Unity Of The Spirit
Prison Epistles: Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
As we dove into “The Glorious Church Of Christ” within the pages of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians this is what we have unearthed thus far.
The body or church of Christ is that which has been eternally planned ().
When we are “outside of Christ’s body” we are dead in our trespasses and sins which is why it is so important to be a part of the “body of Christ” ().
God made it possible to “enter into the eternally planned church” through the blood of Christ and His Law it created which unified all peoples both Jew and Gentile () into one.
That brings us to our text today, wherein Paul continues to stress unity between God’s people.
This time he does this by focusing first on the unity between God and man which leads to the unity of all adopted sons.
Then he turns his attention to the unity kept & matured by the leadership of the “eternally planned body or church of Christ.”
Unity Of The Spirit
Unity Of The Spirit
Unity of the Spirit walks according to its calling.
Unity of the Spirit walks according to its calling.
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:
Those focused on their unity of spirit with God will walk in a manner worthy of their calling.
Those focused on their unity of spirit with God will walk in a manner worthy of their calling.
God is humble and we are called to be united with Him in humility.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Php 2:
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
They will walk with humility ().
God is gentle and we are called to be united with Him in gentleness.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Is 40:11
Pr
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
They will walk with gentleness ().
God is patience and we are called to be united with Him in patience.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
They will walk with patience ().
This unity of spirit between God and His children, when achieved, renders an effect between each of the members of the body of Christ.
The apostle John would call this effect “fellowship” between one another.
They will bear with one another in love for unity and peace ().
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
John would later write this fellowship is “held together” by our love for God.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 Jn 4:
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
This unity of spirit between God, man, and his brethren helps us understand the bond of peace.
Unity of the Spirit strives to keep the bond of peace.
Unity of the Spirit strives to keep the bond of peace.
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Eph 4:3-
We can only keep the bond of peace with God and our fellow brethren when we grasp what makes this peace.
The peace of God that surpasses all understanding () is based in cohesion not chaos, comprehension not confusion. ().
True peace only comes from one things.
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
1 Cor 14:33
The most peaceful congregations are those that seek the pure and unadulterated Word of God.
That’s the understanding of God’s love for us ().
Summery
Summery
Unity of spirit between God, man, and the church begins with understanding our calling and ends with a peace that surpasses understanding.
This great unity requires biblical leadership to thrive and mature as God would have it.
That brings us to our next point...
Unity Of The Faith
Unity Of The Faith
Leadership was given to attain unity of the faith.
Leadership was given to attain unity of the faith.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
The great difficulty of any congregation is that of differing levels of faith and maturity.
Eph 4:11-
The apostle Paul dedicated great swaths of writing to this challenge ().
test
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:1
When there are different maturities of faith there can be a tendency to “divide the faith” rather than attain the unity of the faith.”
This is why God gave the church leaders, to accomplish this painstakingly difficult task.
Today, because we have the completed Word () we no longer need apostles or prophets but we still need shepherds, gospel preachers (evangelists), and teachers.
It is the shepherds, preachers, and teachers job to help the “whole church” be one in voice (), be on in mind (), and one in spirit ().
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
If leadership does its job for God the church we will see this...
Unity of the faith develop into maturity.
Unity of the faith develop into maturity.
Eph 4:13-
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
God has never told mankind, His creation, to find complacency in the church. In other words...
Unity Of The Son Of God
Unity Of The Son Of God
Being a “young child of God” is no excuse for not trying to learn more and work harder every single day.
Being an “older child of God” is no excuse for not trying to learn more and work hard every single day.
It’s not the job of the “middle in Christ” to work the hardest and do all the work every single day.
This doesn’t mean the younger and older are expected to always to the same things. Let’s face it there is more endurance in youth but much more wisdom in age.
Let’s face it the is more endurance in youth but wisdom in age.
If God never told His children individually to be complacent then He certainly never told a congregation to be complacent.
The leadership of the church is to mature the congregation to keep the unity of the faith.
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Eph 4:
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
This means making sure we are all on the same page concerning God’s Word.
This means making sure we are all on the same page concerning the direction, plan and goals for the church.
No, God has never told His children to sit back in complacency and watch from afar.
Everyone in Christ was made a “new creation” for the purpose of doing “good works” for God.
Summery
Summery
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Everyone in Christ was made a “new creation” for the purpose of maturing doctrinally.
Leadership whether shepherds, preachers, or teachers have a responsibility to train a congregation to maturity and every congregation has a responsibility to make that as painless as possible ().
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Our unity of the Spirit with God will create a fellowship with our brethren and when that fellowship is combined into a local church it is the leaderships responsibility to make certain the church attains the unity of faith that will propel it forward to maturity.
The church here in Ramona must strive to always be “united in God’s Word” and “united in God’s expectations for us.”
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.