gospel with them.
self-discipline—self-control

5. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or the sword? “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

6. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
I John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

7. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
Being united in Christ gives us loyal friends
Loyal friends who pray for us at all times.
Loyal friends who encourage us.
Loyal friends are there in times of trial and suffering.
Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Being united in Christ is better than having many friends.
Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

8. Being united with Christ is more important than anything!
To be united in Christ you must be in Christ or belong to Christ.
Romans 8:9-11 says, “You however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
Galatians 3:26, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”